Bishop’s Report

This entry was posted on Monday, February 27th, 2017 and is filed under Sermons & Epistles.

BISHOP’S REPORT

52 Annual Meeting Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada.

St.Barbara’s Cathedral 2017.02.25

52 Annual Meeting Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada

52 Annual Meeting Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada

Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!

Christ is in our midst! Glory to Jesus Christ!

I greet all the participants of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada. Peace to all of you and my Episcopal blessing for the success of this Assembly!

As you well know, the most important and joyful events of the past year were:

  1. 100th Anniversary of the foundation of St. John the Baptist Russo-Greek Orthodox-Catholic parish in Chipman (07.07);
  2. 50th Anniversary of the Consecration of St. Mary’s Church in Nisku, Alberta, on September 18;
  3. Divine Liturgy at the historical site near Holy Trinity church in Wostok settlement, on the occasion of the traditional day of Orthodoxy in Canada, in honor of the 119th anniversary of the first Liturgy served on Canadian land (July 19th).

ANNIVERSARIES in 2017

This year we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Canada (1867), it is necessary to organize the celebration of the following important anniversaries:

  1. 120 years since the first Orthodox Liturgy in Canada (July 18th 1897);
  2. 100 years since the election of St. Tikhon to the position of Holy Patriarch of Moscow and all of Russia (November 1917), who had been the first Russian Bishop to visit Canada and bless some of our parishes;
  3. 100 years from the founding of St.John the Baptist Parish in Vegreville (07.07);
  4. 10 years since the re-establishement of Canonical and Eucharistical unification between ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad) and the Moscow Patriarchate.

His Grace Anthony (Sevryuk) Bishop of Bogorodsk, a vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow, and Administrator of the Directorate for Institutions Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church, has informed me that he has received the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch to travel to Canada in accordance with our invitation — from July 20th to July 28th.

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS OF RULING BISHOP

Over the past year Vladika Iov visited and served Divine Liturgies at 9 Patriarchal Parishes.

On Patronal Feasts, special Hirerchical services were held in Nisku, Skaro, Wostok, Spirit River, Mundare, Chipman, Regina, Ottawa and Toronto.

Also, following invitations from Rectors and the blessing of Archbishop Gabriel, Bishop Iov conducted Hirerchical Liturgies in the parishes of Red Deer and Calgary of ROCOR. This was in connection with Patronal and other commemorative Holidays. In 2016 Vladyka Iov also participated in the 7th anniversary of the enthronement (February 1) and the 70th anniversary of the birthday of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus Kirill at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow (November 21st).

PATRIARCHAL PARISHES WEB—SITE

During the course of the past year i have put out more than 40 texts in Russian and 30 in English.

I invite our clergy and parishioners to mor actively participate in the workings of our site and to send materials about important news in the life of their parishes, sermons, and material on important spiritual subjects. I am looking to find among our parishioners a specialist on websites, who could better work with our web.

MEMORY ETERNAL

Memery Eternal to Schemamonk Hierodeacon Theophanes of Edmonton (formerly of Mount Athos, Greece, who passed away on December 25th,2016, at the age of 67) and all those parishioners whom passed away in the past year.

CONGRATULATIONS

I sincerely congratulate all our priests and parishioners whom are celebrating memorable anniversaries, and pray for God’s help and many years!

In conclusion, i would like to express to all of you, dear fathers, brothers and sisters, words of gratitude for you work as well as for your prayerful support, without which my ministry would have been impossible. Let Christ our Saviour help us increase our service to God ‘with one mouth and one heart‘. In addition, as we are at the doorstep of Great Lent i wish to ask all of you for forgiveness, wishing you a good lent and ask God’s help in your prayers and repentance; also asking for the transfiguration and renewal of our souls, making peace with God and neighbours, as well as other saving good deeds which make us God’s children!

May Christ grant us the celebration of Holy Pascha with Great Joy!!!!

Thank you for your attention.