A New Metropolitan is Elected

[[May 12, 2008] Today in New York, following a Molieben to the Mother of God, Holy Patriarch Tikhon and St. John, the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco before the Kursk-Root Miraculous Icon and a Panikhida for the evermemorable Metropolitan Laurus, the First Session of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia took place. Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America took part in the session.

The Council of Bishops elected His Eminence Hilarion, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand as the new First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad and raised him to the rank of Metropolitan.

The enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign in New York.

The clergy and faithful of the Western American Diocese greet the new First Hierarch, Metropolitan Hilarion. Eis polla eti despota!

PHOTO: V. Kozushin | Pravoslavie.RU.

Patriarch Alexey Expresses His Gratitude for the Diocesan Herald

[May 9, 2008] Below is a letter from His Holiness Patriarch Alexey to Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and western America:

Your Eminence, dear Vladika!

I thank you from my heart for the copy of your diocesan journal, "St. John's Herald", you sent me. Judging by its content it is clear that our church unity is bearing fruit on the West coast of America.

I prayerfully wish your Eminence God's blessings, spiritual and physical strength and wisdom and patience in your continuing archpastoral labors for the benefit fo the Holy Church.

With love in the Lord,

+ ALEXEY

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

St. John's Academy Open House

[May 8, 2008] Saint John's Academy wishes to invite the Orthodox community to attend our Spring Semester Open House. The open house will take place this Monday, May 12th, at our campus located at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. The doors will open at 7:00 PM.

Information about our schools academic achievements, our teaching faculty, and our community outreach will be available. In the Cathedral's main hall, an exhibition of our students' artistic and academic work will be open for viewing. During the evening, Mr. David Jepson, Dean of High School, will present a curriculum he has developed for our High School Ethics course.

Saint John's Academy is a full day K-12 school catering to the educational and unique spiritual needs of Orthodox Christian community. For more information, see the St. John's Academy website.

We Gathered Closely Round Him

[May 6, 2008] Today, on Radonitsa (Paschal visits to the cemeteries), a panikhida for the repose of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus will be served in all monasteries and parishes of the Western American Diocese. Below is an article in memory of Vladika Laurus. EDITOR

Metropolitan Laurus had passed away. With every day, more and more of Vladyka’s grieving, orphaned flock arrived at Holy Trinity Monastery and began to fill the church. At panikhidas, services and, finally, at his funeral we gathered ever more closely round his coffin, cherishing these last moments with Vladyka. It was difficult to let him go, yet our “sadness was full of light” (in Pushkin’s words) because, along with sorrow, we felt an unearthly, peaceful joy.

But as more and more people pressed into the church, it began to feel overly crowded; this was not only physically discomforting, but elicited, at times, feelings of vexation. All this passed, however, when I realized that Vladyka’s heart had easily encompassed all of us, not only those who were fortunate enough to be present at his funeral, but also many more who had not been able to attend. If it wasn’t crowded in Vladyka’s heart, then I should not feel crowded by the people around me, each of whom he loved.
...more

Salt Lake City to Host First Diocesan Retreat for Clergy Wives

[May 5, 2008] With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America the St. George Mission in Salt Lake City is planning the Western American Diocese's first retreat for clergy wives. The retraet will take place at St. George Church from August 5-7 and will include services, lectures, round-table discussions, informal socializing, excursiona and a concert of classical music. For more information and to register click here.

Pascha 2008

[April 30, 2008] The Western American Diocese site photo gallery has been updated: see the photos of Great Paschal Vespers at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco and of the youth choir's Paschal visit to the St. John of Kronstadt Convalescent Hospital in Castro Valley, California.

The hymn "In the flesh Thou didst fall asleep" from Paschal Matins at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco: the St. Kyrill & Methodius Choir conducted by O. Reoutt and the Holy Virgin Cathedral Choir conducted by V. Krassovsky.

Paschal Epistle of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

«The slaying of Death we do celebrate!» exults the Holy Church. Our Saviour's death was followed by persecutions against His flock, at times flaring up, at times dying down. Not a single Orthodox nation has been spared these persecutions: together with Christ, a multitude of holy martyrs, through the unutterable Grace and Will of God, experienced this trumph over Death, through death. And in our own Russian land, as each of us knows, in the generations of our fathers and forefathers, a great number of martyrs was revealed, dying for just one thing: for this, our Holy Pascha, which holds all the meaning of our faith: for the right to celebrate it; for the conviction, that only and exclusively in the summons to Orthodoxy does the entire spiritual person find purpose and fulfilment; that this Orthodoxy expresses most fully, most suitably our shared obedience as a people to Christ our God, and to His commandments. ...more

Great and Holy Friday: "Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross"

[April 25, 2008] From Matins of Great and Holy Friday at the Holy Virgin Cathedral "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in San Francisco: Roman Krassovsky and the male section of the Cathedral Choir sing the 15th Antiphon at Matins – "Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross" (S. Trubachev's setting).

On the 40th day of the repose of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus: “If then ye are My friends, ye will do as I do”

[April 24, 2008] Today, on Great and Holy Thursday, the Church remembers the Mystical Supper during which our Lord washed the feet of His disciples and established the Mystery of Communion. Today is the fortieth day of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus.

Instead of commencing by saying “How shall I begin to weep?” perhaps I should say “How shall I begin to write?” On the one hand, Passion Week is so holy, so Christ-centered, that during its services we set aside all remembrances of the saints which fall on these days. The Church calls us to lay aside all cares and devote each minute to following our Lord. On the other hand, there is much during the last days of our Savior that is concerned with people – His disciples, His friends, those who sought Him and desired to be with Him: Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Bethany; the apostles at the Mystical Supper; the harlot who anointed His head and feet; Simon of Cyrene on the way of the Cross; the Good Thief on Golgotha; Joseph, Nicodemus, and the Myrrhbearing Women at the tomb; and other followers of Christ. ...more

Great and Holy Tuesday: "Thy bridal chamber I see adorned"

[April 22, 2008] Holy Virgin Cathedral's (San Francisco) Archdeacon Andronik (Taratuchin) chants the Exapostellarion: "Thy bridal chamber I see adorned" at Matins of Great and Holy Tuesday.

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