In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
Young and old alike are in awe when they have the opportunity to walk onto a professional sports team’s field. They think of the ‘greats’ who have been there and played there.
As each and every one of us came here today, did you take a moment to think of the ‘greats’ who have walked on these hallowed grounds?
In the Church, we refer to those greats as ‘Saints’.
On this day, we celebrate one of those saints. One who was a great hierarch, leader and teacher of the Church. Who amongst all of his other wonderful deeds, founded this Holy Monastery and is the one helped grow the seed that was firmly planted in North America into a beautiful Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America....
Saint Tikhon Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America.
Saint Tikhon obediently came to North America from Russia to lead over a flock. He brought with him an astonishing admiration and self-esteem that the people of the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America saw in him. This high self-esteem was not of arrogance or thinking he was better than the other person. This high self-esteem made it that he was well respective and loved by his flock.
The love that the faithful had for him was extraordinary and well earned. After the establishment of the North American Archdiocese and the consecration of Saint Nicholas Cathedral in New York City; in 1905, Saint Tikhon helped establish a new Monastery; this very Holy Church and Holy grounds that we gather today in, Saint Tikhon’s.
Later in his obedience, Archbishop Tikhon was recalled back to Russia and elevated to the Rank of Metropolitan in early 1917. In November of 1917, His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon was elected as the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow.
During this time as the Patriarch of Moscow, Saint Tikhon was carrying such a heavy cross for himself; he was carrying the whole Russian Church’s cross on his shoulders due to the Church and State bad relations and other issues at hand.
However, these issues did not stop His Holiness from administering the Holy Eucharist and the Word of Thy Truth to his flock.
On April 7, 1925, Patriarch Tikhon reposed in the Lord. He made the sign of the Cross twice saying: “Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee”: He reposed just before he could cross himself a third time.
On October 9, 1989, Patriarch Tikhon by decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church was glorified and was numbered among the saints. Of which we celebrate his glorification today.
For nearly seventy years, St Tikhon’s relics were believed to be lost, but in February 1992, they were discovered in a concealed place in the Donskoy Monastery, which is in Moscow.
In today's epistle reading we heard Saint Paul describes Saint Tikhon perfectly.
Saint Paul tells us:
"For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself."
It is also a coincidence that the other Epistle reading that is prescribed for today is, Saint Paul speaking to the Corinthian’s.
Saint Paul says:
“But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,”
These readings are very appropriate for today and especially for the commemoration of the Glorification of Saint Tikhon, especially about the last years and days of his life.
Saint Tikhon suffered under the Bolshevik rule, of which at the time he was the Patriarch of the Russian Church. It was hard for Saint Tikhon, to lead a Church under a government that was “anti-Church”.
He was such a modest, but yet a gentle man when it came to church matters. Being a hierarch of the Church during his time was such a heavy cross for him, but he persevered and kept doing what he did best, by serving the Church and being a leader to a flock that was under scrutiny.
Today as we celebrate Saint Tikhon and remember him on this founder’s day. Let us go and remember Saint Tikhon who planted the seed of this Holy Monastery and envisioned a Theological school that would make future priests for her Church in North America..
Let us also remember on this founder’s day, all of the clergy, monastics, and lay people past and present who helped build these holy grounds and now continue to help keep watering this seed of the monastery and seminary and make it continue to flourish into a beautiful flower that will forever bloom and to continue to provide soldiers for Christ and leaders of His Holy Church.
Holy Hierarch Father Tikhon, pray to God for us!
To God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit be all glory, honor and worship. Amen.