Print Photos  |  View Full-Size Image

 

On Sunday, April 13, 2008, Our Eparch, Archbishop Cyril, made his annual Pastoral visit to our St. Joseph Melkite Church in Lawrence, MA. The Eparch Emeritus, Bishop John Elya, participated in the Divine Liturgy which was attended by a large number of parishioners and friends, among them: Brother Rene Roy, President of the Central Catholic High School, and Mr. Ibrahim Hanna, Honorary Consul of Lebanon.

Following the Little Entrance, Archbishop Cyril elevated Deacon Bryan McNeill to the rank of Protodeacon in recognition of his 18 years of devoted service to the Church and the community of St. Joseph. In his congratulatory talk, Fr. Alam said: “ With the regularity of the rising sun, Deacon Bryan was present by my side in celebrating the Divine Liturgy every Sunday, 52 Sundays a year, not counting the feast days, nor the second Liturgy which he frequently volunteers to serve… With Sayyidna Cyril and Sayyidna John, with the Choir, with the whole community I don’t find a better way to congratulate our new Protodeacon than the laconic liturgical way:

Worthy, Mustahiq, Axios!”

Deacon Robert Spencer of the Melkite Church of our Lady of the Cedars, Manchester, NH, has graciously assisted Protodeacon Bryan in the ceremony.

+ + +