AROUND THE DIOCESE: August 2011

[August 31, 2011] On August 5 a delegation of monks from the Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos visited San Francisco's Holy Virgin Cathedral and prayed before the relics of St. John, the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco. The delegation was headed by the head of the monastery, Abbott Ephraim.

• On August 16 a group of 30 pilgrims departed form Seattle to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage group is headed by His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seatlle and includes three diocesan archpriests: fathers Paul Volmensky, David Moser and Alexis Kotar.

• The patronal feastday of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles on August 19 was headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. In accordance with the resolution of the Synod of Bishops the parish received the Synod's blessing to have the Divine Liturgy served with open Royal Doors up to the "Our Father...". At the Great Entry a number of cathedral clergy received awards: Priest Christopher Horsley – the gold pectoral cross; Priest Alexei Poliakov and Protodeacon Andre Karobkoff – kamilavkas.

• On August 26, at the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the feastday of St. Tikhon's Church in San Francisco, His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America elevated Hieromonk Irenei (Steenberg) to the rank of archimandrite and lay the mitre upon his head.

The Myrrhstreaming Hawaiian-Iveron Icon Will be at the Old Cathedral in San Francisco for the Feast of Dormition

[August 22, 2011] The Hawaiin-Iveron Myrrhstreaming Icon of the Mother of God from Honolulu will be at San Francisco's Old Holy Virgin Cathedral (864 Fulton Street) on the feast of Dormition. The feastday Vigil on Saturday, August 27 is scheduled for 5:00 pm. The Dormition Liturgy on Sunday, August 28 will begin at 9:00 am.

Metropolitan Hilarion to Serve at the Transfiguration Cathedral Feastday in Los Angeles and 50th Anniversary of the Miraculous Self-Renewal of the Icon of the Mother of God “Of Three Hands”

[August 11, 2011] On August 18 and 19, 2011, on the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, in connection with the festive celebration of the 50th anniversary of the miraculous self-renewal of the revered parish Icon of the Mother of God “Of the Three Hands,” and in honor of the cathedral parish feastday, services will be led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion. The Vigil on Thursday, August 18 will begin at 6:30 pm and the Divine Liturgy on Friday, August 19 will be at 9:30 am. After services, a festal banquet will be held in the parish school hall. Please contact Ms. Tatiana Gorbenko for more information regarding reservations for the banquet: (949) 766-4401.

25th Annual Monastery Pilgrimage on Vashon Island

[August 6, 2011] The 25th annual All-Merciful Monastery Pilgrimage on Vashon Island (Washington state) will begin with the celebration of the All-Night Vigil for the Feast of Saint Olav of Norway, on Wednesday, August 10th (5:30 pm). Services, talks, fellowship and shared meals will continue throughout the remainder of the week until August 14. Camping spots are available for pilgrims from August 10-14.

AROUND THE DIOCESE: July 2011

[August 1, 2011] At the Divine Liturgy on St. John's feastday at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco Hieromonks Juvenal (Herrin) and James (Corraza) were awarded the right to wear the gold pectoral cross.

• On Sunday, July 3, the Divine Liturgy at St. Simeon of Verhotursky Church in Calistoga (California) was celebrated by His Grace George, Bishop of Mayfield.

• Among the students of the 2011 graduating class at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville was a parishioner of the Western American Diocese, Ephraim Willmarth.

• In the beginning of July the Western American Diocese was visited by a pilgrim group from Kiev. The pilgrimage, the first official group from the Ukraine, was organized by the Pilgrim Section of the Department of External Church Affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

• A clergyman of the Western American Diocese, Archpriest Peter Shashkoff, has received a canonical release to the Diocese of Canada. He is assigned to the All Saints Church in Calgary.

Cultural Heritage Day and Liturgy at Fort Ross

[July 28, 2011] On Saturday, July 30, Fort Ross will be holding its annual Cultural Heritage Day. A Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at the Fort's Holy Trinity Chapel at 10:00 am His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk (Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA). His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, will also be present. Later in the day a meeting will take place with the bishops, V.N. Vinokurov (the Consull General of the Russian Federation) and Fort Ross staff to discuss the upcoming in 2012 celebration of the fort's 200th anniversary.

Bishop Theodosy of Seattle to Serve Liturgy in Laytonville Camp

[July 23, 2011] His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle will serve the evening service on Sunday, July 24 and the Divine Liturgy on Monday, July 25, at the Russian Scout camp in Laytonville, Mendocino County (8601 Branscomb Road, Laytonville, California).

Pontifical Liturgy at the Russian River (Guerneville)

[July 18, 2011] On Saturday, July 23, the Kazan Icon church at Russian River (Guerneville) will be celebrating its church feastday. The greeting of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, is scheduled for 9:30 am. Following the Divine Liturgy Archbishop Kyrill will bless the church property and a BBQ lunch will be offered to the faithful. The Kazan church is attached to the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. Recently the cathedral parish initiated a renovation of the Kazan church building and the property surrounding it.

For pilgrims requiring transportation from San Francisco to Guerneville, bus service (limited space) will be offered at 7:30 am from Holy Virgin Cathedral (6210 Geary Boulevard). To make bus reservations, please contact Nadia Buick at: (415) 661-5861.

New Edition of the Akathist to Saint John Now Available

[July 16, 2011] San Francisco Publisher "Russkiy Pastyr" is pleased to offer for sale a unique commemorative edition (45th anniversary of Archbishop John's blessed repose) of the Akathist to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.

This commemorative 24 page full color edition is published in English on high-grade matte stock and contains 12 photographs of St. John in Serbia, China, Philippines, Western Europe and the United States and a photo of St. John's shrine. It also includes the Prayer to St. John, the troparion and kondakion.

Price per copy $5.00 + $1.00 shipping. Order 10 or more – $2.00 per copy + shipping. ...more

Diocesan Council Holds Summer Meeting

[July 14, 2011] On June 16, 2011 the Diocesan Council (both clergy and laity) met at the Diocesan Administration for its summer session. The meeting began with a prayer. Archbishop Kyrill opened the meeting with an overview of life in the diocese and clergy changes. Archpriest Peter Perekrestov shared with the members of the Council the work of the Inter-Conciliar Standing Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church in the first half of 2011. ...more