On Friday, February 16, the feast of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated his namesday. The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad officiated the All-Night Vigil the evening prior and celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

Joining His Eminence at the divine services were: Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada, Bishop John of Caracas & South America, and Bishop Jerome (Shaw), as well as Synodal and diocesan clergy:

• Archimandrite Yelivferiy (Skiba; dean of Our Lady "The Inexhaustible Chalice" Church in Brooklyn, NY)
• Archpriest Serge Lukianov (dean of New Jersey)
• Archpriest Luka Novakovic (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ)
• Archpriest Elias Gorsky (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY)
• Archpriest Serafim Gan (chancellor of the Synod of Bishops)
• Archpriest Andrei Sommer (cathedral dean)
• Archpriest Vasily Zelenyuk (rector of Our Lady "Unexpected Joy" Church in Staten Island, NY)
• Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov (rector of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City)
• Archpriest Paul Ivanov (rector of Holy Myrrhbearers Church in Brooklyn, NY)
• Archpriest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy rector of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ)
• Abbot Zosimas (Krampis; rector of the English Mission at the Synod of Bishops)
• Abbot Siluan (Justiniano; cleric of St. Dionysios the Areopagite Monastery in St. James, NY)
• Archpriest Jonah Campbell (rector of Christ the Savior Church in Wayne, WV)
• Archpriest George Temidis (secretary of the diocesan administration)
• Hieromonk Vasileios (Willard; abbot of St. Dionysios Monastery)
• Priest Pavel Rusakov (cleric of Inexhaustible Chalice Church)
• Priest Jeremiah Davis (cleric of St. Matrona of Moscow Church in Lexington, KY)
• Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral cleric)
• Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cathedral cleric)
• Protodeacon Eugene Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY), and
• Deacon Nicolas Ilyin (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack).

At Liturgy, the faithful who came to congratulate the Metropolitan on his namesday were able to pray before the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

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

During the reading of the Hours, Joshua Duncan was ordained a subdeacon, and at Liturgy after the Eucharistic Canon was ordained a deacon. The newly ordained Deacon Joshua will fulfill his service at Christ the Savior Church in Wayne.

At the end of the service, the clergy served a short moleben to the Holy Hierarch Nicholas of Japan.

Metropolitan Nicholas thanked God for the opportunity to gather in the Synodal Cathedral, to celebrate Liturgy and to honor together the memory of St. Nicholas, and to ask God for help in continuing to serve the Holy Church.

On behalf of the Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Gabriel congratulated Metropolitan Nicholas on his namesday, thanking him for his labors and care for the entire Russian Church Abroad, wishing him firm health for many years. Archbishop Gabriel also congratulated Metropolitan Nicholas on the upcoming anniversary of his hierarchal consecration, which took place 10 years ago in San Francisco.

Metropolitan Nicholas thanked Archbishop Gabriel for his kind words and also welcomed pilgrims from West Virginia, where a new deacon will now serve in Christ the Savior Church.

A festal meal was held in the cathedral hall, during which many kind words and wishes were said to Metropolitan Nicholas, and Fr. Serafim Gan read various greetings addressed to His Eminence.