With the blessing of Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, from Friday the 6th through Sunday the 8th of March, His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) paid an archpastoral visit to St. Martin of Tours Church in Montgomery, AL. Arriving on Friday evening, the hierarch was met and treated to dinner by the parish clergy.

On Saturday morning, His Eminence prayed in the altar; Liturgy for the Departed was celebrated by parish clerics: rector Priest Elias Crowder and Deacons Stephen Sellers and Sergius Jenkins. That evening, Metropolitan Jonah gave talks after Great Vespers about his time at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he started the local chapter of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF). He also spoke about his friendship with Fr. Seraphim (Rose) and his time at Valaam Monastery and Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra in 1993.

On Sunday, the parish saw its first Hierarchical Liturgy. Prior to the start of Liturgy, the Metropolitan tonsured four men readers: Michael Rogers, Nicholas Perry, Jerome Livas, and Joshua Perry.

At the Little Entrance, Fr. Stephen was awarded right to wear the double orarion.

After Liturgy, the parish sisterhood organized a festal meal, during which parishioners were able to talk with His Eminence before his departure for the Lenten clergy retreat in Atlanta, GA.