Fr. Matthew Joyner and Fr. Michael Kon, with Mitered Archpriest James Mason celebrated the Divine Liturgy of the Holy Transfiguration and Feast with the Blessing of Fruits.
The Transfiguration of Christ is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on August 6. Jesus had gone with his disciples Peter, James, and John to Mount Tabor. Christ's appearance was changed, while they watched, into a glorious radiant figure. There appeared Elijah and Moses, speaking with Jesus. The disciples were amazed and terribly afraid.
This event shows forth the divinity of Christ, so that the disciples would understand, after his Ascension, that He was truly the radiant splendor of the Father, and that his Passion was voluntary. The summer celebration of the feast, however, has lent itself very well to the theme of transfiguration. On this day, the blessing of grapes, as well as other fruits is the most beautiful and adequate sign of the final ­transfiguration of all things in Christ. It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in the paradise of God’s unending Kingdom of Life where all will be transformed by the glory of the Lord.
Many members brought baskets of fruits to be blessed.
Praise God for the Glory of all things to come!