Consecration & Divine Liturgy - 05/17/08

On Saturday, May 17th, Archbishop Job consecrated our temple and newly constructed holy table with 27 serving clergy with nearly 200 people in attendance, it was truly a day to be grateful for. Responses for both services as well as Vespers the evening before were sung by St. Tikhon's Seminary Mission Choir. A celebratory banquet followed only blocks away from the church at Maggiano's Banquet Hall.
Children await the arrival of the Archbishop
Deacons lead the procession from the residence next door to the church
Toni Dorosh, Parish Council Lay Chairperson, greets His Eminence
Priest John Baker, Dean of Christ the Savior Church presents His Eminence with the Cross
Deacons recite the entrance prayers
Chancellor of the Diocese of the Midwest, Archpriest John Zdinak
The Archbishop is clothed in a garment to protect his vestments during the consecration
Archbishop Job explains the symbolisim of the various parts of the service
Wax mastic is poured into the posts of the holy table
The posts are blessed with holy water
The top is placed upon the base
The dowels are sprinkled with holy water
Dowels are placed into the holes
the table top is secured by pounding the dowels into place with rocks
The holy table is washed with rose water and wine
Icons of the four evangelists are secured to the corners of the holy table
A procession with the holy relics that will be sealed into the table
Monk Sergius leads the Seminary Choir
The procession goes around the block and alley of the church
Thomas Panoff, Consecration Committee Chair leads the procession
Priest John Baker blesses the exterior of the temple with holy water
The holy relics of St. Ignatius of Jableczna and St. Elizabeth the New Martyr are placed into the table top
Holy relics are sealed with wax mastic
The posts are annointed with holy chrism
Antimension are chrismated
The holy table is vested with its baptismal garment
Priest John Schroedel, who was attached to Christ the Savior Church returned from St. Juvenaly Mission, Kona Hawaii for the consecration
The holy table is vested with its outer covering
Priest John Baker and Archpriest John Zdinak annoint the walls of the temple with holy chrism
Archbishop Job lights the candles in the altar from a flame from the censer
The Divine Litury begins
Deacon Herman Kincaid, long time choir director of Christ the Savior Parish, prays the Litany
Priest John Baker is awared the Kamilavka by His Eminence
Deacon Theophan Warren from All Saints Antiochian Church, Chicago, IL
Vladyka Job offers the prayers of the Anaphora
Clergy exchange the kiss of peace
Deacon Gregory Norris of St. Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas Texas and Deacon Alexander Cadman who was ordained at and served Christ the Savior Parish from 2005-2008, now at Holy Trinity, State College, PA.
His Eminence receives the holy eucharist
The eucharist is distributed to the faithful
Conclusion of the Liturgy
Choir and Faithful sing Many Years to Archbishop Job and the Faithful of Christ the Savior Parish
Priest John Baker thanks everyone for their efforts in making the consecration a prayerful day
His Eminece offers words of encouragement
Gregory Lambert, Master of Ceremonies offers opening remarks at the banquet at Maggiano's
Many stories and laughs were shared
His Eminence blesses the food
Priest John recounts his first encounter with Mauretta Kopolous, founding member of the parish. Archbishop Job presented Mauretta with a Gramota that afternoon in acknowlegement of her support of the parish
Maruetta Kopolous recounts her husband, Jim, of blessed memory. Mrs. Kopolous presents Protopresbyter, Dean Michael Dahulich with the Jim Kopolous Seminary Scholarship and commits to a yearly contribution to a St. Tikhon's Seminarian in Jim's memory.