Embodying the Truth in Montana
The summer feast day of St. Herman was especially marked this year at St. Herman’s in Kalispell, Montana, with a remarkable visit by His Grace, Bishop Maxim, and the very special guests Fr. Stamatios and Presvytera Marina Skliris of Athens, Greece. The four-day visit was crowned with a glorious Liturgy on Sunday, August 11th, with a full temple of many joy-filled faithful. The Liturgy was preceded the evening before by a special Vespers and Liti in honor of St. Herman, in which the wheat, wine, and oil were blessed and distributed to the faithful. As Sunday Liturgy came to a close the Slava bread was lifted aloft. And as the celebrants and faithful chanted the hymns the community truly felt the blessings and joy of her holy Orthodox Faith and the presence of Appa Herman and the choir of the saints.
During the Liturgy Fr. Stamatios instructed the faithful with a powerful homily on the Gospel of the feeding of the five thousand. He pointed out, particularly, the spiritual zeal of those who had left behind all material concerns to sit at the feet of Christ. This virtue, he concluded, which is so desperately needed by us today, paves the way to true communion with Christ as it opens up the distracted heart and makes it vulnerable to the overflowing love and communion which God offers us through the incarnate Lord and especially in the reception of the holy Body and Blood of Christ in the Liturgy.
Following Liturgy, a banquet was held in honor of St. Herman and the visiting guests. Good old fashioned Montana cooking was enjoyed by all. As always, the children of the parish loved being with their Vladyka, whose kindness and joy inspired impromptu songs, laughter, and much merry-making. Local talent was also on display by some of the adult members of the community who beautifully performed traditional songs and melodies of the American folk tradition.
The trip also proved to be an excellent opportunity for the parish family to share more of their beloved Northwest Montana with Vladyka Maxim and the Sklirises. The stunning vistas of Flathead Lake became memorialized once again through canvas and paint as Fr. Stamatis worked to render these scenes through the illuminating eye of the Byzantine iconographic perspective. Undoubtedly, it was the first time that a Montana landscape had been painted in this fashion and all agreed that the results were truly powerful.
On Monday Glacier National Park was explored. Thick fog and clouds threatened to hide the natural beauty of the area but the Park’s stunning landscape eventually unveiled itself, much to the joy of the visitors. The setting proved a perfect spot for photographing God’s marvelous creation and also inspired excellent conversation about life and the mysteries of the Orthodox Faith.
Photos of the Liturgy: Anna Lonnevik-Butt
