On Thursday, May 22 – the summer feast of the Holy Hierarch Nicholas, Wonderworker of Myrrh in Lycia – Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to the eponymous church in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast day.

Serving alongside the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad was Bishop Jerome (Shaw), as well as: Archpriests Elias Gorsky (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY) and Alexander Donchenko (parish rector), Abbot Arseny (Manko; cleric of the Canadian Diocese), Archpriests Leonid Goferman (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in New Brunswick, NJ) and George Temidis (secretary of the diocesan administration), Priest Andrew Podymow (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack), Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City), and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack).

Singing at Liturgy was the parish choir, joined by visiting members of the Synodal and Nyack choirs.

Commemorated at the Great Entrance was His Beatitude, Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky), who reposed exactly 60 years prior, on May 22, 1965.

Liturgy was followed by a short moleben to the Holy Hierarch Nicholas, after which Metropolitan Nicholas delivered a sermon on the tribulations Christians face in our time. 

After the service, the parish sisterhood organized a delicious luncheon, during which discussions were about current issues facing the Russian Church Abroad.

Photos: Matushka Elizabeth Temidis