Source: Diocese of
Chicago and Mid-America (ROCOR)
In our world bursting with distraction and ever-increasing
darkness, the Lord plainly defines the path of eternal
life: self-denial, taking up one’s Cross, and
following Christ. Rarely are we able to do so literally.
From September 4-7, 45
pilgrims walked from Holy
Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, Michigan
in a 22-mile, two-day Cross Procession to St.
Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church in Ann Arbor. The
Youth Committee of the Diocese of Chicago and
Mid-America sponsored the pilgrimage with the
blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter, the diocesan
administrator. Parishioners of St. Vladimir’s
parish provided the necessary support to make it a
reality. For all who participated, it was an utterly
unique, remarkably intense, spiritual experience
– a concentrated dose of living out the
Lord’s command with each step taken.
The Labor Day holiday marks
the last hurrah of summer for most Americans, a
weekend to be measured by burgers, beer and
comfortable self-indulgence. The diet of the pilgrims
was of a different sort: active and sustained prayer
spiced with blisters and sore muscles which humbled
their bodies yet inspired their souls.
This extraordinary journey bore spiritual fruit due in
part to the intercession of its Heavenly patron, St. Peter,
metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow. Sunday, September 6
was the feast day of both St. Peter and the wonder-working
icon of the Theotokos which he painted. Various pilgrims
carried both icons the entire route. This year also marks
700 years since St. Peter officially moved the seat of the
Russian Church to Moscow.
Pilgrims from Illinois, Ohio,
Kentucky and New York joined a large group of
faithful from Michigan on Friday, September 4 at Holy
Dormition Monastery. Abbess Gabriella graciously
welcomed everyone, who enjoyed the generous
accommodations of the monastery guesthouse. Fr.
Daniel Marshall, DCMA Youth Committee chairman and
rector of St. George parish in Cincinnati, Ohio
served the moleben before the Start of Any Good Work,
concluding with a prayer to St. Peter. Fr. Gregory
Joyce, diocesan secretary and rector of the host St.
Vladimir parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan, then greeted
pilgrims. He reviewed safety procedures, which called
for a tight procession both preceded and followed by
vans carrying water, snacks, and first aid, as well
as the pilgrims’ tents, sleeping bags, and
suitcases. Saturday morning began with a prayerful
Liturgy sung by the monastery sisters and a tasty
monastery trapeza. Many of the pilgrims confessed and
communed.
God provided a downpour to bless the start of the
procession; steady showers continued for the next four
hours. Undeterred by the weather, the pilgrims set out
while singing the prayerful refrains: “O Most-Holy
Theotokos, save us!”, “O holy hierarch father
Peter, pray to God for us!”, “Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”,
“Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.”
These prayers continued for more than 70% of the walk,
echoing in English and Slavonic along the rural roads of
southern Michigan. As the day wore on and rain gave way to
88° F and 95% humidity, the character of these
refrains changed from intentional to necessary: without
them, the walking became a chore; with them, Grace
enlivened the pilgrims – Grace sufficient to
overcome fatigue, to assist in carrying heavy banners or
icons, and to mask the discomfort of feet trudging along
in rain-soaked shoes and socks.
The Grace of these prayers, sent up
in praise of The Creator, likewise animated His
creation. During one of the more difficult periods on
Saturday, a distant troika of grand horses raised
their heads and galloped across their pasture to trot
alongside the pilgrims, as if joining in the common
praise of the Lord. Shortly thereafter, three cows
and then three more horses did the same. Clearly
enamored with the spirit of the procession, they all
walked beside us to the last possible moment. When a
single donkey then joined in, the Lord’s
triumphal procession into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday
involuntarily came to mind: Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord. Indeed!
This abundant Grace, provided by
the spiritual aid of St. Peter and the Lord’s
Most-Pure Mother, ensured that all the pilgrims
safely arrived at the Waterloo Farm Museum shortly
before sunset, having carried their Crosses for more
than eight hours. Pilgrims quickly assembled their
tents and then dined on a meal prepared under the
direction of St. Vladimir parish head sister, Leta
Nikulshina. Pilgrims whose feet had become blistered
or had other physical difficulties were well attended
to by Svetlana Sokolova, a parishioner of St.
Vladimir’s. An historic hay barn, with its tall
doors thrown open, provided the venue for an open-air
service. While legs stiffened, hymns to the
Resurrected Lord and St. Peter rose through the air,
chanted by Subdeacon Methodius Chwastek and Reader
Alexander Rusakov, along with a volunteer choir.
Sunday morning’s Divine
Liturgy nourished the pilgrims with a special Grace.
Without iconostasis, standing in a simple,
century-old barn made largely of hand-hewn boards,
this gathering of the faithful called to mind the
early Christians. We had walked here – eight
hours through rain and heat – and though a car
could travel that distance in 20 minutes, we had
gotten to a place no vehicle could reach. As the
morning sun illumined the altar table and warmed the
Gifts, the prayers of the faithful mixed with a
chorus of birds. When the communion verse was
finished, a reverent, comfortable silence fell upon
all. As the priest communed and the faithful watched,
we experienced our true destination: The Lord was
there to sustain us all. Humbled by sore feet and
stiff muscles, yet lifted up by the Grace He bestows
upon sinners through the prayers of His-Most Pure
Mother and St. Peter, we tasted… and
ate… and it was good.
A number of pilgrims had struggled
greatly to reach our destination on Saturday, several
had taken ill after our arrival and many awoke with
very sore feet Sunday morning. Nineteen miles
remained to reach St. Vladimir’s, but the
decision was made to shorten the walk to six miles in
order that everyone be able to complete it. The vans
shuttled the group forward at which point the
procession and prayerful refrains resumed. We reached
St. Vladimir’s by 6 p.m., giving thanks to God
for His great mercy to us sinners!
Tents were pitched in a level
grassy field beyond the construction work for the new
St. Vladimir church and everyone enjoyed another
delicious meal from the parish sisterhood. After
evening services, the pilgrims gathered around a
campfire, sharing impressions and cementing new
friendships. Fr. Gregory led the liturgy Monday
morning, at which the faithful once again communed.
After assembling for a final meal as a pilgrimage
family, a Thanksgiving Moleben was served. Particular
thanks is due to Subdeacon Methodius Chwastek, who
thoroughly scouted out the pilgrimage route in
advance and coordinated the logistics of the
procession.
Promising to stay in touch, the
faithful went their separate ways. The DCMA Youth
Committee plans a similar pilgrimage next year over
Labor Day weekend at a different location in the
diocese. Said one participant, “That was the
best Labor Day I have ever had.”
Fr. Daniel Marshall
25 сентября 2015 г.
