Spruce Island, Alaska, September 20, 2024
westsrbdio.org
Last month, His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Diocese of Los Angeles and Western America of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited the monasteries under his omophorion in Alaska.
During his visit August 10–14, the bishop consecrated the new church at the Holy Archangel Michael Skete on Spruce Island, the diocese reports.
The trip began with the Divine Liturgy at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Anchorage, which was attended by the local Serbian community. Priests from various jurisdictions concelebrated with Bp. Maxim.
Despite questionable weather, the bishop and the priests accompanying him were able to fly to Kodiak that evening, where they were venerated the relics of St. Herman of Alaska at the OCA’s Holy Resurrection Cathedral.
The next morning, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the St. Nilus women’s monastery on St. Nilus Island. Hieromonk Andrew of the Archangel Michael Skete on Spruce Island writes:
Reflecting on Romans 15, Bishop Maxim emphasized the eucharistic tenor of the phrase, “therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us.” (Rom 15:7) To paraphrase the bishop’s words, “We receive the presence of one another even as we receive the eucharist. We are to make room for the other inside ourselves. Unity in Christ, in the Church, involves an overlapping of being. This is the kind of unity we are called to.”
westsrbdio.org
The main purpose of Bp. Maxim’s visit was to consecrate the newly completed Holy Trinity Church at the Archangel Michael Skete. Fr. Andrew explains the importance of a church consecration:
The rite of consecration is a baptism of the church. Its altar and walls are saturated with holy water, anointed with Holy Chrism, and prayed over as they are prepared for the Divine Liturgy. After the baptism and anointing, the altar is then clothed first with a fitted white cloth and then with a colored vestment. In this case, green for the feast of Pentecost.
Vespers was celebrated at the skete on the eve of the consecration. The next morning, pilgrims arrived from Kodiak and other locations.
The morning’s celebrations began with the blessing of holy water. The consecration rite then began with a procession of relics of St. Herman from the old chapel to the new church. “During the procession each of the faithful carried a unique item to equip the new church, from candlestick to Gospel book, while the bishop held the holy relics above his head.”
westsrbdio.org
The clergy then entered the church and went into the holy altar, where Bp. Maxim anointed the altar table with Chrism. Then all four sides of the church were anointed with Chrism. Then relics were sealed in the altar, the altar was vested, and the Gospel book, altar cross, antimens, tabernacle, and candlesticks were placed on the holy table.
Then the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the newly consecrated altar.
The service was followed with a festive outdoor meal and the singing of folk songs of various national traditions.
The consecration marked the culmination of a four-year building project, Fr. Andrew notes.
Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!
