Preparations for the 27th annual pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, organized by St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC, began well in advance of the trip. Registration began immediately after the parish’s patronal feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. For the pilgrims’ two-day stay at the monastery, it was necessary to purchase food supplies and prepare meals for both the numerous pilgrims and the brethren of Holy Trinity Monastery. This obedience was originally asked of the St John’s parishioners (since the very first pilgrimages) by the ever-memorable abbot of the monastery, Metropolitan Laurus (+2008), so as not to distract the monastic brethren from their prayerful work and obedience.

On the eve of the journey – Friday, October 31, those pilgrims who live afar off from the nation’s capital spent the night in the parish guesthouse. The following day – Saturday, November 1, at 5:30 AM, around 100 people were gathered by the cathedral. A massive collection of food, supplies, and baggage was loaded onto the bus, which soon departed. A parish "caravan" full of parishioners in their cars followed the bus. This journey was due to become the 27th annual pilgrimage to the "Lavra" of the Russian Church Abroad. The purpose of the pilgrimage was to visit and honor the memory of the brutally martyred Brother José Muñoz-Cortés, the guardian of the myrrh-streaming Iveron "Montreal" Icon of the Mother of God.

The arduous journey (lasting 7+ hours) is a labor in itself but, thanks to the constant prayers, religious documentaries, and spiritual talks (centered around the life of Br. José), time flew by.

Around 3:00 PM in the afternoon, our bus arrived at the cemetery in Jordanville where Br. José is buried. A panihida was promptly served to Br. José, who was murdered in Athens, Greece, on the night of October 31, 1997.  The weather was fine, and the service was led by Archpriest Victor Potapov, with six priests in attendance. Br. José was not the only one commemorated – also mentioned were the reposed Schema-Abbot Clement of Nativity Skete on Mt. Athos, who in 1982 gifted Br. José the Montreal Iveron Icon, and Archbishop Leonty of Chile, who was the person responsible for converting Br. José to Orthodoxy.

Soon after the start of the panihida, the Hawaiian Iveron Myrrh-streaming Icon of the Mother of God arrived (a copy of the lost original). It was placed on an analogion next to the grave of Brother Jose. The icon was heavily streaming miraculous myrrh, as she had in previous years. It spilled onto the cover of the analogion… surely a sign of God’s blessing.

At the end of the panihida, Fr. Victor offered a sermon on Br. José and his 15-year journey with the miraculous Iveron Icon. He thanked all those gathered for their zeal and support in honoring Br. José and for remembering his unique service to Christ’s Church. It was noted that the Hawaiian Icon is a miraculous continuation of the original Iveron Montreal Icon of the Mother of God.

All present were anointed with holy myrrh from the Hawaiian Icon, and all who desired one received a small bottle of oil from the lamp at Br. José’s grave, some soil from his grave, a photograph of the murdered chosen one of the Mother of God, and booklets with the canon and akathist to the "Montreal" Icon of the Mother of God. The pilgrims also had kutia that was blessed at the grave.

A great number of pilgrims stayed behind after the panihida, wishing to privately pray at the grave of Br. José. Others conversed with the monastery’s monks and seminarians, and some visited the graves of relatives and loved ones.

That evening, after dinner in the monastery, everyone gathered in the church to pray at the 3½-hour Vigil. The dim lights of the candlelit monastery church, as well as the robust men’s choir, made for a very prayerful atmosphere. Throughout the service, in the lower church of St Job of Pochaev, Fr. Victor and Priest Damian Dantinne (cleric of the Washington cathedral) confessed multitudes of parishioners, preparing them for partaking of Christ’s Holy Mysteries the next day.

The following day, Sunday, November 2, His Grace Luke, Bishop of Syracuse, celebrated Divine Liturgy, co-served by the monastery brethren and visiting clergy. Worshippers were deeply impressed by the touching singing of the seminary choir. Prior to Communion, Archpriest Serge Lukianov (dean of New Jersey) gave a moving and emotional bilingual sermon dedicated to Br. José and his place in the history of the Russian Church Abroad. He noted that – under the aegis of the Hawaiian Icon and honor the memory of Br. José – the faithful could truly feel a "Triumph of Orthodoxy" that day.

Many of the faithful communed, and the church was filled to capacity. The monastery saw a record number of pilgrims – not only from the Washington parish, but from St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ; St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT; and Holy New Martyrs Church in Norwich, CT.

Following Liturgy and lunch, parishioners visited the Russian History Museum, containing a plethora of artifacts from Imperial Russia, as well as artifacts from the era of Soviet religious persecution during the 20th century. The museum is organized at a highly professional level.

At 4:00 PM, another panihida was served at the gravesite of Br. José, which was immediately followed by the departure of the Hawaiian Iveron Icon, and then the pilgrims paid a visit to the local women’s skete of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, where they had a warm exchange with the sisters there.

Spiritually enriched by their stay at the Holy Trinity Monastery and the warm fraternal fellowship there, the pilgrims did not even notice how quickly the seven-hour journey to Washington flew by.

May God grant that an ever-increasing influx of future parishioners might continue to grace Holy Trinity Monastery in remembrance of the chosen martyr of the Mother of God.

Archpriest Victor Potapov