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The Feast of the Elevation of the cross on September 14th, in which we glorify our Lord’s Resurrection and celebrate the life-giving power of His Holy cross, St. Tikhon’s was especially blessed to celebrate the feast with The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of all America and Canada. His Beatitude was there for the Vigil on Tuesday night and concelebrated Wednesday morning with: His Eminence Mark, Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, Archimandrite Sergius, Monastery Igumen, Archpriest Steven Voytovich, Seminary Dean, Fr. Ignatius Gauvain, Seminary Director of Student Life, Fr. Innocent Neal, Monastery Bookstore Manager, Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak, Secretary to the Metropolitan, Hierodeacons Herman and Maximus, and Seminary Deacons Basil Ferguson, and Mikel Hill, amongst others.
Metropolitan Tikhon’s homily encouraged the faithful to consider the gift we have been given in the saving power of Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection, and to remember what hope this inspires. Continuing from there, he emphasized the importance of personalizing the feast of the cross, taking this hope and truth into our own personal life to in turn be sources of hope and Christ’s truth to all we come into contact with. This was a wonderful encouragement to the students who are studying to be servants, to the monks struggling in prayer and asceticism, and to all who live in this area working out their salvation “with fear and trembling.”
Story written by Seminarian John Parker
