On Great Thursday, April 21, His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan, celebrated the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, co-served by cathedral dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Abbot Zosimas (Krampis; rector of the Synodal English Mission), Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral cleric), and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric). Praying and confessing parishioners at the service was the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York.

The choir sang under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan.

Liturgy was held under the aegis of the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, recently returned from her travels to the Diocese of Great Britain & Western Europe. On the day when the Holy Church commemorates the institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, virtually all those gathered at the service communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

That evening, Matins was served with the reading of the Twelve Passion Gospels. Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada and Bishop Nicholas led the service. The Synodal choir sang profoundly. A multitude of parishioners came to pray at one of the most triumphal and, at the same time, awe-inspiring services of Great Land and of the liturgical year in general.