On Saturday, December 26, 2009, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God arrived from Holy Cross Monastery with diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov to St.John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC. The icon was triumphantly greeted by the rector, Archpriest Victor Potapov (member of the Diocesan Council) and cathedral clergy, as well as His Eminence Anthony, Archbishop of Krasnoyarsk and Yeniseisk (visiting the United States with the blessing of His Holiness, Patriarch Kyrill) and His Grace George, Bishop of Mayfield. The Vigil was led by Archbishop Anthony, co-served by Bishop George, the rector, Archimandrite Nektary (Seleznev; personal secretary to Archbishop Anthony), diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, and parish clerics: Priest John Johnson, Priest Alexander Resnikoff, Protodeacon Leonid Mickle, and Protodeacon John Cavin. Also praying in church during the Vigil was Archimandrite Joachim Cotsonis, director of Holy Cross Greek Seminary in Boston, MA.

The following morning, parishioners and other faithful once again welcomed the wonder-working icon, and then greeted His Grace, Bishop George. Cathedral warden Dimitri Mikhailovich Zaretsky greeted Vladyka at the doors of the cathedral with bread and salt, and with a wonderful speech, welcoming His Grace and asking his holy prayers for everyone present before the wonder-working image. Bishop George celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by the rector, the diocesan secretary, and cathedral clergy, under the marvelous antiphonal singing of the cathedral’s two choirs. Yuri A. Petcherkin directed the Slavonic choir, while Jared Brewer directed the English choir. The cathedral was filled to capacity with parishioners and faithful, bringing to mind for everyone the recent travels of the Kursk Icon to Russia, where churches were similarly filled to capacity.

Also present at the Liturgy was the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the U.S.A., Sergei Ivanovich Kislyak and his wife, as well as the embassy’s Cultural Attaché, Dr. Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Moshkalo. At the end of the service, Bishop George presented the Russian Embassy with a copy of the Kursk icon on behalf of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York. Upon completion of the Liturgy, a Panikhida was served for His Holiness, Patriarch Pavle of Serbia, and the murdered Priest Daniel Sysoev. At a luncheon served in the Parish Hall, Fr. Serge presented a photomontage of the visit of the Kursk Root Icon to Russia.

The same day, following the presentation of the photomontage, the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God visited Holy Transfiguration Church in Baltimore, MD. The icon was greeted by rector Priest Ion Barbus, who carried the icon into the church with due solemnity, blessing the assembled faithful with it. The moleben and akathist was led by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, co-served by Fr. Ion and Priest John Vass (rector of the Moscow Patriarchates Church of the Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore) in the presence of a crowd of worshipers. Also praying at the church was Archpriest Gregory Matthewes-Greene, rector of the Antiochian Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Baltimore. At the conclusion of the service, Fr. Serge presented the rector with a copy of the Kursk Icon on behalf of the First-hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Then the Icon left for the Church of the Holy Apostles in Beltsville, Maryland. The church is temporarily located in a rented storefront while major restoration is done on their new church. Through God's mercy, on July 3, 2009, the parishioners of Holy Apostles witnessed a true miracle, in the form of a remarkable gift: the beautiful historic country Church of St. Joseph, a brick American Queen Anne style church erected in 1880, located on two acres of land, and in the past used as a Catholic cemetery chapel.

The moleben with akathist was led by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, co-served by rector Priest George Johnson, Priest John Vass (rector of Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore – MP), and parish Deacon Damian Dantinne. Also praying in church was Archpriest Gregory Safchuk, rector of St. Mark Church in Bethesda, MD – OCA. After the service, the photomontage of the Kursk Root Icon’s recent return to Russia was shown in the church. From Beltsville the icon then returned to Washington, DC, to preside over a Washington area Orthodox Clergy Conference.

On Tuesday, December 29, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God visited St. Nicholas Cathedral (OCA) in the American capital. The Icon was accompanied by His Grace, Bishop George of Mayfield, and the rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral and member of the Diocesan Council, Archpriest Victor Potapov. Fr. Victor celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by cathedral clergy: dean Archpriest Constantine White, Archpriest Vladimir Danylevich, Priest Valery Shemchuk, Protodeacon Blagoje Siljegovic, Deacon Sergius Miller, and Deacon Patrick Mitchell. Bishop George prayed in the altar. After the Liturgy a Moleben and Akathist was served before the wonder-working Icon. On behalf of the First Hierarch of ROCOR, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, His Grace presented a copy of the Kursk Icon to Fr. Constantine, and during the kissing of the Cross, all of the faithful were presented with small copies of the Icon. In the parish hall, a unique film on the return to Russia in September of the Kursk Icon was presented by Fr. Victor. After the film, the Icon returned to St. John the Baptist Cathedral, where it remained until Friday, after which it returned to the diocesan center.