St.
Nicholas Parish in Montreal Turns 75
From
19 December 2003, that is, since its feast day, St. Nicholas Parish
in Montreal, Canada, began its 75th anniversary celebrations,
which, as decided by the Anniversary Committee, will last for
12 months, until 19 December 2004 (which next year falls on a
Sunday).
The solemn services in the Cathedral began on Thursday evening.
Participating was Grace Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan, Secretary
of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside
of Russia and Administrator of the Eastern Canadian Diocese.
On the feast day itself, Bishop Gabriel ordained reader Gregory
Vasilievich Borowik, director of rubrics for the Cathedral Choir
and Parish Treasurer, as subdeacon. He labored greatly towards
the restoration of the church, literally rebuilt from ruin after
the fire of 1998. At divine liturgy, Vladyka Gabriel concelebrated
with Protopriest Peter Perekrestov of the San Francisco Cathedral,
a native Montrealer, Deputy Rector Fr. George Lagodich, Cathedral
priest Father Michael Metni and Deacon Basil Milonov.
The Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Mira the Miracle-worker in Montreal,
located on St. Joseph Boulevard West, suffered difficult times
along with its parish. Only in the last two to three years, thanks
to the selfless efforts of the cathedral clergy, parishioners
and the new Parish Council, rebuilding efforts have resumed, and
just before the feast day, a magnificent copper cupola was erected.
The parish itself has grown and strengthened considerably; benefit
concerts of Russian church music were held at the finest church
halls of the city. The tradition of Russian winter balls has resumed;
after a long hiatus, the first will be held on 30 January 2004.
But a great deal of work lies ahead, first of all, reconstruction
efforts requiring enormous funds, which, with God's help, will
be collected from kind donorsThe celebrations continued on Sunday,
21 December. Deputy Rector Fr. George Lagodich was elevated to
the rank of Protopriest during the Great Entrance, and Fr. Michael
Metni was awarded a nabedrennik.
At the conclusion of the service, a solemn trapeza feast was organized
by the Parish Sisterhood of St. Nicholas Cathedral. Before the
trapeza, Protopriest Peter Perekrestov gave a speech on the life
and struggles of St. Nicholas the Miracle-worker and the milestones
of St. Nicholas Parish.Then, at the request of those present,
Bishop Gabriel recounted the work of the All-Diaspora Pastoral
Conference and the Council of Bishops, which had ended a few days
before.
After these celebrations, the 25th Annual St. Herman's Youth Conference
was held in Montreal. Young people of St. Nicholas Parish, children
of recent immigrants from the Fatherland joined other youth which
gathered from all points of North America. After St. Herman's
Conference, the 1st Church Music Conference for Youth will be
held in the cathedral city of the Diocese. The Cathedral Choir
of St. Nicholas is renowned throughout the Russian Diaspora, and
the veteran singers are helping in the preparations.
--Ch.G.
