The 12th annual pilgrimage of the cathedral parish of St John the Baptist in Washington, DC to the Holy Trinity Monastery was marked with a warm prayerful spirit. In addition to the parishioners of the cathedral in Washington, the group was joined by faithful of the Orthodox Church in America in the nation’s capital. This year's pilgrimage was attended by the new cultural attaché of the Embassy of Russia in Washington Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Moshkalo and his 14-year-old son. Annual pilgrimages to the gravesite of brother Jose Munoz-Cortes are held in remembrance of the great miracle of the myrrh-streaming Iveron icon of the Mother of God, which for 15 years blessed the life of believers in the Russian Diaspora.

During the pilgrimage two panikhidas were served at the gravesite of Joseph Munoz-Cortes, the faithful martyred custodian of the Myrrh-streaming "Iveron-Montreal" icon of the Mother of God. 

The first panikhida was served by the Primate of ROCOR, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion. After the service, which due to rainy weather was held in the Holy Dormition cemetery chapel, His Eminence reminded the gathered faithful that the miraculous Iveron Icon had disappeared from us due to our sins. "We need to bring repentance to the Lord for allowing ourselves to taking for granted the 15-year consolation of the Myrrh-streaming icon of the Virgin Mary and forgetting her faithful guardian," said the Metropolitan.

On Sunday, November 1, before leaving for home, another memorial service was held at the gravesite of brother Jose. The spiritual leader of the pilgrimage, Fr. Alexander Resnikoff, a clergyman of St John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, delivered a short heartfelt homily in which he said:

“Many of you are holding candles, but do you know why and what they mean?  The candles you hold during panikhida’s and funerals are symbols of our faith in the Resurrection of Christ, symbols of Christ’s light in the world.  Holding these candles we proclaim our belief in Christ’s Resurrection and declare Christ’s light in the world.  The Holy Scriptures proclaim that we are to be bearers of Christ’s light in the world (Matthew 5:14) and this is certainly true of our dear brother in Lord, Joseph Munoz Cortez. 

Brother Jose was a light of Christ in this world and was chosen by the Mother of God to be the guardian of Her holy image of the Ivernon-Montreal Icon of the Mother of God.  Enduring great hardships in long journeys and constant travels the Mother of God granted great spiritual comfort and strengthening of faith to many Orthodox faithful through the labors Brother Jose. 

Our good God rewarded Brother Jose’s struggles with the crown of martyrdom and a place in His Heavenly Kingdom.  We know that God rewarded Brother Joseph in this way through a miracle!  After his martyric end, Brother Joseph’s body was transported for 13 days from Athens to Jordanville for burial, all the while unrefrigerated. It was not by man’s intension that Brother Joseph’s casket was opened during his funeral service, but by God’s Will.  The casket was opened, and the plastic bag covering Brother Joseph was removed – and we beheld a miracle in our times!  His holy relics were incorrupt!

We who celebrated the panikhida for our dear friend - hope to one day soon be celebrating a moleben to him!  None can deny that today we participated in his blessedness!  We see before our eyes one of God’s Saints and experienced anew our living hope in the Resurrection of our Lord and our own common Resurrection!” 

Most of the 70 participants started the sacrament of confession and received the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and returned home spiritually enriched.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese

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