On August 10, the 9th Sunday after Pentecost, when the Holy Church honors the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, named the "Hodegetria" (Directress), His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Serving alongside the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were cathedral clerics: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

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

The parishioners of the cathedral and believers from other churches prayed during the service, many received Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which he said, in part:

"Last week, we heard a passage from the Gospel about the feeding of the 5,000 men, along with women and children, with five loaves of bread and two fish. Today’s Gospel reading tells of another miracle that the Lord performed, on the Sea of Galilee. Having blessed the people gathered there, Christ sent the apostles in a boat to the Sea of Galilee, and He Himself, having performed the miracle, went to pray. It happens in our lives that after everything good or difficult, we go to pray. And Christ shows us this example: after everything, He goes and prays.

"The Sea of Galilee is called a sea because strong winds blow there and can form large waves. The apostles came from those places – the area of the Sea of Galilee and Tiberias. Christ chose them there, He preached there and performed miracles. And here are the apostles – in a boat, and Christ is praying alone. It is night. A storm begins, the waves are beating against the boat, and the apostles, of course, began to worry. Suddenly they see God himself, but do not recognize Him and think that it is a spirit. They were even more afraid, but heard the voice of the Teacher: ‘Fear not, it is I.’

"The apostles recognized Jesus Christ. Apostle Peter, having love for the Teacher, asks: ‘If You, Lord, walk on the waters, then it is a miracle. Allow me to come to You on the waters.’ The Lord answers: ‘Go.’ And the Apostle Peter goes to his Teacher. It is dark, waves surround him, Peter doubts and begins to drown. ‘Lord, save me!” he cries. The Lord gives him His hand and together they find themselves in the boat. And the disciples believed on the Savior all the more. This is a wonderful Gospel reading that gives us something to think about."

Metropolitan Nicholas reminded us that on this Sunday – the day of his repose – we prayerfully remember the Most Blessed Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), who from 1920-1936 was the first President of the Synod of Bishops, formed in Serbia. There Metropolitan Anthony reposed and was buried.

"He was a prominent bishop, a participant in the Local Council of the Russian Church in 1917-1918, a candidate for the Patriarchal throne, receiving more votes than the others. But the lot fell on the young Patriarch Tikhon, who headed the Church and became a new martyr. And Metropolitan Anthony steered the ship of our Church outside of Russia. We thank him for his wise leadership of the Church Abroad in difficult times far from the Motherland.

"Today we also remember the great composer Boris M. Ledkovsky, whose namesday was last week on the feast of Sts. Boris & Gleb – July 24/August 6. And he reposed on his namesday 50 years ago. Having left Russia, Boris Mikhailovich directed a choir in Berlin and later, at the invitation of the Most Blessed Metropolitan Anastassy, he came to America in 1952, where a hierarchal choir was established in the Synodal Cathedral.

"We remember our preceptors and thank them for their service and labors in difficult conditions, always putting service to God and Church life first."

In the church hall after the service, cathedral parishioner Christopher Spiro gave an interesting presentation about his trip to Alaska. Then the sisterhood offered the clergy and parishioners a meal, during which their fellowship continued.