WESTERN EUROPEAN DIOCESE: 26 May 2023
The feast day of the Church of the Nativity of Christ and St Nicholas the Wonder-worker is celebrated with an ordination

On May 20-23, 2023, His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe made a pastoral visit to the Parish of the Nativity of Christ and St Nicholas the Wonderworker in Florence, Italy.

During his visit, Vladyka presented the parish with a new Antimension, within which are contained the relics of the Holy Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer St George, St Gregory the Decapolite, and St John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria.

At the Sunday Liturgy, a notable event took place for the parish: Reader George Gorchak was ordained as Subdeacon.

Then, as is customary during the Paschal period, at the end of the Sunday Liturgy a procession of the cross took place in the Florentine sunshine. And at the very end, a small children’s choir greeted Vladyka with several hymns.

The same evening was the eve of the feast of St Nicholas, and the All-Night Vigil of the lower altar’s patronal feast was celebrated. Since earlier restoration work had recently carried out in the lower church, the rite of small consecration was performed before the Vigil.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy of the Patronal Feast, the children’s choir sang a hymn dedicated to St Nicholas the Wonderworker, as the faithful greeted each other in celebration.

Archpriest Georgy Blatynsky, Parish Rector, said: “This visit of Vladyka turned out to be very eventful. The acolytes, and the church clergy themselves, were able to better assimilate the elements of hierarchical worship. Now we will again look forward to Vladyka to check how we have learned the joyful lessons of these holidays.”