CHICAGO, IL [DOM] – The Triumph of Orthodoxy was commemorated on Sunday, March 5, the First Sunday of Great Lent. In the morning, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest served Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago, IL.
Later that evening, hierarchs, clergy and faithful from all over the Chicagoland gathered for Orthodoxy Sunday Vespers at Holy Resurrection Serbian Cathedral, Chicago, IL. His Eminence joined His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America and Metropolitan of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwest America of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and His Grace Bishop Sava Bishop of Slavonija of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The annual PAN-Orthodox celebration gathers hundreds of clergy and faithful from all over the metropolis of Chicago for this special commemoration. His Eminence was invited to give the homily at the service and spoke about the unity of the Church. The PAN Orthodox Choir of Greater Chicago, directed by Gordana Trbuhovich, sang the responses.
On the following day, Monday, March 6, the Archbishop gave a retreat to the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Great Chicago at the Serbian Cathedral. His Eminence gave a series of discussions on the priesthood. The Archbishop taught how Christ’s ministry was the institution of the priesthood and how the priest is to be an icon of Christ. “In the icon of the Mystical Supper, we see St. John the Theologian leaning his head on our Savior, and that moment of his leaning his head to the heart of our Lord, it points to the spiritual origin of the priesthood. What are we called to as priests? To lean on the Lord and to rest on Him.”
This is an annual retreat held by the local clergy association bringing together clergy from the various canonical jurisdictions in prayer and fellowship.
