Return of Icon to Russia in Final Stages
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Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg, Russia to Visit United States in
Conjunction with Return of Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God
SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] - As a final step in the return of the
wonder-working Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God, His Eminence,
Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg, Russia will arrive in the United
States on Monday, June 14, 2004 as the guest of His Beatitude, Metropolitan
Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.
"The Tikhvin icon, which tradition ascribes to the hand of the Evangelist
Luke, was originally enshrined in Jerusalem and later Constantinople,"
according to the Very Rev. John Matusiak, OCA Communications Director. "In
the late 14th century it miraculously appeared in northern Russia, where it
was venerated for centuries in the Dormition Cathedral of the Tikhvin
Monastery. After World War II, the icon was brought to the United States by
its guardian, the late Bishop John of Riga, Latvia [who was subsequently
named Archbishop of Chicago]. After Archbishop John's repose in the early
1980s, the Very Rev. Sergei Garklavs, the Archbishop's adopted son, became
the icon's guardian. It was Archbishop John's wish that, once conditions
changed in Russia, the icon would be returned to its original home in
Russia."
On July 8 and 9, 2004, Archbishop John's wish will be fulfilled as His
Holiness, Patriarch Aleksy II of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan
Herman, Metropolitan Vladimir, and numerous hierarchs, clergy and faithful
will witness the icons return to the Dormition Cathedral in the Tikhvin
Monastery.
Upon his arrival in the US, Metropolitan Vladimir will be greeted by His
Grace, Bishop Tikhon of South Canaan on behalf of Metropolitan Herman, and
members of the OCA Chancery staff. That evening he will meet with
Metropolitan Herman and His Beatitude, Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and
All Ukraine.
On Tuesday, June 15, His Grace, Bishop Mercurius of the Patriarchal
Parishes in the US will host Metropolitan Vladimir and his entourage at a
luncheon in New York prior to the latter's departure for Cleveland, OH,
where His Eminence, Archbishop Job of Chicago and the Midwest and the Very
Rev. John Zdinak, Midwest Chancellor, will welcome the Russian delegation.
Later that evening, Metropolitan Vladimir will be the guest of honor at a
dinner with Cleveland area Orthodox and ecumenical leaders, slated to be
hosted by Mr. Alex Machaskee, Publisher of the "Cleveland Plain Dealer."
On Wednesday, June 16, Archbishop Job will host Metropolitan Vladimir and
his entourage at a breakfast with Cleveland area Orthodox clergy at
Archangel Michael Church, Broadview Heights, OH, after which the
Metropolitan will visit several area parishes. After a luncheon hosted by
Mr. Michael Herzak, Metropolitan Vladimir will continue his tour of area
churches.
Metropolitan Vladimir will arrive in Chicago on Thursday, June 17, where he
will be hosted by Archbishop Job. That evening, he and his entourage will
be the guests of Archbishop Job at a dinner with area clergy at the Midwest
Diocesan Center.
Metropolitan Herman will join Metropolitan Vladimir, Archbishop Job, and
His Grace, Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada on Friday, June 18. After a
noon luncheon with area clergy at Saint Joseph Church, Wheaton, IL, the
Akathist Hymn in honor of the Tikhvin icon will be celebrated. Later that
evening, Vigil will be celebrated at Chicago's Holy Trinity Cathedral,
followed by a reception and dinner in honor of Metropolitans Herman and
Vladimir, will be held in the cathedral annex.
On Saturday morning, June 19, the hierarchs will concelebrate the Divine
Liturgy and a Service of Thanksgiving in honor of the icon at Holy Trinity
Cathedral, followed by a festive luncheon. That evening, the delegation
from Tikhvin will be the guests of Father Garklavs and his family at a
farewell dinner. The following morning, June 20, Metropolitan Vladimir and
Archbishop Job will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy at the cathedral. Later
that afternoon, Metropolitan Vladimir and his entourage, together with
Bishop Seraphim, several OCA Chancery staff members, and a 12-member
delegation from Tikhvin, will accompany the Tikhvin icon on its flight to
Riga, Latvia.
The 12-member delegation, headed by the Abbot of the Tikhvin Monastery,
will arrive in Chicago on Friday, aboard a private plane sent by the
government of the Russian Federation for the icon's return to Russia.
The Tikhvin icon will be venerated in Riga from Monday, June 21 until it
is transferred to Moscow two days later, where it will be venerated at
Christ the Savior Cathedral. Patriarch Aleksy and Metropolitan Herman will
receive the icon in the cathedral, Russia's largest, and concelebrate the
Vigil.
On Monday, June 28, the icon will be transferred to St. Petersburg, from
which it will be taken to the Tikhvin Monastery on July 8 and 9 for the
celebration of the icon's feastday, during which it will once again be
enshrined in the Dormition Cathedral.
Full coverage of the Tikhvin icon's historic return will be available on
the OCA web site at www.oca.org and in the August/September issue of "The
Orthodox Church" newspaper.