On February 14, the 36th Sunday after Pentecost and the Forefeast of the Meeting of the Lord, when the Holy Church also commemorates the Holy Martyr Tryphon, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Concelebrating with His Grace were: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Edward Chervinsky, and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral clerics), Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY), and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin). Praying in the altar were Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, and Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada.

The Synodal choir sang the service beautifully, under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan. The Liturgy took place under the aegis of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. A multitude of parishioners prayed in the cathedral, and the majority of those present confessed their sins and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of the service, His Grace greeted everyone with the Lord’s day, and delivered a sermon on the Gospel reading, which relates the meeting between Zacchaeus and Christ, and the desire of the publican to correct his life. The hierarch used this lesson that the faithful might follow the example set by Zacchaeus, and might make the effort and pray that their own lives might be corrected, themselves not forgetting the Lord and striving to bring their loves ones to Him.

Bishop Nicholas reminded that faithful that, in one week’s time, the preparatory season of Great Lent will begin, and he called on them to attend God’s church more often, confess their sins, and approach Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Photos by S. Yakushin