On May 14, the 5th Sunday after Pascha, that of the Samaritan Woman, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

Concelebrating with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were: Archimandrite Maximos (Weimar; abbot of St. Dionysios the Areopagite Monastery in St. James, NY), Archpriest Mark Burachek (dean of the Hudson Valley), cathedral dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Abbot Arseny (Manko; rector of Sts. Cosmas & Damian Church in Passaic, NJ), Priest George Temidis (rector of Nativity of the Mother of God Church at the New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY), Hieromonk Vasilios Willard (cleric of St. Dionysios Monastery), Priest Alexey Klar (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY), Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral cleric) & Eugene Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY), Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric), Deacons Nicholas Ilyin (cleric of Novo-Diveevo Convent) and David Dutkanicz (cleric of St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT).

The Synodal Choir sang at Liturgy under the direction of Vadim S. Gan.

During the Hours, Metropolitan Nicholas tonsured acolyte of St. Dionysios the Areopagite Monastery John Atchison a reader.

Numerous parishioners of the cathedral and other churches of the city prayed at the divine service, with many partaking of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas greeted the clergy and believers on the ongoing days of Pascha and addressed the faithful with a sermon on the feast.

His Eminence also recalled that May 16 is the first anniversary of the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral).

"Vladyka was our First Hierarch, a luminary, a bishop of God, a missionary, a good shepherd. We see in him the qualities that we read about in the Gospel. We remember how Vladyka Hilarion received everyone, listened to everyone, and how he conversed with people. This is not talent, but Christian love. Vladyka had patience, understanding, and prayed specially for both monastics and parishioners. And for us, this is also an example and a lesson: do not neglect anyone, try not to judge anyone, listen to everyone, show compassion, love, understanding, and have this lively conversation.

"We thank our ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion for that vibrant example of life and how we should be. Often we live for ourselves in order to please ourselves, to calm and console, but we forget our neighbor. We must remember those words that Vladyka Hilarion knew well and lived by. We must love the Lord God and our neighbor as ourself with all our heart. Let us remember these words and try to embody the example that we received from our Vladyka Hilarion in our lives and know that it is always possible to have the same spiritual, prayerful conversation with God."

Then Metropolitan Nicholas, joined by the aforementioned clergy, served a panihida for the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion. Archpriest Živojin Jakovljević (rector of St. Sava Serbian Cathedral in New York City) joined the clergy during the panihida.

After the service, the cathedral sisterhood organized a memorial repast in the cathedral hall.