Blessed With A Beautiful On-Going Display of Christian Tradition

Jul 02, 2009 by Fr Luke Palumbis

The journey began over two and one-half years ago, and the culmination took place last month, when Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco officially gifted the holy relic of Saint Basil the Great to the Saint Basil community. In honor of this historic Christian event, the gifting was preceded by three days of events honoring Saint Basil: liturgical services, theological lectures, a Byzantine music concert, and multiple displays of healthy Christian hospitality and fellowship.

Many thanks to all individuals and organizations who offered their time, talents, and treasures to bring these events to fruition! Your expression of stewardship during, and leading up to, these events were a blessing that was appreciated by your clergy, your fellow parishioners who participated in the events, all those who visited from varied backgrounds, and of course — Saint Basil himself!

Now that the relic is enshrined in this community, the lectures have been offered, the concert has been heard, the cookies have been eaten, and the table cloths have been put away — what now? Reflections of these events will be made available through the parish website, a documentary DVD is being produced in honor of the historic gifting, and a process of producing church hymns has been initiated in veneration of the historic gifting, but still, after they have been viewed — then what?

Now we are called to continually experience what we so eagerly anticipated over these past months, and years — the reality that a relic of our Patron Saint is physically here blessing us, and tangibly reminding us of a standard of Christian pilgrimage! We honored Saint Basil with these beautiful and prayerful events, now we are called to continually honor him by striving to live our Christianity with the same dedication and fervor that he did. The presence of the relic serves as a constant reminder and motivation to this call to Christian lifestyle.

Metropolitan Gerasimos gifting the relic of Saint Basil on June 14, 2009 was the major climax of Saint Basil’s Road to the Relic, and marks a new feast day of this community! Moreover, this historic event created a reality which produced continually new climaxes in the lives of the faithful who are blessed by this relic — climaxes which take place each time we align ourselves with Christ, as Saint Basil aligned himself to Christ. These climaxes have the potential to take place multiple times in each of our lives, and if we continue to allow them to — than we truly are experiencing a piece of authentic Christian tradition.

Each time that you venerate, or even think about, the relic of Saint Basil the Great, let his holy example of Christian living inspire your own. This is the tradition of Christ’s Church — ultimately, the shepherding of those seeking sanctification, seeking mercy, seeking love — ultimately, seeking God!

Pray for us, “O Basil, great and holy hierarch, universal lamp of Orthodoxy!” (taken from the Akathist to Saint Basil the Great)

+ Fr. Luke Palumbis