As reported on the official website of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, on Saturday the 24th and Sunday the 25th of September, His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, led the divine services in St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC, co-served by parish rector Archpriest Victor Potapov and clerics of the Church Abroad and the Patriarchal parishes.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, His Eminence addressed the gathered faithful with a sermon in which he called to mind the Gospel and Epistle readings for the Sunday before the Exaltation (Gal. 6:11-18 and John 3:13-17), read during the Liturgy. "On the Sunday before the great feast of the Universe Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the Church reminds us how Christ indicated to His disciples that He must be lifted up on the tree just as Moses at God’s command lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, that if a serpent had bitten any man – a terrible plague that had befallen the Israelites ‒ when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. God’s love for mankind, who had been poisoned with sin and death, lifts His Only-Begotten Son on the Cross, "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The Apostle Paul explains to us the most important aspect, for himself and for every one of the faithful, of the voluntary sufferings of Christ for our sake: that the emulation of Him in suffering sorrows and temptations must form the cornerstone of the foundation of our lives: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus," he says of himself. Our prayer, our kneeling before Our Savior’s Crucifixion, embodies the vertical aspect of our love for God, which is the first and primary commandment. The second, like unto it, our love for our neighbor as for ourselves, is the horizontal aspect of our life, and together they form that cross, which Christ the Savior calls upon us to carry after Him."

His Eminence warmly greeted the cathedral rector, Fr. Victor, thanking him for his constant welcome, and asked that he relay his gratitude to the First Hierarch of the Church Abroad, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, for his brotherly blessing to perform the divine services in the parishes of ROCOR.

Archbishop Justinian also greeted members of the Russian-American Women’s Association attending the service, who on September 24-25 had led a roundtable discussion on the topic of "Women in the 21st Century," and he blessed them in their further endeavors. At the invitation of the Association’s leadership, Fr. Victor Potapov’s Matushka Maria and Priest Alexei Bocharnikov’s (cleric of the Patriarchal parishes) Matushka Elena were invited to take part in the discussion.

"The commitments you have made to help your compatriots are high-minded and noble. It is especially appreciated that you have chosen to tie the work of your new organization to the Russian Orthodox Church, and that you wish to work alongside Her. I prayerfully wish you God’s aid and the blessing of the Most Pure Mother of God in the tasks that lie before you," His Eminence said.

Discussions between the parishioners and members of the Association continued during the luncheon, which had been lovingly prepared by Matushka Maria Potapova and her helpers.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese

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