On Wednesday, October 14, the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Metropolitan Hilarion led the Divine Liturgy in Holy Protection Church in Nyack, NY, on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast day. His Eminence was co-served by parish rector Archpriest Ilya Gorsky, Archpriests George Kallaur and Chad Williams (rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Richmond, ME), Abbot Joseph (Hoffman; rector of Holy Transfiguration Church OCA in Pearl River, NY), Priests Ilya Gun and George Temidis (member of the Diocesan Council), Protodeacons Joseph Jarostchuk (cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY), Dimitri Temidis (parish cleric), Serge Arlievsky (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent Novo-Diveevo in Nanuet, NY), Eugene Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY), Deacons Victor Ganson (cleric of Holy Epiphany Church in Boston, MA), Dionysius Lvov (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City), and Deacon Alexey Pnev (cleric of Nativity of the Mother of God Church at the New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY). Praying in the altar was pastor emeritus Archpriest George Larin.

In the church narthex prior to the start of Liturgy, Fr. Ilya Gorsky offered a word of gratitude in greeting the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. During the reading of the Hours, the Metropolitan tonsured Nicholas Rylov, younger son of parish warden Sergey V. Rylov, a reader. It was touching to see the reading of the Epistle by two brothers – Reader Alexey and the newly tonsured Reader Nicholas.

After the Eucharistic Canon, His Eminence ordained Subdeacon Andrew Podymow to the diaconate, who will now assist the parish’s longtime Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis.

The parish choir sang the Liturgy touchingly and with great piety, under the direction of conductor Elena Miloradovich and her assistant, Subdeacon Victor Gonchar. Singers from various diocesan parishes joined the parish choir on the occasion of their patronal feast day.

Upon completion of the service, a festal procession was held around the church. In his greeting, Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated the clergy and parishioners with the major feast of the Protection, and offered special words of encouragement to the newly ordained deacon, wishing him God’s aid in his coming diaconal labors.

The parish sisterhood then invited all of the worshippers to share a delicious lenten luncheon with Metropolitan Hilarion and the clergy, during which all those present interacted and exchanged pleasant recollections of past feasts of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. During the luncheon, parish rector Fr. Ilya read aloud a congratulatory greeting from Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, which was sent from the city of Ufa, Russia, where Bishop Nicholas was taking part in a pilgrimage with the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. After the luncheon, Fr. Ilya offered his particular thanks to head sister Anastasia B. Lopoukhine and all of the sisters for their diligent labors.

The clergy and parishioners sincerely thanked Metropolitan Hilarion for the honor and mercy he had shown to the parish on the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos – the Nyack parish’s "second Pascha."