December 1, 2014
"Once More, our Protectress visits the American Capital" – Parish Life in St. John the Baptist Cathedral

From November 26 to December 1, the most notable holy icon of the Russian Diaspora – the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God – spiritually warmed the Orthodox denizens of Washington, DC with its presence. The wondrous Icon was brought to us personally by His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan. Bishop Nicholas has been to visit us many times in Washington, but this was his "debut" visit in his capacity as archpastor.

The wonderworking Icon and Bishop Nicholas were triumphally greeted at St. John the Baptist Cathedral on Thursday morning, November 27, on the benevolent civil holiday of Thanksgiving. His Grace celebrated the Divine Liturgy that day, at the end of which he offered his first archpastoral sermon in our church. So as not to repeat the whole of his inspiring words here, you are welcome to watch and listen to them (in Russian) here.

On Friday, November 28, the clergy of St. John the Baptist Cathedral visited several extremely ill parishioners with the Kursk Root Icon. During the second half of the day, the holy Image was brought to Holy Apostles Church in Beltsville, MD, where a moleben and akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos were served before the Icon in the mission parish.

The following morning, the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora left the capital to go north, to Holy Transfiguration Church in Baltimore. That same evening, the Icon was returned to the capital’s cathedral for the beginning of English Vigil. At the Slavonic Vigil that followed, Bishop Nicholas came out for the Polyeleos and anointed worshippers with holy oil.

On Sunday, December 30, the honored guest was triumphally greeted to the peal of bells (about which we will speak further below). The cathedral’s warden, Dimitry M. Zaretsky, met Bishop Nicholas with bread and salt at the entrance to the church, and offered a touching greeting, thanking His Grace for his archpastoral visit and asking his holy prayers for the flourishing of our church community.

In honor of the visit of the holy Icon and our dear guest, only one Divine Liturgy was served that Sunday, instead of the usual two. At the Little Entrance, the cathedral’s junior priest, Priest Damian Dantinne, was presented his first clerical award: the right to wear the nabedrennik.

After the multitude of worshippers had communed (from five chalices), Bishop Nicholas delivered yet another inspiring sermon, dedicated to the Gospel Parable of the Rich Fool. The sermon is available to watch and hear (in Russian) here.

Upon completion of the Sunday divine services, Bishop Nicholas awarded parishioner Anastasia Miller a Gramota from the Eastern American Diocese for the unimpeachable fulfillment over the course of 15 years of her obedience as webmaster for the parish website. In light of her husband David falling ill and reposing in the Lord, Anastasia was forced to retire from her position. Now, however, she continues her work in anticipation of the completion of the rebuilding of the cathedral’s website.

Bringing the liturgical part of that Sunday to a close, Bishop Nicholas wished the parishioners of St. John the Baptist Cathedral good health and God’s blessings in their continued service to the Orthodox Church in the American capital.

Regarding the bells mentioned above: in 1983, the legendary musicians Mstislav L. Rostropovich and his wife Galina P. Vishnevskaya donated five bells to our church in honor of those composers exiled from our historic homeland: Alexander T. Gretchaninov, Sergei V. Rachmaninoff, Igor F. Stravinsky, the Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin, and "all those who suffered at the hands of the godless authorities." Last year, Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya’s daughters Olga and Elena Rostropovich donated three more bells to our church, as well as a new computer system to ring them automatically. The first two bells bear the names of Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya, while the third bell was dedicated to the memory of Nikolai N. Cherepnin, a composer, conductor, and teacher. In 1921, he emigrated to France. He held concerts in various countries as a conductor, including performing some of his own compositions. He was one of the founders and instructors of the Russian Conservatory in Paris. He helped disseminate Russian classical music in the Diaspora and publish new works by émigré composers. Cherepnin died outside of Paris on June 26, 1945.

Olga Moroz, a parishioner and member of our Slavonic choir, began a correspondence with two of the leading bell-ringers in Russia, and with their help was able to record a series of new festal peals, which she loaded onto the computer system that controls the bells. Sergey Platonov, bell-ringer at Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Simonov Monastery in Moscow, wrote to Olga in a letter:

"It is remarkable that, as someone who in long-ago Soviet times was not baptized, I would listen to broadcasts by Fr. Victor Potapov on ‘Voice of America’ radio, and now can offer some aid to the same church, of which Fr. Victor is the rector."

Olga continues entering new melodies into our new computer system. And it was with one of these new peals that we greeted Bishop Nicholas on Sunday, November 30…

As always on such festal days, the cathedral sisterhood provided a delicious luncheon, which continued for several hours in close interaction with the new vicar of the Eastern American Diocese. At the same time, many of the faithful from neighboring parishes continued to come into the church to pray before the Kursk Root Icon. Everything drew to a close at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Taking the Icon in his hands, the rector, Fr. Victor, cruciformly blessed all four sides of the church, and then took the holy Image into the neighboring house and blessed it with the wonderworking Icon. Why? Because, several days before the wonderworking Icon was brought to Washington, the parish council of St. John the Baptist Cathedral entered into negotiations to purchase the house, located behind the church’s altar.

So went the grace-filled and final week of November 2014.

We await the next visit of Bishop Nicholas, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese which, God willing, will take place on March 21-22, the fourth Sunday of Great Lent. On that day, we anticipate partaking of the grace of the sacrament of Holy Unction before the wonderworking Icon "Softener of Evil Hearts."

Glory to God for all things!

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese