On Saturday evening July 18 and Sunday July 19, Bishop Benjamin joined the clergy and faithful of the Protection/St. Seraphim parish of Santa Rosa, California for the summer celebration of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The date was also the 56th anniversary of the ordination of retired Archpriest Michael Margitich, father of Archpriest Lawrence Margitich, the rector. It was also the 12th anniversary of Bishop Benjamin’s ordination to the priesthood.

The services were conducted in the beautiful St. Seraphim Church which is unique among the temples of our diocese in that the iconography on the walls is being done using the classic fresco technique. This method involves painting water-based colors onto wet plaster. The paint then becomes part of the plaster. This differs from the kind of wall decorations, sometimes called fresco secco, where the artist simply paints on a dry wall. The traditional method being employed in the St. Seraphim Church requires more time, skill and, of course, money. The result is rather spectacular.

The parish also boasts one of the best choirs in the diocese. The liturgical music reflects the heterogeneous nature of the congregation. The Protection/St. Seraphim parish is a wonderful mix of Russians and other Slavs, Greeks, Syrians, Eritreans and others. Byzantine and Slavic, harmonized and chant hymns are beautifully sung by the choir under the direction of Nicholas Custer.

To see more pictures of the service, go to
picasaweb.google.com/dowoca/BBVisitSantaRosa200907?feat=directlink

Santa Rosa will be the site of our Diocesan Assembly in October. Following the celebration, the local committee met with Bishop Benjamin. Check back at this site in August to find out more details about the Assembly.