Pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery opens May 22

The 105th annual pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery in South Canaan, will formally open on Friday, May 22nd, with the greeting of the Sitka Icon at the Archway at 3:30 p.m. followed by a procession to celebrate the blessing of the well. The Vigil will be celebrated at 4 p.m.

Fr. Kowalczyk, spokesmen for the Monastery stated, “This pilgrimage will also have the Miracle-Working Sitka Icon of the Mother of God. The Holy Icon of the Sitka Madonna will be available for Veneration throughout the Memorial Day Weekend. The Sitka Icon is one of the most revered icons of the Orthodox Church in America.”
The Very Rev. John Kowalczyk, also stated that, “His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, the newly elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in America will preside at the four-day celebration. Kowalczyk said, “This is the first time in the history of the Orthodox Church in America, that a convert has been elected to the most important leadership position in the Church.” Joining Metropolitan Jonah will be His Grace Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; Archbishop Job of Chicago, Bishop Nikon of Boston, and other members of the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church in America; and numerous clergy and faithful from throughout North America.”

Seminary has record enrollment

On Saturday, May 23rd, the hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 9 a.m. At 2 p.m., the 67th annual commencement of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary will be held at the school’s auditorium. Fr. John Kowalczyk stated that St. Tikhon’s Seminary has 122 Seminarians enrolled, the largest enrollment in the history of the School. His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America will deliver the commencement address. The Vigil will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m.

The hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Sunday, May 24th at 9 a.m. Vespers and Matins will be celebrated at 4 p.m., after which a grand banquet honoring members of the 2009 graduating class will be held at the Genetti Manor, 1505 South Main Street, Dickson City, PA at 5 p.m. This will also be the largest graduating class with 24 graduates. Tickets are available at $35.00 by contacting Mary Sernak, 700 Delaware St., Mayfield, PA 18433 or by calling (570)876-5855.
On Monday, May 25th, the early Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the monastery church at 7:30 a.m. The traditional pilgrim’s procession to the monastery and the greeting of Metropolitan Jonah and the concelebrating hierarchs will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the pavilion. The Choir singing the responses to the Liturgy will be from St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Bethlehem, under the direction of Choir Master Nicholas Lezinsky.

The homilist for the Divine Liturgy will be His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah. A General Memorial Service will be celebrated for all faithful departed at the grave site of His Beatitude, the Late Metropolitan Leonty, after the Liturgy.
At 1:30 p.m. there will be an Akathistos Hymn to St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre. At 2 p.m. Monday, the Service of Intercession to the Most Holy Mother of God with the anointing of the sick, infirm and all pilgrims will be celebrated at the monastery bell tower.

The pilgrimage will close with the celebration of Vespers and Matins in the monastery church at 4 p.m. on Monday. Clergy will be available for confessions on Sunday evening and Monday morning. Throughout the pilgrimage, the faithful are invited to visit the seminary and monastery bookstore, and museum, and the various food booths. Graves will also be blessed in the monastery cemetery.
Founded in 1905, Saint Tikhon’s Monastery is the oldest Orthodox Christian monastery in North America.

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