For St. Herman's Day, Fr. Michael, Deacon Philip and all parishoners that could attend took part in the festal celebrations at St. Herman of Alaska Monastery in Platina, CA. There were around 75 pilgrims in attendance and the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by five priests and two deacons. Fr. Seraphim Bell (St. Silouan Orthodox Church, Walla Walla, WA) was the main celebrant, accompanied by Abbot Gerasim, Fr. Nectarios Rozadilla (Holy Trinity Mission, Folsom, CA), Hieromonk Damascene, Fr. Michael, Deacon John Dibs (St. Timothy Orthodox Church, Fairfield, CA) and Deacon Philip. Liturgy began at 9:00am, preceded by the hours and the Akathist to St. Herman. After the reading of the Gospel, Fr. Seraphim gave a Homily on how we should relate to St. Herman and what we can learn from his life. Nearly all the pilgrims partook of Christ's Holy Mysteries. At the conclusion of the Liturgy Abbot Gerasim gave a short talk elaborating on some of the aspects of St. Herman's life that Fr. Seraphim had mentioned during his Homily as well as sharing a brief farewell before he leaves for Saint Vladimir's Seminary. All present then went in procession around the church, stopping at the four sides to pray for the continued prosperity of the monastery, the health of the monastics, and the repose and salvation of the monastery's founders. Upon returning to the church the Slava to St. Herman was served, followed by the prayers of Thanksgiving after Holy Communion, after which everyone processed to the trapeza for a festive meal. The monastics at St. Michael's Skete & St. Nilus Skete had provided Alaskan halibut for the feast and the brothers baked pretzels in honor of St. Herman, a monastery tradition, recalling the pretzels that St. Herman would make for his orphans. During the meal the Life of St. Herman was read from a newly revised manuscript which the monastery will soon publish. Abbot Gerasim presented everyone present with large prints of a new icon of St. Herman, which were given as a gift by St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Lake Odessa, MI, as well as small icons of the Most Holy Theotokos and St. George given by recent Georgian pilgrims to the monastery. After giving thanks and processing back to the church, the pilgrims enjoyed fellowship with one another and many took the opprotunity to share a word with Abbot Gerasim. The pilgrims were blessed with the coolest St. Herman's day the fathers could recall, very temperate and lovely, especially considering triple digit temperatures being not at all uncommon this time of year. It seemed as if St. Herman brought everyone a little bit of his beloved Spruce Island, from the love and hospitality shown by the brothers to something as simple as the unseasonably cool air! Please enjoy the photos below.
Our Holy Father Herman, pray to God for us!