Saints Cyril
& Methodius
Bulgarian Orthodox
Mission
Elevation of the
Cross
(Commemorated annually on September 14)
Sunday,
September 12, 2010
2:00
PM
Held at:
St. Luke Orthodox Church
6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
His Beatitude,
Metropolitan JONAH
The Very Reverend Archpriest
Timothy Perry
The Rev. Deacon
Chterion Zaprionov
Pilgrims from North America, Russia Celebrate
40th Anniversary of Saint Herman’s Glorification on
Spruce Island
KODIAK, AK [OCA] -- On
Monday, August 9, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, presided at the celebration
of the Divine Liturgy in Saints Sergius and Herman of Valaam Chapel on Spruce
Island, which marks the original burial site of Saint Herman of Alaska.
It was at this very site that Saint Herman was glorified exactly 40
years earlier. One of eight missionaries who arrived in Kodiak from Russia in
1794, Saint Herman was widely known and long remembered for the sanctity of his
life, his monastic witness, and his defense of the local population, who at
that time had faced severe difficulties at the hands of traders in the region.
Concelebrating with Metropolitan Jonah were His Eminence, Archbishop
Justinian of Naro-Fominsk Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA,
and His Grace, Bishop Maxim of Western America of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The hierarchs and clergy were
accompanied by hundreds of pilgrims from across North America, who traveled to
Spruce Island by boat. A group of pilgrims from Russia, led by Archbishop
Justinian and Archimandrite Zacchaeus, OCA Representative to the Moscow Patriarchate
and Dean of the OCA’s Representation Church of the Great Martyr Catherine,
Moscow, also were present, thereby testifying to the universal reverence
accorded Saint Herman as "the North Star of Christ’s Holy Church."
Pilgrims enjoyed a "banquet on the beach" before returning by
boat to Kodiak, where they engaged in fellowship at a festival in Sargent Park.
One day earlier, on Sunday,
August 8, His Grace, Bishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, Temporary
Administrator of the Diocese of Alaska, joined Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishop
Justinian, and Bishop Maxim in concelebrating the Divine Liturgy in Kodiak’s
Holy Resurrection Cathedral, in which the relics of Saint Herman repose.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Jonah, presented the
Order of Saint Innocent to the Russian First Deputy Chairman of the Federation
Council, Alexander Porfirevich Torshin, in recognition of his outstanding
educational efforts. Mr. Torshin was among the pilgrims from Russia who
participated in the pilgrimage.
The traditional Saint Yakov Tea followed the Liturgy at the Kodiak
Harbor Convention Center.
On Sunday evening, Metropolitan Jonah and the visiting hierarchs
celebrated the All-Night Vigil in Holy Resurrection Cathedral, with Bishop
Benjamin presiding at the Litiya and Archbishop Justinian presiding at the
Matins Polyeleos.
The faithful from North America
and Russia enjoyed and were very grateful for the kind hospitality displayed by
the faithful of Holy Resurrection Cathedral and the community of Saint Herman’s
Orthodox Theological Seminary.
A wealth of resources on Saint Herman of Alaska, including a
complete account of his life, liturgical services, icons, photographs from his
glorification in 1970, etc. may be found on the OCA web site at www.oca.org/FS.NA-Saint.asp?SID=4&Saint=Herman.
An informative article on canonization in
Orthodox Christian Tradition, originally written at the time of Saint Herman’s
glorification, may be found on the OCA web site at www.oca.org/FS.NA-Document.asp?SID=4&ID=82.
Upcoming Service
Schedule:
Services at
St. Mark Church begin at 9:30 AM
Services
at SS Cyril & Methodius Mission begin at 2:00 PM
September 5 – SS Zachariah and Elizabeth, St. Mark Church, Bethesda, MD.
September 12 – Elevation of the Cross, at SS Cyril & Methodius
Mission
September 19 – Sunday after Elevation of the Cross, St. Mark Church, Bethesda.
September 26 – St. John the Theologian, at SS Cyril & Methodius
Mission
October 3 – Pokrov, St. Mark
Church, River Road, Bethesda.
October 10 – St. Tikhon of Moscow, at SS Cyril & Methodius Mission
October 17 – Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council, St. Mark Church, Bethesda.
Saints
Commemorated Today
THE UNIVERSAL ELEVATION OF THE
PRECIOUS AND LIFEGIVING CROSS. Repose of St. John Chrysostom (407). Monk Martyr
Macarius of Dionysiou (Mt. Athos—1507). Monk Martyr Joseph of Dionysiou (Mt.
Athos—1819).
† May Their Memory Be Eternal †
The
Priests Peter, Ishmael, Michael, Leo, Homer, Thomas, Victor, and Milorad;
the
Matushki Mary, Platonida, Sophronia, and Barbara;
the
Readers Philemon, John, John, and Robert Michael; and
the
Servants of God Timothy, Maria, Megan, Bojanka, Magdalena, Alexander, Sophia,
Shafik, Christo, Julia, Rada, Radka, Anna, Dale, Olivera, Marianthe, Panaigioti,
& George.
Those
Who Are In Need of Prayer
The Priests Photius,
Anthony, Vadim, and Joseph;
the Presbyteras
Artemis, Marie, Miriam, Juliana, & Anne;
the servants of God, Douglas,
Alexandra, Victor, Erin, Catherine, Kyriaki, John, Carmeta, Jane, Oliver,
Charlie, and Patricia;
Those who are
traveling or are sick and suffering and those who have asked us to pray for
them, unworthy though we may be.
Metropolitan Jonah Issues
Update on OCA
Sexual Misconduct Policies,
Expects Full Parish Compliance
SYOSSET,
NY [OCA] -- In a letter addressed to parish rectors and parish councils
dated August 4, 2010, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, emphasized the
importance of being "attentive in regard to issues surrounding the
possibility of sexual misconduct in the Church.
"This is the concern and responsibility
of everyone," Metropolitan Jonah wrote in reference to his expectation
that every parish will soon provide evidence of compliance with the existing
"Policies, Standards and Procedures. "Given your respective duties in
the life of the parish and in light of potential legal liabilities, rectors and
parish council members especially need to encourage each other to be proactive
and attentive to these matters."
Accompanying Metropolitan Jonah's letter is
an instructive memo, "Sexual Misconduct in the Church," by
Protodeacon Peter Danilchick, a member of the Sexual Misconduct Policy Advisory
Committee.
Parish
Council Meeting
The September Parish Council Meeting will
take place on Sunday, September 26 following the Divine Liturgy. For a copy of the draft agenda please see
Fr. Timothy. Agendas are distributed by
email prior to the meeting. If you
would like to be a part of the distribution, please provide your email address
to Fr. Timothy – your address will not be made publicly available.
Everyone is invited to attend the meetings
and listen or discuss the issues, however, only the elected Parish Council
members may cast a vote.
Administration of the Sacraments
The parish priest, responsible to the diocesan bishop and answerable to
God, is the sole administrator of the sacraments in the Orthodox parish.
The preparation for receipt of any sacrament whether the receipt of the
eucharist at the Divine Liturgy, marriage, baptism, or any other is preceded by
a period of preparation and sober contemplation. In the case of reception to adults into the Church, a period of
study, careful thought, and instruction is involved.
Fr. Timothy is to be contacted well in advance of planning for any
sacrament outside of the receipt of the eucharist by Orthodox Christians.
revtperry@hotmail.com