July the 9^th, on Sunday 5^th after Pentecost, through the blessing of His Grace Matthew Bishop of Sourozh, the cleric of St. Innocent of Irkutsk Orthodox Church of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA (the rector Rev. F. Joshua Genig, in Redford MI) Hierodeacon Seraphim (Balagtas) was co-serving at St. Barbara’s Cathedral.

Father deacon Seraphim was born, received his theological and medical education and became monastic in Philippines, consciously converted to the Orthodox Church, and was tonsured in 2007 (ryassaphore) and 2013 (the small schema).

Fr. Seraphim was assigned as a cleric of St. Innocent in 2019 and carries out his secular employment in Ann Arbor. He is taking a active part in the life of the parish, just recently having taken efforts in travelling to San Francisco and delivering the holy relics and icon of St. John the Wonderworker Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, for the chapel in honour of the saint hierarch, that is built at the church.

During the Liturgy at St. Barbara, father Seraphim was reading Gospel in English and proclaiming the ektenias.

After the Liturgy the rector of St. Barbara warmly greeted our brother in Christ, and thanked for the co-serving, and granted him a holy prosphora and the icon of the Patronal Saint – St. Barbara.

The President of the St. Barbara’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral Roman Lopushinsky on behalf of the Parish Council and the parishioners greeted father hierodeacon and made him a commemoration gift – the historical book “Century of Faith” about St. Barbara’s Cathedral.

The common photo was made, and the clergy and the guest were invited to a festive luncheon.