The first weekend of October, 2009 will be treasured in the memories of the parishioners and friends of St John the Baptist Cathedral for a long time to come. October 3rd ushered in our annual two-day Fall Bazaar. Organizers of the bazaar and their helpers worked together to create a warm mood and welcoming atmosphere, which was felt by everyone.

This event is important to our parish life not only in terms of material benefit to our church, but also because it gives us the opportunity to show our heterodox guests the beauty of our temple, the depth of our Orthodox Christian faith and acquainting them with our Russian national and spiritual traditions. It also gives them a chance to taste of our rich Russian cuisine which brings many back to the bazaar year after year.

On October 3, at six o'clock in the evening His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion arrived at our parish for All-Night Vigil, who incidentally just the day before returned from a three-week trip to Russia with the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God. He was met by His Grace Bishop Victor of the Moscow Patriarchate, who now lives in retirement in Florida. Bishop Victor came to Washington with a group of pilgrims to pray with us in our cathedral and to welcome the Mother of God present in her myrrh-streaming icon the "Softener of Evil Hearts."

Due to the bazaar, the usual early English Vigil was canceled and our parish prayed together at one service conducted in two languages - Slavonic and English. At 6:30 pm a car drove up with the much awaited miraculous icon of the Mother of God the "Softener of Evil Hearts." This Holy Icon was met with the ringing of bells and hymns welcoming the Mother of God to our church.

The Vigil service was headed by Metropolitan Hilarion and concelebrated by Bishop Victor and clergy of St John the Baptist Cathedral. During the whole service our priests confessed believers desiring to purify themselves of sin and to soften their hearts.

The next morning at 8:00 am before the Divine Liturgy; a moleben and Akathist was sung before the miraculous icon. After which His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion arrived and was warmly greeted with traditional bread and salt by the Cathedral Starosta Dimitri Zaretsky.

Serving the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion was joined by Bishop Victor of Florida, the parish rector Archpriest Victor Potapov, Priest Vassily Raskovsky, Priest Vladimir Danilevich, Priest John Johnson, Priest Alexander Resnikoff, Protodeacon Leonid Mickle, Protodeacon John Cavin and Deacon John Voloshchuk. Two choirs glorified God during the Liturgy – the Slavonic choir under the direction of Mr. Yuriy Petcherkin and the English choir under the direction of Mr. Jared Brewer. Present in the throng of believers were the Ambassador of Russia Mr. Sergei Kislyak, his wife Natalia Mikhailovna and the cultural attaché of the Russian Embassy Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Moshkalo.

The sheer number of believers necessitated the distribution of Holy Communion from three chalices, a poignant tribute to the Mother of God and her holy icon the “Softener of Evil Hearts.” After Holy Communion, His Grace Bishop Victor gave a sermon on the touching and beautiful names given over the centuries to the many miraculous icons of the Russian Church.

After the Divine Liturgy we celebrated together one final moleben before the miraculous icon of "Softener of Hardened Hearts" and Day Two of our Fall Bazaar commenced. In the course of the next several hours many visitors came and had the opportunity to venerate the miraculous icon and to speak with His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion (who, incidentally, remained until the close of the bazaar), while others simply embraced the opportunity to relax in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere.

The following photos only partially convey the warmth and blessedness of these two grace-filled days of the beginning of October 2009.

Photo Album of Marina Cavanaugh

Phote Album of Fr. Peter Jegalin