Friday, January 21, 2022
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
By the grace of God, we have assembled this morning to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, the source of all authentic life. We have gathered as hierarchs, clergy, and laity to hear the sacred words of scripture and behold the awe-inspiring liturgical rites. We have come together at our liturgy today as the faithful people of God united in faith in Him. We have also arrived in Washington resolute in the one purpose of proclaiming this same faith in Him, and giving thanks to him for the precious gift of life. And it is exactly this precious gift of life that we march in defense of today. I am grateful to the Almighty God that my beloved brothers, the most-reverend hierarchs from the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, stand together in the holy precincts of this cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicholas, who himself is known to the present day as the defender of the oppressed, at the outset of our public testimony, our witness to the sanctity of life and the defense of the unborn. May our efforts this day be received by the world around us, so that hearts and minds be changed and the life of the unborn be guarded, protected, and treasured.
I welcome to my cathedral above all, the Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Your Eminence, Dear Brother and Concelebrant in the Lord’s Mysteries, welcome to Saint Nicholas Cathedral. I also welcome the representatives and heads of the jurisdictions of the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Bishops. and all other hierarchs present today.
Dear brothers, as I say, welcome to my cathedral, the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. I welcome you and those traveling with you.
May God bless our labors today, may he also bless our fellowship this morning.