On December 17, the Holy Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara. Saint Barbara is a unique saint, the only saint whom the Church learned to depict on icons holding the Holy Chalice, which, according to the canons of the Church, cannot be touched by any of the laity – only a priest. In Orthodox iconography, only St. John of Kronstadt is also depicted with a chalice in his hand.

On this day, the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in the city of Edmonton, in the province of Alberta, celebrated its Patronal feast. According to the established tradition, the Patronal feast was celebrated in the cathedral twice – first on Sunday, December 13, for the majority of parishioners who are unable to attend services on weekdays, and on the very day of the holiday – December 17.

This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the consecration of St. Barbara’s Cathedral and the 50th Anniversary of the foundation of  the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.

Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, previously planned events in connection with these anniversaries had to be canceled. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, His Grace Matthew, Bishop of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada and the United States, could not come from London to Edmonton to participate in the festive services.

On the occasion of the Patronal feast day of the cathedral and the 50th Anniversary of the foundation  of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada, Bishop Matthew sent his Archpastoral  Message, which was read in Russian and English after the Divine Liturgies on December 13 and 17 and listened to by the parishioners with great attention.

On December 13, Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the rector of the cathedral, the dean of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, Archpriest Igor Kisil, and co-served by father deacon John Grigaitis.

On the eve of the Patronal feast day of the Cathedral, the All-night Vigil with Litia and the blessing of loaves was led by the rector of the Cathedral.

On Thursday, December 17, 2020, on the very day of the holiday, the rector of the cathedral, Archpriest Igor Kisil, led the festive Divine Liturgy, co-served by father deacon John Grigaitis. Chants in Slavonic and English were performed by Sergey Kuflevskiy, choir director of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Nisku.

At the end of the Liturgy, a traditional festive Moleben was performed in the front of the holy relics of the Great Martyr Barbara. Then, many years were proclaimed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Bishop Matthew, parishioners and all Orthodox Christians.

At the end of the Moleben, Father Igor congratulated all those present on the holiday:

“Dear and beloved  fathers, brothers and sisters! On this remarkable day for our spiritual centre, the magnificent St. Barbara’s Cathedral Church in Edmonton, I would like to take this  opportunity, and  to  extend  my  heartfelt best wishes and cordial congratulations to  His Grace Bishop Matthew, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, the clergy, to  the faithful  parishioners  of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada  on our Patronal feast day, the day commemorating the Holy Great-Martyr Barbara, to whom our cathedral  is dedicated and a portion of whose relics, by God’s mercy, are here as a consolation, a special mercy of God, and a sign of her special intercession for our church. Special, unseen Divine grace flows forth from these sacred objects – from the Holy Table, from her relics, from her icons – to sustain each one of us on our life’s journey.

Congratulating you on our Patronal feast, I wish that the life of each of you would become like the feat that the Great Martyr Barbara performed.”

The President of the cathedral, Roman Lopushinsky, on behalf of himself and on behalf of the church council, also congratulated all those present on the feast day.

The festive service ended with a wonderful performance of church hymns by Sergey Kuflevskiy.

                                        Holy Great Martyr Barbara, pray to God for us!

                       Photo report from the Patronal feast of St. Barbara’s Cathedral