On Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th of October, the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, His Grace, Bishop Jerome (Shaw), paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY, where he officiated the divine services in honor of the parish’s patronal feast, as well as the 70th anniversary of the parish’s founding.

After All-Night Vigil on Monday evening, a dinner was held for the clergy at the home of Matushka Catherine Larin near the church, after which "Memory Eternal" was intoned for long-time rector Archpriest George Larin (+2024).

On Tuesday morning, His Grace celebrated the festal Divine Liturgy, co-served by: Archpriests Chad Williams (rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church in Richmond, ME) and Elias Gorsky (parish rector), Priest Andrew Podymow (parish cleric), Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City), and Deacons Nicholas Ilyin (parish cleric) and Konstantin Aleshin (cleric of the New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY).

An extended choir of parishioners and visitors sang beautifully at the divine services under the direction of Victor Gonchar, while the church was filled to capacity with local and visiting faithful.

Bishop Jerome delivered two sermons; the first, in Russian, was on the history of the feast of the Protection; the second, in English, was on the ease of causing troubles and the difficulty of providing that which is good and holy: we need to raise our view to the Mother of God, whom St. Andrei saw on high, praying for us to Christ her Son.

Liturgy was followed by a moleben to the Most Holy Theotokos, with "Memory Eternal" for Fr. George Larin, Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy, and the founders of the parish, and "Many Years" for the hierarchy, clergy, and congregation. A festal banquet was served in the parish hall, which continued well into the afternoon, during which many congratulatory words were spoken. His Grace relayed the congratulations of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, on occasion of the parish’s 70th anniversary.

Frs. Elias and Andrew spoke of the parish’s legacy, building efforts, and hopeful future. A display was available for all to view historic photos of the building of the church.

The church building was blessed for construction and the cornerstone laid in 1955. It is notable that the church was built by the hands of the parishioners themselves, marking the completion of a promise made by its founder, Fr. Seraphim Slobodskoy, during WWII, to build a church to God should he survive the war.

One well-known story about God’s providence and the humility of its founding rector was shared at the meal by Fr. Elias: after the building commenced, the parish quickly ran out of money and petitioned a local bank for a mortgage loan, which was denied. However, one day the bank president was driving by the building site and saw the rector himself mixing cement and placing bricks; moved by Fr. Seraphim’s humility, he quickly approved a loan, thus securing the legacy of Nyack’s Orthodox population.