"Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord! We bless You from the House of the Lord! God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us!"

Our Father and Bishop of Washington-New York and Eastern America, Irinej, led us in a joy-filled and holy Great Feast of the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem.

The faithful gathered early to celebrate the Matins of the feast. They welcomed His Grace, singing the festal Hymn to the Mother of God. A full church lifted palms and pussy willow branches to be blessed before processing around the Church joyfully singing the Troparion "By Raising Lazarus from the dead..."

Vladika Irinej then tonsured two new Readers of the Church, Zachariah Tyler Rance Bare and Marko Christopher Rocknage. A reader is the first step to the Holy Order of the Priesthood. During the tonsuring, Zachariah and Marko were instructed to read from the Holy Epistles. The Holy Spirit chooses these texts for each reader, as the Bishop simply opens the book. Quite appropriately, the Epistles explained that service in ministry must always be accompanied by mercy. May Zachariah and Marko be blessed with many years of fruitful ministry as they offer their talents to God!

The feast continued with its fulfillment in the Holy Liturgy. His Grace illuminated the faithful with the Light of Christ as he offered a homily pointing to the importance of choosing Christ in all aspects of our lives. This especially means living a life of service to others. He reminded the faithful that Christ Himself gives the example: as the King, He offers Himself as a sacrifice for us; as the Lord of all, He serves His subjects, even to the washing of their feet. 

The Liturgy culminated with many of the faithful having prepared themselves, and receiving the Holy Body and Precious Blood of our Lord. First among the communicants was the newly illumined Jarred Lee George Lafferty, baptized on the feast of the Raising of Lazarus, and his Kumovi - Sponsors.

At the end of the Liturgy, Father Deacon Bojan Gligorevic read the Episcopal Grammata commemorating the newly tonsured. Then, the St. Nicholas faithful said farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Dusan Maran, who are retiring to their home in Republika Srpska, as His Grace prayed over them, blessing then with safe travels. Finally, the children who came to Holy Confession for the first time this Great Lent were all given a holy icon to remind them of the Love of God, Who offers forgiveness to sinners who repent.

After the service, all gathered in the hall for the 'liturgy' after the Liturgy in festal fellowship.

We thank God for the joyous Feast, made fuller with the presence of His Grace, our Bishop Irinej! May God grant him many blessed years!