April turned out to be a month full of wonderful events in the life of St. John the Baptist parish in Washington, DC. First, the capital community was visited by the Sitka Icon of the Mother of God, brought by His Grace Alexei, Bishop of Sitka & Alaska.

Then the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, came to the parish to officiate the divine services for the fourth week of Great Lent. His Eminence brought with him the Harbin Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow," which remained for an entire week. Finally, last weekend – Saturday the 20th and Sunday the 21st of April – the parish was visited by the choir of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY.

Sixteen singers arrived on Saturday for the start of the All-Night Vigil. The cathedral choirs vacated the choir lofts and themselves, together with the other parishioners, enjoyed the beautiful singing of the seminary choir, directed by Deacon Nicholas Kotar.

After Vigil, the Holy Protection Sisterhood organized a supper for the clergy and choir in the parish library.

The following day, the Jordanville choir sang the early English Liturgy and, after it, the second in Slavonic.

It is difficult to give the high quality of the singing of this group of talented seminary singers its due in words. It would be better to hear for yourself and be convinced of it.

The church was filled to capacity with worshippers for both Sunday Liturgies. The evening prior, as on Sunday, three cathedral priests heard the confessions of a multitude of the faithful, who communed at one or another of the Sunday Liturgies from three chalices.

After the later Liturgy, the sisterhood organized a luncheon for all of the worshippers, after which the seminarians departed for home, to the habitation of the Holy Trinity, in order to return in time for their classes on Monday morning.

We wish that Fr. Nicholas Kotar and all of his singers will continue their important work of noetically glorifying the Lord, and to worthily serve Christ’s Church in the future.

Archpriest Victor Potapov