Plans Moving Ahead for Return of Tikhvin Icon
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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
<http://www.plaindealer.com/>."
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.