Chicago and Tikhvin, Russia, August 1, 2024
The wonderworking Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Photo: domoca.org
For 55 years, the wonderworking Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was housed and venerated in the Orthodox Church in America’s Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, where it was safe from the godless Soviet authorities. In 2004, it was returned to its home in the Tikhvin Monastery in Russia.
Celebration in America
The OCA’s Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest is holding a series of events throughout 2024 to mark the 20th anniversary of the icon’s return, and on June 25-26, the feast of the icon was celebrated at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, which gathered hierarchs, clergy, and faithful from across the country, the diocese reports.
The services were celebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of Washington and All America and Canada and other OCA hierarchs, including His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago, the local hierarch. The choir consisted of singers from throughout the diocese.
domoca.org
The Liturgy the next day was again celebrated by Met. Tikhon and the other hierarchs and sung by the St. Romanos Choir, led by Reader Peter Jermihov.
His Beatitude preached after the Gospel reading, reminding everyone that “Because Christ’s Kingdom belongs to the future age, it cannot be touched by the ravages of time. Likewise, the protection of the Mother of God is omnipresent and invincible. Love is stronger than death, and her love for her children cannot be overcome by mortality.”
Following the service, a moleben was served before the cathedral’s copy of the miraculous icon, during which the icon was carried in a 1-mile procession. The procession ended at St. George Cathedral, where the moleben was concluded.
Following the veneration of the icon, a festive banquet was held at the cathedral.
Celebration in Russia
A week later, Abp. Daniel led a delegation, including Archpriest Alexander Garklavs (whose family guarded the Tikhvin Icon during its time in America) and Holy Trinity Cathedral dean Fr. Alexander Koranda, on pilgrimage to various sites in Russia, at the invitation of His Grace Bishop Mystislav of Tikhvin.
The group was greeted in Moscow by Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, the OCA’s representative to the Moscow Patriarchate. During their time in the Russian capital, Abp. Daniel and the others met with a number of hierarchs, abbots, and abbesses, and had the opportunity to venerate the relics of several saints.
On July 6, the delegation traveled to Kazan at the invitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan. There, they celebrated vigil for the feast of All Saints of Russia at the Kazan Icon Cathedral and Liturgy for the feast at the Holy Dormition Monastery on the island of Sviyazhsk.
On Monday, July 8, the delegation arrived at the Holy Dormition Monastery in Tikhvin, where the anniversary of the icon’s return was celebrated. The delegation venerated the wonderworking icon and served in the All-Night Vigil together with a host of hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The OCA delegation with Pat. Kirill at the anniversary celebration. Photo: domoca.org
The Divine Liturgy was led the next morning by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, with 14 other hierarchs, including Abp. Daniel of Chicago, and a host of clergy, including those of the OCA delegation.
After receiving Holy Communion, the OCA delegation was received by Pat. Kirill, and Abp. Daniel presented the Patriarch with an icon of the newly canonized St. Olga of Alaska. In turn, the Patriarch presented the Archbishop with an episcopal Panagia. After the service, a festive meal was held in the monastery trapeza.
Over the next two days, the delegation toured the Orthodox sites of St. Petersburg and had the opportunity to venerate the relics that are housed in the Northern Capital. The group also traveled to Tsarskoe Selo, outside of St. Petersburg, to venerate the relics of St. John Kochurov of Chicago.
On Friday morning, the OCA delegation began its trip back to Chicago.
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