Holy Cross Monastery Hosts Hawaiian Icon and Metropolitan Jonah for Ascension
On Monday, May 26, 2025, Igumen Gabriel and the Holy Cross brotherhood welcomed Metropolitan Jonah for an archpastoral visit. Vladyka Jonah was present to officiate the celebrations of the great feast of the Ascension of the Lord, as well as to lead the area clergy, monastics, and faithful in receiving the miraculous, myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Theotokos for her first visit to the area in many years.
On Wednesday evening, Vladyka Jonah officiated the vigil at nearby Christ the Savior Orthodox Church, where several Holy Cross fathers were also in attendance. During the vigil the Hawaiian Icon of the Theotokos arrived and was joyfully greeted by Vladyka, the clergy, and faithful.
On Thursday morning, the Hawaiian Icon was welcomed at the monastery by the clergy and faithful with the festive ringing of bells, followed by a short moleben in church. This was followed shortly thereafter with the greeting of Metropolitan Jonah. Serving alongside His Eminence were Holy Cross clergy, Christ the Savior clergy, and Priest Nectarios Yangson and Deacon Seraphim Andov (accompanying the Hawaiian Icon). Many local and out-of-state pilgrims were also in attendance.
After the festive meal the brotherhood and pilgrims bid a festive farewell to Vladyka Jonah. The Holy Icon was then taken throughout the monastery to bless the monastery grounds, workshops, and monastic living areas.
That evening a festive moleben with akathist was sung to the Mother of God before her Holy Icon. It was an opportunity for many Orthodox (and non-Orthodox) believers to venerate and to ask the Heavenly Queen for her maternal intercessions.
On Friday a pannykhida for the newly departed abbot of the monastery, Schema-Archimandrite Panteleimon, was served before the Holy Icon. The monastic fathers and pilgrims then bid an bittersweet farewell to the Hawaiian Icon and Fr. Nectarios.
It was a tremendous consolation for the Holy Cross brotherhood to receive such an overflow of divine blessings after having recently lost their abbot: the presence of the Mother of God in the Hawaiian Icon, the visit of Vladyka Jonah for the great feast, and the joint festal celebrations with the clergy and faithful of Christ the Savior. Glory to God for all things!
Leave a comment