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Parish Announcements
Visit of His Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto
Visit of Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto,
and his Grace Bishop John of Woodside,
on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
June 1 to June 3, 2024
Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
We were blessed with the visit of our Metropolitan Gregory and his Grace Bishop John of Woodside from Saturday June 1st to Monday June 3rd, 2024. The Metropolitan’s time with us at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral was part of a larger programme during which he is visiting, serving, and gathering with the faithful at the Churches of the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto including: St Seraphim Mission Parish (Toronto), St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral (Toronto), the Church of St Andrew the Apostle (Saskatoon), the Church of Sts Peter and Paul (Ispas, Alberta), and the Church of the Mother of God, Keeper of the Portal (Calgary).
At Saint Nicholas the Saturday Vigil was held, and then on Sunday June 2, 2024, the Hierarchical Liturgy Concelebration with Metropolitan Gregory of Boston and Toronto, together with his Grace Bishop John of Woodside, Father Sergey of St. Seraphim Parish, and Father Anthony and Father Protodeacon George of St Nicholas. It was a full day and evening on Sunday! After the sacred Liturgy on Sunday morning, we joined together in fellowship, sharing a meal and then hearing spiritual insights from our Metropolitan and Bishop John on the many questions that parishioners had submitted. There were so many great questions that we couldn’t finish them all!
Great Vespers for Saints Constantine and Helen followed the Q & A as we began our commemoratoin of these two great Saints of the Church. And then on Monday, we served the Liturgy with Metropolitan Gregory presiding and enjoyed a wonderful luncheon together afterwards.
Our Metropolitan reminded us in his Sunday sermon that as Orthodox Christians we must never be complacent, but to thirst for Christ! He said,
‘In this great mystery of which all of us are members and parts, that is, that we of all peoples, unworthy, sinful though we are….we have been given this marvelous opportunity to be true worshippers of God, in Spirit and in Truth, to be members of Christ’s body, to have received holy Baptism, of being clothed over by Christ Himself, of having the opportunity to receive the Body and Blood of Our Saviour.’
With thanksgiving to God for all these blessings, let each of us offer a prayer of ‘Many Years!,’ for our steadfast and faithful Hierarchs Gregory and John!
With prayers,
Father Anthony
Most holy Saint Nicholas, intercede in our behalf!
In Memorium – the Ever-memorable Andrew, Metropolitan of Toronto
The Ever-memorable Andrew, Metropolitan of Toronto
+ June 6, 2021
Our beloved Andrew, Metropolitan of Toronto, served Our Saviour in our holy Church for so many years, having come to the Orthodox Faith at the age of 20, then studying at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, and being tonsured a monk at Holy Transfiguration Monastery at the age of 25, he was a man of Liturgy and a man of prayer.
He was consecrated Bishop in March 2013 and made his new home in Toronto serving at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral and the Parishes of the Metropolis of Toronto. In 2019 he was raised to be the Metropolitan of Toronto and to lead the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto; he did so with discernment, strictness of faith, and compassionate love. We can only marvel at his deep knowledge of the Scriptures, Orthodox Church history, the Canons, the Typikon, and his great reverence for the Saints of God.
A Memorial Service was held for him on Saturday June 1st, with his Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto presiding, together with Bishop John of Woodside, Protopresbyter Anthony and Protodeacon George of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and Father Sergey of Saint Seraphim Parish. A memorial was also held at Saint Nicholas Cathedral today, the day of his repose.
In matters of the Faith, our dear Metropolitan Andrew, was resolute, firm and insightful, in matters of the heart he was gentle and compassionate.
As we offer our prayers to God on the third year anniversary of his repose, we ask Our Saviour to number him among the Just and give him rest in the bosom of Abraham!
We miss you dearly Vladyka Andrew!
Memorial for Metropolitan Andrew – Saturday May 19/June 1 2024
Eternal be his memory!
Father Anthony
Message from Fr. Anthony-Nativity of our Lord 2023
Dear and faithful Orthodox Christians,
We shared so many joyous blessings on the Feast of Saint Barbara and our patronal Feast of Saint Nicholas. Our celebrations for the Feasts were magnified as we were joined by our Metropolitan Gregory, our Elder Abbott Isaac of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Father Pedros, Father Sergey and Father Protodeacon George. May Our Saviour bless all those who were able to attend and all those who assisted with readying of the Church, preparing meals, and providing hospitality to our visiting friends and clergy.
Behold now our Salvation is at hand
And now the holy Church enters into the Festive time of the Nativity of Our Saviour, inviting each of us to worship the Lord Jesus Christ in the sacred Services. Give rest to your soul and allow some of the typical activities of the days fall away, to attend the Services, to receive the grace of God. Let us all prepare and draw nigh to Bethlehem, as hymns of the Forefeast declare:
“Behold now the time of our salvation is near at hand. Prepare, O cave; the Virgin draweth nigh to give birth… behold Christ cometh, that He might save mankind whom He fashioned.”
“Raising our minds on high, let us be taken up in spirit unto Bethlehem, and with the eyes of our soul, let us look upon the Virgin, as she maketh haste unto the cave to give birth to the Lord of all and our God.”
At the Royal Hours on Friday, January 5th which begins at 6:30pm, we will hear the Psalms and Prophecies of Christ’s birth. More than 600 years before God’s coming upon the earth, it was prophesied by the Prophet Jeremias.
“This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His child, and to Israel His beloved. Afterward, He was seen upon earth, and lived among men.”
(Baruch 3:35-37)
Our celebration of the Vigil of Nativity begins at 5pm on Saturday, January 6th. For Orthodox Christians, this is our night watch of prayer, readings, and sacred chants, waiting upon God, and receiving already the grace and joy in the holy night of the Great Feast. This hymn of the Vigil announces the joy of the Feast:
“Come, ye faithful, let us see where Christ the Saviour hath been born; let us follow with the kings, even the Magi from the East, unto the place where the star doth direct their journey.”
“Today Christ is born of the Virgin in Bethlehem. Today the Beginningless beginneth, and the Word is made flesh. The powers of the Heavens rejoice, and the earth together with men is glad… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.”
This year for the Divine Liturgy for Nativity, our Service will be at 9am on Sunday, January 7th. Celebrating together in the sacred Mystery of Holy Communion, chanting the hymns of Christ’s birth, we will then enjoy a festive meal together with caroling.
May Our God bless us in all these celebrations, and may He receive our worship and join it together with the Angels in Heaven. And may He enlighten us, for Our Salvation hath come. Christ is born! Glorify Him.
Father Anthony
Parish Feast 2023-Honouring our Patron Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
Over 1700 years ago in the Roman town of Patera, the Christian parents Theophanes and Nonna gave birth to a son, our beloved Saint Nicholas. In his early years, Saint Nicholas would have heard of the time past when the holy Apostle Paul stopped in the port Town of Patera and changed ships on his way to visit with the faithful in Tyre (Acts 21 1-3). In time he became a Priest in Patara, made pilgrimage to the holy places in Jerusalem, and after returning, was raised to the office of Archbishop of the city of Myra.
As we ourselves now come to honour our great patron Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, together with our Metropolltan Gregory, our Father and Elder Isaac, Father Sergey, Father Pedros, and Father Protodeacon George, we join in spirit with the Orthodox Christians who have honoured him, and asked for his intercessions over the last seventeen centuries.
Saint Nicholas the Confessor and Archbishop of Myra
Having been ordained a Priest in Patara, as we said, he journeyed to the Holy Land and venerated the precious and life-giving Cross and the holy Sepulchre of Our Saviour. Desiring himself to remain in Jerusalem, he was obedient to God who revealed that he should return to his home, and shortly thereafter he was ordained Archbishop of Myra, the capital of that province of Lycia and near Patara. During his early years as Bishop, a great persecution came against the Christians under the orders of Emperors Diocletion and Maximian. Saint Nicholas was arrested for preaching the Salvation of Christ, and was chained and cast into prison. Remaining steadfast and untroubled by this, he taught, confirmed the faith, and cared for the many Christians imprisoned with him.
When the bright days of Saint Constantine the Roman Emperor came, Christianity was made legal, and Saint Nicholas was released and returned to his spiritual work in Lycia. Traveling when called upon by the Emperor to the First Council of Nicea, Nicholas was vigilant against the errors of Arius, and with the whole gathering of the Fathers proclaimed the true Orthodox Faith of Christ.
One of the innumerable Miracles of Saint Nicholas
Both during his life and after his repose, Saint Nicholas is renowned for his many countless miracles. Here we will recount one that is very instructive.
A number of mariners upon the sea were in danger of death as a gale arose tearing the sails of the ship amidst great waves. Having heard of the Nicholas the Archbishop of Myra, they called out in prayer for him to intercede and help them. Straightway a figure came to them across the sea, took the helm and steered the ship saying, ‘You called for me, stop fearing, I am with you.’ After guiding the ship for a time, and settling the storm, Saint Nicholas vanished. To properly show their gratitude, they set their course to Myra, and there found Saint Nicholas at the City Church and recognized him immediately as the one who indeed was saving captain of their ship. Now hear that as they gave thanks to Saint Nicholas and shared
the miracle with all those around, Saint Nicholas filled with the Holy Spirt, and knowing their hearts, spoke to them directly and with love. ‘I beseech you my children, to correct your hearts and thoughts, so that you may be pleasing to Go. Man sees the outward man, but God sees the heart.’ And thus the crew having been physically saved, now by the Saints admonishment recognized their sins, and repenting of them sins received spiritual healing as well.
Rejoicing together in the Festival of Saint Nicholas, the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the great Wonderworker, let us also ask for his intercessions with the Saviour, that we receive enlightenment, support our holy Church of Saint Nicholas, and with repentance progress well in the fast until the great Feast of Nativity.
Through the intercessions of Saint Nicholas, O Saviour, save us!
Father Anthony