Fort Ross, California, July 3, 2023
wadioces.org
The Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia held its annual Fort Ross pilgrimage over Memorial Day weekend in late May.
On May 29, both clergy and laity from the diocese made the pilgrimage, the diocese reports.
wadiocese.org
200 years ago, the fort was a bustling place, with hundreds of soldiers, artisans, farms, and indigenous people both from Alaska and locals. The fort’s chapel, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, was built in the mid-1820s. Although Ross had no resident priest, in 1836 Father Ioann Veniaminov—glorified in 1977 as St. Innocent of Alaska—visited the settlement and conducted the Sacraments of Marriage, Baptism, and the Divine Liturgy. The faithful of the Bay Area worked with the state of California and other benefactors in the 20th century to preserve the Fort and the chapel. The park also preserves an Orthodox cemetery.
Orthodox Christians have been making pilgrimages to the fort for 100 years now, “remembering their roots and praying at this holy place consecrated by the presence of saints such as Holy Hierarch Innocent of Moscow, Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut, Hieromartyr Tikhon Patriarch of Moscow and Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker.”
This year’s pilgrimage was led by His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle. He concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with a number of priests and deacons from throughout the diocese.
wadiocese.org
After the Divine Liturgy, the clergy and faithful processed to the fort’s cemetery.
The Sts. Cyril and Methodius Gymnasium at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco also organized a camping trip for its students that simulated daily life at the fort about 200 years ago. They were joined by youth from the Church of All Saints of Russia in Denver.
The Orthodox Church in America will hold its own annual Fort Ross pilgrimage tomorrow.
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