On Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th of July, the clergy and faithful of Our Lady of Tikhvin Church at the Diocesan Center in Howell, NJ celebrated the church’s patronal feast day, honoring the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Until 1994, this church was named in honor of St. Alexander Nevsky. After the new cathedral was built and consecrated in honor of the right-believing Great Prince Alexander, the church was renamed for Our Lady of Tikhvin, in honor of the wonderworking Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God residing therein.

The festal celebrations were led by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan. His Grace was co-served by Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov (dean of New Jersey), Archpriest Mark Shinn (rector of St. Andrew’s Cathedral MP in Philadelphia, PA), Archpriest Serge Lukianov (dean of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral), Archpriest Ilya Gorsky (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY), Archpriest Petro Kunitsky (cleric of Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia Church in Brooklyn, NY), Priest Seraphim Chemodakov (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral), Priest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy rector of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ), Priest Nikolai Gulin (cleric of St. Stephen Cathedral OCA in Philadelphia, PA), Priest Jonah Campbell (rector of Christ the Savior Church in Wayne, WV), Priest Alexey Bykon (cleric of Holy New Martyrs Church), Priest Michael Lillie (rector of St. John Chrysostom Church in House Springs, MO), and Deacon Paul Drozdowski (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral).

A multitude of parishioners from churches in New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia gathered at Our Lady of Tikhvin Church in honor of the feast.

At Liturgy, Bishop Nicholas ordained Subdeacon Andrew Temple a deacon.

Addressing the faithful with a sermon, His Grace said, in part, "The Mother of God is an example of obedience and humility. When the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced the joyous tidings, that she was chosen to be the Mother of God, she calmly replied, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord.’  It is precisely for this humility and readiness to accept God’s will that we bless the Most Holy Theotokos, bless her for willingly accepting her role in giving birth to God. She raised the Son of God, walked with Him when He preached, and was with Him on Golgotha. She stood with humility and prayer for her Son; she did not wail, or cry out for someone to save the Savior of the world.

"The Mother of God shows us a true example of motherhood, which is so important in our own time, when the understanding of chastity has faded. This is an example for mothers raising their children, especially girls. And mothers should appeal to her, ask her aid and her protection, and strive to pass on this humble image, the example of the life of the Most Holy Theotokos, to their young daughters."

Speaking about his recent visit to the elementary and high schools named for the Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai & San Francisco in California, Bishop Nicholas noted the importance of Orthodox schools, but stressed that by far the most important work is done in the home: "Children can attend school every day, but if their parents are not praying at home, not raising their children in accordance with Orthodox canons and traditions, then these schools will hardly have any effect on our young people." His Grace called on parishioners to thank the Most Holy Theotokos, to follow her example of humility and love, and to call on her aid in raising their own children.

Bishop Nicholas spoke about the history of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, painted by the Holy Evangelist Luke, and about its time at the Tikhvin Monastery in Russia and its miraculous return there in 2004. His Grace noted that the Tikhvin Icon is among the most revered icons for Orthodox Christians. It is no coincidence that a copy of it can be found in almost every Orthodox church.

In Our Lady of Tikhvin Church in Howell, there is a copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God that has been called the "Royal Icon." This icon was donated to the church by a resident of Lakewood named Olga V. Astori-Astafiev. The icon was called "royal" owing to its origins: it was presented as a gift by the Holy Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in memory of the miraculous healing of Olga’s mother, a seamstress of national costumes for the Royal Court, working for the 300th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty in 1913.

Bishop Nicholas congratulated the newly ordained Deacon Andrew, and wished that the Lord might fortify him and grant him wisdom on his path of deaconly service, accompanying him and helping him to pronounce the petitions at the divine services prayerfully, distinctly, and sincerely, so that the faithful, praying to God, might also respond to the petitions with their whole hearts.

Cathedral dean Fr. Serge Lukianov also congratulated Fr. Andrew and his family and friends, who came from Pennsylvania and even faraway San Diego in order to be present for this important occasion and pray at the festal Divine Liturgy. In memory of the ordination, he presented Fr. Andrew a copy of the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Over the course of the next several days, Deacon Andrew would stay to continue his service in the churches of the Diocesan Center, before departing for his assigned place of service: Christ the Savior Church in Wayne, WV.

The cathedral sisterhood prepared a festal luncheon in the parish hall, where Bishop Nicholas was able to continue his interaction with the clergy and parishioners.