The feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos has always been celebrated with great solemnity in the monastery.  Traditionally, it has been tied into our St. Job of Pochaev Pilgrimages on Labor Day weekend, and even if the afterfeast of the Dormition ended before Labor Day weekend, we would still keep blue vestments and sing hymns of the Dormition together with the Pochaev Icon and St. Job.
 
            On the eve of the feast, the All-Night Vigil was celebrated with the signing of the usual beautiful hymns, some of them being unique to the feast.  Concurrently, a Vigil in English was served in the cemetery chapel, which is dedicated to the feast of the Dormition.  On the day itself, His Grace Bishop Luke was greeted at 9AM and upon being vested, the Hours were served.  At the same time, the Divine Liturgy was served in the Dormition Chapel in the cemetery.  Since it was the feast day of this chapel, holy water was blessed before the liturgy.
 
            Upon conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in the cathedral, concelebrated by Vladyka together with the monastery clergy, a moleben with Cross Procession was commenced up to the cemetery to join with the faithful there to commemorate the feast of the chapel.  The faithful, typical of feast days, processed around the church with litanies being intoned on each side with the blessing of the faithful with holy water. 
 
            Normally, it is our tradition to take the Pochaev Icon in the procession to the cemetery chapel and leave it there until Labor Day Saturday, when it would be greeted and returned in procession to the monastery cathedral for the celebration of the St. Job Labor Day weekend pilgrimage. 

            However, due this year to the COVID -19 crisis and ensuing restrictions, no official pilgrimages are being organized for the moment.  Therefore, the Pochaev Icon and St. Job of Pochaev will be celebrated on their real feast days as usual.