On January 3, the Sunday before the Nativity, of the Holy Fathers, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. His Grace was co-served by cathedral clergy: senior priest Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Vasiliy Raskovskiy, Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff and Vadim Gan, and Deacon Dionysius Lvov.

Upon completion of the service, Bishop Nicholas addressed the faithful with a sermon on the theme of the day’s Gospel reading: about the relationship of the Holy Fathers to Christ the Savior not only in the flesh, but also in the spirit, about their faith and their God-pleasing life, and called on parishioners to do likewise: "We have an opportunity to prepare ourselves to spiritually greet the Divine Infant, in order to become Christ’s kinsmen not in word only, but in our spiritual life, and to be with God in our faith and our oneness of mind. This is what is lacking in our lives: we all focus on our personal bliss, but few of us pay any mind to eternal bliss."

His Grace offered the example of the Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt, whose memory the Holy Church had celebrated the day prior: "He developed a relationship with Christ, preached repentance and love for God and neighbor, and grew so close to Him, that he was reconciled to Christ. In his book, My Life in Christ, he writes that Orthodox Christians are one family, the children and kinsmen of Jesus Christ. We are His kinsmen, as well, but whether we will be such only in the flesh, or else also in a spiritual relationship with the Savior, depends on us."

Bishop Nicholas spoke about the St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Fund, whose center has been located for the past 60 years at the Memorial Church in Utica, NY, and called on those present to become members of the Fund, supporting its work in helping our neighbors.

Upon completion of the service and the luncheon prepared by the cathedral sisterhood, young singers – members of the Prince Vladimir Youth Association – held a Winter Musical Concert. The youth choir of 20 singers, under the direction of Adrian Fekula, sang spiritual Nativity hymns and popular carols in various languages. Bishop Nicholas and Youth Association chairman Fr. Andrei Sommer greeted the singers, guests, and audience members. His Grace spoke on the meaning and significance of the feast of Christ’s Nativity, and congratulated everyone with the upcoming feasts, while Fr. Andrei reminded those present of the predecessors of today’s Youth Association – the St. Vladimir Youth Circles, which began in the 1950s.

Young singers from various states had prepared for the concert over the course of several weeks. Gathering for the Pre-Nativity Concert were cathedral parishioners, clergy and faithful from various parishes, Russians and Americans – audience members of varying confessions and ages. After the official program, the singers and audience members joined together to sing Christmas carols in Russian, Ukrainian, and English, baring the wide-open Russian soul, sharp-witted humor, traditions, and hymnody for their American audience.

The Pre-Nativity Concert became a wonderful opportunity for Russians and Americans alike to meet together in the Synodal Cathedral and joyfully spend their time on the threshold of one of Orthodoxy’s most important feasts – the Nativity of Christ.