On Sunday, January 14, when the Church commemorates the Circumcision of the Lord and honors the Holy Hierarch Basil the Great, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Concelebrating with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were: Archpriests Andrei Sommer (cathedral dean) and Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff and Serge Arlievsky (cathedral clerics).

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

Liturgy was held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

Parishioners gathered to pray at the divine service, most of whom communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries. The faithful were also able to pray before an icon brought from Novo-Diveevo ‒ a portrait painted during the lifetime of Venerable Seraphim of Sarow – on the eve of the saint’s feast day.

Upon completion of the service, His Eminence addressed those gathered with a sermon, in which he called on them to spiritual grow and become stronger in the faith every day of the new year, to help their neighbors, having before themselves the examples of the saints, in particular St. Basil and St. Seraphim. Metropolitan Nicholas also greeted Fr. Seraphim Chemodakov with his namesday.

Upon completion of the service, a luncheon was held in the cathedral hall.