On March 3, the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Metropolitan Nicholas 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: Archpriest Vasily Lickwar (rector of Holy Dormition OCA Church in Cumberland, RI), Archpriest Andrei Sommer (cathedral dean), Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, and Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff and Serge Arlievsky (cathedral clerics).

Singing at Liturgy was the Synodal choir under the direction of 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. Cathedral parishioner gathered to pray at the service, most of whom received Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, His Eminence addressed those gathered with a sermon, in which he said, in part:

"Today we heard the Gospel from Luke – the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who, having left his father’s house, spent everything and lost everything. And so, he remembers his loving father, realizes his sin, and decides to return to his father with the intention of asking him for forgiveness.

"The father brought him home, held a feast, and everyone rejoiced that the son who was lost was found and realized his mistakes. The eldest son did not understand why his father was so happy, because he himself remained faithful to his father, respected him, and followed his rules.

"We have everything in our lives from God, but we want to acquire more and often we fail.

"There is a story in which a certain monk came to Venerable Anthony of the Kiev Caves and asked him to forgive and have mercy on him. Venerable Anthony replied to him, ‘Neither I nor God can have mercy on you until you have mercy on yourself.’ We must remember that we have a precious gift – the seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit. We have the opportunity to glorify God with our lips and hearts. We must see this divine nature – this nature within us, in our church life. But we do not see or feel it if we do not live a life in the Church. Even in difficult times, we need to see this beauty, become better ourselves, and say the words spoken by the prodigal son: ‘I have sinned against you, father,’ ask the Savior for mercy, and correct our lives not only in words, but also in our deeds."

After the service, the sisterhood arranged a meal for the clergy and parishioners in the cathedral hall, during which interaction continued between all.