Karmapa Visits Woodstocks Western Orthodox Church

(April 21, 2015 –  Woodstock, New York) Although today was slated as a day for rest, His Holiness the Karmapa made utilization of his unscheduled time to stroll down the slope to visit the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount, a hand-manufactured wooden church found specifically nearby Karma Triyana Dharmachakra on Woodstocks Meads Mountain Road.

Invited warmly by Father John Nelson, the Karmapa saw the consecrated objects of this one-room church of the Western Rite Orthodox convention. Father John communicated his fulfillment that two of the universes antiquated profound customs are sharing the mountain as neighbors, and the two talked discreetly of their common gratefulness for the universes consecrated spaces.

On the day following this visit, Father John strolled a similar way the Gyalwang Karmapa had navigated to reach his church, restoring the visit and joining a tree-planting service at KTD in recognition of Earth Day. When he touched base at KTD, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche indicated him a photograph taken many years sooner of Father Johns antecedent at the log church, Father Francis, together with His Holiness the seventeenth Karmapas forerunner, the sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa. Additionally showing up in that photograph was Father John, at that point in his twenties.

Swipe or tap on the photograph above to see the full slide appear. Photography by Lama Sam.