On Sunday, December 19, 2021, the Parish Choir of the Church of All Russian Saints in Burlingame presented a concert of Masterpieces of the Moscow School. Our program featured some of the most famous and beloved works by some of the most famous composers who were teachers and students at the Synodal School in Moscow in the early 1900s. Although not originally planned, the conclusion of our concert included a brief service of the blessing of newly re-gilded crosses on the four lesser domes (cupola) of our church.
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It’s always better to be prepared to handle unexpected situations rather than being caught off guard. We should all have daily supplies of needed amounts of food and medication to cover us for extended periods of time in case it becomes impossible to go to stores or pharmacies. This is not to recommend hoarding, but to be conscious of our surroundings and developing trends.
We have all suffered the effects of COVID restrictions and related complications, so I won't go into details since we are all sadly aware of them. Along with material concerns, we also have spiritual and religious responsibilities to ourselves, our immediate families, our loved ones, and neighbors.
During the long period of time when our church and other parish communities were closed down or severely restricted, many people got used to watching LIVESTREAM SERVICES.
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On Saturday September 18th the miraculous myrrh-streaming Icon of the Mother of God “Softener of Stony Hearts” arrived from Moscow, Russia, with its guardian, Sergei Fomin, for the purpose of making a brief visit to the Western American Diocese. Upon arrival the wonderworking image was...
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The greeting of the miraculous Icon, which is coming from Moscow, will be at 5:00pm on Saturday, September 18th, at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. This Icon began myrrh streaming in 1999. The Icon was present when Patriarch Kyrill of Russia was selected in 2009. There are several churches built to honor this Icon in Russia. Use this link to find more information about this icon.
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JUBILEE EPISTLE of His Eminence HILARION, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, on the Occasion of the 800th Anniversary of the Birth of the Holy Right-Believing Great Prince Alexander Nevsky and the Centennial of the I All-Diaspora Council
Greeting my beloved in the Lord brother-archpastors, reverend fathers, and our dear brothers and sisters with love and a feeling of rejoicing in the Mother of God, I sincerely congratulate all of the archpastors, clergy, and laity with both the approaching celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the birth of the Great Prince Alexander Nevsky and the centennial of the I All-Diaspora Council!
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On the 21st of July, the Orthodox Church celebrates the appearance of the Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Kazan (1579). The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is the most famous and especially revered icon of the Virgin in Russia. The shrine is truly the guardian of Russia: the Blessed Holy Mother of God has repeatedly saved the country from catastrophe by prayers before Her Kazan image.
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In anticipation of impending Feast Day of the “Kazan” of the Mother of God on July 21 of this year, His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America arranged for the gilding of the cupola that crowns the Kazan Church along the Russian River in Guerneville, CA.
Artisan Valeriy Kagounkin of Sacramento, CA, labored for several days...
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This talk was given at the Symposium entitled “St. John and His Legacy” held from June 30 to July 1, 2016, which was dedicated to Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker. It was organized by the Saints Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria Institute of San Francisco on the eve of the day of memory Holy Hierarch John in the 50th year from the latter's repose.
Although he did not know Saint John personally during his lifetime, Father Victor relates his close relationship with the Saint from his youth up to this day. SEE VIDEO...
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On Monday June 28th, 2012, at the parish of Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco Orthodox Church in Kennewick, WA, clergy and faithful reach a milestone in their parish life with the crowning of their holy temple with at beautiful gold dome.
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A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEAN OF JORDANVILLE’S SEMINARY
Nicolas G. Schidlovsky speaks with the HTS Alumni Association
Professor Schidlovsky, you have held the Dean’s position at HTOS for well over a year now. This has obviously been a lot of hard work, and we now feel that it is a great time for many of us who are not regularly on campus to get to know you better. It seems that under your guidance the Seminary is energetically moving ahead with interesting projects. May we ask you a few questions? Please start by telling us about your family background, education, and professional experience...
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Paschal Message of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monastics and All the Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Your Graces the archpastors, reverend pastors and deacons, all-honourable monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters:
On this chosen and holy day, full of Paschal joy and glorious light, the life-affirming glad tidings are being passed on from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
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PASCHAL ADDRESS
of His Eminence
Hilarion
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York
First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad
CHRIST IS RISEN!
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On Monday, March 15, 2021, the first day of Great Lent, Archpriest Viktor Tseshkovsky, cleric of the Western American Diocese and Rector of Protection of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church in Hollywood, CA, died at the age of 62.
Two of the three churches of the Russian tradition in Los Angeles are located in Hollywood. Of them, Protection of the Holy Virgin Church is closest to Hollywood's landmarks. Fr Viktor was from the Kamenko-Dneprovsk region of the USSR, and during the decade between 1982-1992 he served as Rector of St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Melitopol.
Fr Viktor was drawn to the Church from an early age, loving the church temple and divine services. All five sons of his parents became priests, and his sister is married to a priest. They all served in the Crimean and Dnepropetrovsk Dioceses....
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As we approach Great Lent, at the request of several clergy our Diocese and with the blessing of His Eminence Kyrill Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, the following DVD Tutorial on serving the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is being made broadly available through our Diocesan media.
This presentation by Archpriest Alexis Kotar of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle, Washington, was originally given at the 2006 Lenten pastoral retreat of the Western American Diocese (ROCOR). It is presented here, enhanced with additional footage of the service, for the instruction and edification of clergy and those wishing to learn about the structure of the Divine Service.
Fr. Alexis begins with the historical roots and development of this unique Lenten Service. His lecture helps us understand why we...
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During the week of January 25th, 2021, Saint Silouan's Monastery in Sonora, CA, enjoyed snowfall. The welcome precipitation to be soaked into the parched land of California was recorded by a monastery laborer, Geoff Brim.
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Your Graces, brother-archpastors, reverend fathers, beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord!
GREETINGS ON THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST!
By God’s ineffable goodness, we enter once more into the joyous days of the great feasts of Christ’s Nativity and Theophany. I sincerely greet you all with this world-saving joy! The feat of faith and its fruit in life must be this joy: from the triumph of the Theophany - God’s manifestation and incarnation - and the sound of the Heavenly doxology and otherworldly peace being sung over Bethlehem.
Everything that transpired in that simple cave in Bethlehem and in the holy River Jordan, both especially revered by the entire Christian world, bore the deep hallmarks of modesty and humility. In His Nativity, the Creator of the universe, Who holds all things in His right hand,...
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Christmas Message
by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
to the Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monastics
and All the Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church
Beloved in the Lord archpastors, all-honourable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters,
From the depths of my heart I congratulate you all on the radiant feast of the Nativity of Christ.
Today the Church in heaven and on earth is triumphant as she rejoices at the coming into the world of our Lord and Saviour and lifts up praises and thanksgiving to God for His mercy and love for the human race. It is with spiritual trembling that we listen to the words of the hymn: “Christ is born; glorify Him! Christ comes from heaven; go out to meet Him” (Hirmos for the Canon of the Nativity of Christ). With reverence and hope we set our gaze upon the cave of Bethlehem where the Divine Infant lies wrapped in swaddling clothes in a lowly manger.
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NATIVITY EPISTLE
of the Ruling Archbishop
of the Western American Diocese ROCOR
Reverend Fathers, Vernerable Monastics, Pious Faithful,
Text may be read here.