On Sunday, August 4, the feast day of the Holy Myrrhbearer and Equal-of-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archpriest Edward Chervinsky (cathedral cleric), Abbot Photius (Oulanov; cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY), Priest Gennady Titov (cleric of the Diocese of Tikhvin), Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff and Vadim Gan and Deacon Pavel Roudenko (cathedral clerics), and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric).

The service was held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

Singing at Liturgy was the Synodal choir under the direction of conductor Matushka Eugenia Temidis. A multitude of the faithful gathered to pray at the service, the majority of whom confessed their sins and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Fr. Gennady addressed the gathered faithful with a sermon, in which he spoke on the life of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, noting the importance for the faithful of forgiving our neighbors and helping in the parish, as well as how to properly accomplish this.

His Eminence congratulated the clergy and faithful with the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, thanked Fr. Gennady for his edifying words, and gave parishioners his blessing and wished them God’s aid.