On Sunday, July 28, the feast of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir, the annual St. Vladimir’s Day Celebrations were held in Jackson, NJ. A multitude of diocesan clergy, guests, and faithful from several states gathered for the feast. Officiating the annual celebrations and celebrating Divine Liturgy in St. Vladimir Memorial Church was Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, co-served by Bishop Theodosius of Seattle and Bishop Jerome (Shaw).

Concelebrating with the hierarchs were:

• Archpriest Vasily Andrejuk (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ)
• Archpriest Serge Lukianov (dean of New Jersey)
• Archpriest Luka Novakovic (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral)
• Archpriest Rafael Melendez (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral)
• Archpriest Ljubo Milosevic (rector of Holy Trinity Church in Vineland, NJ)
• Archpriest Peter Soroka (rector of Holy Ascension Church in Osadné, Slovakia)
• Archpriest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy rector of the memorial church)
• Archpriest Nikolai Manduke (memorial church cleric)
• Archpriest Valery Sukholobov (rector of Our Lady "Joy of All Who Sorrow" Church in Philadelphia, PA)
• Priest Anthony Williams (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral)
• Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City)
• Protodeacon Leonid Roschko (memorial church cleric)
• Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral), and
• Deacon Alexandre Sarandinaki (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral).

Singing at the divine services was a combined choir of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign and the parish, under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan. A copy of the wonderworking Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God was brought from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.

In Russian, the sermon was on the words "I have raised up one chosen out of My people" (Psalm 88:20, from the service to St. Vladimir) and how St. Olga prepared her grandson by inclining him to Christianity, and in English on the verse "On Thee O Lord have I hoped, let me not come to shame" (Psalm 30:2), and how even though one may not understand too much of theology, those who are active believers have their reward not just in the next life but often in this, since church members tend to suffer less from loneliness than non-religious people, and believers tend to be happier and therefore healthier. Two elderly churchgoing ladies in Siberia told a reporter for the "National Geographic," that "we are 80 but feel 60, because our faith keeps us young."

The clergy and faithful went in procession around the church, after which the traditional water blessing was performed.

Upon completion of Liturgy, a luncheon was organized and the people were able to eat either outdoors in the fresh air, where they were offered shish kabob, pirozhki, dessert, and a chance to drink coffee with the bishops and clergy, or else to attend a dinner indoors in the parish hall.

At the luncheon, His Eminence called on the faithful to continue to come and pray in this remarkable church, and to take part in the St. Vladimir’s Day Celebrations.

After lunch, those who wished were able to interact with the Cossacks and take horseback rides.

Later that day, Metropolitan Nicholas and Bishop Theodosius visited St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, where the First Hierarch blessed the new roof of the cathedral.