Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
“Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Thy glory above all the earth.”
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Annual Pilgrimage to Fort Ross, Near Jenner, California - 06/24/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-25 09:33:46

On May 29, 2023, members of the Western American Diocese, both clergy and laity, undertook the annual pilgrimage to Fort Ross. Today it is a wonderful park under the auspices of the State of California, yet two hundred years ago, life there was in full swing with several hundred people from soldiers, to artisans, to farmers, to indigenous people both from Alaska and locals (Kashaya-Pomo Indians). The park also preserves an Orthodox cemetery. In the 1990s, archaeologists carried out excavations and identified the graves of the departed who labored at the fort in bygone years.

Now for about a hundred years (circa 1922 or 1923), Russian Orthodox Christians have been coming to Fort Ross annually, remembering their roots and praying at this holy place consecrated by the presence of Saints such as Holy Hierarch Innocent of Moscow, Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut, Hieromartyr Tikhon Patriarch of Moscow and Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker.


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His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill is in Recovery after a Successful Operation - 06/23/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-23 17:06:16

His Eminence Kyrill Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America was informed by his doctor today that the former’s operation was a huge success.

It is requested that the clergy and faithful of the Western American Diocese, please, continue their prayers for His Eminence’s full and speedy recovery.


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A Request from His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill - 06/20/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-20 11:09:53

His Eminence Kyrill Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America advises the clergy and faithful of the following:
 

"Your Eminences, Your Graces, Reverend Fathers, and Friends,

This coming Thursday 22 June I will be undergoing an operation (at 11 am).
I have stones on my left kidney that are 2.5 cm in size.
I will be out of commission for about 2 -3 weeks but reachable via e-mail.

I ask for your prayers.

+Archbishop Kyrill"


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A New Icon for our Church - 06/19/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-19 19:57:01

On the Sunday of All Saints of Russia, June 18, 2023, Holy Ascension Church was presented with a new icon of Holy Righteous Alexei of Moscow along with a particle of his honorable relics. 


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The Parish School had its Final Day for the Academic Year - 05/27/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 05:38:16

Teachers, students, parents, and relatives of the Cossack Cadet School in honor of the "Don" Icon of the Mother of God heard the last "call" for the 2022-2023 academic year on May 27 this year.

The program began with a Thanksgiving Moleben in the church. And after that, everyone gathered in the church hall where the teachers congratulated the children on the occasion of the end of the school year. And the pupils showed their knowledge by reading poems in Russian and prayers in Church Slavonic.


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The Baptism of Xenia Adamenko - 04/22/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 05:14:24

On Bright Saturday, April 22, 2023, infant Xenia (Darina) Adamenko was Baptised at Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church of Sacramento. Congratulations to Xenia's sponsors, parents, brothers, sister, grandparents and all of her family.


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Procession and Easter Egg Hunt on Bright Monday - 04/17/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 04:37:03

On Bright Monday, April 17, 2023, the clergy and faithful, and of course, the children of Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church of Sacramento, partook of the joy of the Resurrection of Christ by participating in the Divine Liturgy, procession, and an Easter Egg Hunt, which followed a meal in the church hall. 

See the albums below for details:


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Paschal Greeting from the Father Rector - 04/16/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 05:51:53

Christ is Risen!

 In the canon of Paschal Matins, it is exclaimed that our Lord Jesus appeared to the Holy Myrrh-bearing women and to His disciples. “The godly-wise women followed after Thee in haste; but Him Whom they sought with tears as dead, they worshipped joyfully as the living God, and they brought unto Thy disciples, O Christ, the good tidings of the mystical Pascha” (Ode VII).

Our Resurrected Lord manifested Himself many times during the forty days before His Divine Ascension and Session at the right hand of the Father, in this way preparing them for the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. And, indeed He continues to reveal Himself in glory to new disciples from generation to generation, even as He appeared to the Holy Apostle Paul well after Pentecost. “Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (I Cor. 15: 8).

But if God desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim 2:4) and loves even His enemies, why did He limit the vision of His radiant Resurrection to those who were close to Him and not all people? Would not the power and glory of His Resurrected presence be of assistance to those who mocked Him and crucified Him, so that they too could see and believe, and therefore be saved?


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Paschal Epistle of the Ruling Hierarch of the Western American Diocese - 04/16/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 03:55:43

Reverend Fathers, Venerable Monastics, and Pious Faithful of the Western American Diocese:

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

The days that our Savior Jesus Christ brings to us in this life are often filled with joy, but they are sometimes filled with sorrows. We are experiencing such sorrowful days today, of the sort which many of us thought, and hoped, we would not experience again in this lifetime. Memories of the revolution and the grave injustices that for so many decades followed it are renewed in our minds with unwelcome freshness. We recall anew the sufferings of our ancestors. We are drawn again to the testimony of the New Martyrs and all that they suffered in the previous generation for the sake of Christ. And driven by such memories, and by the Lord’s commandment, we pray for those who are suffering, everywhere, especially our closest brethren in the Holy Orthodox Faith, and for their salvation.


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Paschal Epistle of His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad - 04/16/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 03:46:42

With a sense of Paschal joy and special spiritual closeness, despite the distance separating us, I greet you, Eminent Brother Archpastors, honorable fathers, dear brothers and sisters scattered throughout the world, on this great and light-bearing day of the Pascha of Christ!

CHRIST IS RISEN!


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Paschal Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia - 04/16/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 03:49:07

Paschal Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia to Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monastics and All Faithful Children
of the Russian Orthodox Church

Beloved in the Lord archpastors, all-honourable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters,

I address all of you, Orthodox Christians living in many countries of the world, who are now in churches or praying in your homes, to extend greetings to you on the great feast of Holy Pascha with my heart full of spiritual joy, and to proclaim victoriously in accord with the ancient tradition:

CHRIST IS RISEN!


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New Members of Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church of Sacramento were Received on Great Saturday - 04/15/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 03:36:07

On Holy and Great Saturday, April 15th, 2023, 6 people were received into the fold of the Orthodox Church. 

See the following photo album of that event.


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Palm Sunday, 2023, was Celebrated at Holy Ascension Church - 04/12/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 05:57:44

The clergy and faithful of Holy Ascension Church celebrated the Great Feast of Palm Sunday.

Here is the photo album of the Feast:


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Baptism on Lazarus Saturday - 04/08/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 06:00:00

On Lazarus Saturday, April 8th, 2023, Vladimir Taran received Holy Baptism. 

A photo album may be seen below:


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GREAT LENT: Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian - 02/27/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-02-27 16:04:30

A leaflet on the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian was prepared by Andre Kusubov, a parishioner of the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco.


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Metropolitan Onufry: Lenten Rule For Peace - 02/27/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-02-27 15:58:10

At the beginning of Great Lent, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev & All Ukraine, called upon and blessed the faithful to fulfill a special rule of prayer for peace. The rule is as follows: throughout the fast read the 45th and 90th Psalms, do 12 full prostrations, and read the Lord’s Prayer daily, for peace in the Ukrainian Land. With the blessing of Archbishop Kyrill we are posting the TEXT of this “Rule for Peace” for the members of the Western American Diocese and website visitors.


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Greater Blessing of the Waters on Theophany, 2023 - 01/21/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 05:56:14

On January 6/19th, 2023, the clergy and faithful of Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church of Sacramento "went out to the Jordan" in a procession for the Rite of the "Greater Blessing of the Waters" in the churchyard.

A photo report may be found below.


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Parish School's Nativity Program was Held on January 14th, 2023 - 01/14/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-06-03 05:54:41

On January 14th, 2023, the Cossack Cadet School in honor of the "Don" Icon of the Mother of God held its annual Nativity program (Yolka), organized by the teachers and parents of our school. 

After the program, Father Frost and "Snegorichka" visited with the children giving gifts to all of them token presents, and a festal meal followed. 


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Christ is Born! Glorify Him! - 01/13/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-01-13 17:14:51

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Divine Services of the Holy Church testify that “Bethlehem has opened Eden: come let us see! We have found joy in a secret place: come, let us seize Paradise hidden in the cave! There the unwatered Root has appeared, blossoming with forgiveness. There is found the undug Well, from which David longed to drink of old. There the Virgin has borne a child, quenching Adam's and David's thirst. Let us hurry to this place, where the Eternal God was born as a little child!”

Adam of old, before his fall and expulsion from Paradise, knew no sickness, nor sorrow, nor sighing. He was being sweetened not only by the delights of that wonderful, holy place, but moreover he delighted in sweet conversation with God, he shared a union with the “Gentle Light of the Holy Glory.” Having lost this light and existing as a fallen man in a fallen world, he had a deep yearning to return to that former beauty. The Divine Services call it a thirst. And this thirst was quenched by the “Eternal God [Who] was born as a little Child.”

If Adam had brought upon himself fallen nature, David who had come many generations later had inherited it. Within the depths of his soul David had the same yearning, longing, thirst that so needed quenching as our forefather Adam did. David stretched himself beyond human limits and heights of repentance and knowledge of God that few could ever hope to equal. Yet, the yearning of this prophet of God could not be satisfied by anything earthly or even heavenly as he thirsted for the Creator Himself. And God the Word without beginning and outside of time, entered into this created world through the Ever-Virgin. The Son of God born in a cave of the earth is that unwatered Root that blossomed forth forgiveness, the undug Well that quenches the deepest of thirsts...


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Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia - 01/13/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-01-13 17:02:00

to the Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons,
Monastics and All the Faithful Children
of the Russian Orthodox Church

Beloved in the Lord archpastors, all-honourable
presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks
and nuns, dear brothers and sisters,

Today, as the Heavenly and earthly Church in conciliar unity glorifies God Incarnate, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on the great and radiant feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.


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NATIVITY EPISTLE of His Eminence NICHOLAS Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia - 01/13/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-01-13 16:50:57

Eminent Fellow Archpastors, Honorable Fathers, Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

Greetings with the Nativity of Christ!

In these days of great joy, the thoughts of the archpastors, pastors, monastics, parishioners, and faithful of the churches and monasteries of our dioceses, scattered like God’s wheat over the vast earth, meet in the meek Bethlehem cave, in the semi-darkness in which was lit the unquenchable Light of the world — our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God! Spiritually gathering with all of you in the modest cave near Bethlehem, and kneeling down before the poor manger of the Divine Infant and His Most Pure Mother, I join my prayers to yours and implore God the Word incarnate to grant His Church grace-filled mercies and blessed success in Her ministry, and to all Orthodox peoples speedy deliverance from fratricidal war, restoration of justice and peace, that peace of which the angelic choir sang over the city of David on that holy night of the Nativity!

As the Biblical book, “The Wisdom of Sirach” narrates:


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Nativity Epistle of His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America - 01/02/2023
Category: Recent Events
Last updated: 2023-01-03 18:47:11

Nativity Epistle of His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America may be read HERE.


Announcements
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XVIII Annual Saint Herman's West Youth Conference to be held in Jackson, CA, from December 26-30, 2024 - 10/02/2024

Live streaming here

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Western American Diocese, Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
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