On Friday, January 23, in the "Golden Room" reception hall of the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC, played host to the first "Tatiana" Benefit Ball, a charitable undertaking that parishioners of St. John the Baptist Cathedral hope to make an annual event. Under the patronage of His Excellency, Russian Federation Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the United States Sergey I. Kislyak, and his wife Natalia Mikhailovna, the ball was organized by the cathedral youth.

This event is the latest major charitable endeavor undertaken by the parish of St. John the Baptist Cathedral.

The parish has been involved in benevolent efforts since the day of its founding in 1949. Charitable service was an imperative of the parish’s founder, St. John of Shanghai & San Francisco, who came to Washington, DC 66 years ago to petition the U.S. Congress to help thousands of Russian refugees stranded on a small island in the Philippines, where they were fleeing the horrors of communism in the USSR and Red China.

Cathedral parishioners continue to do all that they can to follow in St. John’s footsteps.

Over the last 66 years, the cathedral’s benevolent fund has come to the assistance of thousands of people experiencing difficulties on every continent, and has also helped local needy here in the United States. Parishioners have helped and continue to help refugees persecuted for the Faith, monastics, people with serious illnesses, victims of natural disasters, and the homeless. A substantial part of the donations comprising this material assistance has been collected by parishioners themselves and by friends of the parish.

In the opinion of cathedral rector Archpriest Victor Potapov, the first annual Tatiana Ball, attended by 300 guests, will substantially help the parish continue its God-pleasing collective efforts. All of the proceeds from this evening will go to help needy children.

The parish’s next major charitable undertaking – Maslenitsa – will take place on Friday, February 20, and will once again be held at the Russian Embassy. The event will be co-hosted by two Washington cathedrals – St. Nicholas (Orthodox Church in America) and St. John the Baptist. If you would like to purchase tickets to this event, please call Maria Putiatin at (301) 523-9281 or Matushka Maria Potapov at (202) 288-0391. More information can be found on Facebook here.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese

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