On June 11-12, 2022, on the weekend of Holy Pentecost, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon presided at the celebration of the 130th anniversary of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago, IL.
Upon arrival, His Beatitude and Deacon Peter Ilchuk, Deacon to the Metropolitan, were greeted by His Grace Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the Midwest.
The celebrations began on Saturday evening with the All-Night Vigil service for Pentecost presided by His Beatitude and concelebrated by Bishop Daniel, Priest Alexander Koranda, Cathedral Dean, Archpriest Tarasiy Maxim, Archpriest Herman Kincaid, Deacon Peter Ilchuk, Protodeacon Thomas Keith, and Deacon Paul Garklavs. His Grace welcomed His Beatitude following the Vigil and a meal was hosted by the parish immediately after the service.
The next morning, Sunday, June 12, Metropolitan Tikhon was greeted by Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa and the clergy of the cathedral where His Beatitude then presided at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. His Beatitude gave the sermon where he exhorted the faithful to remember new life offered to Christians in the Holy Spirit:
“This is the season of sanctity; this is the season of the spirit. This is not the beginning of a normal in-between time – of ordinary time understood as something pain or drab. Instead, this is the season when we celebrate the work that Christ came to accomplish and has accomplished. That work is the making of saints through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.”
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan presided at the celebration of the Vespers of Pentecost and the kneeling prayers. Following the Vespers service, Bishop Daniel presented him with a panagia which belonged to Archbishop Paul of blessed memory in gratitude for His Beatitude’s care and leadership.
His Beatitude then presented the cathedral community with relics of Saint Tikhon of Moscow. Finally, Father Alexander welcomed His Beatitude on behalf of the community and presented him with paintings of Holy Trinity cathedral, painted by Olga Garklavs. Concluding the Sunday celebrations were a community photo and lunch held at a local restaurant.
Photo credit: oca.org
