Hermitage Celebrates Patronal Feast and Annual Pilgrimage Weekend (2017)

On Wednesday, September 27 the Hermitage of the Holy Cross celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross, its patronal feast. The celebration began on Tuesday evening with the Vigil of the Feast, Litia and the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross. The next morning began with the Lesser Blessing of Water, followed by Hours and Divine Liturgy. The clergy, monastics and guests the processed from the monastery church to the trapeza where the community and guests partook of a festive meal which concluded with the Panagia service along with distribution of the Panagia bread. The clergy and parishioners of the local parish, Christ the Savior in Wayne, WV, joined the brotherhood for the feast.

The annual Pilgrimage Weekend on September 30 & October 1 was presided over by Metropolitan Jonah and was begun with a Moleben and Cross Procession from the church to the outdoor chapel at 2:30pm on Saturday. The Vigil for Sunday was served at the outdoor chapel by His Eminence along with monastery clergy as well as Archimandrite Nektarios (Harding) of Jordanville, Archpriest Roman Star, Archpriest John Dixon, Priest Gabriel Weller, Priest Jonah Campbell, and Priest Paul Akmolin.

On Sunday morning the Metropolitan was greeted at 9:00am, after which followed the Hours and Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating in addition to those present for the preceding Vigil were Archpriest Onouphry Keith and Archpriest James Dougherty. Metropolitan Jonah delivered a homily following the Liturgy. Visiting clergy and pilgrims were invited to a festive banquet following the Liturgy which was held at Holy Spirit Church in Huntington. Metropolitan Jonah and Archpriest John Dixon of Holy Spirit Church were gifted with icons of St. Panteleimon in gratitude for their many labors and prayers on behalf of the monastic brotherhood. Archimandrite Seraphim thanked all the clergy and pilgrims for participating in the occasion and the meal was concluded with the intoning of “Many Years”.

View the photo galleries from the Feast of the Exaltation (2017) and Pilgrimage Weekend (2017).