On July 14, the third Sunday after Pentecost, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, celebrated Divine Liturgy at All Russian Saints Church at the diocesan administration and residence of His Eminence George, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia & New Zealand.

In the Russian Church Abroad, in connection with the celebration of the Nativity of St. John, the Forerunner of the Lord, the celebration of the Synaxis of the Saints of the Russian Land was moved to the third Sunday after Pentecost. Thus, Metropolitan Nicholas officiated the solemn divine services in honor of the patronal feast of this church.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Archbishop George, Archpriest George Lapardin, Archpriest Serafim Gan, Priest Simeon Nekipelov, and Protodeacons Alexander Kotliaroff, Eugene Kallaur, and Vasily Konstantinidis.

Liturgy was sung by the choir under the direction of O.A. Leshcheva.

After the singing of "Blessed be the name of the Lord," Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the worshippers with a primatial sermon.

At the end of Liturgy, a moleben was performed with a procession of the cross around the church and the diocesan chancery. His Eminence read a prayer before the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God and the icon of the Synaxis of All Saints who shone forth in Russia. After the proclamation of the customary Polychronion, Metropolitan Nicholas congratulated the ruling bishop, clergy, and a multitude of worshippers on their patronal feast.

Special greeting Fr. Simeon, Metropolitan Nicholas presented him with a commemorative edition of the book Grains of Wisdom and Piety from the Reposed Archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, issued for the centennial of the Russian Church Abroad.

In the hall and library of the Church of the Cross, as well as in the fence of the church sisterhood, tables were laid out for 250 people, who strengthened their brotherly fellowship after the festal service.

On Monday, July 15, the feast day of the Akhtyrka Icon of the Mother of God, Metropolitan Nicholas and Archbishop George visited St. Nicholas Church in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield, where Fr. Nikita Chemodakov, dean of the Central District of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand, has been rector for many years.

Here, the archpastors served a moleben with an akathist before the Kursk Icon. Addressing the multitude of worshippers with a primatial sermon, His Eminence made special mention of Fr. Nikita, who was ordained to the priesthood on the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in 1976, and presented him with a jubilee pectoral cross, issued for the 725th anniversary of the appearance of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God and the centennial of the Russian Church Abroad. At the end of the service, the rector hosted a dinner in honor of the distinguished guests.

On Tuesday, July 16, the feast day of St Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow & All Russia, Metropolitan Nicholas met with Alexey V. Pavlovsky, Russian Ambassador to Australia, and Igor N. Arzhaev, Consul General of Russia in Sydney, at the residence of the Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand. The main purpose of the meeting was to venerate the Kursk Icon of the Mother of God and to establish an acquaintance with one another. Participating in the meeting were Archbishop George, and Frs. Nikita Chemodakov, George Lapardin, and Serafim Gan.

That evening, the archpastors visited St. George Church in the Sydney suburb of Carlton, where Archpriest Alexander Korzhenevsky is rector. A moleben with an akathist to the Mother of God was performed here before her Kursk Root Icon. At the end of the service, the sisterhood served a dinner in honor of the distinguished guests.

On Wednesday, July 17, the feast of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, Metropolitan Nicholas celebrated Divine Liturgy at St. John the Baptist Skete, located near the Kazan Convent in the Sydney suburb of Kentlyn. Concelebrating with His Eminence were the head of the skete, Abbot Joachim (Ross), city clergy, and members of the delegation accompanying the wonderworking icon and the First Hierarch of ROCOR.

After lunch, Metropolitan Nicholas and the members of the delegation went first to the cave that Archpriest Rostislav Gan and Monk Gury (Demidov) liked to visit for prayer, and then to Our Lady of Kazan Convent, where a moleben was performed before the Kursk Icon.

After tea offered by Abbess Maria (Miros) and the sisters, His Eminence and the members of the delegation toured the holy sites of the monastery and its vast grounds. From there, the delegation went to St Vladimir's Church, located in the center of Sydney, where a moleben with akathist was performed before the wonderworking icon. Here the icon was greeted by a substantial number of worshipers who came to venerate it.

At the end of the service, His Eminence addressed the clergy and worshippers with a primatial sermon, after which he presented a cross to the rector of the church, Archpriest Daniel Metlenko, who had labored there for many years. In response, Fr. Daniel expressed his gratitude to the First Hierarch and presented him with a holy panagia on behalf of the parish.

On Thursday, July 18, the feast of Venerable Sergius, Abbot of Radonezh, Metropolitan Nicholas celebrated Divine Liturgy in the great Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta. Here, His Eminence venerated the wonderworking copy of the Abalak Icon of the Mother of God, taken to Australia by the daughter of General Mikhail Diterikhs and donated by her to this magnificently decorated church.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Archbishop George; parish rector Archpriest Boris Ignatievsky, Fr. Serafim Gan, Priest Andrei Morgan, Fr. Eugene Kallaur, and Protodeacon Vasily Konstantinidis. At the end of the service, addressing those present with a primatial sermon, Metropolitan Nicholas thanked Fr. Boris for his many years of work in the parish and presented him with a jubilee pectoral cross, issued for the 725th anniversary of the discovery of the Kursk Root Icon and the centennial of the Russian Church Abroad.

After the service, the archpastors, clergy, and singers of the choir under the direction of Eustratius Papageorgiou proceeded to "Sergiev Posad" ‒ this is the name of the village for pensioners and homes for the elderly of the Russian Charitable Society named after St. Sergius of Radonezh.

In the dining room of the home for the elderly, a moleben was performed before the Kursk Root Icon and the icon of St. Sergius, after which the archpastors and clergy visited the monks with the wonderworking icon. The sisterhood of Holy Virgin Protection Church then offered a bountiful luncheon, during which all the participants continued to socialize.

On Friday, July 19, a delegation of the Russian Church Abroad, accompanying the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign," departed for Melbourne.