On the 30 of May, 2016, members of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia will perform an annual pilgrimage to Fort Ross, CA. The greeting of His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill and Divine Liturgy are slated for 9:30 am.

Fort Ross, a park in the California State Parks system, was founded by Russians in 1812. Four Saints of the Russian church have prayed in that place. Many of the founders and laborers of the fort are buried on its cemetery. Holy Hierarch Innocent of Moscow (at the time priest-missionary John Veniaminov), Holy Hierarch Patriarch Tikhon, Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai and San Francisco and Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut sanctified the fort’s chapel and environs by there prayerful presence and holy labors.

The choir conductor, Alexandra Volmensky of Holy Ascension Church in Sacramento, CA, has been requested to conduct the choir. She invites choir members from other parishes of the diocese to join in singing the Divine Liturgy that day.

After the Liturgy there will be a procession to the cemetery where a “Litya for the Departed” will be performed. At the end, all are invited to the Kazan Church on the Russian River for a picnic.