SOUTH CANAAN, PA: 31 May 2023
A joint service with the Primates of the Russian Church Abroad and the Orthodox Church in America

On 29 May, 2023, the Monday of the seventh week after Pascha, coinciding with the observance of Memorial Day, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, visited St Tikhon Stavropighial Monastery of the Orthodox Church in America in Pennsylvania. Here His Eminence and his delegation participated in the traditional pilgrimage and celebration of Divine Liturgy, headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the OCA. In addition to the ROCOR delegation, joining the hierarchs in the service were His Eminence Archbishop Melchizedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania; His Eminence Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey; Archimandrite Sergius, Prior of St Tikhon’s Monastery; Archpriest Alexander Rentel, Chancellor of the OCA; Archpriest John Parker, Dean of St Tikhon’s Seminary, along with other clerics of the monastery and seminary and visiting clergymen.

The Miracle-working Myrrh-streaming “Hawaiian-Iveron” Icon of the Mother of God of Iveron, one of the holy relics of the Russian Church Abroad, was brought to the beginning of service.

The cemetery church located behind the monastery cathedral served as the altar on this day, and the choir and a multitude of worshipers prayed under the open skies.

During Divine Liturgy, special commemorations were made of the reposed archpastors, clergymen, monastics and laity of the OCA, and of fallen Orthodox Christian warriors.

After a prayer service before the Hawaiian Iveron Icon, the Primates of the two churches exchanged greetings, expressing their joy at their common service, presenting gifts to each other to mark the occasion.

After the services, Fr John hosted the gathered archpastors and delegation of the Russian Church Abroad at his residence. Metropolitan Nicholas then visited the monastery museum and grounds. Kissing the altar table and reliquary of St Alexei Toth and other relics in the monastery cathedral, and bidding farewell to Metropolitan Tikhon, His Eminence departed for Mayfield, PA. That evening, a moleben and Akathist were performed before the Hawaiian-Iveron Icon at St John the Forerunner Cathedral.

Accompanying His Eminence were Archpriest Serafim Gan, Chancellor of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR, Protodeacon Eugene Kallaur and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin).