Fourth of July at Fort Ross

His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin, invites the clergy and faithful of the Diocese and all Orthodox Christians to attend the Divine Liturgy and annual picnic at Fort Ross State Historic Park on Monday, July 4th. His Eminence will preside at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy will begin at 10:00 AM. All clergy are invited to serve (green vestments).

A picnic follows on the grounds of the Fort. Please bring food and drink.

Faithful have been gathering at Fort Ross every year since July 4, 1925, for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the first Orthodox chapel of prayer in the lower forty-eight. More history can be viewed at www.fortross.org and an account of the first pilgrimage in 1925 can be viewed here. The Fort’s chapel, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, was built in the mid-1820s. Although Although Ross had no resident priest, in 1836 Father Ioann Veniaminov — glorified in 1977 as our St. Innocent of Alaska — visited the settlement and conducted sacraments of marriage, baptism, and the Divine Liturgy. The faithful of the Bay Area worked with the State of California and other benefactors in the twentieth century to preserve the Fort and the Chapel.

The annual Fourth of July visit to Fort Ross is a beautiful opportunity for the faithful of the Diocese of the West to gather together and to offer thanksgiving to God for those who brought the faith to this land and for the United States, where we are free to worship the Most Holy Trinity in the Orthodox manner. This is a precious moment for fellowship with people from all parishes and a family-friendly setting.  A photo album from last year can be viewed here.