On Friday, October 14, the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the clergy and faithful of Holy Virgin Protection Skete in Buena, NJ celebrated their patronal feast day.

Abbot Tikhon (Gayfudinov; skete abbot) celebrated Divine Liturgy, co-served by Priest Gregory Winsky (cleric of Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore, MD) and Priest Anatoliy Revitskyy and Deacon Dimitri Krenitsky (skete clerics).

Praying at the service was the famous Russian singer Subdeacon Avraam Russo. Leading the singing of the choir was Subdeacon Peter Lukianov.

After the dismissal at Liturgy, the clergy and parishioners performed a festal procession around the monastery church and through the cemetery to the votive Cross, where the Gospel was read.

Fr. Tikhon addressed the worshippers with a sermon on the Protection of the Mother of God. The abbot said, in part: "The Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, is the Protectress of our monastery, and we, turning to her in prayer, ask her special intercession for us, sinful people, ask her protection in all of the circumstances of our life, and believe that she will always guard us under her precious omophorion."

After the service, the clergy and parishioners continued their interaction at a luncheon.