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On Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon celebrated services for the Feast of Pentecost at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC.
On Saturday evening, His Beatitude presided at the Festal Vigil. The following morning, May 31, His Beatitude presided at the celebration of the hierarchical Divine Liturgy, followed by the Vespers of Pentecost with the Kneeling Prayers.
Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America and Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Priest David Bozeman, Secretary of the Orthodox Church in America; and Archpriest Valery Shemchuk. The responses were sung by the cathedral choir under the direction of Mr. Kevin Basil Fritts.
During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude delivered the homily, reflecting on the descent of the Holy Spirit bringing the “the end of time, the fullness of the ages.”
He said, “According to the Book of Acts, ‘divided tongues, as of fire’ came to rest upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost. They all received the same fire – and yet the tongues were divided: each received the gifts of the Spirit suited to his particular mission and vocation. So it is with us. Each of us has received a portion of the Spirit according to our need: choir member, reader, deacon, priest, monastic, parent, child, witness for Christ in the world.”
Read the Full Text of His Beatitude’s Homily
During the Liturgy, His Beatitude, on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops, elevated Priest David Bozeman to the dignity of Archpriest and awarded Archpriest Valery Shemchuk the right to wear the jeweled cross.
Following the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude presided at the Vespers of Pentecost with the Kneeling Prayers.
