DIOCESE OF EASTERN AMERICA AND NEW YORK: November 22, 2006
Pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Monastery, to the Grave of the Curator of the Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother Of God

The 9th annual pilgrimage sponsored by the Washington, DC, Cathedral of St John the Baptist to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, was made on November 18-19 in a spirit of prayerful thanks to God. Faithful from two Washington-area parishes of the Orthodox Church in America joined our parishioners on this pilgrimage. Of the 70 participants, the majority went to confession and communed of the Holy Gifts of Christ. During the pilgrimage, two pannikhidas were served at the grave of murdered brother Joseph Munoz-Cortes, faithful curator of the Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. In remarks after the first pannikhida, the pilgrimage director, Protopriest Victor Potapov, reminded those assembled that the martyred curator of the miraculous icon had often said that “one must never become used to a miracle.” Extending that thought, Fr Victor stated that we must not allow ourselves “to forget what was sent down for our consolation, the 15-year miracle of the Myrrh-streaming Icon of the Mother of God, and its faithful curator.” He also explained that these annual pilgrimages to Brother Joseph's grave serve to remind us of the great sign that over the course of many years graced and enriched the lives of the faithful in the Russian Diaspora. “In Russia, reverent memory of Brother Joseph is spreading, while here, unfortunately, it is fading away.”

The pilgrims were happy to learn that Orthodox Life , which is published in Jordanville, will devote its entire next issue to Brother Joseph.

With God's help, next year, in addition to making a three-day pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Monastery on the 10th Anniversary of the murder of the chosen one of the Mother of God, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist intends to sponsor a small conference with an exhibit of items that had belonged to brother Joseph.