On Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th of August – the great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos – Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York officiated the divine services in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Concelebrating with His Eminence at Divine Liturgy were cathedral clerics: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

The Synodal choir sang beautifully under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan.

The services were held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

The Shroud placed in the center of the cathedral was magnificently adorned. Numerous parishioners and monastics from St. Dumitru Romanian Monastery in Middletown, NY prayed at the service. Almost everyone received the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Following Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas delivered a sermon on the feast, urging the faithful to live "as the Mother of God lived: to be servants of God – whereas we often serve the world and ourselves, leaving the Lord somewhere on the sidelines…

"The Mother of God adorned this earth, and we, too, can adorn this life and our land through prayer, serving God with all our deeds, thoughts, virtuous struggles, humility, obedience, and love for the Mother of God."

The cathedral sisterhood invited all to a festal meal.