« Bishop Matthew attends Memorial Day Pilgrimage to St. Tikhon Monastery in South Canaan, PA »
28-05-2025 
On Monday, May 26, 2025, the 6th week after Pascha - Memorial Day, the hierarchs, clergy, and laity of the Orthodox Church in America and the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the United States prayerfully celebrated the 100th anniversary of the repose of St. Tikhon (Belavin), Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', as well as the 55th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in America and the establishment of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States in St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, PA.
The Divine Liturgy in the main church of the monastery was led by His Beatitude Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America & Canada. His Beatitude was co-served by the Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA & Canada Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, rector of St. Tikhon Theological Seminary, Archbishop Michael of New York & New Jersey, Archimandrite Sergius (Boyer; monastery abbot), Priest Alessandro Margheritino (acting chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America), Archpriest John Parker (dean of St. Tikhon Seminary), Abbot Nicodemus (Balyasnikov; acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes of the USA), Priest Mark Rashkov (Vice- Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes), Archpriest John Vass (dean of the Atlantic States of the Patriarchal Parishes), as well as the clerics of the monastery and seminary. For the festive service, the wonderworking myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Holy Mother of God was brought to the monastery with the blessing of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Nicholas, by its custodian - the rector of Our Lady of Iveron Church in Honolulu, HI, Priest Nectarios Yangson.
Numerous clergy and laity from various Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States prayed at the service, making a traditional pilgrimage to St. Tikhon's Monastery on Memorial Day.
After the reading of the Gospel, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon addressed the faithful with a sermon. During the Liturgy, fervent prayers were offered for the repose of the departed archpastors, clergy, monastics and laity who labored for the sake of Orthodoxy in America.
At the end of the service, His Beatitude cordially greeted all the participants of the celebration, who had come to prayerfully glorify Saint Tikhon during the ongoing jubilee year of the 100th anniversary of his repose. His Beatitude expressed joy at the opportunity to celebrate this celebration with the participation of the clergy and parishioners of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and the Russian Church Abroad – the entire spiritual heritage of the archpastoral labors of Saint Tikhon in North America. Addressing Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate Parishes in the USA and Canada, His Beatitude asked him to convey his warmest greetings to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Metropolitan Tikhon emphasized that the Orthodox Church in America, which received the Tomos of Autocephaly 55 years ago, will always preserve the love and gratitude of the Mother Church, and together with the clergy and faithful of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and the Russian Church Abroad, continue the work of our pious predecessors for the benefit of Orthodoxy in North America.
Bishop Matthew conveyed to His Beatitude and all his flock greetings and congratulations from His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill, and also expressed gratitude to Metropolitan Tikhon, Archbishop Michael, the abbot of St. Tikhon Monastery, Archimandrite Sergius, and the dean of the seminary, Archpriest John, for their continued fraternal relations and cooperation with the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA.
After the service, the hierarchs, clergy, and pilgrims continued their fellowship over a fraternal meal prepared by the brethren of the monastery.
After lunch, a fraternal conversation between Metropolitan Tikhon and Bishop Matthew took place in the reception house of St. Tikhon's Seminary. The hierarchs discussed issues of mutual interest, as well as the upcoming joint pilgrimage to Alaska and participation in the celebration of the glorification of the saint Olga of Alaska (+1979). Bishop Matthew told Metropolitan Tikhon about the XV Convocation of Clergy and Laity of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA that took place the day prior, and also presented His Beatitude with the English-language text of a new Akathist to Saint Tikhon, approved by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on March 20, 2025.
The meeting was also attended by Acting Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America Priest Alessandro Margheritino, Dean of St. Tikhon's Seminary Archpriest John Parker, Acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes of the USA, Abbot Nicodemus (Balyasnikov), Vice-Chancellor, Priest Mark Rashkov, and Bishop Matthew’s personal secretary, Subdeacon Nikolai Trubnikov.
Mospatusa.com/Sourozh.org