The 15th and 16th of June, 2019, on the feast of Pentecost, marked this year's feast day celebration of the Holy Trinity parish of Troy, Michigan, blessed by the presence of HE Metropolitan Nicolae. The feast began on Saturday evening with the Vespers service served by HE Nicolae, assisted by the parish priest, Fr. Călin Barbolovici. At the end of the Vespers, Metropolitan Nicolae talked about the life and the wonderful discovery of the relics of St. Venerable Irodion of Lainici brought for veneration in our church along with his holy icon.

On Sunday, at the Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Metropolitan Nicolae served the Divine Liturgy, assisted by Fr. Calin, Fr. Simion Cătău, and Deacon Aurel from the Eparchial Center of Chicago. In the sermon, HE Nicolae urged the believers to use the time given by God to fulfill the call to be witnesses to Christ in the world, a call received at baptism, which makes us the new apostles of Christ:

Let us pray the Holy Spirit who descended to the Pentecost, who descends upon the Church and descends to every Divine Liturgy to enlighten us, to strengthen us on the path of salvation and to show us the new bearers of the fruits of the Spirit which the Holy Apostle Paul recalls in the Epistle to the Galatians: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5: 22-23).

Finally, HE Metropolitan Nicolae offered the new Antimision to the parish.

The festive luncheon and Sunday School children's program followed, a program that included poems and songs. A group of youth performed a number of traditional folk dances to the enjoyment of those present. In the social hall was organized the exhibition of photography and folk art The Face of the Romanian Village. The photographs are part of the exhibition presented at the Romanian Patriarchate and were made available with the blessing of HB Patriarch Daniel, and the folk art items were offered by the faithful of our parish.

We thank the Lord and His Mother for the blessings received again at the feast of the Holy Trinity Church of Troy.

Fr. Călin Barbolovici