On Sunday, April 6, the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, dedicated to Venerable Mary of Egypt, as well as the eve of the anniversary of the repose (+1925) of the Holy Hierarch Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, the Confessor, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Serving alongside the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were the cathedral clergy: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

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

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

After the service, Metropolitan Nicholas and the clergy served a moleben to St. Tikhon, after which His Eminence spoke about the life of Patriarch Tikhon, in particular about his service in America:

"In 1898, the Holy Hierarch Tikhon arrived in San Francisco, and immediately went to Alaska. No Orthodox bishop had been there for 55 years. In time, he was assigned an assistant ‒ the vicar Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky; +1937). Two years later, the diocese received a new name – Aleutian & North American, the ruling bishop of which was Bishop ‒ later Archbishop ‒ Tikhon. On September 14, 1905, he transferred the episcopal see from San Francisco to New York City and helped lay the foundation of St. Nicholas Cathedral, which is located almost next to our Cathedral of the Sign. And, it seems to me, both of these buildings and these streets were blessed by the presence of the future Patriarch Tikhon. And his holy hands bless us even to this day.

"The mission of St. Tikhon in America lasted almost nine years. In 1907, he was assigned the see of Rostov & Yaroslavl’, and returned to Russia. There the holy hierarch labored until 1913, after which he was appointed to Lithuania, where he governed the diocese for four years, and in the summer of 1917, while in Moscow, he was appointed ruling bishop of the Moscow Diocese and became Metropolitan of Moscow & Kolomna. In August 1917, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, the All-Russian Local Council opened, at which, among other things, the question of restoring the Patriarchate in Russia was considered. In November of that year, Metropolitan Tikhon was elected Patriarch from among three candidates.

"He accepted this obedience and until his death, already after the revolution, he sanctified his flock with his prayer, his example, his spiritual labors, and did not abandon the Orthodox Faith. In 1920, Patriarch Tikhon issued Decree #362, which gave the Russian Church Abroad the right to minister to the flock abroad.

"While in confinement in the Donskoy Monastery, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, he gave his life to God, becoming a confessor and our prayerful intercessor."

In the cathedral hall, the sisterhood prepared a Lenten meal, during which the clergy and parishioners continued their interaction.