October 8, 2012
Washington, DC: Liturgy was Celebrated in Honor of the Fifth Anniversary of the Reunification of the Moscow Patriarchate & the Church Abroad

Following a triumphal greeting ceremony of the wonderworking Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, the Divine Liturgy began in St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC, concelebrated jointly by priests of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad, as well as of the Orthodox Church in America. For the duration of the service, the presence of the fragrant, myrrh-streaming image – one of the main holy icons of the Russian Diaspora ‒ remained the spiritual nexus of the weekend. Addressing the flock, cathedral rector Archpriest Victor Potapov reminded the faithful that the Hawaiian Icon is known informally as the "Icon of Unity," since it was five years ago, the same year as the Restoration of Canonical Communion between the Church Abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate, that the Icon began streaming myrrh.

During the services, the cathedral was literally overflowing with worshippers. Although it was still possible to stand straight and cross oneself properly, there was no room to kneel. The deluge of parishioners was understandable ‒ not only the Hawaiian Icon, but Moscow’s famous Sretensky Monastery Choir were their guests, along with the monastery’s superior, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov). The Sretensky Choir’s current American tour was specifically planned to center around the reunification celebrations between ROCOR and the MP.

Immediately following the conclusion of the Liturgy, a separate moleben and akathist were served to the Mother of God in her Icon. Overall, the divine services lasted about three and a half hours. Fr. Tikhon even jokingly remarked that such a thing would be inconceivable in any Muscovite church, and asked that the choir, who sang the entire time without a break, be well-fêted.

Nevertheless, upon completion of the services, he himself led a lengthy discussion with parishioners. He spoke in part about how the careful preservation of Orthodox traditions abroad has always had and continues to have great significance for Christians in Russia, as well.

ITAR-TASS Correspondent Andrey Shitov

Photos by Marina Cavanaugh