Greetings!
This past Sunday was an amazing day for all of the ROAC faithful in Colorado. Metroolitan Valentine made a visit to Dormition Skete and presided over the Liturgy for Thomas Sunday.
I believe that this is a monumental occasion with many paralells. There has been much said, both positive by those who have known him and negative by those who have not, in regards to Met. Valentine. I can only, however, speak for myself and for my wife. After seeing him and speaking with him and spending time with him it was an amazing experience.
The Liturgy was mostly in Rusian with the Epostle and Gospel in English. After experiencong the Liturgy in this way it has prompted me to want to learn both Slavonic as well as Russian.
After the Liturgy we had a wonderful Trapeza meal in which we were able to ask Vladyka any questions that we had and he would answer with the helpful skills of Father Andrew as a translator. Many things were spoken about.
The situation of the Churches in Russia and her faithful.
The typical life of a nun in Russia.
The future of the Church in America.
The words of Vladika were calm and comforting. After a while I did not want to leave because just sitting and listening ot this man speak of the Faith and the life of an Orthodox Christian was just mesmorizing. All in all it was a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed.
I also met Father John Claypool wo made the trip to Colorado for this occassion and he is quit a remarkable man as well.
I will post some pictures as soon as I get them a bit edited for light exposure. The sun in the trapeza hall was bright and messed with some of the pictures, but there will be a lot of pictures thankfully and not only my infantile ones.
May God Bless Metropolitan Valentine with many yars!
Juvenaly
