On December 19, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated St. Nicholas Day. This was also the 40^th anniversary of Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow’s ordination to the diaconate. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Deacon Andrei Psarev read a congratulations letter from Metropolitan Hilarion to Fr. Victor. Archimandrite Luke then presented a replicate St. Vladimir’s Icon to Fr. Victor on behalf of Holy Trinity Monastery and St. Elizabeth Skete.

To the Reverend Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow Dear in the Lord Fr Victor:

On behalf of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, I wholeheartedly congratulate you on the fortieth anniversary of your clerical service, and prayerfully wish you good health, many years, wisdom and grace-filled strength in your future service to the glory of God, the benefit of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, as well as good fortune for your beloved Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, where you have served faithfully your whole life, and where your Abbot of blessed memory, Metropolitan Laurus, is buried.

As you piously consume the Holy Mysteries of Christ I humbly ask that you lift your prayers for me and for the flock abroad entrusted to my unworthiness, that the Lord grant us help in the fearsome execution of our duties to Him and to mankind!

With love in the Lord, and beseeching your prayers,

+ HILARION, 
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, 
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

19 December 2014.

Dear Protodeacon Victor!

On the reverse side of a priest's cross is inscribed by the directive of the Tsar Martyr Nicholas the words of Saint Paul, "Be a faithful image in word, love, spirit. Faith, and purity (1 Tim. 4:12)."

In the course of forty years of service in the clergy, you our dear Father Victor, are an example to us of faithful service in the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, a preserver of Her traditions, and of fidelity to our earthly homeland, the dwelling of the Most Holy Birthgiver of God.

As a sign of recognition for your many years of labor and as a blessing we present you with this copy of the main wonderworking icon of the Russian Land the Vladimir Icon. We wish you the longevity of Abraham in this life and in the future life union with the Lord with all of your loved ones.

In Christ,

Archimandrite Luke
The Brotherhood
Teachers and students
Abbess Elizabeth and the Sisterhood

6/19 December 2014

Ваше Высокоблаговѣстіе,

Благоговѣйнѣйшій протодіаконъ о. Викторъ!

На обратной сторонѣ священническаго наперснаго креста, учрежденнаго повелѣніемъ царя мученика Николая, начертаны слова св. апостола Павла, «образъ буди вѣрнымъ словомъ, любовію, духомъ, вѣрою, чистотою» (1 Тим. 4, 12).

На протяженіи сорока лѣтъ священнослуженія Вы, дорогой нашъ отецъ Викторъ, являетесь для насъ примѣромъ вѣрнаго служенія Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей, сохраненія ея традицій и вѣрности нашему земному отечеству — Дому Пресвятой Богородицы.

Въ знакъ признательности Вашихъ многолѣтнихъ трудовъ и въ благословеніе преподносимъ Вамъ сей списокъ съ главной чудотворной иконы Земли Русской съ пожеланіемъ Авраамова долгоденствія въ этомъ вѣкѣ, а въ вѣкѣ будущемъ соединенія съ Господомъ и всѣми Вамъ близкими.

Архимандритъ Лука съ братіей,
преподавателями и семинаристами
Игуменія Елизавета съ сестрами
6/19 декабря 2014 г.