RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF OUR LADY JOY OF ALL IN SORROW
Parish History
Refugees from displaced persons camp who immigrated to Philadelphia after Second World Was together with their spiritual father Eugene (Lyzlov) organized our parish in 1951 in the Northern Liberties neighborhood in one of the regular town house. Our parishioners worked hard and thanks to their donations the parish was able to purchase a former protestant building and relocated to it's current address at the intersection of 20th and Brandywine Streets, one block north of Spring Garden and six blocks west of Broad Street in October 1957.
The church's present home has a fine stone facade with small arched windows reminiscent of Orthodox churches on the Balkans, and is topped by a gold three-bar Russian cross. On the Brandywine side of the building, a small garden with a crucifixion shrine adorns the space in front of the rectory. The church space is a place of light and holiness, both 'an earthly heaven' and a reminder of the best of the old country, as was Father Eugene's intention.
Our parish keeps the Russian Orthodox Liturgical and Ecclesiastical traditions. We use the Julian church calendar and a mixture of mostly Slavonic, the liturgical language of the Eastern-Slav Churches and some English in services. The regular schedule of services includes a Saturday evening Vigil Service of Vespers and Matins , served at 5:00 P.M., and a Sunday morning Liturgy, served at 10:00 A.M. In addition, the schedule includes special services on the numerous feast days of the Church calendar. For more detail, please visit our Schedule of Services.
Members of all ethnic groups are welcome to worship with us! In addition to our original members, our parishioners are recent immigrants from the post-Soviet Union countries and converts.
Miracle of St. Anna
On May 9, 2004 – Mother’s Day in the U.S. – an Icon of St. Anna, the Mother of the Holy Virgin Mary, located in the Russian Orthodox Church of Our Lady of Joy of All Who Sorrow in Philadelphia began to stream myrrh. On that Sunday one of the parishioners mentioned to the parish rector, Archimandrite Athanasy that the Icon of St. Anna seemed to be “perspiring”. Upon further investigation, Fr. Athanasy notice visible liquid streams and droplets. Accumulations of the liquid were seen on the cuff on St. Anna’s left hand and on her left shoulder veil. Droplets were also found elsewhere on the Icon. This fragrant, slightly oily liquid is commonly referred to as “myrrh”. Initially the myrrh looked like tear drops, as if St. Anna was crying. More recently small, slow-moving streams of myrrh have appeared in other parts of the Icon.
The Icon of St. Anna had been commissioned by Fr. Athanasy in 1998, in the Mount of Olives Convent in Jerusalem. He himself had served there in 1980-1981. In 1998, the Icon was completed, blessed at the Sepulcher of our Lord in the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, and brought to Philadelphia.
As of Fall 2012, the Icon resides at St. Tikhon's Monastery and has a wonderful heavenly fragrace but is not currently weeping. Assistance and healings are still wrought by the miraculous Icon of St. Anna and She continues to work wonders for those who approach with faith.
We have a copy of St. Anna's Icon from the side of the King's Gate stairs and keep praying to her with Moleben and Akathist.
