The Pan-Orthodox Vespers for this year’s Sunday of Orthodoxy was held at Sts. Constantine and Elena Romanian Orthodox Church of Edmonton, on February 25.

The service was presided by His Grace Bishop Iov of the Russian Orthodox Church, one of the two local Orthodox hierarchs. About 20 priests and deacons, representing all Orthodox jurisdictions from Edmonton and the surrounding area, together with hundreds of Orthodox faithful, took part in this traditional and uplifting event, which celebrates the triumph of the Orthodox teaching regarding the veneration of the holy icons over the heretic iconoclasts. At the proper time, Fr. Philip Speranza, in his engaging style, gave the homily, in which, he made a short history of the event on hand, and challenged the audience to make our Orthodox presence more visible on a daily basis as opposed to once a year. At the end of the service, children holding icons led the procession around the church and the Synodikon, followed by the Nicene Creed were read by the whole gathering.

The event ended with a much-appreciated lenten supper, prepared and served by the hard-working ladies of our parish to about 200 people.

This is the Faith of the Apostles!

This is the Faith of the Fathers!

This is the Faith of the Orthodox!

This is the Faith which has established the Universe!