On Tuesday, October 28/November 10, His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrius of America visited the parish of Saint Philaret the New Confessor in Chicopee, Massachusetts.
The Metropolitan arrived Monday evening for Vespers, after which a light trapeza was served with some time for spiritual talk.
On Tuesday morning the Metropolitan served Matins and a hierarchical Liturgy along with Fr. Michael Marcinowski, Hieromonk Benedict, and Fr. Jacob Wojcik along with an encouraging sermon, with instruction concerning our complete attention during church services, about the importance of confessing our sins and how a person is totally changed by confessing. He quoted examples of the faithful coming to confession in one state and leaving totally transformed into another.
After the liturgy, a festive meal was served and the faithful had time to interact with their hierarch. Metropolitan Demetrius also received an update from Fr. Michael and Fr. Jacob on their church building fund and the progress, problems, and obstacles to be overcome for the future of our community as we move forward. By God’s help and the prayers of our beloved Metropolitan, and our Holy Hierarch and Confessor Saint Philaret and of all the Saints, we will be able to a more suitable location to be a witness of true traditional Orthodox Christian worship.
Many thanks to our beloved Metropolitan Demetrius for praying with us, and for us, on the holy feast of our Patron Saint, Saint Philaret the New Confessor! O Holy Saint Philaret, pray unto God for us!
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