On Monday November 30, the day of the feast of Saint Andrew the “First-Called” Apostle, our parish will welcome our archpastor, His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, on the occasion of our patronal feast. All are welcome to join us for the service, which will begin at 9:30 AM.
The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the first of the Apostles to follow Christ, and he later brought his own brother, the holy Apostle Peter, to Christ (John 1:35-42). He did not enter into marriage, and he worked with his brother as a fisherman. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Saint Andrew went to the eastern lands preaching the Word of God. He went through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, along the Black Sea. Along the River Dniepr, he climbed to the place where the city of Kiev now stands. Continuing to preach the Gospel, he turned towards Rome, returning to Thrace, where in the small village of Byzantium (the future Constantinople) he founded the Church of Christ. Thus, he links the mother Church of Constantinople, with her daughter, the Russian Church. He finally journeyed to Patras, in Greece, where he endured martyrdom at the hands of the pagan prefect of the city. Let us join together to honor his apostolic labors and his martyric sufferings, and his constant intercessions for our parish, by keeping holy his feast-day!