Particle of St. Alexis Toth relics gifted to Khust Diocese of Ukrainian Church

Moscow, June 16, 2017

Photo: pilgrims.in.ua Photo: pilgrims.in.ua
    

St. Alexis Toth arrived to the United States from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1889, and now a piece of St. Alexis has returned to his native land. During the celebrations of the 113th annual Memorial Day Pilgrimage at St. Tikhon’s Monastery in Waymart, PA, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon had the blessing of gifting a particle of the relics of St. Alexis to Archimandrite Pimen (Matsola) who was visiting from the Western Ukrainian Diocese of Khust and Vinohradova, reports the Orthodox Church in America.

Archimandrite Pimen, the dean of the Monastery of the Archangel St. Michael, visited the holy sites of America from May 22 to 31 with the blessing of Metropolitan Mark of Khust and Vinohradova. The main purpose of his visit, according to the Pilgrimage Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was to visit St. Tikhon’s Monastery, where the incorrupt relics of the Carpatho-Russian St. Alexis Toth are kept. The Khust Diocese is located near the Slovak and Hungarian borders, the area where St. Alexis was born and ministered before coming to America.

Noting that American Orthodox Christians have traveled abroad for many years to venerate the relics of the saints, it is “something wonderful to see pilgrims from Europe coming to America to venerate our saints!” said an elated Met. Tikhon. Archimandrite Pimen received the gift at the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the anniversary of St. Alexis’ glorification, which took place at St. Tikhon’s on May 29, 1994.

The relics of St. Alexis were delivered to Ukraine on May 31, and will be carried in the traditional diocesan procession on August 20. After that, the relics will be exhibited for veneration in Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Khust.

Fr. Pimen also had the blessing of traveling to San Francisco to venerate the relics of St. John Maximovitch, and to visit the Old Russian Cathedral where the saint’s mantia is kept. He also visited St. Herman’s Monastery in Platina, CA to venerate the grave and visit the cell of Fr. Seraphim Rose, as well as St. John’s Monastery in Manton, CA.

Archimandrite Pimen at the Old Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco, with Hieromonk James (Corazza) and the mantia of St. John Maximovitch (left); Archimandrite Pimen at the cell of Fr. Seraphim Rose at St. Herman's Monastery in Platina, CA (right). Photos: pilgrims.in.ua Archimandrite Pimen at the Old Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco, with Hieromonk James (Corazza) and the mantia of St. John Maximovitch (left); Archimandrite Pimen at the cell of Fr. Seraphim Rose at St. Herman's Monastery in Platina, CA (right). Photos: pilgrims.in.ua
    

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St. Alexis was a Uniate priest from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, assigned to serve a parish in Minneapolis in 1889. Upon arrival in America he found the Latin bishop quite hostile to Catholics of the Byzantine Rite, and found himself without a parish. By God’s providence this led to his reception into the holy Orthodox Church on March 25, 1891, after which he worked tirelessly, delivering fiery sermons throughout all of America to bring thousands of Uniates into the true Church. He reposed in 1909, being laid to rest in the monastery cemetery at St. Tikhon’s. Seven years later his body was relocated to a special crypt built behind the Church. Today his relics lie in a reliquary on the right kliros in the monastery church, where all are welcome to venerate and pray to this faithful missionary of Orthodoxy in America.

6/16/2017

See also
On the Life, Glorification, and Incorrupt Relics of St. Mardarije of Libertyville On the Life, Glorification, and Incorrupt Relics of St. Mardarije of Libertyville On the Life, Glorification, and Incorrupt Relics of St. Mardarije of Libertyville On the Life, Glorification, and Incorrupt Relics of St. Mardarije of Libertyville
In preparation for his glorification ceremony, St. Mardarije’s relics were recently opened and found to be incorrupt from the knees up, with skin and hair still intact, bearing witness to the sanctity of this holy God-pleaser, already confirmed by his inclusion among the ranks of the saints. St. Mardarije joins the ranks of St. John Maximovitch and St. Alexis Toth, whose incorrupt relics are already treasures for Orthodox Christians in America.
St. Alexis, a Resolute Zealot for Orthodoxy St. Alexis, a Resolute Zealot for Orthodoxy
Archimandrite Luke (Murianka)
St. Alexis, a Resolute Zealot for Orthodoxy St. Alexis, a Resolute Zealot for Orthodoxy
Archimandrite Luke (Murianka)
In light of contemporary ecumenical exchanges, dialogues, theological commissions, and dramatic statements frequently confusing and scandalizing the Orthodox faithful, we need to pause a moment and refresh our memory with the image of a prophet zealous for the Lord's truth found in the person of St Alexis, who not only resembles an Old Testament prophet but is equal in spirit to great luminaries such as Sts. Athanatious the Great, Cyril of Alexandria, Photios the Great, and Averky of Jordanville.
Let Us All Turn to the Mother of God! On the Feast of the Protection. Let Us All Turn to the Mother of God! On the Feast of the Protection.
St. Alexis Toth
Let Us All Turn to the Mother of God! On the Feast of the Protection. Let Us All Turn to the Mother of God! On the Feast of the Protection.
St. Alexis Toth
But anyplace wherever we would be, the Lord's Mother is with us! She hears our prayers to Her. She is also here in Minneapolis and She hears our prayers. She sees when you put candles before her icon requesting for yourself, your homeland and your friends Her assistance and protection.
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