New York, September 3, 2020
As wildfires continue to engulf California, in the second worst fire season in state history, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, is calling on his flock to the turn to great American saints in prayer.
“It is with pain of heart that I am following the events unfolding in California… And I hasten to express my profoundest sympathy to everyone,” Met. Hilarion writes in a statement published yesterday, expressing empathy for the hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and laity of the ROCOR Western American Diocese, and all citizens of California.
Of course, in such trying times, we must turn to prayer, and “One of the speedy intercessors in situations such as this is a Saint canonized 50 years ago, Holy Father Herman the Wonderworker of Alaska, to whom I call upon all to turn to in prayer during these days,” the ROCOR primate writes.
The Orthodox faith should also turn to St. John (Maximovitch) of San Francisco in prayer, whose incorrupt relics are treasured in the ROCOR cathedral in San Francisco.
The Metropolitan also notes that fervent prayers are being offered before the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, considered the protectress of the Russian diaspora.
“Let us pray for the preservation of our brothers and sisters in California, for abundant rain to be sent down upon them, that Almighty strength and Divine aid be granted them for overcoming the consequences of the fiery trial that has befallen them,” Met. Hilarion writes.
His Eminence gratefully notes that the fires have not affected the churches of the Western American Diocese, though thousands have been dislocated, and millions are facing a loss of electricity and other problems. Smoke and high temperatures make it nearly impossible to breathe during outdoor services, while churches are closed to communal prayer due to California’s strict response to the coronavirus.
OrthoChristian earlier reported on other monastic and parish communities being threatened by the fires.
