The feast of the Opening of the Relics of St. Job of Pochaev ia an important feast for the brotherhood of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.  Much of our traditions are connected with the famous Lavra of St. Job of Pochaev in present-day Ukraine.  

St. Job was the first abbot of the monastery of Pochaev when it was organized as a coenobitic monastery at the end of the 16^th century.  St. Job organized the first printing press in that area and set about publishing apologetic materials to support Holy Orthodoxy against the Uniate movement of that time.  While he was alive the monastery was a beacon of light for Orthodoxy.

Once again, our monastery has found itself in that same situation, a beacon of Orthodoxy in a very secular and anti-Christian culture.  Originally the monastery’s printing was concentrated on preserving the Orthodox faith in a Russia under militant atheism.  However now the emphasis is on missionary work among the heterodox in the West as well as preserving Orthodox among the flock.

On Labor Day weekend, it has long been the tradition to hold a weekend of pilgrimage for the faithful.  This was connected with the feast now being described being so close to the civil holiday.  On this particular feast day, the monastery notes the patronal feast of the lower church of St. Job in the monastery.  His Grace Bishop Luke celebrated the Divine Liturgy along with the monastery and seminary clergy.  At the end of the Liturgy, the traditional moleben with Cross Procession was held around the church.