On Sunday, January 7, the great feast of the Nativity of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, His Grace, Bishop Jerome (Shaw), paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY, where he celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the feast.

Concelebrating with His Grace in St. Seraphim Cathedral were the convent clergy: Archpriest Alexander Fedorowski (cathedral dean), Priest Artem Siss, and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin.

Despite the inclement weather, Liturgy was well attended, with hundreds filling the church, most of whom received Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

The choir sang beautifully under the direction of Alla Generalow.

Bishop Jerome delivered two sermons: the first, in Russian, on the meaning of the Nativity for Orthodox Christians; and the second, in English, on why the content of the feast counts more than the question of the exact date.

The service concluded with the intoning of the Polychronion hierarchy, Abbess Makaria, the clergy, and the sisterhood. His Grace thanked the abbess for his invitation to serve, the clergy for their joint service, and the choir for adorning the divine services with their voices.

With Abbess Makaria’s blessing and speaking on her behalf, Fr. Artem thanked the hierarch for his archpastoral visit. He likewise thanked Fr. Nicholas for all of his selfless work in preparing for the feast, Matushka Maria Nicholaevna for helping guide Alla Generalow in directing the choir, and Alla herself for all the work she has done with the choir in the last couple of months.

After Liturgy, a reception was held for the clergy, while coffee, tea and treats were served outside to the pilgrims and a small luncheon has held, where the children sang Christmas carols.