WOODSIDE, NY — On Sunday, March 29, St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church welcomed a large gathering of clergy and faithful from across the New York City Deanery for Mission Vespers, offering a powerful witness to the unity of the Orthodox Church amid the rich diversity of the region.

Faithful from neighboring parishes—both familiar faces and those visiting for the first time, including some of the founding members of the parish—gathered in prayer during this sacred Lenten season. The community was especially honored by the presence of several clergy, including the Very Rev. Martin Kraus, Dean of the New York City Deanery (OCA), and the Very Rev. Thomas Zain, Chancellor of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

Also in attendance were clergy from across the New York metropolitan area, including the Very Rev. Wiaczeslaw Krawczuk of Transfiguration Church in Brooklyn, the Very Rev. Volodymyr Zablotskyy of Holy Trinity Church in Yonkers, and the Rev. Paul Hunchack of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Sea Cliff.

The evening was marked not only by prayer but also by fellowship, as those gathered shared a Lenten meal that reflected the extraordinary cultural breadth of the Orthodox Church in New York. Faithful of many backgrounds—including Greek, Romanian, Russian, Western European, Arab, Slavic, African American, Hispanic, Filipino, and Caribbean—were present, and this diversity was also reflected in the foods brought for the common table: pierogis, dolmas, Colombian rice, Filipino pancit canton, cornbread, Caribbean vegan pasta, Mediterranean lentils, and more.

This diversity beautifully echoed the vision of the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).

In a borough often called “the world’s borough,” this gathering stood as a living icon of that heavenly reality. United in worship and fellowship, the faithful offered a foretaste of the Kingdom of God, where all nations are gathered in Christ.

The parish expressed its hope to continue serving as a place where all may come together “with one heart and one spirit unto salvation,” offering the richness of their cultures to Christ and proclaiming with one voice: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10).

All are invited to join the community for the upcoming Holy Week services. Click here for our full Holy Week Schedule.