Summer Celebrations

Elena and several friends squeeling at every burst.

The St. Tikhon's community was treated to its very own fireworks display. In more ways than one, the abbot of the monastery breaks preconceptions of what we might think a monk or an abbot might be. And one of those ways is his love for fireworks.

He and several of the monks scrambled about setting up fireworks across the pond from where we watched, but so much was the joy of the abbot, that most of the times we could discern the shape of the lighter running away from the soon-to-explode tubes, we saw that it was Abbot Sergius himself doing the honors.

No complaints from us (except for maybe mosquitos). Several of us gathered for a picnic preceding the fireworks display, enjoyed sausage, burgers, fruit salad, and more...as well as one another's company, of course.

We hope that you all enjoyed the Fourth of July, as well. Here are some snippets from a prayer "For One's Earthly and Temporal Homeland":

...Prepare it for us as a temporal homeland such that we may easily and safely travel therefrom to our true homeland with thee. Give strength to thy people and bless them with peace...Adorn our earthly rulers with the faith of Ehud, the hope of Barak, the steadfast trust of Jephthah, the holiness of Samuel, the prudence of Moses, the meekness of David, the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of Hezekiah, the zeal of Josiah, and the nobility of Zerubbabel. ...