Master Bless!  These are the words that most liturgical services in the Holy Orthodox church begin with.  And of course this opening proclamation is said by the deacon in those churches that are lucky enough to have one!  Both the Holy Scriptures and Tradition of the Church gives us an understanding of the ministry of the deacon.  This ministry has many different aspects.  Deacons are often called to take on the role of teacher, social worker, administrator and missionary worker, but certainly the most important and most recognizable calling of diaconal service is that of assistant in the Eucharistic services and other liturgical services that are at the very center of our lives in the Church of Christ.  Those of us who have been to many services and have participated in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy where deacons have been both present and absent know very well that having a deacon makes the service more beautiful and solemn.  Does this mean that the deacon is only there for external beauty?  Let us recall the words of the envoys of St. Volodymyr, the Baptizer of Rus.  “We did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth!  We only know that God dwells there among men.”  This report from his men was in part what led Prince Volodymyr to embrace and endorse Orthodox Christianity for his people, in the year 988.  In other words the beauty witnessed in the divine services of the Holy Orthodox Church influenced the life of several nations bringing all Eastern Slavs, Ukrainians, Russians and Byelorussians to Christ and His Holy Church.  In his epistles, the Holy Apostle Paul wrote about the importance of beautiful and orderly liturgical services.  Clearly tradition and scripture emphasize the importance of the diaconal ministry in this regard. 

Fast-forwarding to our own present times we must regretfully acknowledge that at times deacons are unable to add beauty to the liturgical services.  While there are certainly many factors which lead to this unfortunate circumstance, the biggest of them is the lack of liturgical training.  This is exactly where St. Vladimir’s Seminary (OCA) comes in.  By the grace of God, the pious clergy, faculty and staff of the seminary have developed a diaconal liturgical program which meets once a year in Yonkers NY, at St. Vlad’s.  Candidates to the deaconate and ordained deacons in the program are supported by daily celebration of the Divine Liturgy and other services. Intensive workshops aim to provide participants with the skills needed to serve effectively in the Orthodox Church as an attentive server, deacon, or priest.  Attention is given to the liturgical patterns of movement that inform the entire rite of the Church. Participants also receive guidance on con-celebrations and hierarchical celebrations so that they can effectively prepare for such occasions. In addition to the practicum, focused presentations by faculty augment the deacon's understanding of his place in the liturgical life of the Church and the deacon's broader vocation as a symbol to the faithful of the diakonia of Christ our Lord. Finally, instruction in public speaking and vocal technique are also given by the faculty of the seminary.

In 2010 St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Boston gave a scholarship to Fr. Deacon Borislav which enabled him to participate and complete the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Program.  For him, it was a joy to be at St Vlad’s and to benefit from the hospitality of the faculty, staff and students and a special honor to serve and spend time with His Grace Nikon, Bishop of Boston, New England and the Albanian Archdiocese of the OCA.  Fr. Deacon Borislav completed all aspects of the practicum satisfactorily, displaying an eagerness to learn and work through the material presented by Archdeacon Kiril Sokolov, Fr. Sergius Halvorsen and Fr. Alexander Rentel.  He was commended for all of his efforts at the seminary and received a recommendation letter congratulating him on how well he put all that he learned in class into practice in daily liturgical services at St Vlad’s Seminary chapel.  Below are some photographs of the liturgical services that took place. 

Sviachene – Our Post-Pascha Dinner!

Christ is Risen!  Indeed He is Risen!

It has become a tradition in recent years to celebrate Sviachene with our neighbors at Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church.  This year the dinner was hosted by Christ the King in their new Parish House addition.  A delicious meal of traditional Paschal foods was served.  Fr. Roman from St. Andrew’s graciously thanked the women who prepared the food and reminded everyone of the importance of women in the life of the church from earliest times, especially as this was the Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women.  All proceeds from the dinner were used to help a Ukrainian family in need as they minister to their child undergoing treatment at Shriners Burns Center in Boston.    

Last Sunday, February 21, 2010, St. Andrew’s hosted a 5 P.M. Pan-Orthodox Vesper service for the Sunday of Orthodoxy.  There were four visiting priests: Fr. Anthony Hughes, pastor of St. Mary Orthodox Church, Cambridge, MA (Antiochian), Fr. John Bacon, pastor of Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, Chelsea, MA, (OCA), homilist for the service, Fr. Michael Kohn, cleric of Holy Resurrection Eastern Orthodox Church, Allston, MA (Bulgarian) and Fr. Vasily Gilbert, cleric of Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, Chelsea, MA, (OCA) as well as deacons: Fr. Alexander Scott, of St. John of Damascus Antiochian Orthodox Church, Dedham, MA (Antiochian) Fr. Jeffry Smith, of St. Mary Orthodox Church, Cambridge, MA (Antiochian) and altar servers who celebrated with our own V. Rev. Roman Tarnavsky, Heirodeacon Vasyl and Fr. Dn. Borislav Kroner.  The choir, under the direction of Jane Yavarow, welcomed singers from surrounding parishes to render the responses.  Over 100 worshipers gathered to pray together.  After the service, all were invited to a reception of Lenten treats prepared by many generous parishioners.  This was a wonderful and rare opportunity for members of the Greater Boston Orthodox community to come together in fellowship.

Making Varenyky!

On a recent weekday in February, parishioners gathered in the church hall to make varenyky. This is a two-day process. First the potatoes are prepared, and then the next day the potato-filled and cabbage-filled dumplings are assembled. Everyone has a designated job, and they’re experts at it. Some prepare the potato balls, others roll and cut out the dough while many fold and pinch the dough around each individual dumpling. Meanwhile others cook them in bubbling pots of boiling water. Finally, they are packaged to be put up for sale, raising much-needed funds for the church. This session included individuals who came for the first time and others who have been making varenyky for the church for 50 years! The over 800 varenyky made on this day will brings smiles to many faces when they eat them and think, “Just like Grandmother used to make!”

Sunday of Orthodoxy Pan-Orthodox Vespers

On Sunday, February 21st at 5:00 PM, the Sunday of Orthodoxy a Pan-Orthodox Vespers will take place at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church located at 24 Orchardhill Road in Jamaica Plain, MA.

On behalf of all the clergy and the people of St. Andrew the First Called UOC we invite you to share in this celebration with us as we gather together to glorify our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Please spread the word around.  We would like everyone to come!

Lenten desserts will be served after the Vespers Service.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact Fr. Dn. Borislav at 617-792-5434

On the first Sunday of Lent the Orthodox Church celebrates the Victory of Orthodoxy over the iconoclastic heresy. Iconoclasts falsely argued that icon veneration was a type of idolatry. Iconoclastic emperors forbid icon veneration. Sacred Images were destroyed and removed from Churches. Clergy that supported Icons were excommunicated and exiled. Led by St. Theodore Studite and St. John of Damascus, faithful Orthodox Christians continued to venerate icons even in the face of persecution and even death. Finally in 787, on the first Sunday of Lent the 7^th Ecumenical Council defeated the Iconoclasts, and although persecution of Icons continued for some time after the Council,this was the first step to the Victory of Orthodoxy.  Finally the Iconoclasts were defeated in the year of 843 when the Empress Theodora stopped all persecutions and restored Orthodoxy in the East.  The Victory of Orthodoxy is immensely important because it not only restored Icon veneration,but again reaffirmed the Orthodox beliefs in the mystery of Incarnation. Our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ became man; by this act He sanctified the entire world and everything in it. Human nature itself was glorified in His Divine Person . As the Kontakion of the feast proclaims, our Lord "restored the fallen image to it's former glory" through the Incarnation, Crucifixion and His Glorious Rerurection.  Icons are often called "windows to to heaven", because they represent the mystery of the Incarnate and Risen Christ.  They represent diefied humanity. They serve a constant witness to the eschatological nature of the Orthodox faith and to the Grace of God that opens for us all Life Eternal and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Troparion - Tone 2

We venerate Your most pure image, O Good One,
and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ God.
Of Your own will You were pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh
to deliver Your creatures from bondage to the enemy.
Therefore with thanksgiving we cry aloud to You:
You have filled all with joy, O our Savior,
by coming to save the world.

Kontakion - Tone 8

No one could describe the Word of the Father;
but when He took flesh from you, O Theotokos, He accepted to be described,
and restored the fallen image to its former beauty.
We confess and proclaim our salvation in word and images.