Patronal Feast with Metropolitan Tikhon

On August 15–16, 2026, Christ the Savior Orthodox Church joyfully welcomed His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon for an archpastoral visit in celebration of our Patronal Feast of the Icon of Christ Not-Made-By-Hands.

The weekend began on Friday afternoon with the preparation of the lambs, followed by Great Vespers with Litiya. On Saturday, August 15, the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the parish celebrated the Divine Liturgy with the traditional blessing of flowers.

Following the Liturgy, members of the CTS Men’s Group and many volunteers spent the day roasting the lambs and preparing for the afternoon celebration. His Beatitude joined parishioners and guests for a festive Lamb Roast filled with wonderful food, fellowship, and joy. During the gathering, the parish also congratulated our senior warden, Zach Davidson, on the occasion of his 40th birthday. The day concluded with Great Vespers with Litiya for our Patronal Feast.

On Sunday morning, the faithful gathered to welcome His Beatitude formally before the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Icon of Christ Not-Made-By-Hands.

Traveling with His Beatitude were the Very Reverend Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America and Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC, together with Subdeacons Larry Basalyga, Victor Lutes, and Nicholas Hojnicki.

Serving locally were Archpriest John Parsells, Rector of Christ the Savior; Archpriest Joseph Oleynik; Archpriest Gary Breton; and Protodeacon Gregory Moser.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude congratulated Archpriest John Parsells on the 20th anniversary of his ordination to the holy priesthood and 20 years of service at Christ the Savior. He also congratulated Protodeacon Gregory Moser on the 39th anniversary of his ordination to the holy diaconate.

Following the service, His Beatitude, the clergy, and the faithful processed to the parish archway for the annual parish photograph. Everyone then gathered for a festive luncheon in honor of the feast and the archpastoral visit.

We offer our heartfelt thanks to His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon for his prayers, presence, and archpastoral care; to the visiting and local clergy and subdeacons who served; and to everyone who prepared the church and grounds, roasted the lambs, provided food, welcomed our guests, and helped make the weekend possible.

We also thank all who traveled from near and far to celebrate with us. It was a truly festive and grace-filled weekend in the life of our parish, and we give glory to God for His countless blessings!

On the Occasion of Our Patronal Feast

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, the God of all mercies and bounties, Whose mercy is immeasurable, and whose love for mankind is an unfathomable deep: falling down in adoration before Thy majesty, with fear and trembling, as unprofitable servants, and now humbly rendering thanks unto Thy loving-kindness for Thy benefits bestowed upon us.

We thank Thee, O Lord, for having become one of us, suffering, dying and rising again, by which Thou hast reopened to us the doors of Paradise. We thank Thee O Lord, for Thy One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, Orthodox Church, through which Thy teachings are preserved and practiced, and we are led to Thee. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the Saints whom Thou hast given us as role models and as intercessors before Thy Judgment Seat. We thank Thee, O Lord, for having helped us to overcome all difficulties, tensions, passions, temptations and restored peace, mutual love and joy in sharing the communion of the Holy Spirit. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the sufferings Thou didst bestow upon us, for they are purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the “one thing needed,” Thine eternal Kingdom. We thank Thee, O Lord, for having given us this country where we are free to worship Thee. We thank Thee, O Lord, for our families: husbands, wives and, especially, children who teach us how to celebrate Thy holy Name in joy, movement and holy noise. We thank Thee, O Lord, for everyone and everything.

And especially, O Lord, on this day, our patronal feast, we thank Thee for the great gift of this parish community where we gather in Thy holy Name to worship Thee in Spirit and Truth, to share our joys and sorrows in fellowship with one another, to grow in our faith through studying and practicing Thy divine law, to struggle together to redirect our earthly passions heavenward, to be healed of our otherwise incurable wounds inflicted by sin, to see Thy Providential care over us both collectively and individually in the seemingly small as well as in great and marvelous acts of Thy goodness, and to rejoice in communion with Thee and each other through Thy presence with us and in us by the divine grace so graciously bestowed upon us unworthy though we be.  Truly great art Thou, O Lord, and marvelous are Thy deeds, and no word is sufficient to celebrate Thy miracles.

Glory to Thee, O Christ God our Benefactor, together with Thine unoriginate Father, the Creator and Source of all things, and Thine All-holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, the Treasury of Blessings, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.