December 10, 2012
The Protectress of the Russian Diaspora in the Capital of the United
States of America
The
wonder-working Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, Indicator of
the Path for the Russian Diaspora, spiritually warmed the hearts of
Orthodox Washingtonians by being with them from December 1 to 8.
On Saturday, December 1, at exactly 4:00 PM, the beginning of the
English-language All-Night Vigil, and to the festive peal of bells,
the clergy of the
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist greeted the wonder-working
Icon. The Icon was accompanied by its guardian, Priest Nicholas
Olhovsky. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, former Primate of the
Orthodox Church in America (OCA), attended and prayed at this early
Vigil. The Icon remained at the cathedral through the conclusion of
the later, Slavonic-language Vigil. Over the course of these two
evening services, the cathedral’s four priests (rector Archpriest
Victor Potapov, Priest John Johnson, Priest Alexander Resnikoff, and
Priest Victor Klimenko) heard the confessions of a multitude of the
faithful, who were eager to be cleansed of their sins and to be made
worthy to partake of Christ’s Holy Gifts the following morning in
the presence of the Wonder-working Icon. After the conclusion of the
Slavonic Vigil, hearing confessions continued while an Akathist to
the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as other prayers, were chanted.
On Sunday December 2, the feast day of the Holy Hierarch Philaret,
Metropolitan of Moscow, a multitude of people prayed before the
Kursk Root Icon and an icon of St. Philaret, in which was set a
relic of the great 19th century hierarch. Hundreds of people
communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries. His Beatitude, Metropolitan
Jonah, was the principal celebrant at the later Liturgy. Molebens
were served after each Liturgy, and each of the faithful received a
printed copy of the Kursk Root Icon as a memento of its visit.
The Icon also enhanced the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist with
its presence on the great feast of the Entry of the Most Holy
Theotokos into the Temple. After the festal Liturgy, once again led
by Metropolitan Jonah, the Icon was taken to visit sick and elderly
people, who because of illness could not come to the cathedral.
One particularly memorable visit was to an elderly man in a
wheelchair. After a moleben was served in the man’s apartment, his
wife revealed that her husband had never been baptized. Fr. Victor
offered to baptize him. With the couple’s enthusiastic and joyous
consent, the rite of the Mystery of Holy Baptism commenced. It was
touching to witness with what trepidation he responded to the
question "Do you renounce Satan and all his works and all of his
servants, and all of his pride?" by loudly and resolutely exclaiming
"I do renounce him!" Tears of joy and compunction could be seen on
his face. What mercy was shown that man by God! On the feast of the
Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple, his home was visited by an
icon that appeared 717 years ago, one of Holy Russia’s most revered
icons, and in its presence, he was able to receive the Mysteries of
Holy Baptism and Communion of Christ’s Holy Gifts. In your prayers,
please include the grievously ill, newly-illumined servant of God
Sergei.
Every day over the course of the entire week, the Icon would visit
the sick and elderly at their homes and at hospitals throughout the
Washington area. It was quite touching to see Lydia Anatolievna
Feokistova, at age 103 the oldest parishioner of St. John the
Baptist Cathedral, pray before the Kursk Icon and talk with the
Theotokos as if she were talking with her own beloved mother…
On
the evening of Tuesday, December 4, the Icon visited the campus of
the University of Maryland. There, a moleben and akathist were
served in English, Slavonic, and Greek at a student meeting of the
Orthodox Christian Fellowship.
On Wednesday, December 5, the parishioners of Holy Apostles Church
in Beltsville, MD received the wonder-working Icon at their church.
On Thursday, December 6, a farewell moleben and akathist to the Most
Holy Theotokos were served at St. John the Baptist Cathedral. In his
homily, Fr. Victor Potapov shared his recollections of how, in
Russia, he had seen people stand patiently in all kinds of weather
for many hours, just to have an opportunity to spend a moment with
and venerate the wonder-working Icon. Fr. Victor added, "Here, we
have had the Icon with us for an entire week! How endlessly we
should thank our Lord Jesus Christ for showing us such kindness!"
Wanting to venerate the Holy Icon again and again, the faithful were
reluctant to disperse for a long while.
On Friday, December 7, the Icon was taken to the OCA Cathedral of
St. Nicholas. At the cathedral gates, the Icon was greeted by His
Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, newly elected Primate of the OCA,
and by cathedral clergy. Also praying at the moleben was
world-renowned theologian and author of religious works, His
Eminence Kallistos (Ware), Metropolitan of Diokleia. In a brief
homily, Metropolitan Kallistos said that he had first prayed before
the Kursk Icon 53 years ago in New York, and that he will forever
have fond, thankful memories of the wonder-working Icon, which
imparts to all who turn to it the warmth of Christ’s divine light.
Early in the morning on Saturday, December 8, Priest Nicholas
Olhovsky, the Icon’s guardian, took the Holy Treasure to the Synodal
Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, which on Monday, December
10, will celebrate its patronal feast day.
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