The Name Day of the Vicar of the Slavic Orthodox Vicariate

On December 25 the Church celebrates the memory of the following Saints – Holy Martyr Alexander of Jerusalem, St. Spyridon the Wonderworker and Bishop of Tremithus and St. Herman of Alaska.

Thus, this was the day of the Vicar’s Heavenly Patron, and it was prayerfully celebrated by His Grace Bishop-Elect Alexander of Nicopolis who led the Divine Liturgy at St. Matrona Cathedral in Miami, Florida. He was co-served by the numerous clerics of the Vicariate including Archpriest Eduard Chervinskiy from the Hermitage of the Holy Theotokos’ Protection in Buena Vista, New Jersey, Archpriest Rostislav Zadorozhnyy, Rector of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church in Red Bank, New Jersey, Archpriest Vasily Babych and Priest Ivan Zeikan who came from the Florida parishes. In his sermon at the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace highlighted the examples of the spiritual and life feats of the Saints of the day.

SS. Alexander, Spyridon and Herman lived at different times and in different places, and they became famous for various examples of church service, feats and benefactors, but now together they glorify the Lord at His Throne. They are prayerful intercessors for all the Orthodox faithful. For almost forty years, Hieromartyr Alexander was the Bishop of the Holy City of Jerusalem. In 251, he died as Martyr for Christ during the years when Emperor Decius Trajan persecuted Christians. St. Spyridon was Bishop of the city of Tremithus in Cyprus. At the First Ecumenical Council in 325, he proved the triune essence of God, the Holy Trinity. Reverend Herman lived and performed his mission in the first half of the 18th century. He dedicated his life to spreading the Orthodox faith in North America, and baptized tens of thousands of Alaskan natives and its residents.

After the sermon, numerous people congratulated His Grace Alexander on his Name Day, among them Archpriest Rostislav on behalf of the co-serving clergy, the Warden of the Cathedral Ivan on behalf of the parishioners. Tatyana, the head of the children’s school of the Cathedral, the nuns who help the Cathedral and continuously read the Incessant Psalter, the Book of Psalms, and the parishioners joined in the congratulations. Also, on the day the parishioners of the Miami Cathedral celebrated the 13th Anniversary of the first service within its walls.