On Sunday, May 24, 2026, the 7th Sunday of Pascha, of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, and the feast of Sts. Methodius and Cyril, Equals-to-the-Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, visited the parish of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy.
At the entrance to the church, the archpastor was greeted with bread and salt by representatives of the Parish Council and Sunday School students. Concelebrating with the bishop were the acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov); the head of the chancery, Priest Mark Rashkov; Archimandrite Michael (Zeer) (Orthodox Church in America); the rector of the parish, Priest Oleg Kruz; and a cleric of St. John the Baptist Cathedral (ROCOR) in Mayfield, Protodeacon Stephen Howanetz.
During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for the repose of the ever-memorable Archpriest Basil Mysak (rector of Sts. Peter and Paul Church from 1985 until his repose on March 20, 2026) and Matushka Pamela Anne, as well as all the departed clergy and parishioners.
At the end of the service, Bishop Matthew was greeted by the rector of the church, Priest Oleg Kruz, who on behalf of the parishioners thanked His Grace for his care for the parish after the repose of Archpriest Basil. In memory of the visit, Fr. Oleg presented the bishop with an icon of the church’s heavenly patrons, the chief apostles Peter and Paul.
In turn, the archpastor addressed the clergy and faithful with a sermon devoted to the memory of the holy fathers of the First Ecumenical Council and to the feast of the Ascension. Bishop Matthew also spoke about the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Equals-to-the-Apostles and enlighteners of the Slavs, who were especially venerated by the founders of this parish — for the most part immigrants from the western lands of the Russian Empire and Orthodox Slavs oppressed by the Uniates in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The archpastor honored the memory of the ever-memorable Archpriest Basil Mysak, whose many years of pastoral ministry in this holy church will forever be part of the parish’s history. Bishop Matthew wished the newly appointed rector, Priest Oleg, to reverently preserve the spiritual legacy of the departed and to continue his ministry at Sts. Peter and Paul Church with equal zeal. As a blessing for his forthcoming labors, His Grace presented Fr. Oleg with a gift edition of the priest’s Service Book. Bishop Matthew gave all the parishioners small icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, whose feast was celebrated the day before.
The service concluded with Many Years to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness KIRILL, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, who celebrates his name day on this feast.
Fellowship between the archpastor, clergy and parishioners continued at a meal in the parish center, attended also by clergy from nearby parishes of the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
