On Sunday, December 8, the Leavetaking of the great feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, co-served by members of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops: Metropolitan Mark of Berlin & Germany, Archbishop Kyrill of San Francico & Western America, and Bishop Irenei of London & Western Europe.

Concelebrating with the hierarchs were: cathedral dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Gregory Joyce (secretary of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America), Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost Kogan, and Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff and Serge Arlievsky (parish clerics), and Protodeacon Eugene Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY).

The service was held under the aegis of the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

A multitude of the faithful prayed at Liturgy, having gathered to honor the Most Holy Theotokos and venerate the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora. Most communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Bishop Irenei addressed those gathered with a sermon on the essence of the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Metropolitan Nicholas greeted all with the feat and thanked the archpastors for their joint prayer, noting that "Metropolitan Mark, the seniormost member of our Synod of Bishops by date of consecration, is always a wise presence and a calm voice at our meetings. We ask you, dear Vladyka, to continue to pray and attend your Synod of Bishops. Archbishop Kyrill is oversees the cathedral that is home to the holy relics of St. John of Shanghai  & San Francisco. We ask Vladyka Kyrill’s prayers before the relics of the Holy Hierarch John. Bishop Irenei recently received the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Icon in Europe and Great Britain. Pray for us sinners, Vladyka, and if God so blesses it, I hope as First Hierarch to visit Great Britain with the Kursk Icon this spring."

A luncheon was then held in the cathedral hall, during which interaction between the clergy and faithful continued.