On Sunday, June 28, His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah, and His Grace, Bishop Jerome, concelebrated the Divine Liturgy in St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC. Both hierarchs marked their namesdays, as June 28 is the feast day of both the Holy Hierarch Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow, and Blessed Jerome of Stridonium. On Saturday night, Bishop Jerome led the Polyeleos at the All-Night Vigil. After the service, a supper was offered in the parish library for the hierarchs, clergy, and choir members. A video of the Vigil can be viewed on the parish’s YouTube page here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ-UeSEASKQ

The following morning, both hierarchs were greeted together, after which Metropolitan Jonah led the Divine Liturgy, co-served by Bishop Jerome, parish rector Archpriest Victor Potapov and cathedral clergy: Priests John Johnson, Alexander Resnikoff, Victor Klimenko, and Damian Dantinne, Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell, and Deacons John Dean and Gregory Trubetskoy.

Bishop Jerome delivered the first sermon, in Russian, after the reading of the Gospel. His Grace spoke on the words of the Gospel reading, in which the centurion said, "I tell this one to go there and do this..," in which he showed that he knew the Lord could send angels. Bishop Jerome emphasized that we are all called to serve as angels, but it depends on our choice whether we become Angels of the Lord, or angels of the enemy of mankind.

The faithful filled the church, and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries from four chalices. At the end of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Jonah delivered a second sermon, in English, on the holy lives and struggles of Sts. Jerome and Jonah, especially how the latter led the Russian Orthodox Church against false unity with the Latins, and later in the aftermath of the fall of Constantinople and the subjugation of Orthodox Christians lands and faithful to the Muslim Turks.  A video of the Liturgy can be viewed on the parish’s YouTube page here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkHCBYiZtSE

After the service, a lenten luncheon was served in the parish hall.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese

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