To My Eminent Brother Archpastors, Honorable Fathers, Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The 20th century was a difficult time for Orthodox Christians on the territory of the Russian Empire, which became the USSR after the Great War, the October Revolution and Civil War. But the more the Church endured persecution, the brighter the lanterns of faith and piety shone in the Russian land. From the Tsar and the members of the Royal Family close to him in spirit, from archpastors and simple monastics, priests, deacons to laypersons came forth a powerful spiritual army of the Church Militant. By 1918, the Russian Church showed two sorts of podvig—that of martyrdom and that of confession. Thank God, today we see how the blood of many millions of the host of Martyrs and Confessors who turned the Russian land red became the seeds of salvation for the spiritual rebirth of our people, in the Fatherland and in the diaspora.

On May 17, 2018, the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church of Sacramento celebrated its Patronal Feast Day.

His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America presided over the Divine Liturgy and festivities. Concelebrating with him were Archpriest Paul Volmensky (Rector), Archpriest James Steele (St. Elias Church of Diamond Springs, CA), Archdeacon Peter (Karakozoff), and deacons Nicholai Lenkoff and Nicholas Stoltz.

On Saturday the 5th of May, 2018, the 8th Annual Children’s Cossack Games were held at Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church of Sacramento under the direction of Stanislav Holokov a Semirechniy Cossack, Ataman of the Cossacks’ National Union and Dean of the Western American Cossack Cadet School in honor of the “Don” Icon of the Mother of God.