Pilgrimage

Tomorrow I will be leaving for my annual pilgrimage to the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in West Virginia. This will be my third visit, and I look forward to this a lot. It is always good to spend time in a community that is really focused on living the real Orthodox lifestyle whatever rite you use. The only problem that arises when I make these trips is that I get really fired up about the splendor of the classic Russian tradition. A world of flowing cassocks, vibrant vestments, and dim lamp lit chapels is hard to forget. Sometimes I find my self wanting to read services out of my Horrologion rather than my diurnal! This year I am going to try reading Compline out of my diurnal after evening services, as they do not have Compline or prayers before sleep (they read them as part of the cell rule.) Hopefully I will stay more rooted in the Western liturgical tradition while still appreciating the Russian.