His Eminence Metropolitan Saba of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America visited the Romanian Orthodox Monastery of St Demetrius in Middletown, New York State.
On Friday, March 27, the head of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America made a one-day pilgrimage accompanied by around 80 clergy, seminarians of the archdiocese—candidates for the priesthood undergoing formation under his supervision—and their families.
The pilgrimage of Antiochian clergy to Middletown began with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts celebrated by Metropolitan Saba, followed by a spiritual address delivered by Archimandrite Ieremia Berbec, the abbot of the monastery.
The Romanian archimandrite spoke to the pilgrims from the Antiochian Church about the virtues of humility and obedience, drawing on experiences from monastic life and emphasising that faith is strengthened through trials.
The abbot encouraged them to adopt what he described as the “strategy of the children of God”, who trust in the Lord’s mercy and cultivate a constant awareness of His presence in their daily lives.
The pilgrimage concluded with a common meal in the monastery’s refectory.
