On Thursday, September 27^th, the brotherhood of Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV celebrated their patronal feast, the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.

On Wednesday evening the All-Night Vigil, Litia, and the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was served. On the following morning was the Lesser Blessing of Water, followed by Hours and Divine Liturgy. As has been their custom, the clergy and parishioners of the nearby Christ the Savior Church in Wayne, WV joined the monastery for the celebration of the feast.

At the request of a close friend of the monastery, a Slava was served following the Liturgy in honor of the monastery's patronal feast and of St. Nikolai Velimirovic, whose icon was recently commissioned on behalf of the monastery by a benefactor and whose relic was generously gifted as well by His Grace Bishop Irenej of the Serbian Church. The homilies of St. Nikolai are greatly beloved by the brethren, and are read each Sunday in trapeza following the divine services.

The following weekend, on September 29^th & 30^th, the annual Pilgrimage Weekend was presided over by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York. The monastery was greatly blessed with the presence of the Holy Myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, which arrived on Saturday afternoon and was greeted with the festive pealing of bells and incense. Immediately following the arrival of the holy icon a moleben was served, beginning in the monastery church and then processing to the outdoor chapel. The faithful were anointed with myrrh from the icon, followed by an outdoor supper and afterward the All-Night Vigil.

On Sunday morning, the greeting of the Metropolitan was followed by the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan Hilarion delivered an inspiring homily at the conclusion of the Liturgy, urging all the faithful to take up their own cross in imitation of our Savior and out of love for the sacrifice which He made for mankind. Visiting clergy and pilgrims were then invited to a festal banquet, held at Holy Spirit Church in Huntington. Following the meal, the holy icon travelled to Christ the Savior Church in Wayne for a festive moleben and akathist.

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