On Thursday, April 19, an official reception in honor of the feast of Christ’s Glorious Resurrection was held in the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York City on behalf of the Consul General, Sergey K. Ovsyannikov, and the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk.

Attending the reception were hierarchs and clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, the Russian Church Abroad, the Serbian and Bulgarian Patriarchates, and the Orthodox Church in America. Also attending the reception were diplomats and representatives of secular and cultural organizations in New York, as well as representatives of the U.S. State Department.

On behalf of the Consul General, the attendees were welcomed by consul Artem Tevanyan. Bishop John and Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan greeted all with the radiant feast of the Resurrection of Christ. Bishop Nicholas presented the consul with a vigil lamp lit with the Holy Fire from Jerusalem, brought to the United States with support from the Consulate General in New York City.