On Sunday, December 10, 2023 His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, accompanied by Deacon Pavlo Vysotskyi and seminarians Andrii Akulenko, Yurii Izhyk, Marian Koval and Bohdan Bodnar visited St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Boston.  The occasion was the 65^th Anniversary of the church edifice and the 45^th anniversary of the ordination of its pastor, Very Reverend Roman Tarnavsky. 

His Eminence was greeted with flowers at the church door by Fr. Roman’s granddaughters Anna and Solimaya and then welcomed into the church by parish president, Jane Yavarow.  In her greeting she stressed that since Vladyka’s last visit to the parish in 2018, that the time that has past had been, to paraphrase Dickens, the worst of times and the best of times.  She stated, “Who would have predicted that in March of 2020, Covid 19 would bring us the worst of times, but we had 20 dedicated parishioners who kept this church alive until we could resume a new normal.  They preserved for us the best of times.  Then in February of 2022, who would have predicted that the worst of times would be laid at our doorstep with the senseless invasion of Ukraine by an evil empire.  Our dedicated parishioners raised over $100,000 for humanitarian aid and shipped countless tons of medical supplies to Ukraine. Now we offer aid to refugees and especially to children coming to Boston hospitals for prosthetic limbs.   That dedication to helping others has shown us in the best of times.  Today you also see us in the best of times, a religious community, a spiritual community dedicated to preserving this church for the best of best times ahead.”

Fr. Roman, along with visiting clergy Fr. Borislav Kroner from Woonsocket, RI, ushered His Eminence to the tetrapod where the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy began.  St. Andrew’s choir, under the direction of Jane Yavarow offered the responses.  At the end of the Liturgy, His Eminence thanked the choir for the beautiful responses they rendered and the faithful for their presence, then he gathered everyone together for a group photo.

After the Liturgy everyone moved to the church hall where they dined on a meal featuring lobster bisque, caesar salad and baked sole prepared by Chef Michael, a long-time friend of St. Andrew’s, and his sous chef Dan Smith.

Along with celebrating the 65^th anniversary of the church, the parishioners honored their pastor, Right Rev. Roman Tarnavsky, on the 45^th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.  Fr. Roman attended the Odessa Theological Seminary.  On September 27, 1978, on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he was ordained a priest.  He came to the United States in 1997 and has served the parish for the past 20 years.  As was noted in a little trivia contest about Fr. Roman’s life during the program, he has a passion for beekeeping, but he commented that his parish is his most important apiary.  He has shown this by being devoted to the church and his parishioners, by demonstrating his steadfast faith during soviet persecution in Ukraine and by being a worthy example of sincere service to the Church here, as well.

On behalf of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Vsevolod Petriv, president of the Boston branch, congratulated Fr. Roman for his long-standing support and participation in community events, noting his dedicated patriotic stance.

The day’s festivities concluded with a concert in Fr. Roman’s honor, performed by Michael Muzyka, Oksana Oliynyk, Tetyana Portyankina, Halyna Pysak, Yulia Samokhvalova and Yulia Shcherbakova, talented members of the parish.  Their vocal and instrumental numbers captured the audience.  Since the painful topic of Russian aggression has become an integral part of the everyday life of the Ukrainian community here, the program consisted exclusively of works by Ukrainian artists - vocal, instrumental and poetic compositions that reflected the deepest characteristics of the Ukrainian soul: love for the native land, fortitude, faith, and hope.  It was a perfect way to end such a wonderful day!