Metropolitan to preside Sunday at St. Ignatius

FLORIDA — His Eminence Metropolitan Philip Saliba, the highest official in the Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America, will preside over the Sunday, Dec. 16, liturgy at the Church of St. Ignatius of Antioch in the Village of Florida. “This is truly an honor,” said Father George Kevorkian, pastor of St. Ignatius. “Our worship is in English and we invite everyone to come to our Liturgy this Sunday.” The liturgy will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at approximately 11:30 a.m. A luncheon in honor of the Metropolitan’s visit will follow. According to George, the special occasion was prompted, in part, by the fact that Dec. 20 is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch and this Sunday’s liturgy was the closest to that day. The Most Reverend Metropolitan Philip is the Archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Diocese of New York and Washington, D.C., and Metropolitan of all North America. He was born in Lebanon in 1931 and educated there and in Syria, England and the United States. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in history at Wayne State University in Michigan and his master of divinity degree from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood. Metropolitan Philip was enthroned as Archbishop in 1966. St. Ignatius is located at 75 No. Main St. in the facility that until nine months ago had been St. Edward’s R.C. Church. The St. Ignatius mission began with a small group of Orthodox Christians meeting on Sundays in St. Thomas Chapel in Vernon, N.J. The parish is under the direction of the Very Rev. George Kevorkian. “In our outreach,” said George,” we welcome everyone to join us for our Divine Liturgy each and every Sunday at 10 a.m. as well as Wednesday night Vespers service at 7 p.m.