On April 26, the 3rd Sunday of Pascha, dedicated to the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, the parish of the same name in Brooklyn, NY prayerfully celebrated its patronal feast day. Celebrating Divine Liturgy was His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. A special consolation for the clergy and faithful was the presence in the church of the great holy relic of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

The Paschal joy of the feast was felt already at the greeting of the archpastor. At the entrance to the church, children strewed flower petals before the path of the hierarch. Metropolitan Nicholas was greeted with a bouquet of peonies and lilacs, as well as the traditional bread and salt. Parish rector Archpriest Paul Ivanov welcomed His Eminence.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Fr. Paul, Archpriest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy rector of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ), Priest Vitaly Lialukov (parish cleric), Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ), and parish Deacons Fiodor Tulbur and Leonid Volchok.

The hymns of Divine Liturgy were sung by an expanded festal choir under the direction of choir director Gregory Ivanov. On this day, the parish choir was joined by singers who had come for the feast from St. Vladimir Memorial Church, as well as Reader Seraphim Arlievsky.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Nicholas drew the attention of the faithful to the spiritual meaning of Paschal joy and the inner resurrection of man in Christ. His Eminence cited the words of the Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt: "With the help of the grace of the Risen Christ, a Christian himself inwardly rises from the dead and becomes a living person in spirit, and receives the gratifying hope of his blessed resurrection on the last day of the world by the Holy Spirit!"

Upon completion of Liturgy, the clergy and faithful held a cross procession around the city block. With the singing of Paschal stichera and irmoi, prayerful invocations to the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, and the joyful Paschal greeting in various languages, the faithful processed around the church, glorifying the Risen Christ.

After the procession, a group photograph was taken, "Many Years" was intoned, and Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the clergy and parishioners with an archpastoral word. The feast continued with a bountiful meal and warm fellowship among the clergy, parishioners, and guests. At the conclusion of the festal day, the parish gratefully bid farewell to its archpastor.

The entire celebration became a joyful expression of the Paschal words of the Church: "Thou art our God, and we glorify Thee."

A Participant of the Feast