Earlier this month, a group from Ss. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church set out on a three-day pilgrimage across Pennsylvania. The journey began at St. Tikhon’s Monastery, where we joined the Divine Liturgy and spent the morning with Abbot Sergius. Walking the monastery grounds, visiting the bookstore, and later hearing Bishop Michael share about his time in Alaska for the canonization of St. Olga gave us a sense of the monastery’s living history and ongoing witness.

Father Stephen guided us through the icon repository and the new icon studio, and brought us into a small chapel where we venerated the icon of Saint Anna. The day closed with Vespers and a shared meal at a local restaurant, already filling the trip with the rhythm of prayer, fellowship, and learning.

The next morning, we visited St. Tikhon’s Seminary, where a seminarian gave us a glimpse into the daily life of study and worship that forms future priests. Father John led a question-and-answer session that sparked thoughtful conversation, and from there we traveled to Holy Protection Monastery in White Haven. Founded in 1993, it carries the peace and beauty of monastic life in a more modern setting, with striking icons that many of us found unforgettable.

Our pilgrimage came to its conclusion in Ellwood City at the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration, where we were blessed to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. The service, held in a pavilion filled with hundreds of faithful, was a joyful and fitting end to our time together.

Throughout these days, what stood out most was the sense of peace, the hospitality of those we met, and the gift of being together as a parish family. This pilgrimage was a blessing for all who took part, and an experience we will carry with us for some time.