On Friday, December 14, on the feast day of the Righteous St. Philaret the Merciful, the ever-memorable Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) was prayerfully commemorated in Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, led a panihida at the grave of Metropolitan Philaret, located in a crypt below the altar of Holy Trinity Cathedral.

His Eminence was co-served by monastery abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Priest Alexandre Antchoutine (rector of Holy Virgin Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY), and monastic clergy.

Metropolitan Philaret was the third First Hierarch of ROCOR (1964 to 1985). He was a holy man who lived a life of piety and was known by many as a spiritual giant and one of the pillars of the Church Abroad. When his remains were relocated from the cemetery church to the main cathedral of Holy Trinity Monastery in 1997, the coffin was opened and his relics were discovered to be incorrupt. Since then, many in ROCOR have been calling for his glorification and submitting account of miracles that happened through his prayers. During the last session of the Diocesan Council on November 14, with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, a local diocesan glorification committee was organized to gather information and raise awareness of the righteous life of Metropolitan Philaret, as well as Brother Jose Muñoz-Cortes. Archpriest Victor Potapov was assigned chairman of the committee. More information will be published in the near future.

Source:  "Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."