September 23-24, 2023
Saturday Morning Baptism of Zayne Garcia. View gallery
Sunday Morning Blessing of Subdeacon John. View gallery
Bishop with Parishioners. View Gallery
Saturday Reception and Vespers. View Gallery
Greeting, Bishop Vesting. View Gallery
Church Consecration. View Gallery.
Deacon Ordinations. View Gallery.
Sunday Liturgy. View Gallery.
Reception After Sunday Liturgy. View Gallery.
The weekend of September 23 and 24, 2023 was a historic weekend for our Church. We were blessed with an Episcopal visit of His Eminence Metropolitan +MICHAEL. There were many “firsts” for our young Church, all of which were blessed and historical. This was the “first” visit to our Church by our Metropolitan. His Eminence, Sayedna +MICHAEL arrived on Friday morning and came directly to our Church from the airport. After kissing the Gospel Book on the Altar, Sayedna toured the Church stopping by every icon to venerate and to cross himself. Fr. Boulos explained to Sayedna all the work that Zuhir Khalifeh and SubDeacon Suhail, together with Hanna Maria (of HAMENCO Construction Company) and his team have done, working on transferring the building into a Church, whether painting the inside of the building, constructing the Altar area and the iconostas, hand-making the Altar, and fabricating the icon stands, together with all the tables used in our Liturgical services. Sayedna +MICHAEL spent Friday afternoon with Fr. Boulos, going over all the details of the upcoming services for the weekend. The weekend schedule included a Baptismal Service, meeting with three ordinands and their wives, meeting with the Parish Council, and Vespers with General Confession. The schedule also included a Sunday Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and a catered banquet in honor of His Eminence. On Saturday morning at 11 AM, the Garcia family, together with family and friends gathered at the Church for the Holy Baptism of Zayne Michael Garcia, son of Michael and Mary Garcia. After reading the excommunication prayers, Sayedna led the child and God-Parents Omar and Sandy Shunnara to the baptismal font for a three immersions baptism, in the name of the Holy Trinity. The Child of God Zayne Michael was the “first” to be baptized in our Church. Sayedna announced that Zayne would be the first, of all parishioners, to receive Holy Communion from Sayedna on Sunday during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, and thereby join the Church Community as a member. After a delicious luncheon provided by the Garcia family, Sayedna +MICHAEL met with the Ordinands and their wives at 2 PM on Saturday. Sayedna met with the three Ordinands and their wives for a two-hour discussion session to meet and greet. The Ordinands and their wives had a chance to ask Sayedna all the questions that they needed clarification on, regarding what it means to serve the Church as Sub-Deacon and Deacons. After meeting with the Ordinands on Saturday, Sayedna also met with the Parish Council members and their wives at 4 PM for one hour. The members asked Sayedna about his vision for our Church and the support we will be able to receive from the Archdiocese. His Eminence declared his total and complete support for our Church, especially after the attacks and abuses we received from other Orthodox jurisdictions in the San Diego area. While his Eminence was meeting with the Ordinands and the Parish Council, Bassmah Dababneh was busy working on the flower arrangements to decorate our Church, especially by the iconostas. Basmah donated the flowers, and with her 30 years of experience as a flower shop owner, Basmah made sure every flower arrangement was more beautiful than the other. Basmal also arranged the Trikiri and Dikiri for the Bishop to use for blessing the Parishioners. However, all this activity did not stop, or even slow down, A’amer and his son Christopher from bringing in the drinks for the Sunday celebration. While everyone was busy with their own responsibilities A’amer and Christopher walked in with arms full of water bottles, juice bottles, soda, especially Pepsi, Sayedna’s favorite drink. A’amer and his family donated all the drinks for all the events. Vesperal Service with General Confession was scheduled for Saturday at 5 PM. Fr. Boulos served the Vespers service supported by Alexis and Marina Rahal who sang and chanted the choir parts. Immediately after Vespers, Sayedna led the parishioners in General Confession using self-reflections based on the Ten Commandments. Saturday’s activities culminated with a delicious dinner provided by Hala and Subdeacon Suhail Khalifeh. Hala made stuffed grape leaves and Suhail provided the chicken meal. Rula Sakkab and Matushka Mary provided the hand-made delicious desserts. Sunday morning was GLORIOUS. The perfect San Diego weather for the perfect Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. We started with Matins Service at 8:45 AM. Tahani Mani and subdeacon Suhail started Matins with Fr. Boulos. When His Eminence arrived, all the children and adults gathered by the entrance to welcome Sayedna with banners and icons. The welcoming banners were handmade by Nina, Elizabeth, and Fadia Khalifeh. Sayedna was welcomed by Fr. Boulos and the clergy singing “Ton Dhespotin...” His Eminence blessed all present and climbed his throne, donated by Farid and Itaf Khouri. At the proper time, Sayedna was vested on the Solea by Subdeacon Suhail Khalifeh and Kevin Day, while Fr. Boulos read the vesting prayers. By that time about 90-100 people had joined us for the Divine Liturgy. Our friends and family members joined us from as far as Los Angeles, as well as from the San Diego area Orthodox, Catholic, Melkite, and Protestant Churches. Sayedna then started the service of consecrating our Holy Temple. Accompanied by Subdeacon Suhail Khalifeh, Kevin Day, and Zuhair Khalifeh, together with Fr. Boulos, Sayedna said the prayers of Temple Consecration followed by anointing the Holy Altar and the interior building walls. After returning to the Solea, His Eminence blessed Zuhair Khalifeh and Kevin Day, to be Subdeacon John and Subdeacon Michael respectively. Subdeacon John was vested and Subdeacon Michael, having washed the Bishop’s hands, was placed before the icon of the Theotokos in preparation for Deaconate Ordination. Subdeacon Suhail Khalifeh also washed the Bishop’s hands and was placed before the icon of Christ to be ordained to the rank of Deacon. Having completed all the necessary preparations for the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence entered the Holy Altar through the Holy Doors and started the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Together with Fr. Boulos serving parts of the Liturgy in Arabic, Sayedna sang and chanted the Troparia and Kontakia while the Choir responded with their parts of the Liturgy. Prior to the reading of the Holy Gospel, our ArchPriest Boulos Khoury was elevated to the rank of Protocyncullus. Sayedna gave his sermon after reading the Holy Gospel in English and Arabic. Sayedna shared with the Parishioners the history of our Jurisdiction and the firm Orthodox foundations that we stand on, as handed down by the Apostles through the Holy Fathers of the Church. Sayedna explained that our jurisdiction is in a filial relationship with His Holiness Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW I of Constantinople (The Ecumenical Patriarch). Prior to reciting the Lord’s Prayer, Fr. Boulos, together with Subdeacon John, brought Subdeacon Suhail before Sayedna for the laying-on of hands for the ordination into the Deaconate. Processing around the Holy Altar three times, kissing the four corners of the Altar, Sayedna’s hand and Omophorion, Subdeacon Suhail Khalifeh knelt before the Holy Altar while Sayedna placed his Omophorion on his head, and laid his hands upon the ordinand and prayed for the Holy Spirit to ordain Subdeacon Suhail to become Deacon George. Immediately thereafter, His Eminence vested Deacon George at the Holy Gate with the whole Church singing and shouting, “He is worthy, Axios, Mustaheq.” Deacon George took his place at the right hand of the Altar to serve his duties as a Deacon. The ordination of Subdeacon Michael occurred immediately thereafter. Fr. Boulos, together with Subdeacon John, escorted Subdeacon Michael to the center of the Solea proclaiming “Command Holy Master”, as they brought Subdeacon Michael before the Bishop for ordination. Fr. Boulos and Subdeacon John escorted Subdeacon Michael three times around the Holy Altar, each time bowing his neck to venerate the four corners of the Altar, to kiss Sayedna’s hand and Omophorion. Then, Subdeacon Michael knelt before the Altar and Sayedna stood to lay his hand and Omophorion of Subdeacon Michael’s head. His Eminenence read the prayers of ordination over Subdeacon Michael, entreating the Holy Spirit to ordain Subdeacon Michael into the Holy Deaconate. Standing at the Holy Gate and facing the parishioners, Sayedna vested Deacon Michael in sight of the whole Church and everyone sang, proclaimed, and repeated that Deacon Michael to be “Axios, Mustaheq, He is Worthy” until Deacon Michael was fully vested and took his place at the left hand of the Altar to begin his duties as a Deacon in our Church. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy continued. His Eminence, together with Fr. Boulos distributed communion to the Parishioners. Sayedna blessed the people at the end of the Liturgy and invited everyone to stay and share a catered meal in celebration of this momentous and historic day in the life of our Church. The reception that followed was attended by all present, approximately 90 people. Juliette Linholm took on the responsibility of coordinating the chairs, tents, and the catered meal. Farid and Itaf Khouri donated their time and money to coordinate and pay for the tents and chairs rental. Feedaa Khoury, daughter of Farid and Itaf, donated the covers and center pieces for the tables. Feedaa was very helpful in setting up the tables and the chairs. She also worked very hard, after everyone had left, to make sure that the tents, tables, and chairs were removed from the parking lot. Feedaa herself folded and stacked the chairs and the tables to help in expediting their removal. The catered meal was provided by Hadil Ayoub. Hadil provided lamb shanks, chicken, Arabic yogurt, rice cooked and prepared two different ways with almond and pine nuts, and two different types of salads. Additionally, Hidal prepared a special beef stroganoff for His Eminence to add to the delicacies. Hadil provided so much food that everyone was filled to satisfaction, and there was leftovers. Hadil prepared all the food herself and every bite was heavenly and delicious. The funds to pay for the catered meal were donated by many parishioners who wanted to remain anonymous, but wanted to make sure that the catered meal was to the satisfaction of everyone. The dessert and coffee tables were set up inside the church building in the break area. In addition to the baklava, zalabyeh, namourah, and many other sweets, Hala Khalifeh provided a two-layered strawberry cake with the picture of our Patron and Father, Saint Raphael of Brooklyn, and the names of the three Ordinands imprinted on the icing of the cake. Sayedna +MICHAEL sat outside together with all the attendees. Many people stopped by his table to speak with His Eminence, to discuss different Church matters, to give health advice, and just to be in his presence and get to know him even better. Needless to say, many blessings and much fun were had by all, and everyone had nothing but congratulations to our Ordinands, and wonderful comments about our Church, our Jurisdiction, and especially about our Father and Metropolitan +MICHAEL. May God grant him many years.
