On Monday morning, May 25, a monumental occasion in the life of Holy Myrrhbearers Church in Mt. Crawford, VA: Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York officiated the great consecration of the church and celebrated Divine Liturgy on the newly sanctified altar.

On May 23-24, the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad paid an archpastoral visit to the parish, praying in the altar during the All-Night Vigil on Saturday evening and Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning.

After a festal luncheon on Sunday, Vigil was served outside the iconostasis, as is appointed on the eve of a consecration.

On Monday, the overcast and rainy morning slowly gave way to sunshine over the rolling hills and farmland surrounding the countryside church, as the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad arrived and was greeted at the main doors of the church with the traditional bread and salt by the parish warden, entered the temple, and was vested.

Serving alongside His Eminence were parish and visiting clergy:

• Archpriest George Temidis (secretary of the diocesan administration)
• Archpriest Gabriel Weller (parish rector)
• Archpriest Richard Reed (parish cleric)
• Archpriest John Johnson (rector of St. Thecla Church in Wheaton, MD)
• Priest Eugene Antonov (rector of Joy of All Who Sorrow Church in Atlanta, GA)
• Hieromonk Paisios (Laiblin; deputy abbot and dean of Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV)
• Priest Alexei Klar (cleric of St. Xenia Church in Methuen, MA)
• Priest Peter Markevich (rector of Holy Trinity Church in Mebane, NC)
• Priest Jeremiah Davis (cleric of St. Matrona of Moscow Mission in Winchester, KY)
• Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis (cleric of St. Elizabeth Church in Columbia, SC)
• Archdeacon Sergius (Wilson; cleric of Holy Cross Monastery)
• Protodeacon Alexey Pnev (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY)
• Protodeacon Nektarios Kanney (parish cleric)
• Protodeacon Thomas Opyoke (parish cleric), and
• Deacon John Daily (cleric of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC).

Within the closed altar, the clergy read special prayers, assembled the new altar table, washed it in holy water and wine, and vested it in the linen katasarkion, representing Christ’s burial shroud, which was tied with special cords, representing the bonds with which Christ’s hands were tied during His Passion. The entire altar table was then covered with a beautiful carved façade. This was followed by the blessing of the antimensia.

In the altar, a male choir of local and visiting singers chanted prayerfully under the direction of Reader Konstantine Ogora, who traveled from the Washington, DC cathedral for the event. At Liturgy, Reader Konstantine would conduct an expanded mixed choir on kliros.

At the conclusion of the Great Consecration, a procession was held with the relics of the saints that were then encased in the altar table and the newly blessed antimensia. Among the relics included were those of the Holy Apostle Andrew, the Martyrs at St. Sabbas Monastery, Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow, and the New-Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth.

The Hours were then read, followed by Divine Liturgy. The church was filled to capacity, including families of many young children. Virtually all in attendance communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas congratulated the clergy and parishioners with the auspicious occasion in the life of their parish. In honor of the event, he presented the parish with a beautiful new chalice set.

An especially emotional moment came with the presentation of a diocesan gramota to Matushka Alexandra Moses who, together with her husband, Archpriest John Moses of blessed memory, founded this Orthodox community in their native Shenandoah Valley.

After the service, a delicious catered BBQ banquet was held outside on the grounds for all in attendance.