Holy Trinity Church, St. Paul, MN celebrates 100th Anniversary
ST. PAUL, MN [MW Diocese Communications] — Holy Trinity parish, Saint Paul, MN, celebrated its 100th anniversary the weekend of July 16-17, 2016. The celebration opened with an unexpected blessing as before Vespers on Saturday, parishioner Mike Lotti presented the parish with a beautiful icon of the Mother of God from the Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos. In June, Mike and four pilgrims from Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Minneapolis, MN, had traveled to Mount Athos, where they selected the icon as a gift to Holy Trinity Church in honor of its centennial celebration.
Bishop Paul with clergy and faithful at centennial celebration.
His Grace, Bishop Paul of Chicago joined Archpriest Jonathan Proctor, Holy Trinity’s Pastor for the past 26 years, and the parish’s faithful in prayerful remembrance of those hearty founders who planted the community in 1916 and those departed members who sustained it in subsequent years. Among the many in attendance were descendants of the parish’s early founders.
“After Saturday evening Vespers, everyone was invited to a block party on the corner of Case and Forest Streets,” said Father Jonathan. “Volunteers had distributed invitations throughout the community to include neighbors in our celebration. Picnic food was bountiful, thanks to the generous donations from local businesses. The evening entertainment provided a wide range of talented performers, including the Karen Cultural Association Dancers of Minnesota. Children’s activities included pony rides, a bouncy house, face painting and a spectacular visit by members of the Saint Paul Fire Department, who opened their truck to the curious and displayed an ever-expanding ladder.
“The theme of the centennial was ‘Looking Back, Living Now,’” Father Jonathan continued. “In this context, a colorful booklet documenting the parish’s history was distributed as a memento of the celebration. A continuous slide presentation and an historical exhibit featuring artifacts and photographs were displayed in the narthex, and tours of the sanctuary were offered on the half-hour throughout the evening.”
On Sunday morning, Bishop Paul was greeted with the traditional bread and salt by Holy Trinity’s most senior member, Zina Minich.
“As the choir sang the beautiful hymns and responses throughout the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, a sense of timeless continuity seemed to unite all in praise and gratitude to God for our many blessings,” Father Jonathan continued. “At the close of the Liturgy, Bishop Paul presented the parish with a Synodal Gramota, after which a group photo was taken to capture a moment in time for future generations.”
The celebration concluded with a banquet in the parish’s Archangel Michael Hall with many guests, parishioners and neighbors enjoying dinner and the festive spirit.
