On Sunday, September 7, the Church of St. John the Russian in Ipswich, MA was blessed to receive the grace-filled presence of the Mother of God. The myrrh-streaming "Hawaiian" Iveron Icon arrived for Divine Liturgy. Faithful from parishes all over the Boston area, including Holy Epiphany Church in Roslindale (Boston) and St. Xenia in Methuen, as well as form other Orthodox communities, filled the parish well before the icon’s arrival.

Celebrating Liturgy was parish rector Archpriest Spyridon Schneider, co-served by Priest Nectarios Yangson (guardian of the icon), Priest Peter James (parish cleric), and Deacons Joseph and Christopher Kimball (clerics of St. Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church in Richmond, ME), and Matthew LaVita (parish cleric).

After the Gospel reading, Fr. Nectarios delivered a warm and encouraging homily on the need for all of the faithful to become true custodians of Christ’s vineyard through cultivating fruits of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about the faithfulness of the Mother of God, how the Mother of the Lord of the Vineyard has visited the parish today, and how through her blessing we must struggle to remain faithful to the Church.

Following Liturgy, the crowd was anointed with myrrh, received paper icons, and stayed for a sumptuous feast put on by the sisterhood and the whole parish community.

Later that day, the icon visited St. George Classical Academy in Boxford, MA, where the Mother of God blessed all of the classrooms for the beginning of the new school year.