UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA
CONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
PRESS RELEASE

The Feast of Pentecost with the Eparchial Bishop!
By Deacon Vasyl Dovgan

His Grace Bishop Daniel of the Western Eparch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA was joyfully welcomed on Sunday, June 3, 2012 to the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Michigan City, IN, where he led the liturgical celebration for the feast of Pentecost.

Dozens of faithful and guests of the parish congregation traveled from various destinations across Indiana and Michigan to welcome the hierarch to his parish community and share with him the joy of Pentecost – the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

In his sermon on the Gospel lesson, His Grace Bishop Daniel said, "...as we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost - the fullness of the Holy Trinity is revealed through the coming of the Holy Spirit. Christ taught disciples humility and purity of heart, and then when they were ready, He sent down from His Father the Holy Spirit. This humility and purity of heart, crowned by the Holy Spirit, is the key to understanding, it is Wisdom. Today we concelebrate the Feast with the Apostles and the Fathers, the Martyrs and the Confessors, of the past and the present age and of the age to come..."

Concelebrating the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with His Grace Bishop Daniel was Archimandrite Lew, the pastor of the parish family.

In his welcoming remarks, Fr. Lew addressing the bishop, who arrived with to Michigan City, IN with the seminarian of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary subdeacon Vasyl Dovgan, stated: "…Our sincere prayer this day is that the Holy Spirit will come upon us and may the Lord grant us the spirit of wisdom, love and peace, so that we can work and prosper together at this parish church. The Holy Spirit makes the Son known in the Church and the world. May He grant us knowledge that we focus on Jesus Christ in all of our Church activities. May the Holy Spirit grant us knowledge to recognize that Bishops represent Christ, according to the fathers of the Church. "

As the Divine Liturgy was served, the parish chanters prayerfully chanted the responses to the Divine Liturgy served by their archpastor.

Following the Liturgical celebration, a welcome luncheon was held in the Parish Hall in honor of the parish’s spiritual father and hierarch.