Spring, 2004

His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN, of Berkeley

 the O R T H O D O X
FROM HIS GRACE: In lieu of
my customary essay in the “Vision,” and in the interest of saving space,
I would like to only recommend that the beloved Faithful clergy and
Laity of the Diocese would give careful attention to this issue, particu-
larly the article on Charities. I would also like to express my deepest
appreciation and gratitude to all in the Diocese who supported me in
obtaining as Auxiliary Bishop of Berkeley, His Grace, Right Reverend
Bishop Benjamin, now the Chancellor of the Diocese, who is already
energetically applying himself to the Lord’s work here. Perhaps most
importantly, I beseech you all to keep in your prayers the suffering Serbian
people, who continue to loose their lives, homes, livelihoods, religious
and historical monuments, churches, and institutions. I also beseech you
all to keep in mind our own country and pray that the Lord will guide her
onto a path beneficial to that mankind which the Lord loves and to look
with favor on our prayers at the litiya, to protect this city and land and
every city and land from…foreign invasion…!
+Tikhon

Report on Diocesan Charities by Fr. David Lowell

What charitable activities have taken place in your parish
this past year?
Every growing parish seems to have something to share
about charitable activities they have sponsored in recent
months. Some are one-time projects. Others are annual
events. Starting with this issue of The Orthodox Vision, we
will report on charitable work in our parishes and
missions.Either write an article or send a simple note with
the details of your parish activity, and we’ll include it along
with stories and anecdotes from other parishes.
Here is a sampling of what’s going on in the Diocese now:
Saint Seraphim’s Church In Santa Rosa, California has a
tradition of donating a portion of the receipts from its annual
Glendi food fair to charity. Even though the parish has had
to raise a lot of money to pay for the construction of their
new Church Temple (and, more recently, to pay for the repair
of a leaking dome), the parish members have always taken
the view that part of the beauty of the Church is charity,
itself. Fr. Lawrence Margitich says the parish also supports
a seminarian from their parish with quarterly donations in
addition to responding generously to special appeals for
mission and outreach. According to Margaret Hoffman,
President, the Sisterhood also donates 10% of all money it
raises each year to charities like the Martha and Mary House,
Raphael House Family Shelter, and local charities.
Archpriest Basil Rhodes reports that St. Nicholas
Orthodox Church in Saratoga held a gourmet dinner during
the fast free week in February to raise money for the Martha
and Mary House. The Martha and Mary House provides
counseling for women who need spiritual healing after the
experience of abortion, as well as providing temporary
shelter for young women who choose not to have an abortion,
but to bring the baby to birth. President of the Sisterhood of
St. Nicholas, Natasha Brown and parishioners organized the
dinner which was able to raise nearly $2,000.00.
The St. Nicholas Church in San Anselmo, California
always makes charity a part of their feast day celebration on
December 6th. Fr. Stephan Meholick, Rector, says the parish
has made a commitment to include charity in everything it
does. “The discussion came up when we were raising money
for our new iconostasis, which was a very expensive project.
This led our parish members to make a decision we still
abide by - to make charitable giving a part of every aspect
of the church’s fundraising and financial planning.” Elizabeth
Frey is the current president of the parish Sisterhood, and
shares in the coordination of their annual bazaar. In addition
to their goal of purchasing vestments and beautifying the
temple, the bazaar contibutes scholarships for summer camp,
the St. Vladimir’s Institute, International Orthodox Christian
Charities, and other community projects.
The Sisterhood and Fellowship at Holy Trinity Cathedral
in San Francisco has had a special Mother’s Day Brunch
for the past two years, raising money for Raphael House.
Many of our Orthodox staff at Raphael House are members
of Holy Trinity. Sisterhood President Kathleen Conlogue
has organized the brunches for the past two years, each one
raising over $2,000 for Raphael House.
Charity is not just a matter of contributing money. Most
parishes are not rich; very often they struggle to make ends
meet. We have a number of small parishes and new missions
V I S I O N S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4

in the Diocese who pay their priest little or nothing beyond

living accommodations (and in some cases not even that!).
We’re glad to report, though, that charity is evident in even
In This Issue
our smallest missions. Volume 10, Number 1
We’ve also noticed that some parish members who have
helped in the recent construction of their church temples From His Grace
(such as St. Herman of Alaska Mission in Port Townsend, Inside Cover
WA and SS Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church in
Colorado Springs) also have shared their skills with our Charity Report
monasteries and the St. Herman of Alaska Seminary in Inside Cover
Kodiak, Alaska, as well as making repairs for some of our
elderly and disabled parishioners. Word from a Chaplain
When His Grace Bishop TIKHON became Hierarch, he 2
stated that growth in charity was one of his goals for the
Diocese. Many of our clergy and laity share this goal, as Archimandrite Benjamin Consecrated Bishop of
was evident at our last Diocesan Assembly. Fr. Lawrence Berkeley
Gaudreau asked all present to make pledges for our annual 3
Stewards of the West campaign. These donations help
support our student seminarians preparing to serve in the BENJAMIN’s Path to See
Diocese as clergy, provide funds for expansion of new 5
mission parishes, and give charitable contributions to the
Raphael Houses in Portland and San Francisco, the Martha An Interview with the New Auxilliary Bishop
and Mary House, and other projects. In the space of only a 5
few minutes, pledges were made which totaled $14,000.
The fact that the clergy were so generous in giving is a Historical Perspective: Orthodoxy in Seattle
good sign. Mary Caetta, Diocesan Treasurer, says the number 6
of new donors to various Diocesan appeals has grown
phenomenally. When it comes to giving, it’s not only “the In Blessed Memory,
bottom line “ that matters; it’s also the number of people. It Leroy von Schottenstein
boosts morale even in tight times. 11
Whenever your Sisterhood, or youth group, or parish as a
whole does a special project, send us a note and picture with Something Old, Something New: Hymns from History
a caption. Include names when possible. We’ll put your 14
information to use here!
As the Director of Raphael House in San Francisco, I have Ask Fr. Joseph
plenty to tell about our work here, and I will. But I stress 15
again, the charitable activities within our Diocese aren’t all
about being big. They don’t always involve money. What Denver Ethnic Cultural Food Festival
they do involve is people. The events, projects and charitable 17
activities within the fabric of our parish life together are
profoundly interesting and reveal much about who we are. Life Giving Spring Retreat Center Expands Role
Let’s hear from you. Please send reports to: Rev. David 18
Lowell, 1065 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94109,
dlowell@raphaelhouse.org, or V. Rev. Lawrence Russell, 733 Summer Camps
Fairmont Ave., Santa Maria, CA 93455, 19
frlawrence@juno.com.
The Internet and the Diocese of the West
20
Martha and Mary House
Orthodox Christian Maternity Home Announcements
P.O. Box 1680
21
Escondido, CA 92033
Phone: (760)741-7050 The Cover Photo and other consecrateion photos are by John
marthaandmaryhouse@hotmail.com Mindala II, Assistant to the Chancellor for Communications and
Graphic Design, Syosset.

1
the O R
The Official Publication of the
Diocese of the West of the
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of the West
650 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3612
Publisher
His Grace Bishop TIKHON
Bishop of San Francisco and
the Diocese of the West
650 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3612
Phone: (323)666-4977
Fax: (323)913-0316
Address all stories & comments:
Editor-in-Chief
Priest Isaac Skidmore
475 N Laurel St.
Ashland, OR 97520-1112
Phone: (541)488-3748
Fax (establish voice contact first): (541)488-3748
Email: st_gabriel_orth@yahoo.com
Send All Address Changes to:
Mary Caetta
25 Captains Cove
Oakland, CA 94618-2311
Email: mcaetta@limsys.com
The Orthodox Vision is published three times a year by the Dio-
cese of the West. It is free to all parish members and outreach
within the Diocese.
The articles contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views
or policies of the Diocese or the editors. The advertisements con-
tained herein are not necessarily endorsed by the Diocese or Edi-
torial Staff.
T H O D O X
Word From a Chaplain
Priest Paul Schellbach
Serving as an Orthodox chaplain in Iraq is both chal-
lenging and rewarding. I have been able to minister
and give the Eucharist to a few soldiers while here. I
perform the services in a chapel tent without air con-
ditioner and wearing vestments is a challenge in this
environment. I recently moved my services to a build-
ing with amenities of temperature control.
The Paschal service was very moving and we all
felt the joy of Christ even in the midst of combat
around us. There have been casualties of non-ortho-
dox soldiers that we have
mourned. We just put our
faith in Christ and move
on. The best way I can put
it is “Through the Cross
joy has come into the
world”. The Akathist of
Thanksgiving “Glory to
God for all things” has
been very inspirational to
me in my personal prayer
while here. Please pray
for the Orthodox soldiers
and non-orthodox soldiers
and their families.
Christ is Risen! In-
deed He is Risen!
Fr, Paul’s orders for service began Jan. 22nd, 2004.
He is stationed in Balad, a large military air force base,
about an hour north of Baghdad. His e-mail is
leslie.schellbach@us.army.mil. Wife, Matushka Patty,
remains in Victorville, CA, and may be contacted at
pschellbach@msn.com.
In a recent letter to his family, Fr. Paul said, “Every-
one always asks, where is the chapel or church? Well,
like the preachers of the 1800’s, church is wherever
Chaplain Paul Schellbach pulls out his bible!”
2
V I S I O N S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4

Archimandrite Benjamin Consecrated

Bishop of Berkeley
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.”
1 Timothy 3:1
On May 1, 2004, the Diocese of the West joyously event. The first service was the celebration of Great
celebrated the consecration of Archimandrite Benjamin Vespers on Friday evening by the Bishop-Elect in the
to the episcopacy. This consecration brought to frui- presence of the consecrating hierarchs. Preceding the
tion the long held desire of His Grace Bishop TIKHON service, the official election of the Bishop-Elect took
to have an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese. After many place. This including the reading of the proclamation
years of hope and planning, His Grace was able to pre- of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America,
side with His Beatitude Metro- the blessing by the bishops and
politan HERMAN and His reading of the formal accep-
Grace Bishop NIKOLAI at this tance by the Bishop-Elect. In
seminal event. And with a his acceptance, the Bishop-
thankful heart, Archimandrite Elect thanked all those people
Benjamin was given the who have been vital in his
omophor of the Bishop of Ber- maturation as a person and a
keley. Bishop BENJAMIN will clergyman. He also stressed
continue to serve as the Chan- the importance of love and how
cellor for the Diocese of the the bishop should always be an
West. image of love to his flock
The event was unique in that which has been entrusted to
all of the consecrating bishops him. Following his accep-
had a connection with the Dio- tance, the Bishop-Elect cel-
cese. Obviously His Grace ebrated the Great Vespers. A
TIKHON is the ruling bishop, great joy to Archimandrite
but His Beatitude served as ad- Benjamin was the presence of
ministrator for the Diocese for his family for the weekend, in-
a short while years ago and His cluding his father, step-mother,
Grace NIKOLAI served as uncle and nephew.
Chancellor of the Diocese prior The following morning gath-
to his election to the see in ered the faithful and clergy
Alaska. It also marked the re- from around the country and
turn of Bishop BENJAMIN to the Diocese. Besides the three
his home Diocese after an ab- hierarchs present, close to forty
sence of five years in the Diocese of Alaska. Bishop clergy and hundreds of faithful crowded into the Ca-
BENJAMIN served for many years as choir director, thedral. A procession of the clergy preceded the for-
deacon and priest at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral in mal Three Declarations of Faith by the Bishop- Elect.
Los Angeles before being reassigned to Anchorage and The glorious Hierarchical Liturgy was sung by two
then to Kodiak. choirs, the Cathedral Choir of Holy Trinity and the
The consecration took place at Holy Trinity Cathe- Choir of St. Nicholas Church in San Anselmo. The
dral in San Francisco, the seat of the Diocese of the antiphonal music truly added to the resplendent cel-
West. Clergy and faithful from around the country gath- ebration. Others present included representatives from
ered for the celebration and to witness this historic
(Cont’d. on next page.)

3
the O R T H O D O X
(Consecration, cont’d. from previous page.) support.
the Antiochian Archdiocese, the Moscow Patriarchate The following day, Sunday, Bishop BENJAMIN cel-
and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. ebrated his first Hierarchical Liturgy at Holy Trinity
It was after the Little Entrance, that the Bishop-Elect Cathedral. During the service he awarded the platisa
was lead into the altar for his consecration. The laying on behalf of the Holy Synod to Archpriest Viktor
on of the hands by the other hierarchs, prayers and vest- Sokolov and the nabedrennik to Priest David Lowell
ing elevated the Bishop-Elect to be the new Bishop of in honor of their service to the Church. Following the
Berkeley. As he was vested, each piece of vestment Liturgy, there was again a joyous celebration in the
was held before the assembled to the cry of “Axios” parish hall (including the music of bagpipes to the de-
(worthy) to light of
be enthusias- B i s h o p
tically re- BENJAMIN’s
peated back Scottish
by the faith- heritage).
ful. The new The Dio-
bishop then cese would
took his place like to ex-
beside the press its
other bishops thanks to
of the Ortho- Archpriest
dox Church Viktor and
in America. all of Holy
Following Trinity Ca-
the Liturgy, thedral for
Bishop BEN- the gracious
JAMIN was hospitality it
vested in his showed dur-
mantya and ing this
presented Clergy in sancturary with newly consecrated bishop time. Their
with the hard work,
archpastoral joy and
staff as a sign of his new authority and responsibility. dedication permeated the spirit of the weekend. And
The people flocked to his person to receive his bless- there was much gratitude for the long hours they spent
ing to complete the services. in preparation and operation throughout the time. The
Following the Liturgy, a banquet was held and Diocese also expresses their thanks to the choirs, the
McCormick and Kuletos Restaurant in Ghirardelli clergy, those who served, those who traveled and those
Square overlooking Fisherman’s Wharf on the San who prayed during this consecration of the new Bishop
Francisco Bay. Archpriest Viktor Sokolov, Dean of of Berkeley. And we pray for a long and fruitful epis-
Holy Trinity Cathedral mastered the event. Among the copate of Bishop BENJAMIN. Eis Pollai Eti Despota!
speakers were His Beatitude HERMAN, His Grace
TIKHON, His Grace NIKOLAI, Protopresbyter Rob-
ert Kondratick (Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in
America), and Professor John Erickson, Dean of St.
Vladimir’s Seminary. Dear friends of Bishop BEN- $7.00 per lb.

JAMIN were also among the speakers. At the end of

the banquet, members of the Diocese presented His
Grace with new vestments, miters and other liturgical
items as a welcome to his new position. His Grace was
humbled and thankful for the outpouring of love and

4
V I S I O N S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4

BENJAMIN’s Path to See

Bishop BENJAMIN was born Vincent Peterson in
Pasadena, CA on June 1, 1954 and was baptized and hood by Bishop Tikhon. In 1999, Igumen Benjamin
chrismated at Holy Virgin
Mary Cathedral, Los Angeles,
CA on April 27, 1972. In 1978
he was awarded a Master of
Divinity degree and Certificate
in Liturgical Music from Saint
Vladimir Seminary.
A prolific musician, he
served as choirmaster at par-
ishes in Detroit, MI and Los
Angeles and as chairman of the
Orthodox Church in America’s
Department of Liturgical Mu-
sic. He was ordained to the
Holy Diaconate on November
15, 1987 by Bishop Tikhon at
his home parish, which he
served for 10 years as deacon
and youth and education direc-
tor. The following year he was
tonsured a riasophore monk by
Bishop Tikhon and further ton-
sured to the lesser schema by
Archbishop [now Metropoli-
tan] Herman at Saint Tikhon
Monastery, South Canaan, PA.
In 1991 he was elevated to the
rank of archdeacon.
by V. Rev. Victor Sokolov
On July 19, 1997, he was ordained to the Holy Priest-
"Especially for our most holy, most pure, most
blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos
and ever-virgin Mary."
the Orthodox Church in America.
was was transferred to the Dio-
cese of Alaska. In addition to
other responsibilities, he served
as dean of Saint Innocent Cathe-
dral and later as administrative
dean of Saint Herman Seminary,
Kodiak, AK. He was elevated to
the rank of archimandrite in
2002. In January 2004 he was re-
assigned to Holy Virgin Mary
Cathedral, Los Angeles, and ap-
pointed Chancellor of the Dio-
cese of the West.
Upon consecration to the epis-
copacy, BENJAMIN continues
to serve as Auxiliary to Bishop
Tikhon of San Francisco and
will continue to serve as Dioc-
esan Chancellor.
Historic Holy Trinity Cathe-
dral, the site of the consecration,
is the oldest Orthodox commu-
nity in the contiguous United
States. The cathedral, estab-
lished in 1857, is the seat of the
Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco
and the Diocese of the West of

An Interview with the New Auxilliary Bishop

Vision: Your Grace, what would you like to say to
the faithful of the diocese at the outset of your episco-
pal service?
Bishop BENJAMIN: I suppose, I would first like to
say how grateful to God I am to be back home in this
diocese. And, I would ask for their prayers as I begin
my new ministry. I have been so very pleased with
the support and encouragement I have received since
returning in January.
Vision: Do you have particular goals?
Bishop BENJAMIN: At this point in time, I am hop-
ing to visit every parish and institution of our diocese
before the end of the year. I has been almost five years
since I was last in the diocese. We have several new
parishes and new clergy that have become a part of our
diocese in that time. I want to get to know them. Then,
I would hope I could continue to visit the parishes on
an annual basis.
(Cont’d on pg. 12.)

5
the O R T H O D O X
Historical Perspective
Orthodoxy in Seattle
The following, to be printed in several parts, was prepared in 1985, on the occasion of Seattle’s St. Spiridon’s
Cathedral’s 90th anniversary.

In the history of the Orthodox Church in America, United States.

the period between 1867 and 1872 was one of transi- After 1867, the condition of the Orthodox Church in
tion. The Orthodox Church in America entered a new Alaska declined significantly. The main cause of this
stage of development at the time of the purchase of can be attributed to the administrative change which
Alaska by the United States. The Church gained a new altered considerably the status of the Orthodox Church
field of action within the borders of a new sovereign in Alaska. Before 1867, the Orthodox Church of Alaska
state. It acquired the potential to become the National was a Russian Mission within the borders of the Rus-
Orthodox Church of sian Empire, but now this
North America. New Russian Mission was on
conditions of existence the territory of a different
in a new state with dif- sovereign state. The sec-
ferent economic, admin- ond and third clauses of the
istrative, and political bill of sale of Alaska stated
systems called for new that the United States
methods of administra- would recognize the prop-
tion in the Church. erty and the rights of the
This period in the life Russian Orthodox Church.
of the Orthodox Church The Orthodox population
in America can be com- remaining on the territory
pared with the situation that had been purchased
of the Russian Church at would automatically enjoy
the time of its depen- all the rights and privileges
dence on the Patriarchate of the citizens of the
of Constantinople. In United States.
1867, the Orthodox The absence of an eco-
Church in America had nomic base during the first
property in a country years following the 1867
completely independent St. Spiridon’s Cathedral today transaction should be
of Russia, but the Church counted among the conse-
v/as hierarchically dependent on the Russian Orthodox quences detrimental to the growth of the Orthodox
Church. Church. The Russian-American Company which was
There were three major factors which determined the the main source of financial support for the Orthodox
course of development of the Orthodox Church in Church in Alaska ceased to exist in 1863. A certain de-
America between 1867 and 1887: 1) the positive and crease of missionary activity in Alaska and concurrent
negative consequences of the purchase of Alaska by increase of it in the United States proper were two im-
the United States; 2) the organization of an Orthodox mediate factors which influenced the further develop-
parish in San Francisco; this parish was a first step for ment of Orthodoxy in America.
missionary activity within the United States; 3) the es- Orthodox services were conducted in California long
tablishment by the Holy Synod of the Russian Ortho- before the official establishment of a parish. The first
dox Church of an independent episcopal see in the Orthodox Church in California was built in 1812, at Fort

6
V I S I O N
Ross, an outpost of the Russian-American Company,
about one hundred miles north of San Francisco. The
Orthodox population of the Fort was, until 1842 and
the sale of the Fort, the first Orthodox community in
California
Fort Ross
In the 1850s, attracted by the Gold Rush, Orthodox
Serbians, Greeks, and Syrians began to arrive in San
Francisco. From 1859 to 1864, Orthodox services were
performed at irregular intervals by priests aboard the
warships of the Russian Imperial Navy visiting the port
of San Francisco. In 1864, thanks to the efforts of the
Russian Orthodox Church and the local Orthodox popu-
lation, the establishment of a permanent parish in San
Francisco became a reality.
The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church was
concerned about the needs of the Orthodox population
in San Francisco and at the same time aware of the grow-
ing interest of the American Episcopal Church in Or-
thodoxy. The building of a church in San Francisco,
according to the Ober-Procurator of the Holy Synod,
would express "our sympathy toward this remarkable
religious movement." In the effort to help the Orthodox
of San Francisco, the Russian Naval Ministry contrib-
uted the equipment of one of its field churches.
In 1864, the Orthodox people of San Francisco orga-
7
S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4
nized an Orthodox Society with sixteen Russian,
Serbian, and Greek members. In 1867, the Society was
registered at the City Hall under the name of Greek-
Russian-Slavonic Church and Philanthropic Society.
The Russian and Greek consuls were members of the
Society. Funds were collected for a priest's salary and
church; by 1868, the church, known as the Prayer House
of the Eastern Orthodox Church, at 504 Greenwich
Street, held regular Sunday and feast day services. The
establishment of the parish in San Francisco was the
first painless and natural step toward Orthodoxy in the
United States of America. The next important event in
the history of Orthodoxy in this country was the estab-
lishment of an independent episcopal see in San Fran-
cisco.
In 1868, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox
Church announced its plan for the establishment in the
United States of an independent episcopal see taking
the place of the vicariate which was located in Sitka,
Alaska, and whose chief concern v/as the administra-
tion of the churches and missions in Alaska and on the
Aleutian Islands. The Russian Imperial Government
approached this proposal with great caution, consider-
ing the establishment of an episcopal see on the terri-
tory of the United States but subordinated to the Holy
Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to be almost
an interference in the internal affairs of another state.
The establishment of an episcopal see was finally ap-
proved on June 10, 1870, the date which marks the be-
ginning of the new ecclesiastical administration of the
Orthodox Church in the U.S.A., which was to be car-
ried out "taking into the account the distinctive fea-
tures of the state."
Archimandrite John (Mitropolsky) was appointed
Bishop of the newly-established Episcopal See in
America from 1870 to 1876. He was followed by Bish-
ops Nestor, Vladimir, and Nicholas.
Upon the arrival of the first Bishop in San Francisco,
the Greek consul (George Fischer) addressed him as
"the head of the Holy Orthodox Eastern Church on the
West Coast of the United States of America." This sums
up the significance of the establishment of the episco-
pal see in San Francisco.
By establishing an episcopal see in the United States
in place of a Vicariate for the Aleutian Islands and
Alaska, the Russian Orthodox Church assured the pos-
sibility of a successful continuation of missionary ac-
tivity both in Alaska and in the United States proper.
(Cont’d. on next page.)
the O R T H
(Seatlle, cont’d. from previous page.)
Both the Holy Synod of the Russian Church and the
Imperial State Council approached this problem with
great caution. Nowhere in their decrees is there even a
hint of a desire to establish a Church "colony" with
purely nationalistic aims. On the contrary, they insist
on speaking of the Orthodox Church of America and
of the Orthodox people on the territory of America;
they speak of financial aid to the Orthodox parishes.
"Russian" Orthodoxy is not mentioned; this attitude
reflected and reflects the true essence of the unity of
the Orthodox Churches. This first Orthodox Diocese
in the United States, which grew out of the Orthodox
community of San Francisco, took in all Orthodox
people living in the United States irrespective of their
national origin. 1
Shortly after his consecration as Bishop of the Aleu-
tian Islands and Alaska on September 29, 1891, Bishop
Nicholas (Ziorov) undertook a mission to get the Or-
thodox people on the West Coast of America back into
their church. He sent Father Hieromonk Sebastian
1 Robert and Olga Hughes, “The One-Hundredth Anniversary
of the First Eastern Orthodox Parish in San Francisco,” One Hun-
dred Years of the First Orthodox Parish in San Francisco, 1968,
pp.14-15.
8
O D O X
Dabovich to the Pacific Northwest to organize the lo-
cal Orthodox populations into parishes. In Washing-
ton, Seattle parishioners began to organize in 1892,
while in Wilkeson, parishioners began building a
church in 1894 and finished construction in 1896. Saint
Savva's Mission opened on October 4, 1895, in
Johnson, Washington.
Saint Spiridon's parish was founded in 1892 by Rus-
sian and Greek immigrants in a joint effort, prompted
by an offer from the Russian government to provide a
bilingual priest. George and Mary Nicholas, a Greek
couple, donated land for the first parish church at 817
Lakeview Avenue (presently known as Lakeview Bou-
levard, about four blocks north of the present Saint
Spiridon's Cathedral). While Father Dabovich traveled
around North America (substituting for Father Alexis
Toth who has been sent to San Francisco), the Seattle
community rushed to build a church, and thus "earn"
their assigned priest. The church, known as the Greek
Catholic Mission, was completed in 1895, but was
poorly constructed. Its location on the outskirts of the
city center, then around Marion Street and Third Av-
enue, was also inconvenient. Built on the edge of Capi-
tol Hill, the property was actually a twenty-foot-deep
hole. Since the property faced west, the altar was placed
on the street side, and entrance into the church was
around the south side along a narrow wooden scaf-
folding. The church building was constructed on tall,
wooden pillars rather than on a foundation. An icon of
Saint Sebastian, donated by Father Sebastian, still hangs
in the current Saint Spiridon's.
Father Amvrosius Vretta, the first priest, and Mr.
Alexander Kapustin, the first choir director, arrived in
1895. In the fall of that year, the first set of liturgical,
metrical, and financial books arrived in Seattle by boat
from New York City.
The first recorded activity of parish life, a Divine
Liturgy, was on November 19, 1895. The collection
plate yielded $1.70, and $1.70 worth of candles were
sold. The first recorded expense for the parish was
$1.50 for the freight charge for the metrical books and
for the candles. The first sacrament performed in the
church was the marriage of Nicholas George Vasilianos
and Vassiliki Nicholas (aka Vasilissa Nikolaeva), of
Port Townsend, on November 22, 1895. The prevail-
ing custom at the time was to hold baptisms, weddings,
and the like in private homes.
The parishioners soon became unhappy and disap-
pointed. The church was too far away; there was no
V I S I O N
street from downtown directly to the church. The build-
ing also began to settle; the wooden pillars placed di-
rectly into the ground had begun to rot. In December
1895, scaffolding was erected along the north side of
the building to lend additional support.
Mr. Vladimir Alexandrov, the second choir director,
arrived in May 1896. Bishop Nicholas visited Seattle
on October 20. He refused to consecrate the church fully
because of its structural unsoundness and conducted a
lesser blessing of the church. Father Amvrosius was
transferred in December, and from 1897 to 1898, Fa-
ther Dimitry Kamnev served the parish, whose name
was changed to Greek Orthodox Church of Saint
Spiridon, in 1897, and to Greeco-Russian Orthodox
Church of Saint Spiridon in 1898. Under his and Mr.
Alexandrov's guidance, Serbs, Ruthenians, Bulgarians,
Syrians, and gypsies were brought into the church.
Bishop Nicholas returned to Russia in 1899, and be-
came Bishop of Warsaw. He was replaced by Bishop
Tikhon (who became Patriarch of Russia after the Revo-
lution), who paid a visit to Seattle on June 20, 1899. He
was aggrieved by the condition of the church building
and parish house. A special collection was held for the
full remodeling of the house, redesign of the church yard,
addition of a wooden veranda and staircase down to the
street and renovation of the windows and doors. Father
Kamnev returned to Russia, and Mr. Alexandrov was
ordained and assigned to Saint Spiridon's. Mr. Paul
Alexandrov, Father Alexander's nineteen year old
brother, became the new choir director. At the end of
1900, there were 107 men and 50 women recorded as
members of the parish, along with 26 households.
Seattle continued to grow. Lakeview Avenue was con-
nected to Eastlake Avenue. People became accustomed
to the church's location, but the building was in imme-
diate need of extensive repairs. The scaffolding and pil-
lars became more and more fragile. The church shook
under a strong wind from Lake Union and was ready to
tumble down.
In April 1901, the parishioners requested and received
permission to move the altar to the western side of the
church. Serious remodeling began. Ranko and Dimitri
Petkovich donated $40. Mr. V.V. Stafeev from Kodiak
donated $20. A small loan and the $50 from previous
collections financed the remodeling. The church was
closed from June to August. The building was raised 18
inches, a brick foundation was inserted, a semi-circular
sanctuary and a vestry were added to the western side
9
S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4
of the building. Entrance to the church was now from
the street side of the building. A bell tower, complete
with inscribed bell donated by Tsar Nicholas II, was
built. The building was painted inside and outside; new
icon frames and an iconostasis were designed.
On August 12, 1901, Bishop Tikhon paid a visit and
placed the Holy Antimension on the Altar. The follow-
ing is a synopsis of the recorded account of the visit:
The Bishop, accompanied by Hierodeacon Elias, was
met at the train station by a delegation from the parish
and escorted in a carriage to the church, where His
Grace was greeted by Father Vladimir. The bishop was
so pleased with the renovation that he donated $25 to
the building fund and agreed to give the church a full
blessing. Matushka Alexandrov greeted him with the
traditional bread and salt, and the bishop then rested
after his two day journey from San Francisco. He served
Vigil at 7:00 P.M. and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 A.M. the
next morning.
Father Vladimir received a nabedrennik. A children's
choir sang in Slavonic, Greek, and English, and the ser-
mon was delivered in English. After the four-hour ser-
vice, everyone rested and returned in the evening for
the vigil for the feast of Saint Tikhon, the bishop's
nameday. Members from Holy Trinity Church in
Wilkeson and Church of the Resurrection in Cle Elem
came to Seattle for the festivities. The Bishop prom-
ised to serve in Wilkeson, on his return trip from
Canada. 2
2 V. Rev. Vasily A. Kuvshinoff , “Saint Spiridon’s Russian Or-
thodox Cathedral Parish in Seattle, Washington,” Anniversary
Collection in Remembrance of the One Hundred fiftieth year of
the Russian Orthodox Church in North America, 1945, pp. 127-
128. (Cont’d. on next page.)
the O R T H
(Seattle, cont’d. from previous page.)
Father Alexander also visited the Portland parish from
time to time. Services were conducted in English for
the approximately fifty parishioners of mixed national
background.
The fourth priest to serve Saint Spiridon's was Father
Michael Andreades (1901- 1915). Born in
Constantinople, he received his education in Simferepol,
Crimea, and at the patriarchal school in Constantinople.
Equally at home in Russian and Greek culture, Father
Michael was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Nicho-
las in Russia, and moved to San Francisco to begin his
work for the Orthodox church in America. Archbishop
Tikhon ordained him to the priesthood in Saint
Spiridon's in 1905. He was appointed dean for the Rus-
sian-Serbian parishes on the Pacific Coast from 1909
to 1912, and added the deanery of Alaska to his respon-
sibilities from 1912 to 1916 (his administrative region
extended from San Diego, California, north to Sitka,
Alaska). He kept voluminous records and reports about
the state of the Orthodox churches in the Russian Mis-
sion. He prepared a report on the Greek parishes in 1915,
and outlined the existing relations between the estab-
lished Russian Mission and the increasing number of
Greek parishes not under a resident bishop.
Parish life in Seattle during this time flowed peace-
10
O D O X
fully and quietly. Father Mitrofan Poplavsky replaced
Father Michael in 1915 and was rector until 1916. He
was replaced in 1917 by Father Alexander
Vyacheslavov. Parish records for 1916 mention a par-
ish library with books in Slavonic, Greek, and Arabic.
Even before World War I, Seattle enjoyed a reputa-
tion as a shipping center for Kamchatka, the Amur
River, and Anadyr. During World War I, many goods
were shipped to Russia.
In 1916, the first Russian consul, Nicholas
Bogoyavlensky, was appointed to Seattle. He and his
wife Anna, and sons Boris and Gleb attended Saint
Spiridon's parish; after the Russian revolution, the fam-
ily remained in Seattle. The consul general donated to
the parish an icon in memory of his wife. Upon his
death, he was interred in the Russian cemetery at
Washelli.
The initial effects of the Russian revolution were felt
in Seattle. Father Vasily Kuvshinoff, in his parish his-
tory, wrote that during the revolutionary years 1917 to
1920, the parish membership decreased as a direct re-
sult of the revolutionary Zeitgeist. Many of the old im-
migrants left the church, removed the icons from their
homes, ceased to participate in church life. Even in
1944, there was a segment of this group of the Seattle
Russian colony who had never been baptized.
Beginning in 1920, but especially in 1923 and 1924,
waves of new Russian émigrés arrived in Seattle, and
they joined the poverty-stricken little church on
Lakeview Boulevard. Under the spiritual leadership of
Father Alexander Vyacheslavov, they began to care
about their spiritual habitation in a new homeland. Up-
wards of 6,000
people passed
through Saint
Spiridon's parish in
1923 alone; gradu-
ally they dispersed
across America to
look for permanent
employment.
Father Alexander
was very much re-
vered by his flock.
The young people
of the parish peti-
tioned Metropoli-
tan Platon to award
V I S I O N S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4

Father Alexander a gold cross in honor of the sacri-

fices he had made on their behalf. A segment of their
petition reads:
A perfect gift many more - are
for any season. found in this cook-
...we ask for your blessing for us to give Father Approximately book. The cost is
Alexander Matveevich Vyacheslavov a gold pectoral 300 recipes - in- only $10.00 plus
cross for his nameday, 30 August [O.S.] 1923, and for cluding ethnic, $2.00 shipping.
your blessing for him to have permission to wear this lenten, large Checks should
groups and be made payable
cross...as a holy symbol of our love for him... to:

...For us, Russian people arriving in Seattle...so far St. Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral
1310 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
from our native land, it was a great comfort and moral
(206)624-5341
support to find our beloved Church preserving its com-
mandments in such a different culture.

And our Batiushka, Father Alexander, through his life In Blessed Memory,
and works is truly an expression of the ideal of an Or-
thodox priest of our Holy Russia, from time immemo- Leroy von Schottenstein
rial.
Leroy von Schottenstein fell asleep on the beach in
Florida and died, early in March.
Without limiting his liturgical activities as a servant
Leroy, whose Orthodox name was HERMAN, was
of the church, Father Alexander, ruled by his good heart,
a key member of the Diocesan Council in the West in
sacrificed his personal life in order to help us in our
the 70s, being an attorney. Being received into the
varied daily needs... as a counselor, a defender whom
Church, he married Lillian Ratkovich (the sister of
we understand and who understands us in a way in which
Matushka Anita Boldireff), and became an active mem-
the most kind-hearted and humane foreigner cannot.
ber of St. Innocent Church at Holy Trinity Cathedral,
and then helped found the mission (then in Walnut
And so, as a sign of our gratitude to dear Father
Creek) now in Concord, California, over which Fa-
Alexander, as a symbol of his strong faith in the mis-
ther Michael Regan now presides.
sion of the Russian Orthodox Church, as a remembrance
He was the main architect of our diocese’s incorpo-
of the people who cannot forget the good of which we
ration as a non-profit corporation, replacing the “cor-
continue to take advantage, we — the organizations
poration sole” of Archbishop John, and the change of
somehow under the protection of the canopy of the
the name to “Diocese of the West,” rather than Dio-
church — the Russian National Student Society, the
cese of San Francisco and the West.
"Russian House", and equally the parishioners, have
He is survived by his wife, Lillian, a son and two
planned to give him on his Nameday a gold pectoral
daughters.
cross and ask Your Eminence to bless our endeavor and
May prayers be offered for his loved-ones, and
his wearing [of this cross]. Always remembering that
MEMORY ETERNAL!
we cannot fully or worthily thank him, let this small
sign of our gratitude tell him that what he tirelessly
accomplished and accomplishes, bears fruit a hundred-
fold.

Please share with us, even in. absentia, this spiritual

joy of our love and unity with our shepherd... 3
(To be continued in next edition . . . )
Subscriptions:
3 Petition from the parishioners and students of Saint Spiridon’s
parish to His Eminence, Metropolitan Platon, n.d. (memo dated
P.O. Box 16021
17 October 1923 written on letter), (letter on file at Archives Cen- Portland, Oregon 97292-0021
ter, Orthodox Church in America, Syosset, New York). emmausjournal@juno.com
11
the O R T H O D O X
(Interview: cont’d from pg. 5.)
beauty of the divine services and consistency. To a great
Vision: How will your work coordinate with His extent he has shaped my priesthood.
Grace Bishop TIKHON’s? I would also have to add the people of Holy Virgin
Mary Cathedral in Los Angeles. When I first came to
Bishop BENJAMIN: Bishop Tikhon is our ruling hi- the Church, they welcomed me and allowed me to be-
erarch. Everything I do, I must do with his consent come a part of their world. It can be very daunting to
and blessing. We communicate via the phone and email integrate oneself into a large and very different group
frequently. of people. When I first came to the cathedral I was sort
of herded to the choir, which was a very good thing. I
Vision: Where were you raised? enabled me to have a smaller group with in the parish
to which I could relate and it helped me stay focused
Bishop BENJAMIN: I was born in Pasadena, CA and on the Liturgy.
lived for most of my childhood in Sierra Madre, CA. Most recently, the students of St. Herman Seminary
So, I am a native Californian. and the native people of Alaska have helped to shape
my life. I went to
Vision: What Alaska five years
people and expe- ago at the request
riences from the of Metropolitan
past have espe- Theodosius re-
cially shaped ally not knowing
you, and will in- anyone but Fr.
fluence your min- Michael Oleksa
istry as bishop? and his wife. I
have been and
Bishop BEN- am impressed
JAMIN: Of with the generos-
course, one's ity, gentleness,
family and espe- and openness of
cially one's par- the Alaskan
ents are a major people.
force in shaping
one's life. My Vision: Were
mother and father you born into the Orthodox faith?
faced some real challenges in their lives. I have three
siblings and all three are handicapped. My brother, Bishop BENJAMIN: No, my family is primarily Prot-
Dale, was, for one reason or another, unable to breathe estant. My mother was a soloist for various choirs and
after birth and suffered brain damage. He was my con- we did a lot of "church hopping", depending on where
stant companion for years and I developed a sense of my mother was currently singing. My paternal grand-
responsibility for him at a very early age. Perhaps, the father was a minister in the Swedish Evangelical Cov-
greatest disappointment in my life is that, due to his enant Church whose ministry was directed toward sup-
needs, I am unable to care for him in my own home. porting Protestant pastors in Eastern Europe. He and
My sisters and brother were also epileptics. So, there my grand mother lived in Riga, Latvia between the two
seemed to be one medical emergency after another in world wars. My grandmother spoke fondly of the Pas-
my household when I was growing up. My parents chal services at the cathedral in Riga. There were al-
took up their cross and bore it with courage and deter- ways people from other countries in their house. I sup-
mination. pose they are responsible in part for my interest in other
I suppose the greatest influence, after my parents, has languages and cultures. My maternal grandparents were
to be Bishop Tikhon who I have known for more than from Scotland and were Plymouth Brethren, a rather
thirty years. He has given me an appreciation for the

12
V I S I O N S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4

strict Calvinist group. They had no ministers, nothing have?

on the walls in their chapel, but had a love for God and
the Holy Scriptures. Bishop BENJAMIN: I have worked in the field of
church music for years. I love directing choirs and set-
Vision: How did you come to embrace Orthodoxy? ting music. Sadly, since I became I priest, I have had
less and less time for music. But some of the happiest
Bishop BENJAMIN: I was studying Russian at our times of my life were when I was a choir director. It
local high school and our class visited Holy Virgin Mary also enabled me to travel a bit. I was asked to direct
Cathedral. It was different from any other church I had the services for Syndesmos at festivals in Greece. It
visited and so I asked the priest, Fr. Michael Koblosh, opened a whole new world for me. I do love to travel
if there was a book I might be able to read about the and have been to Russia and Greece twice, Ghana, Scot-
church. He gave me The Orthodox Church, by Timo- land, England and Italy.
thy Ware. I devoured it and resolved to go to that
church as soon as I was able to drive (I was only 16 Vision: What lessons have you learned in your previ-
then). I always ous ministry that
came at 11:00 you carry with
not realizing you into your new
there was a ser- role?
vice in English
at 9:00! I was Bishop BEN-
overwhelmed at JAMIN: I will al-
seeing my first ways treasure the
Liturgy. It sud- time I spent in
denly occurred Alaska, espe-
to me that this is cially the time at
what real wor- the seminary.
ship was. I also Kodiak has a
discovered the rather difficult
father of a friend climate, very
on mine ran the damp and dark
bookstore. So, for much of the
there was some year. I have
to speak with come to appreciate the sun of Boulder City. But, I have
and he also showed me various books on the Orthodox the feeling Kodiak will look a lot better when August
Faith. After about a year, I finally got the courage to arrives. I suppose the main lesson learned in my pre-
speak with the priest, now Fr. Nicolas Boldireff. He vious ministry is simply to go slowly. Orthodox people
encouraged me to join the choir and after several are resistant to change almost by definition. But we
months, I was baptized. live in time of great and rapid change. Sometimes,
clergy are insensitive to waves they great when they
Vision: You have a fondness for music and food. Does make arbitrary changes. Of course, the Church is not a
this give us insight into who you are? lifeless fossil and does respond to different places, cul-
tures and times. But, I have learned to be a little more
Bishop BENJAMIN: I do love opera and foods from cautious.
all sorts of different cultures. I suppose they are re-
lated in a way. I love to cook for others and, like op- Vision: What do you think will be most challenging?
era, cooking requires and audience in order to be fully
enjoyed. Bishop BENJAMIN: I don't know quite yet. There
are exciting things happening in our diocese. Our mo-
Vision: What other hobbies and interests do you (Cont’d. on pg. 15.)

13
the O R T H O D O X
Something Old, Something New: Hymns From History
Choir Retreat In Colorado Springs Brings New Focus to Singing
By Elizabeth Brinegar
On January 23 and 24 of this year, the parish of Bearing Cross” (the avtomelon) to compose a podoben
Saints Constantine & Helen/Holy Theophany in Colo- of Psalm 22. This was interesting to us because our
rado Springs hosted a choir retreat open to all Colo- choir had long enjoyed singing this version of Psalm
rado parishes. As a choir member from Saints 22, but we never knew where the melody had come
Constantine & Helen, I was pleased to find myself in from. In other words, we found out that Psalm 22 is
the company of about 35 others who had traveled from sung to the same tune as “Rejoice, O Life-Bearing
Littleton (St. Herman’s), Calhan (St. Mary’s Cross.”
Dormition), and Pueblo (St. Michael’s), as well as A non-Orthodox example of a podoben is “Our Coun-
singers from our own parish. For two days we had try T’is of Thee,” which is sung to the same tune as its
the undivided attention of Fr. Lawrence Margitich avtomelon, “God Save the Queen.” Further explana-
from Santa Rosa, tions of these musi-
California, our di- cal terms can be
ocesan music direc- found at
tor who graciously www.orthodoxpsalm.org.
agreed to donate As Fr. Lawrence
his time to us. I pointed out, these
couldn’t have been historic melodies are
more thrilled at significant because
such an opportunity many of the hymns
in our own back that we sing from
yard. the Menaion are
We began the Fri- written specifically
day night session to be sung to such
with a full choir podobens. While
rendition of “O the majority of our
Heavenly King” in Orthodox parishes
tone 6. It was a glo- sing them to the tra-
rious experience to ditional 8 tones,
Priest Lawrence “Maestro” Margitich conducts music workshop these hymns were,
hear so many
voices resound in fact, written to be
within the walls of our temple. Fr. Lawrence then sung to these other original melodies. Fr. Lawrence
began the night with an academic lesson. He taught took us through some examples straight out of the
about the history of certain Greek words, which have Menaion and showed us how we could incorporate
musical relevance for us today. For example, some these new (old) melodies into our liturgical singing.
melodies - called idiomelons - are unique and can only So, for example, instead of singing one of the “Lord I
be used during specific services at certain times of Have Cried” verses to say, tone 2, we could instead
the year. A good example of this type of melody is sing it to its original melody. “Rejoice, O Life-Bear-
“Christ is Risen From the Dead,” the Paschal troparion ing Cross” is one of these original melodies - one of
sung only during the Paschal season. these avtomelons that can easily become a podoben.
Other melodies - called avtomelons - are original Beginning Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, Fr.
melodies. “Rejoice, O Life-Bearing Cross” (sung Lawrence started taking a closer look at how we per-
mostly for consecrations) is an avtomelon. Further, a formed musically, and began to graciously advise us
song that is based on an avtomelon melody is called a of things we could do to enable ourselves to sound both
podoben. A podoben is a metrically identical melody. more prayerful (the goal of traditional Orthodox litur-
Fr. Lawrence used the melody of “Rejoice, O Life- gical singing) and “polished.” For example, as Fr.

14
V I S I O N
Lawrence would give a pitch, some of us (perhaps
even unknowingly) had the habit of humming the pitch
after him before the song started. He corrected us by
indicating that this is distracting and unnecessary. Fur-
ther, he helped us blend our voices by pointing out
when one of us (or a section of us) was flat or sharp,
thereby enabling us to unite as one voice. Another
useful tip Fr. Lawrence gave us was that when sing-
ing, it is customary to not sing an “r” sound, such as
in our Orthodox music’s “Lord Have Mercy.” He said
that the “r” becomes too dominant when it is sung,
and that, interestingly, even when it is not pronounced
the listeners can still hear it.
We also practiced an arrangement of some “Lord I
Have Cried” verses that Fr. Lawrence set to their
podobens. St. Gregory the Theologian happened to
be the saint of the day, so we venerated him by prac-
ticing these beautiful and prayerful arrangements in
their intended podoben melody, which we sang that
night during Vespers. In these verses, Fr. Lawrence
also emphasized to us the importance of not follow-
ing the musical beats “tit for tattle,” but rather to sing
so as to be understood by everyone present. Espe-
cially important, he said, was not to take long pauses
when we came across half and whole notes in our
music, but to pause just long enough to put a distinc-
tion on the word or phrase. In this way, Orthodox
music takes some liberties from ordinary music in its
timing, since Orthodox music in no way follows the
letter of the law in its practice of music theory.
One last helpful resource Fr. Lawrence mentioned
was our diocesan webpage: www.ocadow.org. For
the benefit of the entire Diocese of the West, he has
put some music online at this site under “Liturgical
music” and he promised he will continue to increase
the online musical selections in the future.
Our choir retreat was extraordinarily helpful to the
Rocky Mountain Deanery, for as I found out, there is
so much order and purpose behind the hymns that we
sing. Our music is not a random compilation of
someone’s “favorite” melodies sung at a particular
time, but rather it stands as a testament to our Tradi-
tion that spans hundreds of years. The retreat opened
my eyes to see how God has blessed our music by
guiding the order of the services and the choice of
music within those services. Every tone, every “Lord
Have Mercy,” and even every unique melody has its
place to lift our souls upward in prayer. Here on the
front range of Colorado, our gratitude goes to Fr.
Lawrence for volunteering to lead us into a correct
15
S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4
musical production - and historically accurate under-
standing - of the hymns of the True Faith.
(Interview: cont’d fron page 13.)
nastic communities appear to be growing and I have
witnessed growth in almost every corner of the dio-
cese. So, the task at hand is simply to get up to speed
and develop a good sense of what is happening and
where I can be of the most use.
Vision: Thank you, Your Grace. Many years!
Ask Fr. Joseph
The Rector of Denver’s Transfiguration Cathedral and
dean of the Rocky Mountain District, Fr. Joseph Hirsch,
answers your questions.
Dear Fr. Joseph,
I’ve noticed that while we sing the creed during the
divine liturgy, the priest waves a piece of cloth over the
gifts. What’s going on there? I’ve heard that it was done
at one time to keep flies from landing on the altar. Is
this true? Does this mean it shouldn’t be done anymore?
Also, why does the deacon say “The doors! The
doors!” and “Let all catechumens depart!” I’ve noticed
that no one leaves at this time.
Beloved in Christ,
These are not silly questions but are the very kinds of
things that come up regularly in catechumen classes.
There were many practices of the primitive Church,
such as the way in which the Holy Gospel was brought
forth with torches from its safe hiding place or the way
in which the people offered gifts of food and the
Deacons prepared the Lytia meal and the Holy Gifts
from among these offerings, which, while rich in
tradition and significance, were gestures which were
difficult to transfer into a liturgical context in which
hundreds and even thousands of worshippers were
gathered in one place.
Thus, the simple torchlight procession of the Gospel,
after several intermediate stages, among which was one
in which the entire congregation remained outside of
the Temple until the entrance of the Hierarch
(Cont’d. on next page.)
the O R T H
(Fr. Joseph: cont’d. fromprevious page.)
accompanied by the Clergy and the Holy Gospel,
became what we now have as the Little Entrance.
Anyway, the effort was not one of trying to make the
Divine Liturgy snazzier and innovative but rather of
how to draw the entire congregation into what had once
been a more or less intimate act of corporate worship.
In developing a liturgical milieu appropriate to the
mysteries of Christ, the Church applied three elements:
the original ritualistically elaborate but less ceremonial
worship of the 1st-3rd century catacomb and domestic
Fr. Joseph blesses the waters of the Continental Divide
atop Monarch Pass (elevation 11,000ft), an annual event.
Church gathering, elements of Jewish Temple and
Synagogue worship which had been the core of prayer
life at the time Our Lord’s advent, and, finally, certain
elements of public and civic life which were
“Transfigured” by the Christianization of the
population.
It was only reasonable, for example, that the simple
peasant clothing of the early Christian Clergy, the Tunic,
Phelonian, Dalmatic shirt and various kinds of servile
Stoles, should come to be bordered and adorned with
embroidered crosses and rich decoration and to imitate
more and more the apparel of the Imperial Court. After
all, Christ is the True King, His Holy Table is the True
Throne and His Temple, (Basilica) is the True Heavenly
Imperial Court on Earth.
16
O D O X
Now, we know that ritual fans, usually of large
plumes, were used at royal courts from Egypt and Persia
to China and Rome itself. These fans had the triple
purpose of honoring the person over whom they were
waved, of discouraging the lighting of insect pests upon
his or her honored personage and, of course, of cooling
that person. When these fans were made of Peacock
tail feathers, they also resembled the Firey Seraphim,
“Covered with eyes, within and without,” who
surrounded the throne of God in Heaven and, whose
images had overshadowed the ark in the Jerusalem
Temple. Fanning the Gifts at the Divine Liturgy became
so much a part of the Deacon’s office that presentation
of the liturgical fan, now usually made of metal and
emblazoned with the images of Cherubim and
Seraphim, and his use of that fan to “Fan the Holy Gifts”
is an important part of the ordination of Deacons to
this day.
The Veil, however, is a different matter. Rather than
having developed, it seems to have been used by
Christians in those places where they had permanent
worship spaces, from the earliest times. The aer or large
chalice veil to which you refer, developed in its present
form over time but seems to be simply a smaller form
of the Altar Veil or curtain. Like the Altar veil, it is
drawn back as was the stone from the already empty
tomb to reveal the mystery that is taking place. (It is
important to note that in this context and every other
context in which veiling is practiced in our liturgical
tradition it is to honor the thing which is veiled, not to
“Hide” it.)
Now, the idea that the priest waves the aer over the
holy gifts to “Keep away insects” is not terribly likely
in as much as the Creed itself (The Symbol of Faith)
while part of the Baptismal Service was not a part of
the Divine Liturgy until much later and, by that time,
the fanning of the Holy Gifts with the aer seems to
have been a gesture understood primarily as honoring
them and as a type or image of the Holy Spirit of God
Who, like a dove, hovered over and sanctified them as
well as of the Holy Angels who overshadowed them
and of the Contrite Christian Soul trembling before
them.
This is especially represented and common
celebrations of the Divine Liturgy at which the
concelebrants with great ceremony share in waving the
aer over the gifts and especially in Hierarchical
celebrations where the veil is waved not only over the
Holy Gifts but over the bowed head of the hierarch.
V I S I O N
This is a clear type of the descent of the Spirit.
Much more could be said but suffice it to say that
there are two dangers in explaining the actions and
ceremonies of the Divine Liturgy. Some are tempted
to allegorize and to interpret every minute action in a
symbolic way which transfers the meaning from
mystery to its component actions. On the other hand,
some practice a kind of deconstructionist reductionism
in which they deny altogether the action of God’s Holy
Spirit it bringing our Orthodox Liturgical tradition to
its present state of perfection. Neither of the positions:
the cultic or the quasi-Protestant, are very productive
for the life of the Church. I remember having heard Fr.
Alexander Schmemann ask a young priest why he was
serving the Divine Liturgy in an unusual way. “Oh!”
said the neophyte, “But Father Alexander, you taught
us that this practice is very ancient.” “Yes!” said the
Professor, “And did it occur to you that the Holy Spirit
had some reason to get rid of it?”
The point is that what is alive and practiced is what
God and the Church have found sacred and edifying.
For us to take it upon our selves to add to or subtract
from this deposit because it, “doesn’t seem to have
meaning for us” is the height of arrogance and
presumption.
Now, very briefly, to your question about the
dismissal of catechumens: While we do not usually
require the actual departure of catechumens, we
continue to dismiss them with prayer as a sign to them
that their entrance into a rightful place in the Eucharistic
synaxis yet awaits them. Many of our Catechumens
over the decades here in Denver, have expressed
gratitude both for the prayer and for the implied
invitation which the dismissal bespeaks: an invitation
to persevere in their training. When I think about this
question, I recall a sermon preached by St. Tikhon of
Moscow in answer to those who asked, “Why can’t we
drop the catechumen Litany and dismissal from the
Liturgy?” “You want to omit the catechumen prayers.
You say that they take time and that we, after all, have
no catechumens anymore. Well, how much time do
these prayers really take? Also, I suggest that if you do
not pray for the catechumens you will not ever have
them.”
When the Deacon says “The doors, the doors!” we
may no longer expect the Pagans to try to burst through
and disrupt our services but it has only been for a very
brief time and in a very few places that this security is
felt by large numbers of Orthodox believers. We must
17
S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4
not forget that we are all called upon even today to be
stewards and defenders of the Mysteries of Christ and
that we may very soon find ourselves once more under
attack from those to whom we should not communicate
Christ’s Mysteries.
In Christ,
Archpriest Joseph
Denver Ethnic
Cultural Food Festival
The 106 year old Holy Transfiguration of Christ Ortho-
dox Parish in the historic North Denver Globeville Neigh-
borhood announces a new annual public cultural and culi-
nary event to honor the many Eastern European immi-
grants and ethnic groups which have played a part in the
life of the Parish and of Colorado. On Saturday, 24 July,
from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, 25 July, from
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., they will open their beautiful
grounds for a celebration of good food, arts and entertain-
ment from at least a half dozen cultures represented in the
Congregation.
Serbian roast lamb, Greek Souvlaki (kabobs) and roast
chicken, Romanian meat patties, everybodyís favorite
sarmali (cabbage rolls), Ukrainian Piroshki, Russian
Pelmini, sausages and around a dozen more meat, soup,
pastry and desert items will be available at a half dozen
ethnic booths, together with exotic handicrafts for sale and
displays of the art, culture, history and religion of the re-
spective nationalities.
All of this will be accompanied by the lively authentic
song and dance of such local groups as the World Famous
Planina Singers, the Boulder Romanian Dance Ensemble,
an internationally traveled Balkan Band and authentic re-
corded music from Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, and
Bulgaria.
Festivities will include games and entertainment for chil-
dren as well as folk dance lessons for those who are inter-
ested. Also, Church tours will be offered regularly through-
out the two days and those attending will have the oppor-
tunity to hear sacred music rendered by the English and
Slavonic Church Choirs.
Those who are interested will also have the opportunity
to purchase a copy of the newly publish full color coffee
table book, The Art & Architecture of Holy Transfigura-
tion Cathedral, written and illustrated by, well known Colo-
rado graphic artist, Anna-Marie Kuczun.
For information, contact Fr. Joseph Hirsch or Mrs.
Paulette Hirsch, 303-294 0938, or see online at http://
www.holytransfigcathedral.org.
the O R T H O D O X
Life Giving Spring Retreat Center Expands Role
By Subdeacon Dmitri Solodow, LGS Board Chairman

The Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center has become munity-at-large. This led to an increase in the number
the home of the newly Consecrated Bishop and Dioc- retreats held in 2003 over 2002. Fr. Lawrence, who
esan Chancellor, BENJAMIN. Arriving on Jan 9, (then) was reassigned as parish priest in Calhan, CO, has been
Archimandrite Benjamin, along with his two cats, he replaced by Rassophore Monk Andrew, of the Mon-
quickly became an important presence and participant astery of St. John of San Francisco and Shanghai in
in the activities of the Center. He has also become a Point Reyes, CA. Fr. Andrew brings experience in the
member of the Center’s Board of Directors. As he trav- business world and a great deal of energy and excite-
els the Diocese as Chancellor, Bishop BENJAMIN will ment to this assignment, and has already begun to
also be an ambassador for the Center, helping make its tackle what needs to be done to keep the Center mov-
mission and availability better known throughout the ing forward.
West. The Center’s
Located in brief history in
Boulder City, the Diocese
NV, the Center has not been
was purchased without con-
in June of 2000 troversy. It has
from the Epis- needed impor-
copal Sisters of tant financial
Charity. Sig- support from
nificant funding the Diocese.
assistance was After making a
made available number of
by a loan from emergency
the Russian cash infusions
Wo m e n ’s in 2002 and
Home of 2003, the Dio-
Mercy. The cese estab-
mission of the lished a budget
Center is to pro- line for its on-
vide, in an Or- going contri-
thodox environ- bution to the
ment, a place for parish, Diocesan and National OCA Center, providing $12,000 in this year to help the Cen-
bodies to hold retreats, meetings and seminars; while ter get on a more stable financial footing. Making clear
also providing retreat space for public groups and in- its position that the Center must become self-support-
dividuals. ing, the Diocesan Council reported to the 2003 Dioc-
Since its beginning as an Orthodox facility, the Cen- esan Assembly an 18-month plan to carefully monitor
ter has hosted meetings of the DOW Deans, clergy and the Center’s progress and make the decision about its
matushki; of the OCA Department of Evangelism and future on its success in meeting the requirements of
of the OCA Summer Camp Directors. Other groups that plan
holding retreats at the Center have ranged from the Specifically, the Center must:
Greek Orthodox Youth Organization to the different * have a marketing plan in place by Jan.1, 2004.
church groups in Las Vegas. This will ensure that the potential market for the Cen-
The Center’s first full-time Director, Fr. Lawrence ter is identified, communicated with and attracted.
Gaudreau, worked diligently to build up the awareness Completion of this task has been delayed by the ne-
of the Center’s presence in the Diocese and in the com- cessity to plan for Bp. BENJAMIN’S accommoda-
18
V I S I O N
tions, for the transition in Directors and by the holi-
day-related obligations of the person helping the Board
with this task.
* complete and implement an operations review by
Feb. 1, 2004. Now completed, this will make the
Center’s operations as efficient as possible, beyond
the already-accomplished 20% reduction in expenses
in 2003.
* complete Board of Directors membership by Jan.
1, 2003. The Board of Directors, which had been meet-
ing quarterly, now meets monthly, so it can more
closely review the Center’s activities and finances. The
Board is made up of Subdeacon Dmitri Solodow,
Chairman; Fr. Eric Tosi, Vice Chairman; Peter
Schwalbenberg, Secretary; and BP. BENJAMIN, Fr.
Gabriel Cooke, Dr. Robert Goodman, James
Campbell, Joseph Vranich and James Monoyudis.
* generate fundraising and non-retreat income of at
least $50,000 by June 30, 2004. Through the efforts
of Board, the Center has to date raised almost $66,000,
much of which goes to pay the mortgage.
* have an Advisory Committee in place by April 1,
2004. This group will comprise people of “affluence
and influence” whose names, reputations and assis-
tance will add significantly to the Center’s presence
in the community.
* generate retreat income in 2004 sufficient to cover
operating expenses, exclusive of the mortgage. The
budget adopted by the Board for 2004 meets this re-
quirement, and will be carefully monitored to ensure
the condition is met. In addition, the Board is looking
into securing a private-placement loan at current in-
terest rates to enable it to pay off the Sisters of Char-
ity loan, which carries an 8% interest rate.
* reduce its 2005 request for support from the Dio-
cese to a level below that provided in 2004. The Board
recognizes that the Diocese’s financial commitment
is limited, and will plan for and adopt a budget in 2005
which meets this requirement.
* begin to significantly repay its loan from the Rus-
Summer Camps
Kids from the Pacific Southwest Deanery will join
with the Pacific Central Deanery this summer at St
Eugene’s Camp at St. Nicholas Ranch, Dunlap, CA for
a week of fun and faith. Campers will benefit from
contact with the Theotokos the Life Giving Spring
women’s monastery which exists at the same location.
Camp directors are Archpriest Basil Rhodes and
19
S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4
sian Women’s Home of Mercy by July 1, 2005. This
loan was critical to the initial financing of the purchase
of the Center and, although no repayment schedule was
contained in the original transaction, the Center recog-
nizes its responsibility to reimburse its major creditor
in a timely fashion.
While attending to the business aspects of the Center’s
operations, the Board notes that the Center remains an
important Diocesan asset, providing an Orthodox set-
ting for meetings, retreats, spiritual development and
as a home and office for the Diocesan Chancellor. It
must be operated so that both aspects are balanced.
You can “see” the Center by logging on to
www.lasvegasorthodox.org/retreatcenter. The Center is
located at 701 Park Place, Boulder City, NV 89005. Fr.
Andrew would love to hear from you at 702-293-7208.
Where are you holding your retreat?
Orthodox Stewards
of the West
Fr. Lawrence Gaudreau
19485 N. Calhan Hwy.
Calhan, CO 80808-9529
tel. 719-347-2526
Archpriest Michael Senyo. Camp Dates: July 4-10,
2004. Contact Info: Kathy Pieracci: 209-931-0584.
Rocky Mountain Deanery: July 25-28, at Glacier
View Ranch in the Rocky Mountains. Contact: Fr. An-
thony Karbo, 719-632-7385. Applications and fees due
July 17th.
Las Vegas: August 15-18 at Camp Lee Canyon, Mt.
Charleston Recreation Area. Contact: Nadine Wood,
(Cont’d. on pg. 21.)
the O R T H
The Internet and the Diocese of the West
Advice on the use of modern communications and information technology
by Priest Peter Tobias
There is no doubt that the Internet has become the
means by which much of the communication in our
world takes place. Whether it be personal or financial,
informative or entertaining, communication of many
kinds takes place “online.” E-Mail, Web pages, news
groups, instant messaging (IM), Internet Relay Chat
(IRC – similar to IM), video, and audio communica-
tion are examples of the ways people communicate
online about whatever they want and for an audience
as large as the world itself.
While it is unfortunate that the Internet is used to
propagate material we know to be unedifying and self-
destructive, to not make proper use of it would be a
mistake as well. To begin with, the Internet transforms
great geographical distances into ones that are a click
away. Consider for example the remoteness and isola-
tion of some of our clergy and parishes. The Internet
can be used to help our people in these situations re-
main connected to the diocese at large, the national
Church, and even the entire Orthodox world. A spiri-
tual child may live very far from his or her spiritual
father, or mother, and while using caution when com-
municating private matters, can acquire some degree
of comfort, or instruction. Others may be shut-ins, or
too infirm to keep close contact with others. Commu-
nication over the Internet, along with the telephone of
course, can help fill in the gaps between visits. In one
example, the Internet was used to begin communicat-
ing the Orthodox faith to a Protestant missionary fam-
ily in Guatemala, who later returned to the States to
complete instruction and be received into the Holy
Church.
Another element of the Internet worth emphasizing
is the speed at which it can provide materials to people
and parishes anywhere. Liturgical music, periodicals,
diocesan news, homilies, directories, educational and
evangelical material, pastoral messages, appeals, min-
utes and reports, and even requests for prayer can be
shared throughout the Diocese. Our own diocesan Web-
site (www.ocadow.org) is an example of how these ma-
terials can be provided quickly, easily, and very inex-
pensively.
A final example is in the area of resale. Our monas-
20
O D O X
teries, bookstores, iconographers, and liturgical sup-
ply houses can and do provide the kinds of merchan-
dise we all know Wal-Mart does not carry (unless you
are very creative and do not tell the Bishop). Consider
how much benefit the new mission parish with its newly
ordained priest can derive from a centralized deposi-
tory of music, rubrics, policies, bi-laws, supplies, and
the like that is quickly and easily accessible.
The value of any tool, as we know, is determined
according to what end it is used. The Internet is no
exception. There are plenty of examples of its use that
make it appear as though the Evil One invented it. As
one person put it, “The Internet is the intellectual
equivalent of a machine gun.” Just point and click,
and you can rapidly assail any audience with an array
of content that does more harm than good. Therefore,
here are some fundamental do’s and don’ts we should
consider when trying to make positive use of the
Internet:
1) Anonymity is often the root of a false sense of
bravado.
Do not communicate something to someone that you
would not say to them in person. We tend to be more
kind when face to face with others.
2) Remember that 80% of communication is encoded
with non-verbal cues:
Neither posture, hand gestures, tone of voice, facial
expression, etc. can be perceived in any electronic mes-
sage.
3) Read aloud everything you write before sending
it.
4) Avoid sarcasm and knee jerk reactions.
5) Make good use of the Drafts folder in your E-mail
program.
Sleep on your responses to things that upset you so
that you are not responding when you should be pray-
ing.
6) Reserve Internet communication for non-personal
communication as often as possible.
NOTHING that is communicated over the Internet is
private.
Reconciliation and forgiveness between each other
should be done in person, or at least over the phone
V I S I O N
whenever possible.
Criticism (hopefully always constructive) must be
given in person (though again, this is not always pos-
sible).
In conclusion, the Internet is a product of this life.
We may choose to make use of it according to the lower
nature, or in a manner consistent with the Church’s role
in the fallen world. Either God is glorified, His love
and salvation communicated, and thus, the Internet
sanctified, or we forfeit the realm of cyberspace to the
sole dominion of the Evil One. Even if we forego this
admittedly black and white conclusion, we cannot sim-
ply ignore the Internet. We have not ignored electric-
ity, the telephone, the automobile, nor air travel (or do
we want to go back to kayaks and gut skin parkas?).
While we agree that these, along with the Internet, only
have the appearance of progress, we can still make
proper use of them within the context of the revelation
of God and His will for mankind and all His creation.
Fr. Peter is rector at St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Mis-
sion in Bozeman, MT, along with Matushka Maria and chil-
dren. He also oversees the diocesan website.
WWW.OCADOW.ORG
For the latest information on the Diocese of the West
Information on all parishes, institutions and depart-
ments
Archived issues of The Orthodox Vision
Complete letters of instruction from His Grace
And much, much more
& established. Plans are underway for obtaining worship
WWW.OCA.ORG
Official website of the Orthodox Church in America
A multitude of resources and links
(Camps, cont’d. from page 19.)
702-263-9535. The theme this year will be “Let your
light so shine” and will be hosted by Ms. Xenia Babich,
an intern from Syosset, and His Grace, Bp. BEN-
JAMIN. Cost is $50 per child.
4th of July Celebration at Ft. Ross
The annual Liturgy at historic Ft. Ross will be held on
July 5th this year, as the 4th falls on a Sunday. Please
contact Fr. Lawrence Margitich for information, 707-
584-9491.
21
S p r i n g , 2 0 0 4
Announcements
The Priest John Mancantelli, released by His Emi-
nence, Very Most Reverend Archbishop NATHANIEL,
effective December 31, 2003, and received under
Omophorion of His Grace Bishop TIKHON and as-
signed as rector of St. Nicholas of South Canaan Church
of Billings, Montana, effective January 1, 2004.
(Prior to his consecration as Bishop of Berkeley on
May 1, 2004 . . .) the Archimandrite Benjamin was
released by His Grace, Very Right Reverend Bishop
NIKOLAI of Sitka, Anchorage and Alaska, effective
January 15th, 2003, received under the Omophorion
of His Grace Bishop TIKHON, effective the same date,
and attached to the Holy Virgin Cathedral, Los Ange-
les. He has taken up residence at the Life-giving Spring
Retreat Center, Boulder, NV. He was appointed Chan-
cellor of the Diocese of the West as of January 20th
(and the Very Reverend Archpriest Ian MacKinnon
was relieved of his appointment to the same position),
and retains this role as bishop.
We neglected to mention in our last edition, the ordi-
nation of George Golitzen to diaconate in October,
2003, atached to St. Nicholas Church, San Anselmo,
CA.
Missions underway
Meetings were held on May 4th and 25th to arrange
for services in Redding, CA, where a mission is to be
space and establishing a budget. The mission is tem-
porarily overseen by Fr. Michael Rome, with area
priests helping to fill the liturgical schedule. For infor-
mation, contact Fr. Rome, 530-895-8116, or Fr. Ian
MacKinnon, 530-758-2255.
A mission is also to begin in Kona, Hawaii in late
July. Contact: Steven Montany, 808-937-8407.
Another mission has formally begun in Freemont/
San Jose, California. Contact: Erik Worth, 408-942-
1575.
Diocesan Assembly in Los Angeles
This years Diocesan Assembly will be hosted by Holy
Virgin Cathedral in Los Angeles, October 4th-6th. De-
tails will be discussed at an upcoming deanery meet-
ing and announced.
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