On Friday the 6th and Saturday the 7th of January, festal services for the great feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ were held in St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ. With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, the services were led by New Jersey dean and pastor emeritus Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov, co-served by parish clergy. Several hundred of the faithful filled the cathedral on Christmas morning despite a winter storm which covered much of the Eastern American Diocese with snow.

The hymns at the divine services were performed by the hierarchal choir of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, under the direction of Alexandra Lukianov.

A prayer for peace in the Ukraine was offered after the Augmented Litany at the Divine Liturgy.

During the communion of the clergy, the Nativity Epistle of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, to the archpastors, clergy, monastics, and all faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was read aloud.

Upon completion of the sermon, diocesan gramotas were presented to parish head sister Katherine Archer and Tatiana Petrenko, daughters of longtime head sister Valentina Petrenko.

After the Liturgy, a procession was held around the parish property. With the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, daily processions have been taking place at the diocesan cathedral since October 7, 2016. The purpose of these processions is to offer up prayers to the Lord and His Holy Mother for guidance and intercession as the parish hopes to purchase a large neighboring property for future expansion. (For more information, please visit the parish website here). The Nativity procession was particularly prayerful and beautiful because of the snowy weather conditions.  

Nativity celebrations will continue at the Diocesan Center with a children's Christmas pageant (Yolka), which will be held after Liturgy on Sunday, January 15. Allarewelcometoattend.