2025.09.15. A Rare Celebration

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On September 13 and 14, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, paid a primatial visit to the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Washington DC. Vladyka brought consolation to the parishioners of the Cathedral not only by leading the solemn divine services, but also by bringing with him both the great holy treasure of the ROCOR, the ancient Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God (“the Our Lady of the Sign” Icon), and a casket containing a portion of the relics of St Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow.

Our parish was founded 76 years ago, in September 1949, by Archbishop John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai. (On July 2, 1994, Archbishop John was glorified as a Holy Hierarch). While in Washington in 1949, the Archbishop petitioned American authorities to provide for residence permits in the United States and other Western countries to his Chinese flock, quartered in an international refugee camp on Tubobao Island in the Philippines. He named our parish in honor of the Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, since it was on that feast day that he celebrated the first Liturgy in the newly created community. We revere Vladyka St John as our second heavenly patron.

For nine years, our parishioners gathered on Sundays for services at the Chapel of the Resurrection of Christ at Washington’s Episcopal National Cathedral. In 1956, the new congregation purchased a corner lot on 17th St NW, in the center of the Nation’s Capital, and soon thereafter, construction of our temple began. For lack of material resources, after the first floor was completed, construction was suspended; Divine Services were conducted in that building for the next three decades.

In 1977, Archpriest Victor Potapov moved to Washington, D.C., where he was invited to work for the government radio station Voice of America. Over the next thirty years he presented the program “Religion in Our Life” to listeners in Russia. He became the second priest in our parish, assistant to the now deceased rector, Archimandrite Nikolai Pekatoros.

By that time, the Synod of Bishops of the ROCOR had decided that the new church, representing ROCOR in Washington, the Nation’s Capital, should present a classic example of Russian church architecture. Ever-memorable Old-ritualist Bishop Daniel ( Alexandrov) was brought in to formulate the new design. He proposed a project that would be in the style of Muscovite churches of the 17th century. The new design was approved by the Synod and by our parishioners; soon thereafter, reconstruction of the new temple, and painting of its walls, began.

Construction took several years. During that entire time, as needed, services were held in the neighboring parish hall, which was re-equipped as a church. In 1988, the Millennial Year for the Russian Orthodox Church, our church was consecrated by Metropolitan Vitaly, then First Hierarch of the ROCOR.

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On Saturday, September 13, numerous parishioners and pilgrims greeted Metropolitan Nikolai at 5:00 PM, for the beginning of the All-night Vigil. The miraculous Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God was brought into the church to the singing of Its troparion in both Church Slavonic and English. The All-night Vigil was also a bilingual service. Throughout the service, pilgrims came to Confession in preparation for receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ the following day.

The next day, the meeting of the First Hierarch and the Kursk Icon took place at 9:30 AM. Ten priests and six deacons served in a church filled to capacity. The atmosphere during the Sunday festal Liturgy was deeply touching. Throughout the service, worshipers approached the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God and the relics of St. Tikhon, asking for help and salvation.

At the appropriate time, the young Deacon Andrei Allen was ordained to the priesthood. It was touching to see his father, Archpriest Christopher Allen, who serves in San Antonio, TX, lead him around the Altar Table. The new priest will continue serving in our parish, as its fifth priest.

Following the Eucharistic Canon, another member of the parish, Subdeacon John Daily, was ordained to the diaconate. The newly ordained Deacon John will serve along with the five other deacons in our parish. Before receiving their new clerical ranks, Frs. Andrew and John had already labored a great deal for the benefit of our parish. It is our hope that entrance into their new ranks will inspire them to serve God and the people with even greater diligence.

During the Liturgy, Holy Communion was offered from four Chalices, and almost everyone present received Holy Communion. After Communion, Metropolitan Nikolai delivered a profound sermon on Christ’s parable of the wedding feast. Then a Moleben prayer service and Procession began. (Thanks be to God, the weather was excellent.) Afterwards, the First Hierarch congratulated everyone on the holiday and thanked the Cathedral clergy for their salvific efforts. Then, the Metropolitan awarded Archpriest John Barbus, rector of the Holy Transfiguration of the Savior parish in Baltimore, MD with the Order of the Kursk-Root "Sign" Icon of the Mother of God, 2nd degree. Father John has served in that parish for over 15 years.

During the festive meal, Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, sacristan [ключарь] of the San Francisco Cathedral of Our Lady, Joy of All Who Sorrow, presented to those in attendance his remarkable new 30-minute film “The Fragrance of Holiness,” about St. John of Shanghai. All watched the film about our founder very attentively. People were in no hurry to go home. They enjoyed fraternal fellowship with the clergy and with other parishioners, and finally began to disperse at 4:15 PM, after five hours of prayer and fellowship.

The next day, Metropolitan Nikolai met with lawyer Robert Amsterdam, who defends the interests of the canonical Ukrainian Church headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onoufriy of Kiev. At that meeting, there was a discussion of issues related to the persecution of the clergy and parishioners of that Church by the Kievan authorities, and what measures could help the persecuted Church.