On Monday the 18th and Tuesday the 19th of August, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, officiated the divine services for the great feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

Concelebrating with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad at the festal Divine Liturgy were cathedral clerics: Archpriests Andrei Sommer (dean) and Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky, as well as Priest Georgy Mashtaler (rector of Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Luxembourg).

The Synodal Choir sang at Liturgy under the direction of Isaiah Trofimenko. A multitude of the faithful gathered to pray for the great feast.

After Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas performed the traditional blessing the fruit baskets.

Having greeted all with the feast, His Eminence noted with joy that a festal service was held on Mount Tabor in the Holy Land in honor of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, led by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, at which the sisters of the ROCOR convents prayed.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Nicholas said, in part:

"Christ invites us to ascend Tabor together, to rise from darkness to the heights of Church service. And if we do so, we will always be with the Lord and, perhaps, He will convey His glory to us, His salvation, and we will rejoice in our hearts, like the Apostle Peter, who exclaimed: ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here!’

"It is always pleasant to be where the divine service is taking place, where there is a fast, where there is a feast, where our icons are, our holy relics. Let us do thusly, and try not to get lost in the world, where there is darkness and everything is sinful. Let the Transfiguration shine for us and strengthen us in our lives."

The First Hierarch also congratulated Fr. Seraphim on the anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

A festal meal was held in the cathedral hall.