With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Pavlos, on Sunday, July 14/27, 2008, the newly-formed Mission parish of the Holy Mother of God (Panagia Axion Estin) in Palmyra, Virginia, which is near Charlottesville, held its inaugural liturgy.
Presiding were His Grace Bishop Christodoulos, and serving were Fr Patrick Danielson, who will be assigned to pastor the mission, and Fr Anastasios Hudson of St Mark's Orthodox Mission in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hieromonk Savvas of Holy Ascension Monastery chanted.
After Matins and the Divine Liturgy, His Grace performed the Blessing of Waters (agiasmo) on the spot where the organizers of the mission will construct a free-standing chapel.
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.
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Q. Can you tell me what the two-headed snake cane the Greek Bishop is walking with represents? What does it mean?
-V.T.
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