Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Metropolia Center marks 50th jubilee (11/03/02)

Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Metropolia Center marks 50th jubilee

by Hieromonk Daniel

SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. - Saturday, September 28, found Orthodox Christians from all over the world arriving at the Metropolia Center in South Bound Brook, N.J., to give thanks to Almighty God for the blessings and graces He has bestowed on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. - especially on the 50th anniversary of the Metropolia Center.

Continuing to recuperate from his recent surgery, the primate of the UOC-U.S.A., Metropolitan Constantine, could not be with the faithful for this glorious celebration. He was with them, however, in prayer and his words of greeting were read at the liturgy by the Protopresbyter Frank Estocin.

Archbishop Antony, ruling archbishop of the Eastern Eparchy and president of the Consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.; Archbishop Vsevelod, ruling bishop of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.; Archbishop Yurij of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada; Bishop Dimitrios of the Greek Orthodox Church of America; were greeted at the door to St. Andrew's Memorial Church.

Also concelebrating were 47 priests, including the Rt. Rev. Protopresbyter Wasyl Makarenko, president of the Consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, and three deacons.

Present for the liturgy was Bishop Basil Losten of the Stamford Eparchy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. Responses to the liturgy were sung by the St. Andrew Memorial Church Choir of South Bound Brook, N.J., under the direction of Taras Pavlovsky.

Archbishop Vsevelod, who on September 27 had celebrated his 15th anniversary of ordination as a bishop, preached in Ukrainian during the liturgy. He extolled the vision and the dedication of the UOC's spiritual fathers, Metropolitan John and Patriarch Mstyslav for realizing the necessity of having a diocesan center, museum and cultural center as an anchor for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church here in America and in the Ukrainian diaspora. He praised the dedication and perseverance of the people in making this dream a reality.

Mentioning St. Andrew Memorial Church, Archbishop Vsevolod said:

"The Memorial Church - this is the combined monument over the graves of our forefathers - those related to us and most dear to us. The Memorial Church - this is the expression of our deep respect for the heroes and martyrs of our Ukrainian nation. The Memorial Church - this is the very humble cross over the graves of millions of victims of the genocidal famine ploughed over by the enemy.

"The Memorial Church - this is our feeble attempt to recreate the majesty of the Ukrainian Churches destroyed by the Moscow communists in just the 20th century. The Memorial Church - this is the creation of the free Ukrainian spirit, inseparably joined to the ancient Ukrainian style of Church construction.

"The Memorial Church - this is our humble contribution to the treasury of spiritual and cultural wealth of the United States of America. The Memorial Church - this is evidence that those who contributed in any way to her construction, lived not only for themselves, but for the future generations of our nation."

Following the liturgy, all the bishops, priests, deacons and faithful participated in the blessing of the Apostolic Prayer Trail. Fifteen icons were placed on wooden crosses along the path between the memorial church and the cemetery. The icons depict the 12 Apostles, St. Paul, St. Volodymyr the Great and St. Olha, and the icon of the Transfiguration.

Archbishop Antony explained that the path of holiness that the apostles and the Equal to the Apostles Ss. Volodymyr and Olha took ultimately led their lives to be transfigured by the grace of God. This is the path that all must walk in our daily lives to accept as Orthodox Christians God's transfiguring grace, he added.

As the bishops and faithful proceeded to the icon of the Transfiguration, the priests who concelebrated were assigned to walk to one of the icons of the holy apostles together with any parishioners from their respective parishes. After the hierarchs said the prayer of blessing, the memorial church bells rang, signaling the priests at the various monuments to bless their respective icons with holy water.

Hieromonk Daniel, director of the Office for Public Relations, and Natalia Honcharenko, Director of the Office of Cultural and Ethnic Affairs were the masters of ceremonies for the jubilee banquet later that day.

Present in addition to the hierarchs and clergy who were at the divine liturgy was Metropolitan Iziaslav of the Byelorussian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. Remarks at the banquet were delivered by Archbishop Antony, Archbishop Yurij, Bishop Dimitrios (speaking on behalf of Archbishop Dimitrios) and a representative of the clergy of the Byelorussian Orthodox Church (speaking for Metropolitan Iziaslav).

Bishop Basil Losten gave greetings and spoke about the need to continue to support the spreading of God's word. Volodymyr Yatsenkivskyj of the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington and Markian Kulyk of Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the United Nations spoke of the accomplishments of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America and especially over the past five years here at the Metropolia Center. They also thanked the UOC-U.S.A. Church for its ever-present help to the Church and faithful in Ukraine.

Father Michael Petlak gave a very moving talk on the history of the founding of the Metropolia Center. Daria Pishko, president of the Ukrainian Orthodox League of the U.S.A., Nadiya Mirchuk, president of the United Ukrainian Orthodox Sisterhoods, Michael Heretz, president of the St. Andrew Society; and Dennis Quinlan, representative of South Bound Brook City Council; also delivered greetings.

Bohdan Kekish, president of Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union, greeted the faithful and praised the Church and especially the Metropolia Center for being a beacon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian heritage. He presented a gift from the credit union of $25,000.

The entertainment portion of the jubilee began after the banquet. The St. Andrew Memorial Church Choir under the direction of Mr. Pavlovsky performed first. Melania Mostrovska, soloist from St. George Parish in Yardville, N.J., sang songs of Ukraine accompanied by Olga Holinko, pianist. The Sunday school students of St. Volodymyr Cathedral in New York, instructed by Nastia Antoniv and Ela Romanyshyn, performed songs and recited poetry.

Also featured was bandurist Yurij Fedynsky from New York. The Holy Trinity Parish Choir Ensemble performed under the direction of Sofia Shultz. In addition, Iryna and Michael Chaiykivsky, and sisters Nadiya and Natalka Pavlyshyn with their father, Ihor, performed during the concert program.

Two dance ensembles, the Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble (Artistic Director Natalie Kapeluck) from Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Carnegie, Pa., and the Barvinok Ukrainian Dance Ensemble (Artistic Director Hryhoriy Momot) from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., Somerset, N.J., dazzled those in attendance. The day concluded with an informative slide presentation on the pictorial history of the Metropolia Center compiled by Natalia Honcharenko.

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