This year, 2020, we certainly experienced a memorable Easter period. It is tempting to compare the deprivation we have endured in our lifetime to the deprivation of services, the observance of old Russian traditions, and the anticipation, joy, and exuberance we have experienced on Easters past with the travails that our ancestors went through during […]

As the celebration of Holy Pascha comes to an end for this year, let us never allow this great joy to ever leave us, regardless of how oddly things may have gone this year. The eternal joy of Christ’s Resurrection is summarized beautifully in this excerpt from a homily by Fr. Anatoly Pravdolubov (+1981): “In […]

Priest’s Corner: The Promise of Pascha Every year, at the beginning of Great and Holy Lent, we are encouraged to increase our spiritual efforts over the last year and previous year’s Lent and to conduct it as never before. Those words have never rung more true than they do for us today. Never have we—of […]

Beloved in Christ Parishioners, Given that the current restrictions placed upon us will remain in force through Pascha this year, the practices adopted at Sts. Peter & Paul Church will also remain in force as well. Additionally, a number of specific issues will be addressed as follows: During the Shelter-in-Place, as always, all our services […]

This year will be one of great significance not only to our parish, but to all of our beloved Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which celebrates the centennial of its founding. It is of historical interest and importance to note that ROCOR should never have come into existence in the first place, but did—by […]

As some of you who attend church regularly have already noted, our new iconostasis has been installed in place of the old one and continues to amaze and awe those of us who have been waiting for it to take its place in the church for so many years. Of course, it is not yet […]

Walking through life with a smile on our face and a song in our heart is the best way to keep our mind and heart in a good place. Life has many turns and trials, but when we keep centered on all the good that is in our life, the trials are short lived. Smiles […]

At its meeting in San Francisco during the celebration of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia gave their blessing for the full consecration of our church. They have set the date for Saturday, July 11, 2020, for this long-awaited event. Glory be to God! […]

The Ascension of Our Resurrected Lord is a sanctification of our humanity, as Christ returns our human form, which we had defiled through our sinfulness, back to its Divine perfection, as He ascends into Heaven and “sits at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). The celebration of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon […]

  On the evening of May 3, our church hosted a gala evening to raise funds for our iconostasis, which is soon to be installed (the shipment is on its way from Crete, and will be arriving in San Francisco before long). Although our volunteers were a bit nervous about undertaking such an ambitious and […]