On May 19, the 3rd Sunday of Pascha, dedicated to the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), paid an archpastoral visit to the eponymous church in Mount Crawford, VA, where he celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were parish clergy: rector Archpriest Gabriel Weller and Deacons Nektarios Kanney and Thomas Opyoke, as well as Hieromonk Paisios (Laiblin; cleric of Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV).

Prior to the start of Liturgy, Tikhon Carlson was tonsured a reader, while Reader John Cutlip was ordained a subdeacon. Reader Tikhon and Subdeacon John are both assigned to Holy Myrrhbearers parish.

Upon completion of the service, Metropolitan Jonah addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which he called on them to "be myrrhbearers in the world we know today."

After Liturgy, a procession was held around the church, during which His Eminence blessed the newly constructed bell tower.

This November, the parish is expecting iconographers to fresco the altar, and is asking for donations for this beautiful addition to the temple.