CANADIAN DIOCESE: October 28, 2015
Protection of the Mother of God Parish Celebrates its Feast Day and the 1000th Anniversary of the Repose of Holy Prince Vladimir

On October 16-18, 2015, a triple celebration took place at the Protection of the Mother of God Parish in Ottawa: the parish celebrated its parish feast day, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the parish, and the 1000th anniversary of the blessed repose of St Vladimir, Baptizer of Russia. To mark these special events, two large icons had been commissioned – one of SS Vladimir and Olga, the other of the Life-Giving Trinity.

The participants of the parish celebrations were blessed by the presence of the miracle-working icon “Softener of Evil Hearts” at all the festive church services, beginning with an akathist on Friday night.

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, along with His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel, presided over the services on Saturday and Sunday. They were assisted by the parish clergy: Fr Alexis Pjawka and Protodeacon Vasily Milonow, as well as visiting clergymen, including Protopriest Vladimir Malchenko from Toronto, Ontario, Dean of Eastern Canada; Protopriest Peter Perekrestov from San Francisco, CA; Protopriest George Lagodich and Fr Valery Chemsky from Montreal, Quebec; Fr Peter Boitchuk from the Moscow Patriarchate parish in Ottawa; Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow from Jordanville, NY; and Deacon Denis Lvov from New York. The choir sang under the direction of Julia Krukouskaia.

A moleben and procession took place after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, despite some snow flurries. After the service, a banquet and concert were held in the Pushkin Cultural Centre. The children’s choir of the parish sang the troparion to the Protection of the Mother of God in both Church Slavonic and English and a women’s trio performed several sacred pieces and Russian folk songs. Concluding the concert was the performance of young parishioner and accomplished pianist Leonid Nediak, who delighted the guests with his interpretation of Rachmaninoff.

The parishioners of the parish thank God for the many mercies He has shown the faithful in Ottawa throughout the parish’s history, and pray that He continue to bless the parish in the future.

A photo report of the parish feast can be viewed at: facebook.com/pokrovottawa

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