Message on Flu and Coronavirus
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are in the midst of the flu season and would like to take time to remind all parishioners of the basic but important personal hygiene rules to be observed while inside or outside St. Nicholas Cathedral.
First and foremost, please pray for all who are affected by the flu, coronavirus as well as those who have been working hard to treat the sick and protect us all.
Please stay home if you or your family members are not feeling well and we will pray for your good health and the wellbeing.
Follow the U.S. government recommendations (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) on how to protect yourself and the loved ones during the flu season.
Always carry Purell hand sanitizers, or a sanitizer with 70% alcohol, and minimize kisses and contacts.
Please inform the clergy of the homebound parishioners and send us updates about their health. We will continue to pray for them.
Please be rest assured that the wellbeing of each parishioner is our first priority, especially children or elderly or those with weakened immune system. If and when more facts become available, we will be happy to share them with you and take actions to protect you.
Extra cleaning of the church - before and after the vespers and the Divine Liturgy - is now mandatory at St. Nicholas during the flu season. We are very thankful to the staff and our volunteers for keeping us healthy.
If you are curious about how other Orthodox Churches are addressing the flu season, here is a link to the Orthodox Church in Korea.
With love in Christ,
Fr. George, Fr. Valery,
Claire Nobles, President
Socks Are Still Welcome!
Last Sunday, we collected 350 pairs of men’s, women’s and children’s socks in a variety of sizes and colors for the needy in area shelters! Glory to God! Thanks so much for the generosity of all who contributed! The collection bins will remain in place through Forgiveness Sunday for those who would still like to contribute. Please bring only brand new socks in the original packaging.
If you have any questions, please email Candice Johnson (ceinarjohnson@gmail.com) or Susan Rudy (susan-rudy@msn.com).
Blini Breakfast
Please join the Dormition Guild for a traditional Blini breakfast on Sunday, March 1 following Divine Liturgy. Blini will be served with herring, salmon, sour cream and more! There is a suggested donation of $10/person (students and children, $5/person). For information or to contribute please contact Lisa Mikhalevsky (lisamik56@gmail.com) or Irina Panyutin.
Chili Cook-off Winners!
A big thank you to everyone who joined us at the First Annual St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral Chili Cook-off! With 7 chefs entering their creations, our first year was a huge success. The chili recipes were matched up with 3 different tasty mac n’ cheeses, homemade cornbread, and delicious desserts. Surrounded by warm fellowship, feasting, cheerful competitive spirit, and an overall fun vibe, our chefs, volunteers, and attendees made the day happen. We can’t wait until next year!
The winners of the Chili competition were the following excellent creative chefs:
1st place – 3 Maccabeans Chili – Brooke Sant
2nd place – Nuclear Assault – Brad Michael
3rd place – W.W.J.E. (What Would Jesus Eat) – Ben and Amy Maule
4th place – Mild Child – Alyssa McCrea
5th place – “I Can’t Believe It’s Lenten” – Ivan Plis
A Reflection on the Successful Yale Russian Chorus Winter Tour
All of us who live in or near enough to Washington are familiar with the lovely, leafy Northwest part of the city where Massachusetts Avenue angles toward the northern Maryland suburbs. At Observatory Circle, just past the Vice President’s residence, is a dream-like domed vision on the left. It is Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, the design of which is based on an iconic 12th-century original, Saint Dimitri, in the ancient city of Vladimir in Russia.
That church predates the Mongol invasion, during which it was badly damaged and burned but from which it recovered to stand as a monument to the eternal nature of faith and cultural hope in medieval Russia. A similar spirit of loss and longing prompted the founding of the Saint Nicholas congregation, begun during the Russian Revolution and the First World War by deeply religious Russians from the embassy who, although they could not go home, could not forget the traditions with which they had grown up. After some decades the congregation commissioned Anatole Abramov, who specialized in Russian medieval architecture, to design the present cathedral in 1961–62. To make the vibrancy of the Orthodox congregation even more manifest, Saint Nicholas hired a team of Russian iconographers to design and execute twelfth century style frescoes on all the interior spaces.
The YRC had a successful winter tour this January. They started in Florida, swung north to the Chapel Hill area and then on to a stop-over in Charlottesville. Henry McHenry had made the local arrangements for a concert there — he and I joined them, and we sang to an appreciative local audience. (Connoisseurs, really, as many had attended last April’s event.) The next day the caravan headed to Washington to prepare for a wonderful concert and after-party at Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral on Saturday evening January 11, arranged by Jonathan Russin, YRC ’57, a parishioner at the Cathedral.
Fourteen alumni joined the touring members of the YRC for this occasion, which included a full afternoon of rehearsals and socializing. Four or five more YRC alumni who did not perform with us were in the audience. (Next time!) We had also mustered a small quorum for a local rehearsal the week before the concert — important, as there were five pieces with which we alumni were not familiar (no problem, as we were well-rehearsed and on book for the concert).
The Cathedral is a soaring, visually and acoustically glorious space. It certainly inspired the singers to a spirited performance with great heart, sung for a rapt standing-room-only audience. We sang many of the old wonderful songs—Borodino, Met’elitsa, Brigands—with some new soloists who did not replace but added to our tradition. There was a great sweetness in the three duets in “Met’elitsa” that brought tears to many eyes. The vitality and humor which the current YRC brought to “Soldatushki” and a more modern army song from the Second World War, “Katyusha”, was very well received. There were some very strong solos, of which I will only mention a few: alumni Bill Cline, Richard Osborne and Henry McHenry, and undergraduates Sarah Geach and Michael Chang. YRC conductor Ioann Popov is clearly coming into his own in in his first year - Bravo! And bravi, tutti.
Following the concert, we had the chance to meet and socialize and feast on Russian zakuski (heavy hors d’oeuvres) at a reception hosted by the church and sponsored by parishioner Sharon Osmolovsky. Archpriest George Kokhno welcomed us warmly, as did Walter Alesevich, Saint Nicholas congregational head, Yale ’76 and – most importantly! – YRC alumnus.
This was a wonderful regional gathering and a chance for those in attendance to forge musical and personal connections with current YRC members. It is an opportunity that will be repeated in March on the West Coast, in Boston in May and, of course, in Russia this summer on tour. It is clear that the YRC and its alumni are proceeding to a renewed level of engagement and collaboration — mnogaya l’eta!
Spiritual, Cultural, and Fun Opportunities
Lenten Lecture at St. Nicholas
This presentation, entitled "Tracing the Origins and Evolution of Lenten Liturgical Practices: The Byzantine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts", will feature the speaker Rev. Stefanos Alexopoulos, Associate Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology at The Catholic University of America.
One of the unique liturgical features of the period of Great Lent that stands out within the Byzantine Liturgical Tradition is the celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. This office, celebrated in current practice on Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent, as well as on Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, and Holy Wednesday of Holy Week, is characterized by its solemnity and austerity. Insights will be given as to the origins and evolution of the Presanctified Liturgy that preserves some ancient liturgical features otherwise lost, as well as its spiritual meaning in the context of the Great Lent.
When: Wednesday, March 18, immediately following the 7PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Where: St. Nicholas Cathedral
Archdiocesan Lenten Vespers
There will be a single Archdiocesan Lenten Vespers service at 6:00pm, on Sunday, March 22 (Sunday of the Cross) at St. Luke Orthodox Church, 6801 Georgetown Pike. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend, so please come out and join us!
A Lenten Retreat
This retreat, entitled "Acquiring the Mind of Christ: Embracing the Vision of the Orthodox Church", will be led by Archimandrite Sergius, Abbot of St. Tikhon's Monastery. Fr. Sergius will be accompanied by the wonderworking icon of St. Anna. Please read here for more information on the schedule, the speaker, and how to RSVP.
When: Saturday, April 4, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Where: St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 3149 Glen Carlyn Rd. Falls Church, VA
Stewardship and Fundraising News
Choir Fundraising Campaign
Dear Parishioners,
As you know, St. Nicholas Cathedral has been working hard to improve the quality of our choir and liturgical experience. Our efforts to excel have become even more intense in light of the upcoming celebration of the 90th anniversary of St. Nicholas Parish and the 50th year of Autocephaly of the OCA (Orthodox Church in America). We would like to acknowledge and thank our music conductors and all members of the English and Slavonic choirs for their dedication and commitment!
Since February 2019, Benedict Sheehan, Orthodox composer and conductor, and music director at St. Tikhon’s Monastery and Seminary (https://www.benedictsheehanmusic.com/), along with his wife, vocalist and music educator Talia Maria Sheehan, have been coming regularly to the Cathedral to conduct a series of workshops. Their expertise and hard work have made significant improvements to our liturgies.
Given the choir's importance to the parish, Jonathan Russin, Esq., a St. Nicholas parishioner for decades, has started a fundraising campaign to improve the choir and ensure its integration into a larger DC professional music community.
To support the efforts, Mr. Russin and an anonymous donor have generously donated $10,000 each ($20,000 total) and encouraged at least 9 more people to contribute/match this donation. He urges other faithful to contribute as much as they are able.
Last Sunday, February 23, the project was presented to the Cathedral community during coffee hour and was met with great support and enthusiasm both financially and organizationally. As such, Matushka Valerie and Fr. Yaroslav Sudick pledged $1,000 each, and an anonymous parishioner wrote a check for $500. Talks are under way to identify a possibility of hosting a concert in DC in the early part of December to promote the choir and supplement our fundraising efforts.
Your continued support is much needed and appreciated! The Cathedral can accept both personal checks and donations of stock in publicly traded companies. If you would like to contribute, please write "choir projects" in the notation area. Donations via credit cards/Square are also accepted. Please make sure it goes to the Choir Donation when paying at the candle counter.
In Christ,
Fr. George, Fr. Valery
Claire Nobles, President
Ongoing at St. Nicholas
Pennies For Alaska - Report On 2019 and a Peek at 2020
Ten empty canisters were returned to the box at the back of the church after a late count of donations submitted for the 4th quarter of 2019. The impressive yield is $524.50. We were blessed to receive a check for $400, a check for $30, and a heavy load of coins. Happy to report that our 2019 total donation of $1,232 tops the $1,060 donation in 2018.
The official Canister Collection Day for 1st quarter of 2020 is Sunday, March 29. Due to your generosity we are off to a good start with a January count of $101.50. Let's see what we can do in February and March! Fr. John Dunlop, Dean of St. Herman Seminary, sent us his regards at New Year and grateful thanks for the long term continued donations from St. Nicholas Cathedral.