Annual Remembrance Pilgrimage attracts 3,000 to Orthodox center (06/13/04)

Annual Remembrance Pilgrimage attracts 3,000 to Orthodox center

SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. - Bright Week of 2004 brought over 3,000 faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. Metropolia Center for the Annual Remembrance Pilgrimage at St. Andrew Memorial Church and Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J.

Being at the spiritual heart of the UOC of the U.S.A., the pilgrims had an opportunity to visit numerous sites of the Metropolia Center that remained opened through out the day - the historical Fischer Home, the Mausoleum, the Consistory, St. Sophia Seminary Library, St. Andrew Bookstore, the Ukrainian Cultural Center and the UOC of the U.S.A. Museum.

The pilgrimage schedule for this year's Annual St. Thomas Sunday/Pilgrimage was ended at 5 p.m., however, hundreds of people remained on the grounds of the Metropolia Center, sharing in the fellowship with each other.

This year's divine services and activities concentrated attention of the participants of the pilgrimage on the value and sanctity of human life. Metropolitan Constantine dedicated a portion of his sermon to relationships in the boundaries of a Christian family that is spiritually resurrected with Christ on the glorious day of Pascha. The metropolitan, looking around the crowded St. Andrew Memorial Church, called his spiritual flock to seek reconciliation, peace and love with each other.

Following divine liturgy at St. Andrew Memorial Church - built and dedicated as a memorial to the victims of the Great Famine of 1932-1933, Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishop Antony and Archbishop Vsevolod, along with the concelebrating clergy and Ukrainian American Veterans led a procession to the main cemetery cross of St. Andrew Memorial Center, where a memorial service was served for the victims of the man-made Famine that destroyed over 10 million temples of the Holy Spirit - human lives. Hundreds of children and adults stood by that Memorial Cross, offering their prayers for the millions of children and adults who lost their lives by forced starvation.

The pilgrims to the spiritual center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., spent the rest of the day visiting the graves of their loved ones - family members, friends, political leaders or spiritual fathers who repose in the cemetery.

Following the service at the Memorial Cross, the procession moved to the Holy Resurrection Mausoleum, where the crypt of the first patriarch of Kyiv and all Ukraine, Mstyslav I, is located. A memorial service was offered for the patriarch and spiritual father of the millions of Ukrainian Orthodox faithful.

Metropolitan Constantine and Archbishop Antony, joined by members of the United Ukrainian Orthodox Sisterhoods of the U.S.A., next proceeded to the monument placed by the sisterhoods to the women and children victims of the Famine for another memorial service.

After the conclusion of that service Archbishop Antony served memorial services at the gravesites of the hierarchs and clergy of the UOC of the U.S.A., beginning with a burial site of the first metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., Metropolitan John (Theodorovich), who served for 47 years as prime hierarch. The Ukrainian Cultural Center was the site where dozens of vendors who return every year to offer a wide range of Ukrainian cultural artifacts like pysanky, original oil paintings, ceramics, jewelry, ecclesiastical vestments and vessels, music CDs and videos, and other items, displayed their wares for visitors. In addition, some of the offices of ministry and central organizations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., the offices of youth and adult ministry, public relations, development, publications, the Ukrainian Orthodox League, the United Ukrainian Orthodox Sisterhoods and St. Andrew Society, exhibited the ministry they perform in various Ukrainian communites.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Museum, in its temporary location, was also opened to the public, providing the visitors the opportunity to come close to their historical, spiritual and cultural roots. Groundbreaking for the building which will house the main portion of the Historical and Educational Center of the UOC of the U.S.A. is slated for this summer.

St. Sophia Seminary was the site of an ice cream social event hosted by the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the youths who came to visit St. Andrew Center, serving as an opportunity for them to meet with hierarchs. Metropolitan Constantine and Archbishop Vsevolod spent some time with children and distributed the Resurrection icon prints.

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