From Thursday, January 29, through Sunday, February 1, with the blessing of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad – His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God paid a visit to St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ, where the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora graced the divine services with her presence.

On Thursday evening and Friday morning, the icon was present in Our Lady of Tikhvin Church for All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy for Venerable Anthony the Great – the namesday of cathedral cleric Priest Anthony Williams.

On Saturday evening, the wonderworking icon was greeted before Vigil, during which the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos was sung by the entire parish in Slavonic and English.

On Sunday morning, cathedral rector Archpriest Serge Lukianov celebrated Liturgy, co-served by cathedral clergy: Archpriest Boris Slootsky, Fr. Anthony, Protodeacons Paul Drozdowski and Alexandre Sarandinaki, and Deacon Dumitru Lişan. Hundreds of faithful came to pray before the icon. Most communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

In his sermon, Fr. Serge recounted the history of the holy icon and several miracles that occurred in Russia and abroad.

After Liturgy, in honor of the icon’s visit, the sisterhood organized a large luncheon for all, during which the faithful had another opportunity to venerate the Kursk Icon.