Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey celebrated Orthros and Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Demetrios in Union, New Jersey. The Metropolitan concelebrated with proistamenos V. Rev. Archimandrite Evgenios Tsaraminidis and V. Rev. Archimandrite Symeon Williams.
In His Archpastoral Sermon, the Metropolitan preached that in the Sundays following Pascha, the Fathers designated Gospel readings that show Christ’s divinity but also maintain within us the spirit of the Resurrection. In the pericope of the Paralytic at the pool of Bethesda, we see the image a of man who was alone and helpless for 36 years. In his affliction Christ was the only one to acknowledge his plight. Beyond the miraculous healing, Christ shows us not only a model for philanthropy but that in his diviniHe is our friend and relative in our moment of helplessness.
At the end of the Liturgy, the Metropolitan tonsured the parish’s young chanter Spyridon Petrou as a reader, giving him his archpastoral blessing to chant the services of the Church and to read the Epistle during the divine Liturgy. Following the liturgy Fr. Evgenios and the community prepared a wonderful reception for His Eminence and the faithful gathered in honor of the Metropolitan’s visit.
