Our Celebration with Metropolitan Gregory at Pentecost May 31 & June 1, 2026
Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
‘Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast shown forth the fisherman as supremely wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit!’
A most blessed and great Feast of Pentecost was celebrated by all this year together with our steadfast and faithful Hierarch, Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto! Following is Metropolitan Gregory’s outline of his visit and our receiving of the holy Relics of Saint George the Great Martyr at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral.
Saint George, the Great Martyr, intercede in our behalf! Father Anthony
Metropolitan Gregory on his Pastoral Visit to Toronto, Pentecost 2026
Metropolitan Gregory delivers the Relics of Saint George on the Eve of Pentecost
As Locum Tenens of the Metropolis of Toronto, I undertake a pastoral visit to the parishes of the Canadian Diocese each spring, commencing in Toronto and proceeding sequentially through the western provinces. The Vigil for the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto. This year, the occasion was marked by added solemnity due to the reception of the relics of Saint George the Great Martyr, which were gifted to the Parish by Holy Transfiguration Monastery and which I was privileged to bring with me to Toronto as a sacred treasure. Prior to the commencement of the Sunday Vigil, the clergy and the faithful of the Cathedral welcomed the relics of Saint George with flowers, candles, incense, and hymns of thanksgiving. All present were afforded the opportunity to approach and venerate the newly acquired relic.
Blessing of the Five Loaves at the Vigil of Pentecost
On Sunday morning, I celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, accompanied by Protopresbyter Anthony Rout, Presbyter Sergey Zhukov, and Protodeacon George Janchev. Before the start of the Service, two new Taper Bearers were blessed for the Cathedral, both, incidentally, called George.
Metropolitan Gregory blesses George and George our two new Taper Bearers
Father Protodeacon George proclaims the Metropolitan in the Divine Liturgy
Following the Divine Liturgy, the Vespers of the Sunday of Pentecost were served, during which the awesome Kneeling Prayers of the Sunday of Pentecost, traditionally attributed to Saint Basil the Great, were read. The Divine Services were followed by a Festal Trapeza, concluding with a customary Question and Answer Session that lasted for several hours.
Metropolitan Gregory with Clergy and Servers amongst the trees after Liturgy
On the Monday of the Holy Spirit, I had the further opportunity to serve the Divine Liturgy at our Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, thereby concluding my visit to Toronto and the first stop of the Canadian tour.
