WESTERN AMERICAN DIOCESE: 5 October 2023
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad visits Fort Ross (photo-report)
 On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, prayed in the morning at Kazan Icon of the Mother of God Church on the Russian River and headed for the Russian Fort Ross, located in Sonoma County.
This Russian settlement on the coast of Northern California, 50 miles north of San Francisco, was founded in 1812 by the Russian-American Company for the fur trade and other commerce. Fort Ross was one of the southernmost Russian settlements in North America. In 1841, the company sold its property to a large landowner, John Sutter. It is now California State Historical Park, a US National Historic Landmark.
Greeted with bread and salt at the entrance of the reserve, His Eminence prayed in Holy Trinity Chapel during a moleben to the Synaxis of the saints associated with this place, including St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, the Enlightener of America.
A memorial pannikhida was then performed at the cemetery for Emperors Alexander Pavlovich and Nikolai Pavlovich, and the founders, chiefs and residents who found rest here. After inspecting the residences of the commanders of the fortress and other buildings, Nicholas blessed the meal offered by the administration of the reserve, from the dishes that were used to set the table in the Ross fortress in the 19th century.
His Eminence was accompanied by a group of clergy of the Western American Diocese: Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko, Archpriest Pavel Volmensky, Archpriest Alexander Krassovsky, Archpriest Alexei Kotar and others.
On the evening of the same day, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia visited SS Peter and Paul Church in Santa Rosa, where Fr Alexander is rector.
The photos were provided by representatives of the park’s administration.
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