On Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of December, the Leavetaking of the great feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Luke of Syracuse paid an archpastoral visit to St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ, where he officiated the divine services.

Serving alongside His Grace at All-Night Vigil on Saturday evening and Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning were: cathedral rector Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Archpriests Vasily Andrejuk and Boris Slootsky (cathedral clerics), Priests Ephraim Willmarth (cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY) and Anthony Williams  (cathedral cleric); Hieromonk Ignacio (Matzschke Brull; cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY), Protodeacon Paul Drozdowski (cathedral cleric); Archdeacon Paisios (Levakov) and Protodeacon Michael Pavuk (clerics of Holy Trinity Monastery), and Deacons Alexandre Sarandinaki, Dimitry Lisan (cathedral clerics), and Daniel Semenov (cleric of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in Pompano Beach, FL).

Singing the divine services beautifully and prayerfully was the Holy Trinity Seminary Choir from Jordanville, NY, directed by Deacon Nicholas Kotar.

The wonderworking Jordanville copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God was present to the joy of the faithful, who came to venerate it throughout the services.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Bishop Luke delivered a sermon on the importance of being humble and steadfast in one’s salvation. He stressed the need to utilize the Nativity Fast to become closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since 2017, St. Alexander Nevsky parish has established a tradition to invite the bishop and the seminary choir, together with the Pochaev Icon, in December for the purpose of raising much-needed funds for Holy Trinity Seminary. Glory to God, this year the parish Benevolent Fund raised $21,000 for the seminary. His Grace thanked parishioners and mentioned that this was the eighth year in a row that the parish has invited the seminarians and made a substantial contribution to this vital spiritual institution of the Russian Diaspora.

After Liturgy, the sisterhood, led by Matushka Lubov Lukianov, organized a luncheon in the lower cathedral hall, where warm words of welcome and well-wishes were spoken. All of the visiting clergy and seminarians received gift bags.