On August 20, the 11th Sundy after Pentecost and the afterfeast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Metropolitan Nicholas 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 Andrei Sommer (cathedral dean), Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan; cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY), Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral cleric), and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric).

Singing at Liturgy was the Synodal choir under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan.

A large number of parishioners, as well as faithful from nearby churches, gathered to pray during the ongoing feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration; most communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas addressed parishioners with a sermon, and spoke about the ever-memorable hierarchs of the Russian Church Abroad – her second First Hierarch Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky) and Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko) of the Eastern American Diocese, the 150th anniversary of whose births took place on the 19th and 20th of August.

"Vladyka Anastassy was a ‘royal hierarch.’ He was consecrated bishop in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin in 1906. He gathered together and protected our flock in Europe and America. Thanks to him, we have out Synodal building and this cathedral here in New York City. He was greatly praised for his ascetic labors, his example, and his love for the Church and the people.

"Finding himself in a foreign land, Vladyka Anastassy was able to preserve the faith, history, and culture of Rus’. He is buried behind Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jordanville, NY.

"Vladyka Vitaly (Maximenko) was a monk of Pochaev. It was there that he founded the publishing house, and then continued that publishing work in Ladomirová in Carpathian Rus’, where he was able to gather a small brotherhood that later moved to America and helped Archimandrites Panteleimon and Joseph replenish the monastic life in Jordanville.

"After the death of Archbishop Apollinary (Koshevoy; +1933), Archbishop Tikhon (Troitsky; +1963) was appointed Archbishop of North America & Canada; but, knowing that Vladyka Vitaly ‒ a renowned ascetic and man of faith – would soon be arriving, Vladyka Tikhon proposed splitting the diocese into Western America & San Francisco and Eastern America & New York. And we continue that model today.

"Vladyka Vitaly was able to unite the Orthodox in America and founded St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ, dedicated to the Baptism of Rus’, which he labeled ‘a guiding beacon for the whole Russian Diaspora’."

His Eminence served a litia for the ever-memorable hierarchs.

Metropolitan Nicholas also reminded parishioners that, on Friday, September 8, the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God – will be returning to the cathedral.

Photos by S. Yakushin