This Sunday was cool but with a lot of sunshine which made a great difference and sustained our spirits. At the end of Matins, our Georgian friend Andrei, was tonsured reader by Bishop Saba, then immediately thereafter he was ordained a subdeacon by Vladika Lazar. Andrei was overwhelmed by this double event and we were ever so grateful that this had taken place. Vladika Lazar served the Liturgy together with Bishop Saba, Father Alexey, Father Shio, and Deacon Markel who were surrounded by a number of servers, including the newly ordained Subdeacon Andrei. Reader Irenee gave a sermon that was meaningful to the crowded church. Although few people came for the two hour Matins service, many stood through the two and a half hour hierarchical Liturgy. Indeed, this was a joyous occasion for us to be united with the many Georgians present for the Divine Service. At sunset some of us gathered in the belfry to ring the large bell one hundred times to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the end of World War One. For anyone believing in bell-ringing therapy, this was an ideal situation and even I felt somewhat energized at the end.
