Moleben at the Relics of St. Tikhon August 22

On Saturday, the 22nd of August, we served a Moleben with Akathist to St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America, in front of his relics at Donskoy Monastery. The Moleben was led by Fr. Antoniy, our rector, assisted by Fr. Deacon Georgiy.

The Monastery graciously hosted us and opened St. Tikhon’s relics for us to venerate, as we prayed to him in the language he did much work in during his leadership of the American missionary diocese at the beginning of the 20th century.

It was our first full Moleben led by a priest, for which we had practiced for months.

Three prepared readers joined Fr. Antoniy in reading the Akathist. Svetlana, our choir director, who providentially also directs at St. Tikhon’s University, prepared extensively and led our very capable singers. Under her guidance we fully sang an Akathist in English for the first time.

We prepared bilingual read-along booklets, our first for a full clergy-led Moleben, also featuring a canon to St. Tikhon.

After the service, we venerated the Donksaya Icon of the Mother of God, which had been returned to Donskoy Monastery earlier this year.

We then enjoyed fellowship and a meal at the Monastery trapeznaya.

Thank you to everybody, to Donskoy Monastery, to Frs. Antoniy and Georgiy, Svetlana, all our singers and readers, and all who participated, attended, and many who helped at the preparation stages and behind the scenes!