On Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of March – the Second Sunday of Great Lent, that of the Holy Hierarch Gregory Palamas – Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Myrrhbearers Church in Mt. Crawford, VA, where he officiated the divine services.

Several years ago, the community of Holy Myrrhbearers moved to Mt. Crawford from a temporary location in nearby Harrisonburg. The official move occurred in 2023. This marked His Eminence’s first visit to the parish’s new location in his capacity as First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, although he visited twice earlier as the diocesan vicar: in September 2020 to break ground and bless the new foundation, and in May 2022, when he served a moleben and blessed the recently erected walls and floor of the new church.

Much work has been done on the new church building, which is quite spacious and includes a sacristy, vestry, choir loft, cry room, offices, and a church hall and kitchen, as well as a pavilion and belfry outside. The surrounding countryside, with its well-maintained farms and country houses, gives the temple a picturesque backdrop and splendid views. Inside, beautiful iconography by John Jurewicz of Erie, PA is gradually covering the walls with frescoes of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, the saints, liturgical themes, and various events from Holy Scripture.

On Saturday afternoon, the faithful greeted the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, which had accompanied the First Hierarch – with flower petals and the peal of bells. An akathist was sung prior to the evening services. Before the start of the All-Night Vigil, a general panihida was served in honor of the Saturday of the Departed.

Vigil then began; serving clergy included: Archpriest Gabriel Weller (parish rector), Priest Richard Reed (parish cleric), Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis (cleric of St. Elizabeth the New-Martyr Church in Columbia, SC), Archdeacon Sergius (Wilson; cleric of Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV), and parish Deacons Nektarios Kanney and Thomas Opyoke.

After Vigil, the sisterhood organized a supper in the parish hall for all in attendance. Metropolitan Nicholas spoke briefly at the end of the meal, noting the Church’s wisdom in honoring Christ’s Resurrection every Sunday, especially during the penitential period of Great Lent, when the "Little Pascha" serves as a guidepost and encouragement on the path to the True Pascha – the Feast of feasts.

The following morning, His Eminence was greeted at the entrance to the church with flower petals and the peal of bells, and a greeting by the parish warden with the traditional bread and salt, followed by the meeting by the aforementioned clergy, who then concelebrated Divine Liturgy with their archpastor.

At the Little Entrance, Fr. Richard was elevated to the rank of archpriest, while Frs. Nektarios and Thomas were elevated to the rank of protodeacon.

The church was filled with worshippers, with virtually all in attendance communing of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which he reiterated the previous evening’s comments on Great Lent as the preparatory season for the joy of Pascha. He added that the Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas is a continuation of the themes of the previous Sunday – the Triumph of Orthodoxy – noting that this Sunday is the triumph of Orthodox piety, practice, and prayer. His Eminence likewise touched on the words of the Sunday Gospel reading, wherein Christ healed the man sick of the palsy. The Gospel tells us that "straightway many were gathered" (Mark 2:2). The people came straightway, or immediately, to hear the Lord’s preaching. Do we do that? Do we come immediately to church, or do we make excuses? His Eminence underscored that Great Lent is the ideal time to set aside these excuses and come to be with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Metropolitan Nicholas greeted the clergy and faithful with the feast and congratulated the newly awarded clergy. He presented an icon of Righteous Paul of Taganrog as a gift to the parish; the icon had once belonged to Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral; +2022) of blessed memory. He asked the parish to remember their departed archpastor in their prayers and remember his legacy.

As the faithful came to venerate the cross, the First Hierarch presented them all with icons of the Holy Hierarchs Tikhon of Moscow and Jonah of Hankou, which had been printed on the occasion of the centennial of their blessed repose (1925-2025). In 2025, these holy saints – luminaries of the Orthodox Faith for those in the Russian Diaspora – were commemorated at the end of every Divine Liturgy.

After the service, a bountiful Lenten luncheon was served in the parish hall. As the Metropolitan prepared to leave, the faithful bore the Kursk Icon several times in procession around the church, before bidding farewell to their ruling bishop with the peal of bells once more.