Another school year at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY has been successfully completed, and on Sunday, May 28, the seminary celebrated its 69th Annual Commencement with a Thanksgiving Moleben, commencement exercises, and a reception.

This year, the clergy and parishioners of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY came together to design and build a new reliquary, needed to contain all of the individual relics of the holy saints that had been donated throughout the life of the parish.

On Friday, May 26, Archpriest Victor Potapov (member of the Diocesan Council, rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC) delivered a talk on the life and legacy of the Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai & San Francisco at a conference at Moscow’s Sretensky Monastery...

On Saturday the 20th and Sunday the 21st of May, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, paid an archpastoral visit to Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church in Summerville, SC. The visit was scheduled for the priestly ordination of Deacon Daniel Gregoire, as well as to coincide with nearest Sunday to the feast of the holy Equals-of-the-Apostles Cyril & Methodius, Teachers of the Slavs, the parish’s patronal feast day.

Beloved in the Lord Metropolitan Hilarion, Eminent Archpastors! I sincere greet all of you, the hierarchs of the Russian Diaspora, who have gathered in Munich to convene a Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. It is significant that your gathering is held on the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion, an event of great historic breadth, which put an end to the long division of the Russian nation incurred by the tragic troubles in our Fatherland 100 years ago.

On Sunday, June 4, the great feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit – Pentecost, the parish community of Holy Trinity Church in Mebane, NC celebrated its patronal feast day. The divine service, which was led by parish rector Abbot Gabriel (Kvasnikov), concluded with a procession around the church.

Holy Apostles Church in Beltsville, MD, has recently undergone $40,000 repairs and repainting. This work was made possible only through donations and historic presentation grants. But, on the night of April 19 last, vandals sprayed the exterior of the chapel with orange paint and, thus, spoiled the historic brickwork. 

On Sunday, May 14, a celebratory reception in honor of distinguished artist and sculptor Mikhail L. Zviagin was held at the Synodal Headquarters of the Russian Church Abroad in New York City. Through the Northern Cross Society, the sculptor presented ROCOR with a bronze bust of Alexander Pushkin.

Archpriest Serafim Gan, personal secretary of the present First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, and of his predecessor, His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, never suspected the role he was to play in the process of reestablishing the lost unity within the Russian Church.... His interview from 2010 is republished in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion.

On Saturday, June 10, students and teachers at St. John of Kronstadt Parish School at Holy Myrrhbearers Church in Brooklyn, NY marked the end of another school year. After a thanksgiving moleben, the graduation ceremony took place, during which twenty-eight children aged 4-13 received their report cards, notes of thanks, and commemorative gifts.

On Friday the 9th and Saturday the 10th of June, His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah, led the All-Night Vigil and celebrated Divine Liturgy in St. John the Russian Church in Ipswich, MA. The services were held in honor of the 40th anniversary of the parish’s founding, as well as of the ordination of its rector, Archpriest Spyridon Schneider.

We, the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, gathered for a Council of Bishops in the God-preserved city of Munich during the celebration of the Pentecost, in the blessed presence of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign." 

On Saturday, May 27, the parish Russian School at St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ held its graduation ceremony. That day, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan visited the Diocesan Center and took part in the celebrations.

Eight years ago, the Russian Church Abroad established the Sunday of All Saints as the Day of Orthodox Youth. Traditionally, the divine services on this feast are sung by a youth choir. This year, on Saturday. June 10, the eve of the feast of All Saints, the male choir of St. Prince Vladimir Youth Association sang the All-Night Vigil in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. 

Upon completion of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad, His Grace George, Bishop of Canberra (vicar of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand) visited New York City. On Saturday, June 17, Bishop George and His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan (vicar of the Eastern American Diocese) prayed together at the All-Night Vigil in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, and together led the Polyeleos, while Bishop George served the remainder of the Vigil. Upon completion of the service, dinner was served.

Dean of Students Abbot Cyprian (Alexandrou) explains: "The current kitchen the students had was a small room, very cramped and not practical. We have broken down the wall adjoining the old kitchen to make the space larger and accommodate a larger fridge, larger counter space, an oven that the students did not have before and an area where they can sit comfortably.

On Tuesday, June 6, the third day of the feast of Holy Pentecost, a group of pilgrims comprised of 70 parishioners of St. John the Forerunner Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY visited Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY, roughly 30 miles from Manhattan.

With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, Archimandrite Maximos (Weimar) of the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross announced that the Brotherhood will be leaving its current location to establish the Brotherhood of the Holy Hieromartyr Dionysios the Areopagite. The Brotherhood recently faced a difficult decision; by choosing to remain within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and under the omophorion of Metropolitan Hilarion, a change of residence is now necessary.

On June 3-6, Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY celebrated Pentecost weekend. The cathedral was festively decorated with freshly-cut saplings, some tall enough to reach the base of the dome. This very strikingly manifests the Church’s concept of recapitulation, as the entire universe has been transfigured through Christ and brought within the purview of the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit, Who gives life to all.

On Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th of June, the great feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles – Pentecost, Holy Trinity Church in Vineland, NJ celebrated its patronal feast day. The divine services Saturday evening and Sunday morning were led by parish rector Archpriest Liubo Milosevich...

On Saturday, June 24, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, visited Holy Protection Male Skete in Buena, NJ, and celebrated Divine Liturgy there. For the spiritual solace of the faithful, Metropolitan Hilarion brought with him a reliquary containing relics of particularly venerated saints: the Holy Hierarchs Nicholas of Myra in Lycia and Spyridon of Tremithus, Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov, the Holy Great-Martyr & Healer Panteleimon, and others. 

On Sunday, June 25, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. His Eminence was co-served by Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan...

On Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th of June, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to the Church of the Holy Great-Martyrs Theodore Tyro & Theodore Stratelates in Buffalo, NY. The visit was scheduled for the diaconal ordination of Subdeacon George Hammond, as well as to coincide with nearest Sunday to the feast of the Transfer of the Relics of St. Theodore Stratelates, the parish’s patronal feast day.