Centennial Year Church Services

May 8, 2005   -   Antipascha, the first Sunday after Pascha, is known as St. Thomas Sunday. It is the day on which the Risen Christ had appeared to the Apostle Thomas who had doubted His Resurrection (icon below). This year, Mother's Day was observed on this date as well. It is the custom of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in South River, N.J. to hold Cemetery Visitation (Provodnoye) on the first Sunday after Pascha. In some Churches, visitation is made on the second Tuesday after Pascha - the Day of Rejoicing (Radonitsa) - while yet in other Churches it is the custom to make a Cemetery Visitation on the Holy Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Pascha. It is on this day that the Church Militant visits the Church Triumphant to proclaim Christ's Resurrection from the Dead. This being our Church's Centennial Year observance, an old custom was revived, namely, that of having a procession from the Church to the cemetery prior to the General Requiem at the cemetery. Below are scenes from the Church Procession, the General Requiem at the Cross atop the older portion of the cemetery, and the visitation by Rev. David F. Garretson of individual graves. Thanks to James Sopchak for his assistance by contributing photographs to this photoreport.

Parishioners began to gather in front of the Church at 12:00 noon for the 0.9 mile procession to the cemetery. As the photos above indicate, it was a windy day with leaden skies. Although cooler than average temperatures for May prevailed, no showers were promised and none was delivered. The procession began at approximately 12:14 p.m., led by the processional Cross carried by Church President James Kornafel (photo below).

Photos above show Rev. David Garretson in procession with the parishioners and choir turning from Whitehead Avenue to Linden Avenue and again along Jeffrie Avenue in front of the Church Hall.

Above, mothers and grandmothers pushed baby carriages and strollers as the entourage leaves the vicinity of the Church. The next landmark along the route is the Church Rectory on the corner of Foothill Drive and Kamm Avenue (below right).

Above left, Rev. Garretson passes his family's home. Police blocked off areas as necessary and provided the procession with escort both front and back. Above right, Father David acknowledges one of his neighbors and exchanges pleasantries with him as the procession proceeds.

Above right, we see members of the Church choir who accompanied the procession. Notice in the photo above left the well-paved streets of South River. Several reports this day by senior parishioners who recollected much earlier processions from Church to cemetery mentioned the words "dirt road" and "clouds of dust" in connection with those processions of times gone by.

The youngest parishioners of the parish in procession fared best, getting the proverbial "free ride". The pace of the procession was brisk, covering the 0.9 mile route in approximately 15 minutes, or averaging a rate of about four miles per hour. Your reporter has carried processional banners on other occasions and can report to you that they are not light in weight. Kudos to those who carried these banners in the stiff breeze in a dignified manner at such a rapid pace!

Above we see the head of the procession as it departs Kamm Avenue for Raymond Place - the final city street before the entrance to the cemetery.

Above, the procession was too efficient, arriving 30 minutes before the posted time for the General Requiem service. This discrepancy gave all those who marched in procession a chance to catch their breath.

Above right, the procession resumes up the road to the Cross atop the older portion of the cemetery. Below left and right are parishioners, Father David, and altar servers.

Photo above shows the placing of the processional banners in stands surrounding the grave of V. Rev. Peter Semashko, one of the early founders of our Church. Below left, before the start of the service, parishioners listed the names of departed loved ones reposing in the cemetery whom they wished to have prayers for. Below right, one of the younger members of the parish manned the concession stand at the foot of the cemetery. There, food, refreshments, and various items were sold before the General Requiem and grave visitation began.

Above left, Rev. Garretson is about to begin the General Requiem service. Above right, members of the Church choir sang the responses under the able direction of Mr. Basil Kozak. Below are scenes showing the well-attended service. Those gathered represent an unusual amalgam of believers for this one day inasmuch as, in general, our parishioners who do not have loved ones reposing in the cemetery do not attend the service, while non-parishioners of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church who do have loved ones reposing in our cemetery do attend this one service. Likewise, there are those of our parishioners who visited other Churches and cemeteries this day to honor loved ones and to proclaim "Christ Is Risen".

Above, two photos stitched together show a panoramic view of the service and those in attendance. Below, scenes show Rev. Garretson censing and blessing those gathered with Holy Water.

Many graves are nicely decorated with colorful flowers on this day. Above left, the family plot of one of our former pastors, the V. Rev. Joseph Kreshik. Above right and below, after the conclusion of the General Requiem, the first graves that are visited by Father David are those of former rectors, Church presidents, and choir directors of our Church. Below, Rev. Garretson proclaims "Christ Is Risen" where V. Rev. Philip Pechinsky and his Matushka repose.

Below left, as he visits family gravesites, Rev. Garretson greets those whom he knows and those who know him - and that includes everyone! - with a Paschal embrace and the greeting "Christ Is Risen!".

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Copyright © 2005, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ