On Tuesday, November 4, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to Our Lady of Kazan in Newark, NJ, where he celebrated the festal Divine Liturgy.

Serving alongside His Eminence were: Archpriests Serge Lukianov (dean of New Jersey), Elias Gorsky (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY), Serafim Gan (chancellor of the Synod of Bishops), Mark Burachek (parish rector), George Zelenin (rector of St. Michael Church in Wayne, NJ), Vasily Zelenyuk (rector of Our Lady "Unexpected Joy" Church in Staten Island, NY), and George Temidis (secretary of the diocesan administration), Protodeacons Eugene Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY), Sergei Shoomiloff (cleric of St. Michael Church), and Alexey Pnev (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY), and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack).

Parishioners and guests from other churches gathered to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos before her Kazan Icon; most of them communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Following the service, a moleben was served to the Most Holy Theotokos.

Metropolitan Nicholas greeted the rector, clergy, and parishioners with their patronal feast, and thanked all who came to prayerfully share in their joy. In his sermon, the Metropolitan called the Kazan Icon one of the most beloved icons of our ancestors and contemporaries, and noted that prayers before it saved the Russian land, the Orthodox Faith, and the nation’s culture in 1612.

For his many years of service to the parish, His Eminence presented assistant warden Alexander Milas a diocesan gramota.

The parish sisterhood hosted a festal meal for the clergy and faithful in the church hall.