BROOKLYN, NY: On the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, September 21, His Eminence, Metropolitan Mykhayil visited the parish of St. Michael the Archangel, where the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Yuriy Kasyanov, Dean of the East Coast Deanery, is the pastor.

The celebration began with the greeting of the Metropolitan and the chanting of the hours. The 9:30 a.m. Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was concelebrated in Ukrainian by Vladyka Mykhayil and Father Fr. Yuriy. The Rev. Protodeacon Roger Medina assisted the Metropolitan and Protopresbyter Kasyanov.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Mykhayil delivered a homily on the Gospel for the 14th. Sunday after Pentecost, the parable of the banquet guests, from Matthew 22: 1-14. "The Gospel life, " said the Metropolitan, "is not reserved to any particular kind of person, nor to only those with greater religious sensitivities. It is not as important that there exist those who reject Jesus' call to the kingdom, as the invitation is open to everyone. God's table is plenteous and there is room for even one who might be frowned upon by others. The upshot of this parable however, is that all those who respond to God's saving call, 'the good and the bad alike' must be prepared and take the call seriously. As the one in the Gospel story was not properly attired with a wedding garment and thus rejected by the king, so those who follow Jesus not be complacent with being a part of the reign of God alone, but must always be willing to take to Gospel with its consequences and its implications seriously and live them day after day. That, Matthew tells the community to which he writes, is true discipleship according to Jesus."

In celebration of the holiday of the Birth of the Mother of God, His Eminence blessed a special "medovnyk" or "honey cake" which he brought with him from the pilgrimage (vidpust) to the Shrine of the Mother of God of Perpetual Help in Uniontown, PA. This special heart-shaped delicacy, was decorated with an icon of the Virgin. In the Ukrainian tradition, these "medovnyki" or "honey cakes" are purchased at places of pilgrimage such as the Uniontown Mount St. Macrina, and carried home by the pilgrims to those who could not make the journey, thus uniting them spiritually with the prayers and intentions offered at the shrine. In former times, these cakes also served as a means of sustenance, to feed pilgrims on their long trip home (often on foot).

After the blessing, the "medovnyk" was sliced and distributed to the faithful as they approached to venerate the cross. After the services, the Metropolitan took the opportunity to meet with the parishioners of St. Michael parish, discussing ideas and plans for the further development and growth of the community.

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