Anniversary of the Lesna monastery

[Mother Evfrosinia]

Dear friends,

My monastery, of the Lesna Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, will be celebrating the 120th anniversary of our foundation on Sunday, October 2nd (n.s.). If you would like to be remembered at the akathist before the miracle-working Icon of the Lesna Mother of God on the feast day and on the actual day of the appearance of the Icon, email me at lesna@wanadoo. fr. We are in the midst of preparations, which is why I haven't posted anything for quite some time. Please pray that everything will go smoothly. We expect 2-300 pilgrims.

In Christ's love, sinful m. evfrosinia

[R.J.G.]

Wish I were there! Have a lovely feast.

[Atanasios Bardasos]

Dear Mother,

There will most surely be some very profound graces that will descend upon you all that day. What a Joy to live as His Bride, beneath Her tender and Motherly Veil.

Peace and Blessings,
Atanasios, sinner monk

[Mother Evfrosinia]

Thank you everyone who posted or e-mailed me. I did remember your names at the moleben and during the akathist before the 2 miracle-working Icons. The feast was lovely and everything went very well. Our Metropolitan Laurus came, as well as Archbishop Mark and Bishop Agapit from Germany. Around 300 pilgrims attended, of all ages and nationalities, coming from Kazan to San Francisco. The weather was awful, cold and wet, on the eve of the feast, and one of the clergymen suggested that we all pray to St. John of Shanghai, who knew our monastery well and visited often. He had stopped tornados in the Philippines; surely he would stop the rain? And he did, by the end of Liturgy we had beautiful sunny weather. On the eve of the feast we had a very moving memorial services for all of the monastics and clergy of our monastery over the past 120 years, who’s nameswe’ve been able to learn. Most of our archives were lost as the Lesna monasatery moved from country to country, or perished in the fire that burned down our monastery in Serbia in 1947. We spent several weeks going through all possible sources to recover as many of the names as possible. Our abbess, Matushka Macrina, was awarded a decorated cross at the Liturgy. It came as a complete surprise to her, and being a very humble person, when one of the protodeacons lead her up to the Metropolitan and removed her cross she assumed she was being asked to resign; it never occurred to her that she could be awarded anything. There was a procession and a service of intercession, and a huge meal for everyone. We seated around 275 people, and plenty more helped themselves and wandered around the grounds. The bookstore did a brisk business and we sold a lot of produce from our gardens. In the afternoon there was a concert of church music. 3 choirs participated, 2 from our parish in Paris, and a small choir from St. Petersburg. They helped us produce a CD of our chant in Russia a few years back, and we’ve helped them give concerts in France twice. In the evening Bishop Agapit read the akathist before the 2 miracle working icons and everyone sang. We’ve published a new book about the monastery’s history and a new CD should be ready by Nativity. Though it was lovely, everyone was exhausted, and we’re happy to be back to our quieter and peaceful everyday routine. Thank you everybody, for your prayers, congratulations and good wishes. A few photos from the feast have been posted on the official ROCA web site: www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws (http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws)
With love in Christ, sinful m. evfrosinia