CANADIAN DIOCESE: 26 May 2023
A triple celebration at Holy Trinity Cathedral: Pascha, the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women and arrival of relics of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco

This year the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia celebrates the 30th anniversary of the opening of the relics of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Miracle-worker.

On Saturday, April 29, 2023, at 7 pm, at the entrance to Holy Trinity Cathedral on Henry Street, the holy relics were met by the Rector of the church, Mitred Archpriest Vladimir Malchenko, Archpriest Vyacheslav Davidenko, Protodeacon Alexander Morin, a newly-ordained Master of Theology, Deacon Seth Davidenko, parishioners and many believers of the largest parish of the Russian Church in Canada. At the all-night vigil, in addition to the joyful Paschal hymns, the troparion and the glorification of St John sounded - in the middle of the church lay the Holy Gospel, the icon of the Myrrh-bearing Women and the reliquary of St John. At the service, together with the parishioners, a huge number of Orthodox Romanians, Serbs, Greeks, Macedonians and Canadians – veneraters of St John prayed.

After the reading of the Sunday Gospel, Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, the priest of the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in San Francisco, anointed the pilgrims with oil from the lamp from the saint's reliquary - the anointing ended long after the conclusion of all-night vigil. Each worshiper received an icon of St John, consecrated on his reliquary in San Francisco.

On Sunday, April 30, the doors of the cathedrals were opened at 7:30 am and the relics of St John were placed in the middle of the church. The spacious church was packed to capacity. The parish choir under the direction of Reader George Skok sang the Cherubic Hymn by the composer and long-time choir director of the Cathedral in San Francisco, Mikhail Konstantinov. At the service, worshipers were offered Holy Communion from three chalices.

The sermon was delivered by Fr Peter, who stressed that it was not he who brought the relics of St John to Toronto, but Vladyka John himself decided to make an archpastoral visit to Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the former is only accompanying the saint. The theme touched upon in Father Peter's speech concerned two different greetings of the Savior, to the apostles and myrrh-bearing women: the first was the greeting with the words "peace be with you", and the second was the word "rejoice," and the place that Christ's peace and joy occupy in the life of each of us.

After Liturgy, the zealous and close-knit parish sisterhood, consisting of 60-70 women, probably the largest in the entire Orthodox diaspora, gathered around the icon and the reliquary with the relics of St John. It should be noted that, to this day, the Toronto Sisterhood observes the former beautiful and dignified tradition of parish sisterhoods in Canada to wear white apostolics. Before the prayer service to the Myrrh-Bearing Women and St John, Archpriest Vladimir Malchenko emphasized the zeal of the parish sisters – their devotion and reliability in everything related to serving the parish, charitable activities and beautifying the church – and thanked them for all their work.

After the prayer service, everyone went down to the vast hall for lunch, during which Fr Peter shared one of the last testimonies about the prayerful help of St John, especially emphasizing the power of his prayer at the Throne of God.

At 7 o'clock in the evening the pilgrims again gathered in the cathedral for an akathist to St John. Father Vladimir first addressed the congregants, emphasizing the special love and veneration of St John not only among the parishioners of Holy Trinity Cathedral, but also among all the faithful of Orthodox Toronto. Father Vladimir noted that he did not remember such a huge number of pilgrims as it was at the vigil and Liturgy that took place, in the presence of the relics of St John.

The akathist was attended by both the cathedral clergy and clergy of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Church in America, and the deanery of the province of Ontario. It was touching to observe with what faith, tears and hope the faithful, including non-Orthodox pilgrims, venerated the relics of Vladyka – there were also a considerable number of patients in wheelchairs. On Monday, May 1, the shrine left Toronto.

In 2024, Holy Trinity Parish will celebrate its 75th anniversary, and the long-term rector of the church, Fr Vladimir, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his priestly ministry. In 2024 - the 30th anniversary of the glorification of St John will be marked, if possible, by another visit of the saint’s reliquary.

Archpriest Peter Perekrestov