On December 25 the Orthodox Church, according to Julian calendar, celebrates feast of St. Spyridon the Wonderworker. On this day Rector of St. George Church, Archpriest Igor Tarasov attended the patronal feast celebration at St. Spyridon Church in Kiev, Ukraine.

The Divine Liturgy was headed by His Excellence, Mitrophanus, Metropolitan of Luhansk and Alchevsk who was co-served by the Rector of St. Spyridon Church, Archpriest Nicholas Danylevych, and other clergy, among whom was our Rector, Archpriest Igor Tarasov.

Following the Gospel lesson Metropolitan Mitrophanus preached a homily about St. Spyridon’s life and his significance for the Orthodox Christians.

After the Liturgy the clergy performed a prayer service to St. Spyridon along with the procession around the temple in which an icon and the relics (a shoe) of the Saint were carried.
At the end of the temple celebration the Rector of the church, Fr. Nicholas expressed his gratitude to the visiting clergy, among them to Fr. Igor who came from the United States to participate in that celebration.

Patronal feast celebration continued at the Parish center where the clergy and parishioners enjoyed delicious meals and a nice conversation. Among the guests was the Consul of Greece to Ukraine  with his family. The toasts in honor of many persons present were raised and traditional Polychronia (“Mnogaia leta!”) performed. At the end of the trapeza parishioners enjoyed singing Ukrainian folk songs.