On November 3rd, the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, when the Holy Church commemorates the Venerable Hilarion the Great and Hilarion of the Kiev Caves, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Serving alongside him were cathedral clerics: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

The Synodal Choir sang under the direction of Isaiah Trofimenko.

The service was held under the aegis of the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

Praying at Liturgy were cathedral parishioners and faithful from other parishes, coming to venerate the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora, recently returned to the cathedral after a long pilgrimage to the Australia & New Zealand and Canadian Dioceses.

Many believers received Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of the service, His Eminence addressed those present with a sermon on the Gospel parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

Then, Metropolitan Nicholas and the clergy served a panihida for the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion on his namesday, especially emphasizing that the reposed First Hierarch lived not with great wealth, but with a kind heart.

Interaction between the clergy and the faithful continued at a luncheon.