Thousands converge at Orthodox center for "Providna Nedilia" (06/05/05)

Thousands converge at Orthodox center for "Providna Nedilia"

by Hieromonk Daniel

SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. - It has become a tradition among Ukrainians living in the United States, Canada and throughout the diaspora to visit the St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J. on the first weekend after Easter. On St. Thomas Sunday, or "Providna Nedilia" faithful gather at the gravesites of their loved ones to share in prayerful unity with them the joy of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As every year, the preparations for the annual pilgrimage began weeks prior to the event.

As the early morning sunlight shed upon the center, the first pilgrims started to arrive in order to avoid the rainy morning promised by weather forecasters. The forecasts were wrong, as it was a beautiful day.

St. Andrew Memorial Church was a place of quiet reflection and prayer that weekend, May 7-8. St. Andrew Cemetery, which is located behind the Church, was a place of spiritual reunions for many visitors. Hundreds of people visited Holy Resurrection Mausoleum, which houses the crypt of Patriarch Mstyslav.

The Ukrainian Cultural Center once again bustled with activity. Numerous Church organizations presented displays about their ministry among the faithful of the Church and in Ukraine. In addition, dozens of vendors offered Ukrainian folk art and other cultural, religious and historical items for sale.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Museum, also located in the Cultural Center, provided hundreds of visitors with the opportunity to come in contact with their historical, spiritual and cultural roots. Only one-fifth of the collection is on display in this temporary location, but it is a powerful display that has enhanced the lives of all who visit.

St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Seminary hosted a social program and meeting with Archbishop Antony for numerous young visitors. The Church/St. Sophia Seminary Library in the Consistory building remained open for the weekend so that the visitors could see and experience the Church's efforts to provide adequate spiritual, theological, historical, cultural social education for seminarians and Church members.

All the points of interest of the Spiritual Center remained opened for the weekend so that the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful, along with the numerous visitors to the center, had an opportunity to partake in the day-to-day life of the National Headquarters of the UOC of the U.S.A., known as the "Ukrainian Jerusalem" not only here in the U.S., but far beyond the borders of this country, including Ukraine.

The divine liturgy and memorial services at the Great Cemetery Cross and in the crypt of Patriarch Mstyslav and the grave of Metropolitan John, were celebrated by Archbishops Antony and Vsevolod with the dozens of concelebrating clergy, who remained on the center's property for the weekend, sharing in prayers with family members of those that are buried at the cemetery.

In his sermon, Archbishop Antony called to the attention of the faithful the scars of the wounds on the Body of Christ:

"While we celebrate the Glorious and Bright Feast of the Resurrection, we shall not forget the numerous wounds on the Mystical Body of Christ - His Church and her faithful, particularly in Ukraine - scars of persecution are still with us: Genocides against humanity, nuclear disasters in Chornobyl over 19 years ago and the continuing attempts of modern powers and regimes to develop weapons of mass destruction, starvation in Africa and around the globe, AIDS, the ongoing war with terrorism - all of which, among others, destroy the peace and freedom of God's creation.

"In the purity of faith and love in Christ, however, we shall find the path to salvation. No earthly government nor power or material possessions will bring us spiritual comfort and blessedness. Only true sacrificial love, simplicity of human heart and genuine hope will carry us on the road to salvation. It is the quality of our faith, rather than the quantity of our numbers that is most important in the battle against those who would destroy us."

Metropolitan Constantine was not able to participate in this year's spiritual pilgrimage due to a recent accident in which his ankle was broken, but he was with the faithful spiritually and all present were asked to remember him in their prayers during divine liturgy.

Archbishop Antony, president of the UOC of the U.S.A. Consistory and the ruling bishop of the Eastern Eparchy, led prayers at the graves of the other 11 Ukrainian Orthodox bishops interred at the cemetery, at the monument to Metropolitan Vasyl (Lypkivsky) and at the monument, established by the United Ukrainian Orthodox Sisterhoods, to the women and children who perished in the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933.

The annual Providna Nedilia pilgrimage has seen many generations of Ukrainians and various waves of immigration visiting the Metropolia Center. The new wave of immigrants from Ukraine joined long-time residents and the generations already born in the U.S., bringing a sense of unity to the community. It was moving to witness a person telling a young child about the deceased members of their family and their background and roots while standing at the place of repose for their loved ones. It was moving also to see that as the older generations pass on, the younger generations are carrying on family and national spiritual traditions.

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