His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon Presides at St. Tikhon’s Memorial Day Pilgrimage
On May 23 -26, 2025, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon presided at the 121st annual Memorial Day Pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage began Friday evening with the greeting of the Hawaiian Iveron Icon at the monastery archway. An opening molieben was served before Vespers and Matins in the monastery church, followed by a meal for the arriving pilgrims.
On Saturday, His Beatitude Metropolitan presided at the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with him was His Eminence Archbishop Michael of New York. During the Liturgy, John Jovel, a second year seminarian, was ordained to the holy diaconate by His Eminence. Also, His Beatitude elevated Fr. Ignatius Gauvain to the dignity of archpriest and awarded Fr. Mikel Hill the gold cross. The St. Tikhon’s Seminary Choir, under the direction of Fr. Caleb Lewis, offered the liturgical responses. That evening, pilgrims gathered again for the All Night Vigil, followed by a meal on the monastery grounds.
The pilgrimage continued on Sunday with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Beatitude, during which Tikhon Krueger, a second year seminarian, was ordained to the diaconate. The combined concert choir and mixed monastery choir sang under the direction of Fr. Caleb Lewis. Later that afternoon, a special concert was held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the repose of St. Tikhon of Moscow. During the concert, Anna Arnold was presented with a certificate for completing her one-year residency in the monastery music program. Evening services of Vespers and Matins followed by a meal concluded the day.
The pilgrimage continued on Memorial Day itself, Monday, May 26. His Beatitude presided at the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, concelebrated by His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, and His Eminence Archbishop Michael. Bishop Matthew was accompanied by Abbot Nicodemus (Balashnikov), Acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes, and Fr. Mark Rashkov, Vice-Chancellor. Among the many clergy concelebrating were Archimandrite Sergius (Bowyer), Abbot of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, and Archpriest John Parker, Dean of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.
His Beatitude offered the homily in which he spoke on the unity of our Lord’s resurrection with His sufferings. He remarked that Christians must be steadfast because, “the joy of Pascha can never be separated from the reality of the Cross and the Passion. ‘Through the Cross joy has come into all the world.’ ‘Rejoice, O life-bearing Cross.’ The Lord bore this Cross to the end, and, now, until the end of the age, all who desire to partake of the joy of the Resurrection must bear their own Cross of discipleship. As he was once persecuted by the Pharisees, as the apostles were once persecuted, so too must we experience persecution in one form or another. ‘If the world hates you, it is because it hated me first,’ says the Lord.”
Read the full text of His Beatitude’s homily
In honor of the anniversary occasion, His Beatitude wore refurbished vestments originally belonging to St. Tikhon of Moscow, gifted to the Orthodox Church in America by His Eminence Archbishop John Garklavs.
Two choirs, composed of local and visiting singers, sang the Liturgy antiphonally under the direction of Anastasia Kappanadze and Matushka Juliana Woodill. Following the Liturgy, pilgrims enjoyed food and festivities on the monastery grounds, a healing service before the Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, and evening services of Vespers and Matins to conclude the pilgrimage.