The Holy Apostle Paul writes to the Hebrews “…we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…”(12:1), but who are these witnesses? Our Venerable Father Silouan the Athonite reminds us the faithful that the cloud of witnesses is comprised of:
…our holy Forefathers and Patriarchs who valiantly carried their faith before …the Prophets who received the Holy Spirit, and by their exhortations called the people to God…the Apostles who died that the Gospel might be preached…the Martyrs who gladly gave their lives for love of Christ…the holy Prelates who followed the Lord’s example and took upon themselves the burden of their spiritual flock…the holy Fathers who lived lives of prayer and fasting, and those who assumed folly for Christ’s sake, all of whom fought the good fight and thereby overcame the world…[and] all the righteous who kept God’s commandments and vanquished their passions.
We look to build our sanctuary to God’s glory, honoring Him, together with and through the intercessions of this great cloud of witnesses, most notably those Saints whose Holy Relics that we are blessed to have at our parish. In 2005, we received a Holy Relic of St. Anna. In 2007, we received Holy Relics of Ss. Joachim and Anna. In 2008, we were gifted a Holy Relic of our Venerable Father, Herman of Alaska. In 2017, we were gifted a Holy Relic of the Holy Hierarch and Physician, Luke the Surgeon. On the Feast of the Raising of Lazarus in 2018, our Parish received the following Holy Relics:
- The Holy & Great Martyr Paraskevi
- The Holy & Great Martyr Marina
- The Holy Grand Duchess & Martyr Elizabeth
- The Holy Hierarch Modesto, Patriarch of Jerusalem
- The Holy Priest Sebastian of Jackson
- The Holy & Great Martyr Christopher
- The Holy & Great Martyr Christina
- Constantine the Great, Crowned Equal to the Apostles
In the fall of this year, we will be receiving the following Holy Relics to further establish us as a Shrine to the Sanctity of Marriage and Family:
- The Holy Apostle Luke the Evangelist
- The Holy Apostle Barnabas
- The Holy Apostle Philip
- The Holy Hierarch Gregory Palamas
- The Holy & Great Martyr Katherine
- The Holy & Great Martyr Nikitas
- The Holy Apostle Andrew
- The Holy & Great Martyr Panteleimon
- The Holy Hierarch Lazarus, the Friend of Christ
- Tabitha, Equal to the Apostles
Now why would a parish like ours or monastery want but a small relic? Saint Theodoritos of Kyros explains, “The undivided grace of even a divided body remains, and even that very small relic has the same power as a piece of evidence which has not been divided in any way.”Saint Ephraim the Syrian continues, “… the miraculous grace of the Holy Spirit is always present in the holy relics.”
If you would like to assist with the purchase of the needed reliquaries, the transfer of the Holy Relics, and/or give a thanks offering, please contact Fr. Christopher.
Glory be to God for all things, through the intercessions of thisgreat cloud of witnesses!