Spring 2000 In This Issue Volume 5, Number 1

The Official Publication of the From His Grace...... 1 Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America The Monastery in the Mountains: The Portection of the Holy Virgin Monastery...... 2 Diocese of the West 650 Micheltorena Street The Life of Fr. Cleopas (Ilie)...... 4 Los Angeles, CA 90026 Phone: 1-800-323-6921 Concord Celebrates 25 Years...... 6 Publisher His Grace Bishop TIKHON In Memory of His Grace, Bishop BASIL...... 7 Bishop of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West Las Vegas Mission Deanery Holds Annual Retreat...... 8

Address all stories and What is Antidoron?...... 9 editorial comments to: Editor-in-Chief Priest Eric G. Tosi A Teen Recounts Project Mexico...... 10 14 Shadow Place Billings, MT 59102 St. Herman’s Celebrates 25 Years...... 11 Phone and Fax: (406)254-1194 Email: [email protected] New Fresco Work Begins on Church...... 12 Address all circulation and advertising to: Choir Conference Held in Santa Rosa...... 13 Office of the Chancellor 5400 Annie Oakley Drive From the Fathers: Las Vegas, NV 89120 Arch. Cleopa (Ilie) “The Passion of the Lord”...... 16 Phone: (702)898-4800 Fax: (702)898-0303

The Orthodox Vision is published three times a year The new Diocese of the West webpage is now online. by the Diocese of the West. It is free to all parish mem- bers and outreach within the Diocese. Subscrip- tions outside the Diocese is available for $10 per year WWW.OCADOW.ORG in the United States and $15 per year in Canada. For the latest information on the Diocese of the West The articles contained herein do not necessarily re- Information on all parishes, institutions and departments flect the views or policies of the Diocese or the editors. Archived issues of The Orthodox Vision The advertisements contained herein are not nec- essarily endorsed by the Diocese or Editorial Staff. Complete letters of instruction from His Grace And much, much more The Orthodox Vision From His Grace Bishop TIKHON

“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me!”

Recently a member of the Faithful frankly told me chanting of an or- of his feelings about some of the services of the dained Reader of the first week of the Great Fast. He belongs to a par- community. I feel the ish that follows the customary order: Compline is same way about all chanted Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and the Psalms that are Thursday evenings of that first week, and during the main content of Compline, after the “usual beginning” of Bless- Compline. I remember the tedium, the shifting ing and prayers, “O come, let us wor- around in the pew that accompanied the compul- ship” three times, and a Psalm, one quarter of the sive “Presbyterian mass mumbling” of Psalms, Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is inserted each of rather than their chanting by a skilled Reader, the four evenings. [These services, together with that marked the services of my Lutheran child- Presanctified Liturgies on Wednesday morning hood. How beautiful to be able to peacefully con- and Friday evening of that first week, make up a template and participate in the letter and content ‘customary minimum” for that week. (The “cus- of the Psalter when it is chanted by a Reader! tomary minimum”, of course, falls far short of what What in the world could possess my Parishioner is actually prescribed for that week, lacking Mat- not to find the Trisagions, or the Psalms beauti- ins, the Lenten Hours, and Vespers.) These ser- ful? vices, like all the services of our Church, provide blessed participation in the life of the Church If one goes on to consider the sung portions of for those that come to them and worship. (It some- these services, especially the Canon itself, the “All- times seems ironic that many who loudly demand Holy”, the “God is with us,” and “O Lord of that every word of every prayer at the Sunday hosts, be with us,” the expressed sentiment of Divine Liturgy must be spoken aloud, and must my Parishioner becomes, to me, totally incompre- be in the hands of the parishioners in a booklet hensible. The troparia of the Canon of St. An- whereby they can “follow along” by reading, with drew are like small gemstones of found prayer. the alleged purpose to “allow our greater partici- Consider only the Kontakion and one of the pation”, these same have an inexhaustible sup- Theotokia: ply of reasons why they can not participate at all or only rarely in the majority of the services of (Kontakion): My soul, my soul, rise up! Why art the Church!] The parishioner told me he regretted thou sleeping? The end draws near and soon thou not having participated in any of the services where shalt be troubled. Watch, then, that Christ thy the Canon had been read this year: moreover, al- God may spare thee, for He is everywhere present though he knew that many characterized these ser- and fills all things. vices as beautiful, he did not find them beauti- ful! (Theotokion): As from purple silk, O undefiled Virgin, the spiritual robe of Emmanuel, His flesh, This bothered me. To me (but I am a Bishop, after was woven in thy womb. Therefore we honor thee all) every word of every Trisagion (and there are as Theotokos in very truth. several of them during Compline) is “beautiful.” I find the Trisagion beautiful when I chant it at I feel that the content of those two verses alone home, alone, but I find it extraordinarily beauti- would make standing in Church for a couple ful and affecting when I am able to participate in hours worthwhile. Further, the constant refrain of it in Church with all the Faithful through the Cont. on p. 15 1 The Orthodox Vision

The Monastery in the Mountains Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery in Lake George, Colorado By Khouria Thekla Hatfield Over the past few years our family and our entire ger than it looks) in a clearing of the woods! I parish has become very close to the nuns of the must also confess that eight-mile drive down a Protection Monastery located outside the little gravel road in the National Forest convinced us Colorado village of Lake George. It all started the first time there that we had not been given when someone suggested that we invite one of good directions...we were wrong. As an artist, the the nuns to speak at a retreat at our parish in cen- first thing I noticed was the homemade sign (on tral Kansas where most of the congregation (our plywood) that announced we were at the right family included) were recent converts! Little did place. Well, I knew right away that we had one we expect that a retreat of two days would de- project to work on! My own first visit was with a velop into the loving and precious relationship friend from our parish (there’s safety in numbers!), that we now enjoy with this Monastery. Our only but I now prefer to go alone to soak up all the regret is that we did not enter into this spiritual peace and quiet that I find at this holy place. relationship sooner! One need that obviously exists at the monastery The summer following the retreat, on several occa- is firewood since the nuns heat the building with sions a number of us managed the eight-hour drive wood-burning stoves. My husband and a group from flat Kansas out to Colorado, around Pikes of people, teens and older, were already planning Peak and up to the small Monastery. Since most on a trip to help cut wood. Obviously, I was of us are former Episcopalians, we had expected going to have to tell them that accommodations to see massive stone buildings; what a surprise are very limited! The men, when they went, slept when we found a small house (actually, it is big- on makeshift beds in the then-unfinished base- 2 The Orthodox Vision ment, the girls slept on couches and the floor in times a the common room and the boys slept in sleeping year, bags on the deck, but they had a great time! In The addition to cutting and hauling wood from the Veil, national forest (it’s right across the road!), the two that is teenage boys repaired, painted and fixed up a very very tiny little shelter which had formerly been well re- used as a school-bus-stop shelter, and it became ceived the “Chapel of All of North America.” by lay- Many of the people from our parish, and from men other parishes that we have contact with, now have and a wonderful relationship with this monastery. It clergy has been a tremendous joy for us to watch things alike. grow and improvements made over these past few years. It is hard to believe that this monastery was We founded only in 1993 when the nuns first came have re- to Calhan, Colorado with very little means. With ceived faith in God and the help of generous and kind count- benefactors, they were given a promise of land in less Delta. This proved unfeasible to develop, but fi- bless- nally a piece of land was purchased (with the help ings of a large mortgage) outside Lake George. (By the since way, don’t bother trying to find Lake George on becoming Orthodox and one of them is definitely the map, it’s very small, but located about one our closeness with Protection Monastery. Living hour west of Colorado Springs) and working in a city, my trips to the Monastery have come to be very precious to me. It is beauti- There are presently three nuns living at the Mon- fully situated high up in the mountains, with astery who follow the Romanian monastic tradi- pristine air and the glories of God’s creation all tion. It has proven to be a nice blend of Byzan- about. This very location brings a calming si- tine and Slavic traditions. lence to the heart. Things slow down and time seems to stop. The day is punctuated by prayer, The works that the nuns do to help support them- work and meals of simple but nourishing food, selves include much of which making and isIf youprepared are inter-from selling theested monastery’s in help- mounted icons simpleing the monas-garden and beautiful andtery orthe wouldwild hand-woven ediblelike to seeplants their rugs, as well as thatcatalog, grow please in running a small thewrite forest. to: Since but growing tomatoes do bookstore that notProtection grow at theof provides Or- altitudethe the Holyof thodox litera- 9000Virgin feet,Monas- we ture and gifts. havetery, taken2243 it They also write onCounty ourselves Road in and send out a Kansas403.Lake to send very nice news- theGeorge, nuns Colo-toma- letter several toesrado 80827almost or weeklycall the rectoryfrom 3 atour (719)748-3999. own garden! The Orthodox Vision

The Life of Archimandrite Cleopa (Ilie) 1912-1998 By Mother Cassiana (Petrow) that need to eat in the mornings on fast days!’ My father did not know how to read, but he was very faithful and feared God; No one would go to bed at night without having said their prayers, nobody would eat without having said the Our Father; he would not hear of someone in the fam- ily not going to Church.” So, having grown in such a God-centered house- hold, it was not a surprise when young Cleopa, then called Constantine, decided together with his brother Vasile, to enter the monastic life. He often related his departure from home to the Mon- astery, “On December 12, 1929, the feast of St. Spiridon, when I was 17 years old, I left my par- ents’ house with my older brother Vasile We had two backpacks. One of them contained the book In December 1998, Orthodox from Romania and of the Lives of the Saints, Book of Hours, and around the world lost a truly great spiritual father Holy Scripture, and the other had two icons, one and teacher, when Archimandrite Cleopa (Ilie) of of the Mother of the Lord and the other of St. Sihastria Monastery in northern Romania fell asleep George. We did not take anything else with us in the Lord. Just a few months after his burial, his when we left home. Our parents, Alexander and life was published in Romanian by one of his Ana, walked along with us, crying, until we spiritual sons, Archimandrite Ioanichie (Balan). reached the outskirts of the village where the fields Holy Protection Monastery, with the help of God, begin. Then Vasile began to sing the Kontakion plans to translate and publish this account of Fr. from the Hymn to Christ, ‘0 Lord, van- Cleopa’s life, as well as his counsels. What fol- quisher of Hades and mighty defender...’, there lows is a very brief outline of a truly holy man we bowed to our parents and kissed their hands, who guided the faithful of Romania through the then turned and left them as we headed for the most difficult days of Communist oppression and Skete of Cozancea...” then through the first years of freedom, when the evil one began attacking in ways which were un- They went on to Sihastria Monastery where they familiar to the pious faithful who flocked to him were “tested” by the Abbot to see if they had real at Sihastria. vocations for the monastic life or not. Having passed the test after three days of total fasting and Father Cleopa was born in 1912 in a small vil- very little sleep, the abbot heard their confession, lage in northeastern Romania, one of ten chil- and administered Holy Communion to them, de- dren. His parents raised him in a true Orthodox ciding that these brothers had the patience to en- environment; he himself would often reflect on dure the rigors and obediences of monastic life. his father, Alexander, who would urge the chil- Father Cleopa, then Brother Constantine, was dren to prayer: “If we children would ask to eat as given the obedience of tending the monastery soon as we got up in the morning, he would tell sheep high up on a mountain belonging to us sternly, ‘First, your prayers!’ And until we had Sihastria. It would have appeared that he was for- prayed for at least one hour, he would not even gotten by those in the monastery, for he remained consider allowing us to eat. On fast days he would all week long on the mountain with the sheep, say, ‘You don’t eat now, not until you come home coming down only on Saturdays and Sundays from school in the afternoon. You are not animals for Vigil and Divine Liturgy. What the brother-

4 The Orthodox Vision hood did not realize was that during these years building materials and even the most basic neces- of peacefully tending the sheep, Brother sities of life, yet in just a few years, under the Constantine read constantly, never being with- guidance of Fr. Cleopa, the community of out the books of the Lives of Saints, the Sayings monastics at Sihastria doubled to over 80. It was of the Holy Fathers and the Holy Bible. In addi- during his years as abbot that many of the tradi- tion to these, every weekend when he would come tions of Sihastria which exist to this day were down to the monastery he would borrow more established: vigil lasting truly all night long for books from the library and in the quiet of the each of the 12 major feasts as well as the Protec- mountain he would read these as well. These were tion of the Theotokos, ceaseless reading of the very quiet, peaceful years for the young monk Psalter in the Church by all the brotherhood in who never wasted a moment, but used all the time order, beginning with the Abbot, and many an- for prayer and study, absorbing a wealth of infor- cient monastic practices which had fallen into ne- mation which he was able to pass on to those glect during earlier years. who flocked to him in later years. After ten years of this obedience tending the sheep, Brother In 1949 the Holy Synod of the Romanian Or- Constantine was tonsured into the Little Schema thodox Church called Father Cleopa to take 30 and given the name of Cleopa, but then was re- of the brotherhood from Sihastria and go to re- turned again to the mountain to care for the sheep new Slatina Monastery. It was with tremendous until 1942 when he was called back from there to heaviness of heart that he left Sihastria for this serve in the administration of Sihastria Monas- new obedience. Once at Slatina he immediately tery. set everything in order there as at Sihastria and remained there as abbot until 1956 when he again Father Cleopa did not readily accept ordination returned to his beloved Sihastria. to the priesthood, for he felt unworthy of such an honor, but finally he felt that it was God’s will The most interesting period of time in Fr. Cleopa’s that he accept this yoke, “in the fall of 1944, as life, and the one which people want to know the we were travelling on an ox-drawn cart to the most about, are the years which he spent living Monastery vineyards an elderly woman came out alone in the forests and mountains between to meet us weeping, carrying a Liturgicon, a priest’s Ceahlau Mountain and Sihastria. These were years stole and a hand blessing cross; she came up to of terrible Communist oppression when count- me and handed them to me saying, ‘Father, these less elders, priests, monks, nuns, and bishops were left to me by an elderly priest who died; I were ar- give them to you; maybe you will need them!’ I rested and took these things back to the monastery. This held under incident touched me so much that I considered it unmen- a divine sign that I must accept the Mystery of tionable Ordination to the Priesthood and the obedience conditions of being the Abbot. Then in January 1945 I was in prisons; ordained a priest and named to be abbot of the some were Monastery in the place left by the elderly abbot later re- who had fallen asleep in the Lord.” leased, some died When Father Cleopa received the staff of Abbot under the of Sihastria, the monastery was in a great state of torture and disarray and need of repair. A fire in 1941 had inhuman left many of the buildings either totally destroyed condi- or greatly damaged. There were almost no cells for tions, and the monks, yet young novices continued to en- many were ter their ranks; it was difficult to find and obtain simply Cont.never on p. 14 5 heard from again, presumed dead. Fr. Cleopa had The Orthodox Vision

St. Michael’s Celebrates 25 Years...and a Move By Doug King St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church in the parish to examine our life and ministry, espe- Concord, CA celebrated its 25th Anniversary cially in light of our recent move from Danville to Patronal Festival over the weekend of November Concord, California. 6-7,1999. His grace, TIKHON, Bishop of the Dio- cese of San Francisco and the West, led the cel- St. Michael the Archangel was founded in the fall ebration. of 1974

Festivities commenced on Saturday with a when Metropolitan VLADIMIR (Nagosky), then Panikhida for members of the parish who have acting Primate of the Western Diocese, charged Fr. fallen asleep, followed by a light supper. After Michael Prokurat to survey all Orthodox Chris- supper, All-night Vigil tians in the Walnut was served. Music was Creek, California area, provided by a visiting with an eye towards choir led by Archpriest opening a “primarily Stephen Meholick, of English-speaking mis- St. Nicholas Parish, San sion parish … in Wal- Anselmo. nut Creek.” With a nucleus of six families, At the Hierarchical Divine Fr. Michael was ap- Liturgy on Sunday pointed the mission’s morning, attended by first rector, and services parishioners, as well as were commenced in No- many friends and former vember of 1974. After members of the parish, His three years of holding Grace,Bishop services in various tem- TIKHONpresented Archpriest Michael Regan, Rec- porary facilities, the parish purchased its first prop- tor of St. Michael, with a palitsa. Following the erty, a house in Danville, CA in 1977. In 1981, Liturgy, Bishop TIKHON presented Grammotas to the Danville facility was renovated for use as a parish founders Nadine Blank, Nicholas Cooke, Day Care facility during the week, and as a Church John Maruschak, Alex and Millie Sturmer and Al on weekends. In the fall of that year, Fr. Michael Victors. The parish as a whole also received a left the parish to become Chancellor of the Dio- Grammota in recognition of our 25 years service. cese of the Midwest, and Fr. Michael Regan be- The festival then continued with a banquet lun- came rector of the parish. During the following cheon in the Atrium of the Concord Sheraton, dur- years, parish membership reached the capacity of ing which Bishop TIKHON challenged the Danville facility, and several plans were exam-

Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery Releases Catalog To recieve the catalog call ❏ Icons (719)748-3999 ❏ Hand-made Rugs or write ❏ Worship Items Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery ❏ Prayer Ropes 2343 County Road 403 ❏ Cds P.O. Box 416 ❏ Books and more Books Lake George, CO 80827

6 The Orthodox Vision In Memory of His Grace, Bishop BASIL (Rodzianko) The whole Orthodox Church mourned the pass- While in ing of His Grace, Bishop BASIL, former Bishop England, he of the Diocese of the West. His Grace passed away worked on at his home on September 17, 1999, ironically the BBC’s on the day before he was to receive his American Russian lan- citizenship. His Grace was one of the most promi- guage divi- nent Orthodox churchman of the century. sion and broadcast re- Bishop BASIL was born Vladimir Rodzianko in ligious ser- Otrada, Russia on May 22, 1915 to a prominent mons into aristocratic family. His grandfather was the presi- the Soviet dent of the Russian Imperial Duma during the Union. turbulent last days of the rule of Emperor Nicho- These “un- las II. In 1919, his family was forced to flee to derground” Yugoslavia where he grew up. His father-confes- broadcasts” sor was St. John of San Francisco who had pre- became im- dicted that young Vladimir would one day be- mensely come a bishop. He received his degree from the popular in University of Belgrade and pursued graduate work Russia and at the University of London. In 1937, he mar- helped ried his beloved Mary Kolubayev. bring the Faith to the people. He was considered an enemy of the Soviet State and his life was threat- At the outbreak of World War II, he returned to ened at times. In fact, his grandson was killed Serbia and was ordained a priest. He served his during what was thought to be an assassination first Liturgy with St. Nicholas of South Canaan attempt on him. He also participated in many on the day of the Nazi invasion. During World ecumenical projects and became an important scholar, War II, Fr. Vladimir observed the massacre of ci- particularly on the question of the . vilians by the Nazis invaders. And as he often quoted, “The day the Nazis left, the Communists In 1979, his beloved wife passed away and he took moved in.” In 1949 he was arrested by the Com- monastic vows and was received into the Orthodox munists for alleged illegal religious propaganda Church in America. He was consecrated bishop on and sentenced to eight years of hard labor. He January 12, 1980 as an auxiliary to His Beatitude was released after two years through the interven- THEODOSIUS and was given the name Basil. He tion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and brought served as Bishop of San Francisco from 1980 until to England. his retirement in 1984. He then resumed his reli- gious broadcasts into the Soviet Union from Wash- There are many poignant stories of Bishop ington, DC. BASIL’s time in the prison camp. He was stripped of his cassock and his cross and the guards cut During the time of Perastroyka, he was invited to his beard. He was, of course, denied the right to come back to Russia and serve in Leningrad with serve while at the camp. Once during the Feast of Metropolitan JOHN. There was a rumor going Theophany, faithful gathered in a circle around around that the city’s name was to be changed back him as they exercised. An outer circle was formed to St. Petersburg. At the Liturgy, he was the first to by non-believers to shield him from the guards. remember Metropolitan JOHN as the Bishop of St. There, while they walked, he recited the service Petersburg, something that had not been done in and pointing to the falling snow said that was eighty years. That event, he later remarked, was the Holy Water and it blessed the whole camp. important to him. Since his grandfather had been associated with the beginning of the Revolution (His grandfather presented the papers of abdication 7 to the Czar), he felt as a Rodzianko, he could begin The Orthodox Vision

Mission Deanery Retreat Held in Boulder aspects of mis- City sion life. This year’s featured As has become an annual tradition, the Las Vegas speaker was Mission Deanery held its pre-Lenten Retreat. In Mother attendance were representatives from over 21 mis- Gabriella sions currently being served by the Diocese across (Ursache), the the western United States. The missions cross Abbess of Holy into traditional deanery territories but are also ex- Dormition panding into previously open regions of he Dio- Monastery in cese. The phenomenal growth of the Diocese has Rives Junc- been fueled in part by enthusiasm generated by tion, Michigan. these missions. Each year as new missions are Mother being formed with established mission being Gabriella spoke moved into the geographical deaneries. In the in depth about end, it spurs growth in the Diocese and energizes the discipline the deaneries with young missions. of the spiritual life, especially The concept of the retreat is to gather the mis- focusing on the unique calling of the monastic. sions together for prayer, reflection and to ex- She focused on our life gaining an identity, mainly change information vital to opening and operat- a unique identity by reflecting the image of God. ing a mission parish. Mission life presents unique Using numerous insights and examples from the problems and issues that are better dealt with when Bible and the Holy Fathers, she was able to paint they can work together for the common good of a beautiful portrait of a spiritual life grounded in the Church. The sessions become invaluable for the Church and built on the gifts the Church fellowship and information since many of these offers us through the liturgical and sacramental missions are isolated and can rarely have contact life. She presented a strong belief that the best with other Orthodox Churches. education we can all receive is through a full par- ticipation in the liturgical cycle of the Church. The retreats have traditionally brought in speak- ers to focus on different spiritual and practical Mother Gabriella also shared many anecdotes about her upbringing in Roma- nia under an anti-religious re- gime. This was translated to highlight the difference between growing up in America where freedom can mean a loss of Faith and in a country with strong Orthodox roots which the people cling to in order to sur- vive the difficulties. She also encouraged the parishes to es- tablish a strong relationship with monastic communities so that they can mutually feed each other in the Faith.

Cont. on p. 14

8 The Orthodox Vision What is Antidoron? By Archpriest Joseph Hirsch At our Church we take bread and wine right af- our Lord, needed to “Cover the Holy Gifts” both ter we receive Holy Communion. When I go to the to prevent the inadvertent spitting forth of a par- Greek Church, they only take some bread. Also, ticle from the mouth while singing or praying we all take some bread when we come to kiss the after reception and to prevent choking on the Cross at the end of the Liturgy. They call this particle. Also it seemed appropriate that those who “Antidoron” and the priest gives it to catechu- had fasted from the previous evening in prepara- mens and non-Orthodox visitors as well as pa- tion for reception of the Holy Mysteries, should rishioners. What is the meaning of these prac- be fed something lest they should, “Faint by the tices and why do some Churches give wine and wayside” for want of nourishment. others do not? Also, as the Church grew and spread, it was com- mon for the faithful to bring offerings of Bread The blessing and distribution of bread to the faith- (Prosphora), wine, oil, honey and other com- ful is a very ancient tradition of the Church. We modities to the Church. From among these offer- know that, in some of the early Churches, a meal ings, usually brought to the Vigil Service, the followed the Liturgy, although St. Paul criticized Deacons would select the best to be used in the the practice of the Church at Corinth, in which Divine Mysteries. The rest, including such items the rich ate their own food and did not share with as fruit and grain, would be distributed among the poor. In some other places, there was a practice the Clergy as part of their support and among the of blessing bread, boiled wheat, wine and olive widows and worthy poor of the parish. oil during the, “All-night Vigil” and this practice has survived in monasteries, where the brethren From among the Prosphora or “Offering Loaves”, retire to the Narthex or Refectory for such a meal five or sometimes seven loaves were set aside for a in the midst of certain Vigil Services. It also sur- particular Liturgy. And, from these Loaves, only vives in the Lytia which accompanies many of the a small portion would actually be placed on the Vigil Services in our parishes and in the Discos as Elevated Gifts, either as the Eucharistic “Artoclasia” or “Braking of bread” which Greek Lamb or as particles in commemoration of Our parishes sometimes serve as a Moliebin following Lady, The Holy Saints, or living or departed Or- the Divine Liturgy on the feast day of a . thodox Christians. The remainder of these loaves was and still is, cut into small portions and dis- Long after the Liturgy ceased to be served in the tributed either to those who have just received context of an ordinary fellowship meal, the prac- Holy Communion, in order to, as we said above, tice of distributing blessed bread to those who “Cover the gifts”. In the Russian tradition this is had received Holy Communion remained. In the accompanied by a swallow of wine mixed with West, leavened “Holy Bread” continued to be hot water. The remainder of these loaves is dis- distributed, long after unleavened “Hosts” were tributed to those who have failed to prepare for substituted for the Artos or Leavened Prosphora Holy Communion, during the chanting of the in the Latin “Mass”. In North Africa, a double Psalm, “I will bless The Lord at all times” which, handled “Calix Caritatis” or “Loving Cup” of according to the Service Books, precedes the Dis- wine mixed with water, was passed around among missal at Liturgy. This bread is called Antidoron communicant at certain liturgies. Greeks, sometimes, (Anti = In place of + doron = Gifts). It is received refer to the Antidoron as “Agape” bread, from in place of the Holy Gifts and is also, sometimes, the Greek word for Christian Love. called “Naphra” from the Greek word Anaphora or “Offering”. Two impulses seem to account for this tradition. First, it was felt that those who had received the The Antidoron should be handled with great re- Most Precious and All-Holy Body and Blood of spect. Sometimes, pieces of it or a special small prosphora, from which the priest has made com- 9 memorations for the living and departed of the The Orthodox Vision A Teen Recounts Project Mexico By Katherine Pylypczuk found a way to contribute their talents. After four days, the small, stuccoed house stood completed before us. The house had two win- dows, no plumbing, no electricity, and exposed two by fours in the interior. As I looked at this family’s new house I saw another shack crammed into the steep hillside but the family saw a bless- ing a new beginning. This new house had solid, sturdy walls to keep the rats, neighborhood dogs, and insects out. It also had a cement floor. Now, they wouldn’t have to fear for their children’s lives during the rainy season. Many other Tijuana chil- dren die each year from pneumonia during the rains because the dirt floor in their homes turns to On July 14, twenty-eight Ambassadors of Christ mud, making it impossible to stay dry. In the crossed the border into Tijuana, Mexico. Ortho- United States we live in fear of car accidents, sec- dox Christians form Massachusetts, Illinois, Cali- ond hand smoke, or plane crashes, never rain. fornia, and Colorado had come together to pray, share the gospel, and perform a work of great At the end of our week I began to prepare to cross mercy. I had been on two other missions with the border again. I hoped that the memory of my Father Anthony and a group from Colorado week would not fade too quickly as I returned to Springs, but anticipation and curiosity still filled a life of luxury in the United States. We live a my mind. On each trip, I seemed to find a key that convenient life, but it is often an empty life. The unlocks a secret to life that has been hidden away, nights I spent sleeping on the ground hoping waiting to be freed. I could only wonder what I nothing would get into the tent and the days of would discover on this trip. hard work were the happiest I have ever experi- enced. I often feel lost and don’t know who I am. We humbly stayed at Saint Innocent Orphanage. In Tijuana I had a purpose, a place in God’s plan. Everyone slept in tents on the rocky ground, ate Because of something I helped build, a family rice and beans for every meal, and shared one toi- was given a new beginning and shown how pow- let. The day was filled with prayer, hot sun, and erful the love of God can be. hard work. The whole group worked together and each day constructed more pieces to a house for a I hope to return to Mexico, the cluttered shacks needy family. Many had never done construction on the hillsides, the tents and the people. Here I work before, but with a little patience, everyone can leave a piece of myself in a house for a poor

2000 Clergy Wives’ Retreat The Diocese of the West Announces May 19 to 21 The Annual Fort Ross Celebration in Portland, Oregan at historic Fort Ross outside of San Francisco, California This year’s guest speaker To be held on July 4th Archpriest Lawrence Russell Divine Liturgy begins at 10:00 AM For more information, call (503)659-3646 For more information, call 10 The Orthodox Vision St. Herman’s in Oxnard Celebrates 25 Years of Service By Priest Paul Waisanen With help from brethren from other parishes in Scott Cowan and John Soucek came from St. In- the Diocese, St. Herman Orthodox Church, after nocent in Tarzana and led the choir on Sunday. celebrating 25 years of genuine worship in the Reader Stephen Butler, who teaches music com- Orthodox Tradition, enters the third Millennium position at Westmont College and his wife with a Holy Tradition and new vision of the fu- Serafima joined us from St. Athanasios in Goleta. ture in particular. The parish dedicated an entire You can imagine how wonderful they sounded weekend to prayer and reflection as well as study- and what an expression of brotherly love this was ing the life of the patron St. Herman of Alaska. to St. Herman’s parish.

The parish had help from choir directors for the On Saturday, there was a seminar on the life and whole weekend. Carol Shumaik came from St. ministry of St. Herman himself. Fr. Lawrence John of Damascus in Poway. Kyril Sokolov, son Russell, scheduled to discuss the place of Saints of Fr. Victor Sokolov of Holy in San Fran- in the Orthodox Church, had an opportunity to cisco also helped in the celebration. The parish visit Holy sites in Russia so Fr. Paul took his was able to form a deanery choir to sing the ser- place. Fr. Gregory Safchuk spoke from personal vices. experience of the continuing living ministry of St. Herman in the lives of the Alaskan people. Ann Jarlson, her daughters, Elena and Stephanie Mother Victoria (in spite of being quite sick with and the youth choir director from St. Paul’s in the cold and flu) dealt with the actual life of St. Las Vegas, Athena Rodis came, helped us through Herman himself, pointing out the need for a real a practice for the Liturgy and sang with us dur- historical study of his life. The women of the ing the Vigil and stayed over at their own ex- parish prepared a wonderful Lenten meal followed pense and sang again at the Hierarchical Liturgy. by the All-Night Vigil with our Chancellor

being 11Archimandrite Nikolai (Soraich). The Orthodox Vision Fresco Painting Underway at St. Seraphim Church

In 1992, Fr. Michael Margitich, then rector of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Parish in Santa Rosa, CA, proposed that the parish build a new church to accommodate the rapidly growing con- gregation. It was agreed that the church building itself would be faithful in every way to the archi- the tectural Tradition of the Church. It was also agreed parish has embarked on the wall painting project. that the iconographic scheme of the new church The iconographer in charge of the project, Fr. building—the wall paintings of feasts and saints, Simon (Doolan), is a monk at the monastery of and so on—would be of primary importance and St. Gregory of Sinai, located in Kelseyville, Lake determine to a great extent the actual shape of the County, CA, which is not far from Santa Rosa. new church’s interior and wall surfaces. (Fr. Simon, who was a student of Leonid Ouspensky, is currently working on a biogra- In the Orthodox Church, architecture serves the phy of Ouspensky.) iconographic scheme and provides for wall sur- faces that are “icon friendly.” For example, the For the iconographic wall paintings, Fr. Simon is dome provides the traditional and significant cir- using fresco technique, in which paint is applied cular area for the Pantocrator icon and is the highest directly onto wet lime plaster. As the plaster dries, and most theologically significant area of the the paint pigment forms a bond with the plaster. building; the conch of the Apse at the eastern Numerous Orthodox churches in this country have end of the church provides the place for the Vir- wall paintings produced using various methods, gin Mary; the lower Apse allows the Fathers of but to the best of our knowledge, none of them the Church to stand around the Holy Altar; the has used the fresco technique. Fresco paintings upper wall areas in the Nave provide the space for adorn countless Orthodox churches throughout the Feasts of the Church; the west wall, at the the Balkans, Russia, and Greece, and one can see back of the church, yields space for the scenes of a vast amount of pre- and post-Renaissance West- the Passion and the Virgin’s Dormition; the lower ern religious art painted in this manner, especially walls harbor the saints, who stand all around the in Italy. congregation as a “great cloud of witnesses”; the columns uphold the pillars of the church, the The photos show Fr. Simon and his assistant, Fr. Apostles Peter and Paul, the Saints “Equal to the Emilanos, painting the icons of the Archangel Apostles,” and other Saints. Gabriel and the Theotokos (that together form the Annunciation) and the icon of St. John the Bap- After four years of worshipping in the newly con- tist. Each icon was begun at about 3 AM, starting structed St. Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church, with the application of the final coat of lime plas- ter. Painting began at about 8 AM and continued 12 The Orthodox Vision

means that a church singer does not have to learn Music Seminar Held in Santa Rosa a new and different melody for every hymn—with 65,000 hymns over the course of the year, that The Liturgical Singing Seminar 2000 took place would be impossible. Instead, one only needs in Santa Rosa, CA, on February 4th and 5th and to learn some twenty-plus Special Melodies (not was hosted by the parish of the Protection of the an easy task either) in addition to the usual Holy Virgin Mary. Approximately seventy par- Tones.2 (Russian practice uses fewer Special Melo- ticipants, representing most of the jurisdictions, dies.) Finally, the Special Melodies remind us of came from far and near to study the singing of the other feast and saints’ days, and one has the the “Special Melodies” (Podoben in Russian and sense that the hymns of the year are interrelated. Prosomion in Greek). Where can one find these chants? The Slavonic chant books have the melodies in them, but no What are the “Special Melodies” and how are they publications in English of the sets of Special used? The hymn books of our Church Melodies are available currently. However, two new (Oktoekhos, Triodion, Pentecostarion, Menaion, books are now being prepared. In the near future etc.) contain approximately 65,000 different we can look forward to a book by Walter hymns, specified to be sung at various occasions. Obleschuck, of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Bos- Perusing these books, one will see that any given ton, which will include the Russian, Kievan, and 1 hymn is to be chanted in one of the Eight Tones. Galician Special Melodies. Holy Transfiguration However, a large number of hymns will have the Monastery of Brookline, MA, is also preparing a additional heading “Sing to the Special book of the Byzantine Chant Special Melodies Melody…,” after which the name of a special to be used in conjunction with the hymns in the melody is given. For example, Special Melody: Pentecostarion and the Horologion. 3 At the Joy of the Heavenly Hierarchies or Special Melody: Singing Seminar, the participants were provided O Marvelous Wonder. When a hymnographer with a list and the music of the Special Melodies. writes a Service to a newly glorified saint, he uses the melody of a well-known hymn as the model Featured speakers at the Seminar this year were: and “tune” for the new text. Fr. Stephen (Meholick) from St. Nicholas Ortho- dox Church in San Anselmo, CA, who spoke on Open your Festal Menaion to the Forefeast of the history and use of the Special Melodies; John Nativity, and you will see that at the Matins Boyer, chanter at the Annunciation Greek Ortho- Aposticha we are instructed to sing the hymns in dox Cathedral in San Francisco, who was in charge Tone Two, to the Special Melody “O House of of Byzantine chant; Ann Schoep and Alice Ephratha….” If we then open our Menaion to Hughes, the event organizers, who worked with the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, at Small singers and directors on technique; Fr. Lawrence Vespers at the Aposticha we are told to sing those Margitich, from Protection of the Holy Virgin Par- particular texts once again to “O House of ish in Santa Rosa, who spoke on liturgical sing- Ephratha….” ing and “aliturgical singing”; and Fr. Simon (Doolan), the iconographer, from St. Gregory of We see that these Podobni, to use the Russian Sinai Monastery in Kelseyville, Lake County, CA, word, serve a number of purposes. First, they pro- who gave a presentation on the iconography of vide musical variety, especially in the daily ser- the church and the use of a canonical model and vices of Vespers and Matins where the majority of type for both chanting and iconography. stichera are sung to Special Melodies. This means that there are chant melodies to be used other than Great Vespers and Divine Liturgy were served on the usual pattern melodies of any given Tone, as Friday and Saturday mornings, respectively. On is the practice in most of the parishes of our Dio- Saturday evening, the Resurrection Vigil was sung cese. antiphonally with two large choirs comprised of the participants. Second, for the Greek (and Byzantine usage) it 13For more information about upcoming Liturgi- The Orthodox Vision

Cleopa News of his falling asleep on December 2, 1998 Cont. from p. 5 spread quickly throughout the entire world. His funeral was served by eight bishops, countless groups of people began coming to the Monas- priests, with tens of thousands of faithful in at- tery to hear him, to confess to him, to bring their tendance. His cell has been preserved as it was problems to their beloved and trusted elder; these during his life, and the iconographer from Sihastria flocks of people travelling down the unmaintained has painted a portrait of Fr. Cleopa which is placed road to Sihastria, continued until his falling asleep. among the icons in his cell. His grave is covered The name of Fr. Cleopa spread not only through- with flowers in the summer and candies in the out Romania, but through the entire Orthodox winter. There is no doubt that the people who world. come to his grave say now, as they did during his life, “Fr. Cleopa, pray for us sinners.” In the 1970’s Fr. Cleopa had occasion to visit the Holy Land, Mount Sinai, and Mount Athos. His later counsels to people were often peppered with “when I was ‘in Jerusalem, Mt. Sinai, the holy Mountain...” and he would describe these holy places to those who came to him so vividly and simply that it was as if others could see these things through his holy eyes. On returning to Romania from Mt. Athos, Fr. Cleopa went through Serbia and sought the counsel of Father Justin Popovich. He told Fr. Justin that he wanted to return permanently to Mt. Athos, but Fr. Justin told him “Father Cleopa, if you go back to the Holy Mountain, you will add another flower to the Garden of the Mother of God. But to whom will you entrust all the faithful (of Romania) who come to you? There, on the Holy Mountain, you Another highlighted speaker was Archpriest Paul will pray for your soul. But in Romania you pray Kucynda, the coordinator of the Missions Unit for all who come to you and you can offer to for the Orthodox Church in America. Fr. Paul God countless souls who would otherwise be has been a regular attendee at the retreat and has without a guide.” offered much practical and useful advice on orga- nizing and funding a mission. He is continually Thus, Fr. Cleopa returned to Sihastria, never to soliciting feedback from this unique deanery to leave again. His cell was a cottage up on the hill help in training other missions across the coun- just behind the Monastery compound. There he try. One of the highlights of his visit was to offi- stayed, counseling individuals who came to him, cially establish a new mission grant for St. Mary speaking to groups of people, guiding them in Magdalene Mission in Merced, California, the third the spiritual life, and, after the Revolution of 1989 in the Diocese to receive such a grant. when Communism in Romania fell, he strongly Retreat warned the faithful to beware of the Protestant Cont. from p. 8 proselytes who were appearing in every comer of Romania. Other sessions included talks by Archimandrite Nikolai (Soraich) on Diocesan issues that affect During the three short years when I myself lived mission work. Archpriest Ian MacKinnon, the at Varatec Monastery in Romania, very close to Dean, also spoke of various projects and work of Sihastria, I was blessed on countless occasions to the Deanery. New missions communities are now go to Sihastria for one reason or another. What a being formed in Helena, Montana and Kelso, joy it was to go up the hill to Fr. Cleopa’s cell Washington. The Dean also welcomed Priest Paul and receive his blessing. His humility and his14Schellbach into the Deanery as the new rector of The Orthodox Vision

Have Mercy on me Passion cont. from p. 1 Cont. from p. 16 the Canon, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,” when repeated throughout to the “And if I stay on Tabor, Peter, who will break asunder the gates of bronze, for Scripture says, ‘Arise, princes, lift up your eternal gates, for the King of traditional melody, resembles very much the waves glory shall enter.’?” of the sea of life breaking on the shore of our soul, and we bow down with compunction each So, Peter’s conscience bothered him for trying to stop the Savior from going time. to His crucifixion. The Savior then said to him, “I will show you who I am on Tabor, but from there we will go to Golgotha, the other mountain, and there I will suffer and fulfill the Scripture, and then I will ascend in the glory And what of the long, beautiful prayers begin- which I had from My Father from the foundation of the world, and so ning, “O undefiled, untainted, uncorrupted, raise up all of Adam to the right hand of glory.” most pure, chaste Virgin…” and “And grant unto us, O Master, in the coming sleep, rest for body It was the Savior’s good will to take the three apostles, Peter, John and his and soul…?” brother James, and to go up to the top of Mount Tabor. There, the three apostles, tired from the climb up the mountain, slept. Through God’s dis- pensation, when they awoke they beheld the Savior transfigured before Perhaps we need to re-examine the curricula of their eyes; they saw Him standing in spirit and speaking with the two great our parish educational programs, especially as they prophets, Moses and Elijah. relate to our liturgical life. Two things become apparent to me when I think about my unfortu- In the words of St. Ephraim, Mount Tabor became the image of the Church. The Father spoke from heaven; the Son was transfigured; and the Holy nate parishioner’s comment about Compline and Spirit was represented in the image of the cloud. The new law was repre- the Canon of St. Andrew. We are not properly sented by the three apostles who fell to the ground at the brightness of the preparing the Faithful for participation, real par- divine light, and the two prophets, Moses and Elijah, representing the Old ticipation, in the prayer and worship of the Law, were present in spirit speaking with the Lord. Thus, Tabor took on the Church that God has given us. Compline and image of the Church of god at the moment of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ. the Canon of St. Andrew were not part of my parishioner’s childhood. And perhaps too little Behold what a great mystery was revealed on Tabor, for it was not long after emphasis may have been given to the imperma- that when the Savior went to Jerusalem, to be captured, sold, beaten, mocked nence, to the fragility, of our life in the world and crucified and finally to rise from the dead. vis-à-vis the Life that has been prepared for us by This particular piece was translated by Mother Cassiana (Petrow), the Abbess of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery. Mother Cassiana is currently translating the collected works of Fr. Cleopa which is due for release in the very near future.

Christ in eternity, so that a service almost entirely 15 The Orthodox Vision From the Fathers The Passion of the Lord By Fr. Cleopa (Ilie) Translated from “Ne Vorbeste Parintele Cleopa” Volume 7 I speak to groups of people, and to individuals. If, because of my words, one hundred will turn to repentance, than I will be rewarded a hundred- Then the Savior turned to Peter and spoke to him angrily, “Get behind me, fold! If sixty or thirty will turn back, according to the Gospel, I will have a Satan, for your thoughts are not from God but from man.” He calls Peter great reward. If, from only a few in the church, only one will turn to God, “Satan”, for the word satan means ‘against’, and Peter was against Christ then that too holds a great reward, for a single soul is more precious than all fulfilling the plan of the salvation of man, he was against Him dying. That is the world, than all which exists under heaven. why the Lord calls him “satan.” It was as if he said, “You stop me from going to death? If I do not go to death, all the generations of Adam that have been This knowledge is what has urged to speak to the few of you who are here, in Hades for 5508 years will not be saved. If I do not go to Golgatha and who came with a great deal of effort, through all the rain and mud, climbing suffer death, death on the cross, then all mankind cannot be saved; for this up this hill and mountain, using all your strength to reach here. Those of you is why I have come into the world, to pour out who have gone through so much to get here will My blood and to die for the sake of mankind, out have a greater reward than those who come only of the love that I have for all. when the weather is nice. “You want Me to stay on Tabor? Then who will Whenever a good deed is accomplished through go to Golgotha? ‘If I stay on Tabor, Peter, and do much effort, the reward from God is that much not carry the cross to Golgotha, how then will the greater in proportion. When a good deed is ac- prophecy of Isaiah be fulfilled that says, ‘I gave complished with little effort it is rewarded to a lesser my back to beatings and my cheeks to spitting, I extent. Whenever you do something with a great did not turn my face from the shame of spittle.’?” deal of difficulty, expending all your energy, you will receive an even greater reward from our all- “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, how will the Scripture be gracious God. fulfilled that says, ‘without beauty, without maj- esty we saw him, a man of sorrows and familiar Eight days prior to going up Mt. Tabor, when Peter with sufferings ... on Him lies a punishment that declared to the Savior, “You are the Christ, the Son brings us peace, and through his wounds we are of the living God,” the Lord praised him for this healed.’?” confession which was both true and dogmatic, saying, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, how will the Scripture be for it is not flesh and blood which revealed this to fulfilled that says, “‘he let himself be taken for a you, and I say that you are Peter” which means rock, the rock of faith, “and sinner’, as one crucified between two thieves?” upon this rock will I build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, where is the fulfillment of Scripture which says, ‘they looked upon him whom they had pierced’ when they shall pierce my Here the Lord shows us that the Church of Christ is built upon the right side with the spear according to the prophecy of Zachariah?” believing faith of Peter and those who believe as he did. The gates of hell, as St. Athanasius says, are the mouths of the heterodox and heretics who blas- “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, how then will the prophecy of David be fulfilled pheme against the true Church, but they will not prevail. which says, “they gave me gall to eat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink’?” Do not speak against the Church, for it is built upon Jesus Christ who is the cornerstone. “”If I stay on Tabor, Peter, where is the fulfillment of the Scripture, ‘they divided my clothes among them and for my garment they cast lots’?” At that same time, eight days before the Transfiguration, Peter, who had been “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, and do not go to pour out My blood on the Cross praised for his right faith, receives a rebuke from Christ. For the Savior had so that I am bare bones, how with the prophecy of the Psalmist be fulfilled, begun to speak about His coming passion and His suffering which would ‘I can count every one of my bones, and there they glare at me, gloating’?” befall Him in Jerusalem, saying, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be given into the hands of sinful men; they will mock Him “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, and you make a tent for Me, what about the proph- and beat Him and spit upon Him and wound Him and will crucify Him, ecy which says, ‘they pierced my hands and my feet’?” putting Him to death, but on the third day, He will arise.” Peter, out of his love for the Savior, wanted to halt Him, to keep Him from “If I stay on Tabor, Peter, how will the Scripture be fulfilled that says, ‘He was going to His crucifixion. “Lord, this should not happen to Thee.” In other pierced through for our faults, and through his wounds we are healed.’?” words, “Protect Thyself, 0 Lord! Do not go up to Jerusalem. Stay here so that Thou dost not die!” Cont. on p. 15 16

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