Celebrating Our Patronal Feast
The Dormition of the Theotokos - 2007
Here at Holy Dormition Orthodox Church we celebrate the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 28th which is Aug. 15 according to the Julian Calendar.
For us this feast ranks with Pascha and Nativity because our beloved Hierarch Metropolitan Joseph comes and stays a week with us. Metropolitan Joseph "grew up" in a monastery dedicated to the Mother of God, where he became Abbot before being raised to the Episcopacy. He has a great devotion to the Mother of God making this is a time of great spiritual benefit and renewal for us.
Our celebration begins on the evening of the 27th with a full vigil service for the feast followed by a Hierarchical liturgy the next morning and a grand banquet under the redwood trees.
One evening during His Eminence's visit we always have a barbeque and entertainment.
The entertainment usually consists of drama, choir and a mixture of classical, gospel and bluegrass music.
Last year, His Eminence’s visit for our patronal feast of the Holy Dormition of the Mother of God included a trip to Jackson, CA. Local clergy attended the celebration of the transfer and interment of Archimandrite Sebastian Dabovitch’s relics where a Hierarchical Liturgy was served with Metropolitans and Bishops from three jurisdictions.
On Sunday everyone was home again where we had another Hierarchical Liturgy with a brunch. After the brunch His Eminence, the clergy and many of the faithful, left for Platina, CA to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the repose of Fr. Seraphim Rose.
