Diocesan Life Centennial Celebration of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Brooklyn 1916 - 2016
Fall 2018
On September 24 and 25, 2016, the Orthodox Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Williamsburg, Brooklyn celebrated its 100th anniversary of the blessing of the building’s cornerstone. The Liturgy was concelebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, His Eminence Archbishop Michael, and other clergy, deacons, subdeacons, and many altar servers, and was attended by many laypeople. It was on April 5, 1908 that the first service was celebrated by Saint Alexander Hotovitzky, then Dean of New York’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral, marking the establishment of the parish—initially dedicated to Saint Vladimir. Work began on the building in 1916 after His Eminence, the late Archbishop Evdokim blessed the cornerstone and renamed the parish in honor of the Great Feast of the Transfiguration. In 1969, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the cathedral a city landmark. In recognition of its historical and architectural significance, it also was listed on the National Register of Historical Places by the US Department of the Interior on April 16, 1980.
Pysanky Workshop at the Church of the Mother of God, Mays Landing, NJ
In Memoriam: Fr John Nehrebecki, continued from page 22 contained a beautiful jeweled cross… it was given to him by Father John. I have heard similar stories from priests in Alaska, New York, Pennsylvania, and places in between. It seems the Lord invested Father John with intellectual, personal, and materials gifts, because He knew that they would be held onto “lightly” and shared generously. This short list is certainly not exhaustive, yet I hope it is representative. The loss of our “patriarch”, our “Papa” has left a deep hole in the body of our family, immediate and extended, which can only be healed by the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ! At the same time, the circumstances surrounding Father John’s death continue to be a great consolation
– stricken shortly after receiving Confession, Communion, and Holy Unction; passing on Great and Holy Saturday; a Bright Week Funeral; the overwhelming outpouring of prayers and support; and celebrating his 40th day on the Leave-taking of Pascha! We pray that the Lord will forgive him his sins, that He would “consign them to oblivion”, and that He would grant him a good Resurrection with those who will “hear His voice and live.” May his soul dwell with the blessed and may his memory be eternal! Fr. Stephen Vernak is the pastor of Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, Harrisburg, PA.
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