Feast Day of the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women at Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY

Women's Choir of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York.

On the Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, the Parish Sisterhood of the Holy Virgin Protection Church annually marks its heavenly protectresses. On Saturday, April 24, His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain arrived in time for the all-night vigil.

His Eminence Archbishop Mark delivers a sermon at the end of liturgy.

The Paschal service was joyfully performed, headed by His Eminence Archbishop Mark along with the Parish Rector, Mitred Protopriest George Larin, Deputy Rector Protopriest Elias Gorsky, Priest Sergei Lukianov of the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Lakewood (Howell), NJ, Deacon Dimitri Temidis of Holy Virgin Protection Church and Deacon Sergei Arlievsky of Novo Diveevo Convent in Spring Valley, NY. The altar was filled to capacity with sub-deacons and altar boys.

His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain
offers the cross for veneration to Parish Rector Mitred Protopriest George Larin.

Especially heartwarming was the greeting and "service" of the younger sisters of the parish: girls aged 7 to 14, wearing light-blue uniforms and white kerchiefs, who were busy maintaining the splendor of the church, tending to the candle stands and helping the Parish Warden. These young sisters also celebrated their feast day.

The Holy Myrrhbearers Women's Choir of the Diocese, under the direction of Eugenia Temidis, sang prayerfully. The Women's Choir has sung these Paschal services in Nyack for 7 years now. In addition to the regular members of the Choir, singers from Montreal and Toronto, Canada, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, also participated, bringing the number of voices in the kliros to 30 women.

After Sunday's divine liturgy, the Parish Sisterhood, headed by Anastasia Borisovna Lopoukhine, invited Vladyka, the clergy and the multitude of worshipers to a splendid feast in the church hall. The Rector, Fr. George, gave an opening speech, thanking the elder sisters who had for decades labored for the good of their parish, following the example of their heavenly protectresses. He congratulated all those who were celebrating their names-days, the elder and younger sisters, and the Women's Choir. The Choir in turn presented a gift to the Parish of an icon of St. Kassiana the Hymnographe. The prayer "Many Years" was then sung. Fr George greeted and thanked Vladyka Mark, whom they escorted as he left. Many guests remained for a long time afterwards, basking in the warmth of the holiday.

Sisterhood of Protection Parish in Nyack, NY.