On Saturday, April 8, the feast of the Raising of the Righteous Lazarus, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY, and celebrated Divine Liturgy there.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Archpriest Alexander Fedorowski (dean of St. Seraphim Cathedral) and convent clergy: Priests Artem Siss & Alexei Klar, Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky, and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin, as well as Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric).

Before the start of the service, Metropolitan Nicholas awarded convent altar servers Gregory Fedorowski, Theodore Galitzine, and Antony Klar the right to wear the orarion.

Singing at Liturgy was a joint children’s choir from the convent and various other parishes, under the direction of Matushka Patricia Klar. A large number of parishioners came to lift up their prayers, and many of them communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of the service, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad addressed those gathered with a sermon on the life of the Righteous Lazarus. He also thanked the serving clergy and especially the young choristers who adorned the services that day.

A luncheon was prepared in the convent hall, where interaction among the faithful continued throughout the day. Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky provided a tour of the convent to the youth, including the portrait of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov painted during his lifetime, currently en route to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to be restored by Serbian Orthodox technicians there.