Chicago, October 26, 2021
Photo: wp.com
Next year marks the 130th anniversary of the parish community of Chicago's Holy Trinity Cathedral (Orthodox Church in America), the city's oldest Orthodox Christian community.
In honor of the occasion, the historic cathedral is undergoing large-scale restoration thanks to a sizable grant from the city of Chicago's Landmarks Department and generous donors, OrthoChristian reported in June.
Photo: wp.com
And on Sunday, October 24, the newly restored cathedral was blessed by His Eminence Archbishop Paul of Chicago and the Midwest following the Divine Liturgy. He was concelebrated by Diocesan Chancellor Archpriest Paul Jannakos, Cathedral Dean Fr. Alexander Koranda, Protodeacon Thomas Kieth, and Deacon Paul Garklavs, reports the diocesan press service.
Following the Liturgy, Abp. Paul read a prayer of blessing for the restored cathedral and led a procession around the property, blessing the cathedral from all sides. The faithful sung to troparia to the Holy Trinity, the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, St. Tikhon of Moscow, and St. John of Chicago, “concluding with a robust and joyful hymn to the Cross, ‘O Lord, save Thy People!’”
Following the procession, Fr. Alexander shared a brief history of the cathedral highlighting the work of St. John of Chicago, the builder of the cathedral. “This is a very important and sacred place for us as Orthodox Christians in America. It’s important that we know our great history in this city, and visit our holy sites. This is your cathedral and has been given to us all as a place to be inspired and rejoice in God’s love for us,” he reflected.
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