On Tuesday, October 8, the feast of the Repose of Venerable Sergius, Abbot of Radonezh and Wonderworker of all Russia, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy for the patronal feast day of St. Sergius Church at the Synodal Headquarters in New York City.

Concelebrating with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were: Archimandrite Gabriel (Pigarev; dean of Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia Church in Brooklyn, NY), Archpriests Elias Gorsky (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY), Serafim Gan (secretary of the Synod of Bishops), Andrei Sommer (dean of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign), Živojin Jakovljević (rector of St. Sava Serbian Cathedral in New York City), Dimitri Jakimowicz (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT), and Seraphim Chemodakov (cathedral cleric), Abbot Zosimas (Krampis; rector of St. Sergius Church), Protodeacons Paul Wolkow, Eugene Kallaur (clerics of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY), and Serge Arlievsky (cathedral cleric), and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack).

Singing beautifully at Liturgy was the Synodal choir under the direction of Isaiah Trofimenko. Virtually all of the parishioners who came to pray for the feast communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of the service, Metropolitan Nicholas and the clergy served a short moleben before an icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

His Eminence greeted the clergy and faithful with the feast and spoke about his visit the previous day to St. Thecla Church in Maryland, where the priest and parishioners have been praying for six years in humble accommodations and rejoice that they have a Heavenly intercessor and a place for prayer.

Metropolitan Nicholas reminded those present that, for almost 70 years, prayer has been offered up in two churches at the Synodal Headquarters, two Liturgies are celebrated, which is a blessing for the City of New York. His Eminence called on them to thank God for this, to ask the prayers both of the Mother of God before her wonderworking icon, and of St. Sergius, who during his life prayed, comforted those suffering and in need, and over the course of many years has been an example for the faithful.

The Polychronion was intoned for all of the namesday celebrants. A festal luncheon was held in the cathedral hall for the clergy and parishioner, during which their interaction continued.