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On June 25 – 26, 2024, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon presided at the celebration of the feast of the Wonderworking Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago, IL. This year’s observance of the feast was of particular importance as 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the original Tikhvin Icon being returned from the Cathedral to Holy Dormition Monastery, Tikhvin, Russia.
This feast was of importance to the Orthodox Church in America due to the relationship that the local church has with the icon and overseeing the transfer of the icon back to the Russian Orthodox Church 20 years ago. His Beatitude presided at the divine services for his event, along with other hierarchs and clergy from the Orthodox Church in America.
On Tuesday afternoon, His Beatitude was greeted at the airport by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago and the Midwest where the Archbishop welcomed the metropolitan to the Midwest Diocese.
Later that evening, His Beatitude arrived at the Cathedral and was greeted by Archbishop Daniel and Priest Alexander Koranda, Cathedral Dean. His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate, His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, His Grace Bishop Benedict of Hartford and New England, His Grace Bishop Andrei of Cleveland, His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, were also in attendance.
The responses were sung by the Chicago Deanery Male Choir under the direction of Philip Sokolov. Following the Vigil, Archbishop Daniel welcomed the diocese and guests to the Cathedral. Everyone was then invited to the cathedral hall to enjoy refreshments that were prepared by the Cathedral community.
The following day, the Feast of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, His Beatitude presided at the celebration of the Hierarchical DIvine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Archbishop Daniel, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit, Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco, Bishop Benedict of Hartford, Bishop Andrei of Cleveland, and Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth. Serving with the hierarchs were clergy from throughout the Diocese and Chicagoland.
At the conclusion of the Primatial Liturgy, Archbishop Daniel offered a few words greeting the Metropolitan and his brother bishops. He also offered thanks to the clergy, choir, and the faithful for their participation in the services. Following the greeting the hierarchs gathered before the Chicago-Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and began the Moleben to the Theotokos. After the beginning prayers, the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful began a mile long procession with the icon. Processing through the streets of Chicago to the ringing of the Cathedral bells, clergy carried the holy icon on their shoulders and sang hymns to the Mother of God, with the faithful following.
The procession ended at St. George Cathedral, where everyone entered to finish the Moleben. At the conclusion of the service Fr. Alexander greeted those gathered and offered a brief reflection on the importance of this icon and its history to Chicago, and the personal relationship that so many people shared with the original icon for the fifty years that it was in America. He gave the Garklavs family as a notable example, who served as guardians of the icon.
The faithful came to venerate the icon as those gathered continued to pray and offer hymns to the Mother of God. After the veneration of the icon, everyone was hosted in the main hall of St. George Cathedral for a festive banquet.
