On August 15, the 8th Sunday after Pentecost, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Concelebrating with His Grace were: cathedral dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Edward Chervinsky, and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral clerics). Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada prayed in the altar.

The Synodal choir sang wonderfully under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan. The parishioners who had come to pray at the divine services communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Bishop Nicholas greeted the faithful with the beginning of the Dormition Fast, calling on them to worthily greet the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, and went on to say in his sermon, in part:

"Today we heard a special prokimenon, which reads: ‘The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.’

"Who are these people? They are those who glorify the Lord God, the resurrected Savior; they are those people who fast during the appointed times, who pray, who repent of their sins; those people who do good deeds, help those in need, and demonstrate compassionate love. They are those people who, whenever possible, attend God’s church. The Lord sees these people and He blesses them, gives them strength and might to work further upon the earth, to live and to save their souls. And He blesses these people with His divine peace.

"When we pray, when we fast, we feel a particular tranquility. We feel calm and well, and this is from the Lord God. When we bustle about, when we try to live for this world, we are disquieted, and we do not feel the divine hand that would settle us. Let us try to be among those people who receive grace from above, divine strength, and divine peace."

The cathedral sisterhood organized a lenten luncheon in the church hall for clergy and parishioners.