On Bright Saturday, April 22, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated Divine Liturgy in Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY.

His Grace was co-served by Archpriests Andrei Sommer (senior priest of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City) and Alexis Duncan (parish rector), Abbot Theophylact (Clapper-DeWell; cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY), Priest Andrei Rudenko (parish cleric), Hieromonk Anatoly (Zilin; cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery), and Protodeacons Joseph Jarostchuk (cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY), Serge Arlievsky (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY), and Michael Soloviev (parish cleric), as well as visiting OCA clergy. Bishop Nicholas was accompanied to the Paschal Liturgy by the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

The Liturgy was sung by the Youth Choir of the St. Vladimir Youth Association, this year comprised of 25 people. Upon completion of the service, many of the faithful communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries and then proceeded to a concert performed by the Youth Choir, under the direction of conductors Anastasia Serdsev and Nikhon Schuler. This year, the choristers spent Great Lent rehearsing in two groups – in New York City and in Albany. The concert featured Paschal hymns, works of Chesnokov, Konstantinov, Ledkovsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The concert audience included church clergy and parishioners, as well as visitors from neighboring cities.