St. Tikhon’s Monastery to host Sitka Icon of the Mother of God at Memorial Day Pilgrimage
With the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, and His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, the brotherhood of St. Tikhon’s Monastery extends an invitation to everyone to attend the annual pilgrimage to America’s oldest Orthodox monastery over the Memorial Day weekend.
This year’s pilgrimage will especially commemorate the 100th anniversary of the repose of St. Alexis Toth, whose relics are enshrined in the Monastery Church of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk.
In addition, the wonderworking Sitka Icon of the Mother of God, will be brought to the monastery for the pilgrimage with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, who administers the Diocese of Alaska.
The pilgrimage will open officially with the greeting of and procession with the Sitka Icon on Friday, May 22 at 3:30 p.m. and the blessing of the monastery well, followed by the celebration of Vespers and Matins. The pilgrimage closes on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.
In addition to the traditional cycle of liturgical services, this year’s pilgrimage features a number of new events and opportunites for prayer and worship, including a youth procession and youth center, the celebration of the Akathistos honoring St. Alexis, and a special “Orthodox dollar store” sponsored by St. Tikhon’s bookstore.
For further information, visit the monastery’s website at www.sttikhonsmonastery.org.