The President's Corner

Здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte) or hello in Russian. This month I return to my series on “Parma’s Places of Worship.” In that vein, I had the honor of recently meeting with Rev. Fr. Ilia Marzev of St. Sergius of Radonezh Russian Orthodox Cathedral at 6520 Broadview Road. I was drawn to this church due to my college major of International Studies concentrating in Russian and Soviet history and studying the Russian language while attending the University of Dayton as an undergraduate student. Upon entering, under the iconic “onion domes,” I found more of the many hidden wonders of Parma.  

What struck me first upon entering the beautiful holy place were the plethora of incredible fresco icons of the Holy Family, saints, and martyrs of the Russian Orthodox tradition. It is literally overwhelming and one could spend days studying them and contemplating their symbolism. I was also struck by the lack of pews. Father explained that churchgoers stand for their two-hour ceremonies. Clearly, as Christian believers, this is their small way of sharing in the sacrifices and suffering of Jesus.  

The building of St. Sergius was completed in 1981, after the parish moved from Cleveland. However, it would take another six years for the interior to be fully completed and ready for consecration. All of the frescoes were the work of Archbishop Alypy “whose mastery of iconography is widely acknowledged by artistic and religious authorities,” according to a church brochure.  

Among my personal favorite icons at St. Sergius are those of Tsar Nicholas II and his family.  Murdered by the Bolsheviks (communists) in the 1917 Russian Revolution, they, and thousands of others who shared their fate, are considered martyrs of the Church.  “The Russian Revolution resulted in more Christian martyrs than those of the Roman Empire,” Father Ilia mentioned. The members of the royal family were canonized as saints in 1985. 

Currently, about 150 families call St. Sergius their religious home. During services at this conservative Orthodox space, men stand on the right while women stand opposite.  The “Royal Doors” separate the Holy Altar and priest from the congregation, representing the gate of heaven. Services are held in the Old Church Slavonic language.  No instruments are played in Russian Orthodox tradition, as hymns are sung by a four-part acapella choir.  Further, they use the “old calendar,” and, thus, celebrate Christmas on January 7, for instance. “We get a good deal on Christmas presents and trees because of this,” Father Ilia joked. 

“Ten years ago, the Lord called me to Parma and, as I drove down State Road, I was impressed with the religious diversity I found,” Fr. Ilia commented. “I knew this was the place for my family and me,” he added. Before becoming a parish priest in the Russian Orthodox church, a man must be married. However, upon taking their vows, they must remove their wedding band, as their “marriage” to the Church takes precedence. Those wishing not to marry may become monks and remain at a monastery. Further, only monks may become bishops. 

Following the Revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia became the Russian Church in exile. In fact, not until 2007, following the fall of communism a few years earlier, did the Russian church in Russia and the Russian Church abroad once again link spiritually. They remain administratively separate, however, with the Patriarch of Moscow as the head of the Church in Russia, while the Metropolitan of New York serves as the religious leader of the Russian Church diaspora.  

Many Americans know little about Orthodox tradition. Yet, there are over 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, with about 1.2 million living in the United States.  Although Orthodoxy is quite ethnically diverse, including Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Romanian, Serbian, and others, all of these denominations belong to one church and are unified theologically and morally. In fact, it is the second largest Christian community, next to Catholicism. 

To find out more about St. Sergius, visit their website at www.saintsergius.org. A big спасибо (spasibo; thank you) to Fr. Ilia and the parish of St. St. Sergius for inviting me into your beautiful place of worship. До свидания (Do svidaniya; goodbye). 

Sean Brennan

Parma City Council President Sean Brennan

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Volume 7, Issue 8, Posted 9:57 PM, 08.02.2015