On Sunday, July 22, 2018, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at the historic Saint Louis Union Station Hotel, site of the 19th All-American Council, which opens on Monday evening, July 23, and the 92nd annual national Convention of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America, which opened July 20. Also concelebrating were His Eminence, Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of Prague and Czech Lands of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
Hundreds of AAC and FOCA Convention attendees from across North America joined members of Saint Louis area parishes for the Liturgy, including many concelebrating clergy.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Tikhon presented a chaplain’s pectoral cross to retired Archpriest Daniel Ressetar in recognition of his years of service as a chaplain. The cross is a reproduction of those originally cast in the 1960s and given to all Orthodox military chaplains at that time.
As detailed in the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, “the All-American Council is the highest legislative and administrative authority within the Church. The Council brings together the various elements of the Church to bear witness to her identity, unity, and mission.”
Photo Credit: Subdeacon Roman Ostash.
