Holy Ghost Orthodox Church celebrated its 86th anniversary on the feast of Pentecost, this year Sunday, June 19. The following weekend, June 25-26, His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland made an archpastoral visit to Holy Ghost Parish.

His Grace arrived in Sterling Heights (a suburb of Detroit) on Saturday evening, shortly
before the Vigil. The choir, under the direction of Reader Anthony Ehardt, performed
their duties admirably. Bishop Peter led the services and was joined by Protopriest
Andrei Alexiev (Detroit’s Dormition Cathedral), Priest Victor Trotskyy (Rector of Holy
Ghost Church), Priest Gregory Joyce (Ann Arbor’s St. Vladimir Church), Priest Victor
Boldewskul ( recently assigned to Boston’s Church of the Epiphany). The parish’s
deacon, Father Michael Urbanski served as well with a host of altar servers. Following
the Vigil the President of the Parish Council, Dr. Paul Fecko, hosted a private dinner in
Bishop Peter’s honor at a local restaurant.

On the morning of Sunday, June 26 (the feast of All Saints), Bishop Peter was met by
young parishioners with flowers. Dr. Paul Fecko greeted His Grace with the traditional
bread and salt, and the serving clergy. During the hours Michael Merren was tonsured a
Reader and Subdeacon for service at St. Vladimir Church in Ann Arbor, MI. Again the
choir performed commendably under the direction of Reader Anthony, and many of the
parishioners from Holy Ghost Church as well as from St. Vladimir Church in Ann Arbor
partook of the Holy Gifts.

Following the Divine Liturgy Bishop Peter awarded Diocesan Gramotas to several of
those members of Holy Ghost Church who have been so hard-working and supportive of
their pastor. A festal banquet was held in the beautiful parish hall at which the tenor of
the speeches given was very positive, and there was much talk about the parish beginning its long-planned building of a new parish church. Bishop Peter noted especially the importance of continuing to unite around the parish Rector, Fr. Victor, the importance of an active liturgical life, and He encouraged the parishioners to build a new church.

Following the meal Bishop Peter talked for an extended time with many of the gathered
parishioners and clergy, finally departing the parish in mid-afternoon to return to Chicago
and prepare in earnest for the opening of the diocesan ORPR children’s camp the
weekend of July 3.

Priest Gregory Joyce
Diocesan Secretary