Join us at 4pm, June 6, at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Williamsport PA, for Vespers and Book Event!

Talk and book signing cap a week of travel and talks.

Fr Seraphim Reynolds invited me last year to come to the parish for a talk and book signing, but for various reasons I couldn’t make it, so we tabled it for later. I am thrilled to be here in Pennsylvania for this long awaited event, and finally to be able to see and experience this beautiful parish in person:

*‘O Gladsome Light…’* – Vespers beckons!

Holy Cross is one of the most unique church buildings you’ll find anywhere! The parish, founded in 1977, is part of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania (doepa.org) of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org)…

The basic structure of Holy Cross Church is a former 200-year-old log barn of hand-hewn timbers, painstakingly dismantled, delivered and reassembled on site from a location some five miles away. Beginning in June, 1987, over the next 17 months, the pastor and parishioners volunteered their talents and tireless efforts in all phases of the construction process. The use of logs seemed appropriate for Williamsport, the one-time ‘log capital of the world’. The distinctive ‘onion domes’ were built on site and hoisted into place as the crowning glory of the church, surmounted by hand-crafted crosses plated with gold leaf. The church was formally consecrated on November 12, 1988 (and has since become affectionately well-known throughout the region as “the little, wooden Orthodox church”).

In 1997-98, a beautification project was undertaken including the construction and installation of a new icon screen and hand-painted icons. The church interior has been referred to as “something like heaven”. Traditional stained glass windows enhance the incredible beauty of the timeless Orthodox iconography. Learn more here…

A special evening:

Great Vespers at 4:00pm,
Followed by talk and book signing,
Light refreshments.

Topics for the Talk:

The Thebaid Project & multi-year pilgrimage,
photography and beauty in the Orthodox Church,
and the growth of Orthodox Christian monasticism in America,
with Q&A.

Save 30% now through June 7!

If you’ve been wanting to purchase or order The North American Thebaid Book as a gift, now is a great time to do so, as the publisher, St Tikhon’s Monastery Press, is offering a 30% discount now through Sunday, June 7, to coincide with this talk and my appearance at Paideia Conference this past week.

We hope to see you there!