On Thursday, June 30th, 2022, on the eve of St. John’s Day, the annual Akathist to Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker was sung before his honorable and miraculous relics in the Diocesan Cathedral dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”

Immediately following the daily vespers and matins Services Saint John’s relics were translated from his shrine to the center of the cathedral. This year Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, the Dean of the Cathedral, Hieromonk Sofronie of the Dervent Monastery in Romania, and Priest George Kaplanov served the Akathist.

In his sermon at the end of the Akathist, Archpriest Peter spoke about the universal spirit of the founding father of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky). Father mentioned that Metropolitan Anthony was a mentor of Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco and that Saint John also had a universal spirit of love for people and that in every nation where he ministered, he ministered not only to the Russians in the Diaspora, but also to the locals, in China, France, Belgium and the USA. In conclusion, Father Peter related one of the latest miracles performed through Saint John and his holy relics. A man from Brazil had been beside himself with inconsolable grief over his divorce and all of the sorrows which beset him because of this. Once he happened to be in California on a business trip and made it a point to visit Saint John. The Saint did not leave him in his sorrows!  An indelible grace of the Holy Spirit came upon him when he venerated and prayed before the holy relics. Now healed of the weight of his unbearable sorrow, he is able to manage his life and all relations as never before.