On Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th of July, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to Our Lady of Tikhvin Church in Howell, NJ, where he officiated the divine services on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast.

On Wednesday morning, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad was greeted by parish rector Archpriest Serge Lukianov, who spoke about the history of a wonderworking Tikhvin Icon, which belonged to the Royal Family, and was later given to this church.

Concelebrating with His Eminence at Liturgy were clergy of the parish and across New York and New Jersey:

• Archimandrite Gabriel (Pigarev; dean of Holy New Martyrs of Russia Church in Brooklyn, NY)
• Archpriest Vasily Andrejuk (parish cleric)
• Archpriest Serge Lukianov
• Archpriest Zoran Radovic (rector of St. George Serbian Church in Elizabeth, NJ)
• Archpriest Vasily Zelenyuk (rector of Our Lady Unexpected Joy Church on Staten Island, NY)
• Archpriest Peter Kunitsky (cleric of Holy New Martyrs Church)
• Archpriest Leonid Goferman (rector of Holy Protection Church in New Brunswick, NJ)
• Archpriest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy-rector of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ)
• Archpriest Nicholas Manduke (cleric of St. Vladimir Memorial Church)
• Priest Anthony Williams (parish cleric), and
• Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski (parish cleric).

Numerous parishioners gathered for the service, most of whom received Christ’s Holy Mysteries of Christ.

After Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas greeted the clergy and faithful with the feast and addressed the those gathered with a sermon, in which he spoke about the history of the church, which was originally dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky, and later, after the construction of the neighboring cathedral – to the Holy Mother of God in honor of her Tikhvin icon.

"…And we feel this wonderful Maternal protection. The icon itself, according to tradition, was painted by the Apostle Luke. For almost five centuries, the icon was in Jerusalem, then it was in Constantinople, and in the 14th century it came to Russia, where a majestic monastery was built in honor of the Tikhvin Mother of God. During the years of the godless government, the monastery was closed, but now prayer is offered there again and the icon itself, which had been abroad for a long time, is in the monastery.

"Our church houses the Tsar’s copy, and this icon is also loved throughout the world and there are copies of the original in many churches. But the main thing is that the Mother of God is in our hearts, and the prayer to her is on our lips: ‘O Most Holy Theotokos, save us.’ And we will feel this help, this love, and this care for us."

A festal meal was arranged in the parish hall for the clergy and guests, during which the interaction of the participants in the feast continued.