On Sunday, October 7, His Eminence Alexander, Metropolitan of Riga & All Latvia, co-served by Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, guardian of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, and Their Graces, Bishops Alexander of Daugavpils & Rēzekne and John of Jelgava, vicar of the Riga Diocese, celebrated Divine Liturgy in Nativity of Christ Diocesan Cathedral in Riga, were the wonderworking icon is currently visiting.

Singing beautifully and prayerfully at Divine Liturgy were two choirs, the cathedral choir and a youth choir of the "Riga Schoolchildren Palace" Accolade, conducted by Oksana Cherkasova.

Parishioners of the diocesan Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, as well as numerous pilgrims from different cities and villages of Latvia, and from nearby countries who wished to venerate the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God of the Sign, filled the cathedral to capacity.

Upon conclusion of Divine Liturgy, the clergy served a short moleben before the wonderworking icon. Afterward, Metropolitan Alexander addressed the faithful with words of instruction, and expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & all Russia, and to His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, for their blessing to bring the wonderworking icon – the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – to Riga.

Metropolitan Alexander also thanked Bishop Nicholas for his labors in bringing the icon, and presented him with an icon of the Holy Hieromartyr John of Riga containing a piece of his holy relics, and a panagia with an image of the Mother of God.

In turn, Bishop Nicholas thanked the Metropolitan and the entire Latvian Orthodox Church for their warm and joyous reception, and presented him an icon of Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai & San Francisco and an icon of the Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia.

Materials from the website of the Latvian Orthodox Church.