On Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th of October, the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Virgin Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY, where he officiated the divine services on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast. Serving alongside the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were clerics of the New York City & Long Island Deanery and visiting clergy.

At Liturgy, during the reading of the Sixth Hour, Michael, the youngest son of parish rector Archpriest Alexandre Antchoutine, was tonsured a reader for Holy Intercession Church. Reader Michael Antchoutine and altar server Nicholas Antchoutine received a blessing to wear the orarion.

Numerous faithful from the deanery’s churches, as well as guests from other parishes, came to the church to honor the Most Holy Theotokos. Virtually all communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Following the service, Metropolitan Nicholas and the clergy served a moleben to the Mother of God. Metropolitan Nicholas congratulated the rector, his newly tonsured son, the clergy, parishioners, and guests with the feast, and addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which he spoke of one of the favorite feasts of the Slavs – the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. His Eminence called on the faithful to pray to the Heavenly Queen in adversity, illness, and all temptations, to pray with humility and love, with fear and trembling – and she will hear, cover them with her omophorion, and help speedily.

Hie Eminence also recalled that next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the church's consecration. On November 26, 1951, the church was consecrated by the Most Blessed Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky; +1965), the second First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. Over the years, many ROCOR clergy have emerged from this small church, serving in various parishes, and many believers have received spiritual formation here.

Fellowship between the clergy and the faithful continued over a festal luncheon prepared by the parish sisterhood.

A profound spiritual joy for parishioners was the visitation of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God on the eve of its patronal feast – from Thursday the 9th through Saturday the 11th of October. Morning and evening, the appointed services, molebens, and akathists were held in the church before the wonderworking icon – the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora. Parishioners and visitors from neighboring parishes prayed before the holy icon and received consolation. On Sunday, the Kursk Icon departed for Europe.