10-Year Panikhida for Steve Wolownik, 5/16/10 - pt. 1

Panikhida for Steve Wolownik at St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, Gradyville, PA
Officiant: V. Rev. John Perich

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• panikhida
• steve
• stephen
• wolownik
• balalaika
• orthodox
• orthodoxy
• oca
• st.
• herman
• alaska
• gradyville
• pennsylvania
• may16
• 2010

[GreatSongwriters]

Why isn't this Service in English? What branch of the Orthodox Chruch is this that is still using all Slavonic?

[warszawianka]

@GreatSongwriters This parish, under the Orthodox Church in America, uses both Slavonic and English. The individual for whom the panikhida is being sung was deeply involved in Russian culture in the United States, so the priest is singing in Slavonic. Slavonic is still used, at least in part, in parishes of the OCA, Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, and Moscow Patriarchate. Whether a parish uses all English is up to the parish and depends on its heritage and current ethnic composition.

[GreatSongwriters]

@warszawianka Thanks for your reply... I didn’t know that "any" OCA Churches still used Slavonic... My Church is OCA, and we are 100% English... The choirmaster won't even consider Slavonic... Not even for "God Grant You Many Years!" I miss hearing at least "some" Slavonic. I did know that Patriarchal & ROCA Churches used Slavonic, but was not sure about the OCA.

[warszawianka]

@GreatSongwriters You're right, very few OCA parishes use Slavonic. My parish is 100% English too.

Knowing my friend Steve, he would have loved that this panikhida was almost entirely in Slavonic. :)

[atukazhit]

Vichnaya pamyat! Memory eternal! I had no idea that Steve fell asleep in the Lord. What a shock! I have fond memories of him playing in the Balalaika Russe ensemble. They were excellent! For those of my fellow Orthodox Christians who miss hearing Divine Liturgy in Slavonic, feel free to visit at Our Lady ROC, 20th and Spring Garden, Philadelphia. It's a very nice parish!