On Sunday, August 12, the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, and the feast of the Holy Apostles of the Seventy, Silas, Silvanus & Crescens, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. His Grace was co-served by the cathedral’s senior priest, Archpriest Andrei Sommer, and cathedral clerics: Archpriest Edward Chervinsky, Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff, and Deacon Pavel Roudenko. Singing at the service was the cathedral choir under the direction of Matushka Eugenia Temidis.

Despite the heat that Sunday, many parishioners came to pray and receive Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

At the conclusion of the service, Bishop Nicholas addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which he said, in part, "The Apostles of the 70, Silas, Silvanus, and Crescens preached the Word of God and endured mockery, misinterpretation, and disrespect; but despite this, they preserved the truth of Christ, which they believed until the end. The Apostle Silas subsequently became Bishop in Corinth, the Apostle Silvanus – in Thessaloniki, and the Apostle Crescens – in Galatia. We should revere the apostles, know their lives, and pray to them to help us in life, because they also lived, just as we do."

Bishop Nicholas reminded those gathered of the approaching Dormition Fast, which is dedicated to the Mother of God and prepares us for the feast of her Dormition.

"On the first day, the Holy Cross of the Lord is carried out – for worship, for adoration, for the humbling of each one of us. Before the holiday, we must remember the suffering and the love that the Lord showed us. By His death and Resurrection, He redeemed the human race, cleansed its sins.

"The fast is concluded by the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. In Jerusalem, its celebration begins three days before the feast itself. On August 25, the shroud of the Mother of God is taken from the old city – the clergy, led by the Patriarch and together with the people, solemnly process to Gethsemane and leave the shroud in the place where the tomb of the Most Holy Theotokos is located. The very day of the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God is solemnly celebrated. We have two weeks to prepare for the holiday. And it depends on us how we will prepare these days to accompany the Mother of God to her Son, where the Great Intercessor will not forget us in her prayers."

After the service, a traditional meal was held in the church hall.