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St. Ignatius Orthodox Church prepares for historic event

| 13 Oct 2015 | 05:28
    Provided photos On Oct. 31, the first Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America, Metropolitan Joseph, will come to the Village of Florida and celebrate the service of Consecration of an Orthodox Church on Main Street. As the final step, the Archbishop will make a procession around the church and will anoint the walls of the church and the icons with Holy Chrism.
    Provided photos On Oct. 31, the first Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America, Metropolitan Joseph, will come to the Village of Florida and celebrate the service of Consecration of an Orthodox Church on Main Street. As the final step, the Archbishop will make a procession around the church and will anoint the walls of the church and the icons with Holy Chrism.
    These are the exterior icons at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church located at 75 North Main St. in the Village of Florida.
    These are the exterior icons at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church located at 75 North Main St. in the Village of Florida.

FLORIDA — One of the most important events in the life of an Orthodox Church community is the day when the church building is consecrated by the Archbishop, transforming it into a space which is set aside for God.

That event will occur for St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in the Village of Florida on Saturday, Oct. 31, when the first Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America, Metropolitan Joseph, will come to the village and celebrate the service of Consecration of an Orthodox Church.

This unique service is celebrated only once in the life of any church and, according to Rev. Fr. George Kevorkian, pastor of St. Ignatius, can be compared to a baptismal service, not of a person, but of a building.

A prominent feature of the consecration is the insertion of the relics of a saint into a small space in the top of the altar table.

In this case, the relics of St. Raphael of Brooklyn will be placed into the altar, along with a listing of the founders of the church who have passed away and a listing of the names of all current parishioners.

The altar table will be washed with soap and water and then anointed with the Holy Chrism, a blessed oil which is also used to anoint a person who is being confirmed into the Church.

In addition, the icons of the four Evangelists; Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, will be affixed to the four corners of the altar table, which will then be covered with a new white altar cloth.

As the final step, the Archbishop will make a procession around the church and will anoint the walls of the church and the icons with the same Holy Chrism.

Essential information• The Consecration Service will begin at 9 a.m. and will be immediately followed by the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy (a Divine Liturgy which is presided over by a Bishop).

• St. Ignatius Orthodox Church is located at 75 North Main St.

• Regular worship services are held on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. (Vespers), and Sunday morning with Matins at 9 a.m. and Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m.

- Roger Gavan