His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon Presides at the Celebration of the Fort Ross Centennial Pilgrimage
His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon was present at the historic Russian settlement of Fort Ross which hosted a celebration marking the 100th anniversary of its annual Orthodox pilgrimage, first established in 1925.
The Archpastoral visit began on Friday, October 3, at St. Seraphim of Sarov Cathedral in Santa Rosa, CA. His Beatitude was present for the one-day conference “The Story of Orthodoxy at Fort Ross: Then and Now” featuring key-note speaker Maria Sakovich. Following the conference, All-Night Vigil was served at Sts. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR) in Santa Rosa, CA. His Beatitude attended with visiting hierarchs, clergy, and faithful.
On Saturday, October 4, hierarchs and faithful from the Orthodox Church in America, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), and the Moscow Patriarchate (MP) gathered for the pilgrimage, which drew hundreds of pilgrims from across the United States and abroad. This year’s pilgrimage also coincided with the centennial of the repose of St.Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated outdoors at the Chapel of the Holy Trinity and Saint Nicholas. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Maximilian of Irkutsk and Angarsk (MP), His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America (ROCOR), His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago and the Midwest (OCA), His Grace Bishop Vasily of San Francisco and the West (OCA), His Grace Bishop Theodosius of Seattle (ROCOR), and His Grace Bishop James of Sonora (ROCOR). His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin was also present.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a procession was held to the cemetery, where prayers were offered for the departed of Fort Ross.
The day concluded with a concert presented by students of the Saint Cyril and Methodius Gymnasium of the Cathedral of the Joy of All Who Sorrow in San Francisco.