The celebration of Christ’s Radiant Nativity continues. On January 9, the Sunday after Nativity, of the Holy Ancestors of God, when the Church also celebrates the memory of the Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, David the King, and the Apostle James, Brother of the Lord, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Archpriest Mark Burachek (dean of the Hudson Valley), Archpriest Edward Chervinsky and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral clerics), and Protodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric). Praying in the altar was Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York., First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.

The Synodal choir sang prayerfully under the direction of Isaiah Trofimenko. The service was held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

A large number of parishioners prayed at Divine Liturgy. Unfortunately, not all were able to attend Liturgy on the very day of Christ’s Nativity, owing to a snowstorm that hit New York and New Jersey on Christmas Eve. As a result, they gathered in church on Sunday in order to honor the Savior Who had come into the world, and to commune of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Archbishop Gabriel read aloud the Nativity Epistle of Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York.

Metropolitan Hilarion then invited the clergy and faithful to a Nativity reception, where their fraternal interaction continued. The choir sang traditional Christmas carols in Russian, Ukrainian, and English.