The Vicar of the Slavic Orthodox Vicariate Leads the Service for the Commemoration of the Beheading of St. John the Forerunner in the Brooklyn Cathedral

On September 11, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Beheading of the Holy Prophet St. John the Forerunner.  

The Brooklyn Cathedral of the Slavic Orthodox Vicariate of America, which is dedicated to the saint, celebrated a Divine Liturgy led by its Vicar Archimandrite Alexander.  Serving with him were Archpriest Alexander Belya (Rector of the Cathedral), Archpriest Vasily Deyak and Priest Rostislav Zadorozhny (Cathedral clergy), Protodeacon Demetrius, Protodeacons Peter Utkin and George Hero (Cathedral clergy).

The liturgy was followed by a memorial for the victims of the tragic events of 20 years ago, when a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, claimed the lives of almost three thousand people.  Special prayers were said for the victims and the families of 9/11.

After the service Archimandrite Alexander gave a congratulatory speech on the occasion of the 65th birthday of Archpriest Alexander, which he celebrated on September 3.  He also congratulated the rector on the upcoming feast day of his patron saint Prince St. Alexander Nevskiy, who is commemorated the following day (September 12).  The Vicar then presented the rector with a pectoral cross on behalf of the clergy and laity of the Vicariate.  Finally, he congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the occasion of the holiday.  Several parishioners representing the entire community also congratulated Archpriest Alexander, who then thanked everyone for their kind words.  At the end, “God Grant You Many Years” was sung to the rector by all present.