Русская Версия

February 7, 2010
Atlanta, GA: The Kursk Root Icon visited St. John the Wonderworker Church

On Saturday, February 6, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God visited the Church of St. John the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (OCA) in Atlanta, GA. The parish is the first church in the world to be take St. John as its heavenly intercessor. The wonder-working icon was greeted in front of the church by the rector, Priest Jacob Myers, and co-serving clergy. Before the beginning of the vespers, the icon was taken to the lower level of the church, which serves as a homeless shelter, part of the parish’s charitable "Loaves and Fishes" program. The Great Vespers with akathist then began, led by the rector, co-served by Archpriest Joseph Fester (Chancellor of the OCA’s Diocese of the South), Archpriest Serge Lukianov (accompanying the icon), Archpriest Steven Ritter (cleric of St. Mary of Egypt Church in Atlanta), Archpriest Alexander Fecanin (rector of St. Symeon the New Theologian Church in Birmingham, AL), and Deacon Ephraim Rivers (cleric of the same). Also praying in church was parish Deacon Daniel Velez. It was especially difficult to fight back tears, seeing one six-year-old girl, stricken with cancer, sitting before the icon during the akathist, and her loving pastor, Fr. Jacob, kneeling next to her, comforting her before the Queen of heaven and earth. The editors ask that our readers pray for the health of the infant Mary Evelyn and her relatives. Upon completion of the service, Fr. Serge greeted Fr. Jacob on behalf of the First Hierarch of ROCOR, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, and presented him with a copy of the Kursk Icon.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese