Annual Pilgrimage and Picnic at Fort Ross, May 31

[5Loaves]

This coming Monday is the annual Pilgrimage, Hierarchical Liturgy, and picnic at Fort Ross. (Memorial Day is the day when the ROCOR parishes go to Fort Ross. The OCA go on the 4th of July.)

Traditional Pilgrimage and Picnic at Fort Ross.

On Monday, May 30, 2011 (Memorial Day)

This year’s Pilgrimage to Fort Ross is especially important to all who cherish the Russian heritage. During the course of the next year, we are preparing a number of activities to celebrate the 200 Years of Fort Ross, including monthly lectures on the history, significance and heritage of Fort Ross. These lectures will be held both at Fort Ross and San Francisco.

Fort Ross was founded by the Russian-American Company in 1812. Currently, Fort Ross is administered by California State Park & Recreation Administration.

In view of the economic crisis, the administration of the California State Parks and Recreation found it necessary to hold Fort Ross closed to visitors on weekdays, and only due to our Traditional Pilgrimage and Picnic will Fort Ross be open on Monday, 30 May. Our attendance at Fort Ross may play a role in the fate of the operating mode of this corner of Russia. Therefore, Each of Us and Our Presence has a special significance this year.

On Monday, May 30, 2011 (Memorial Day) we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am. After the Liturgy, there will be a procession to the cemetery where our countrymen are buried, as well as local and Alaskan natives that had converted to Orthodoxy while working at Fort Ross and ended their earthly journey in this small corner of Russia. After the procession, we will have a picnic lunch available for $12. The St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble will entertain us with spiritual and folk songs.