On, June 22, the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, of All Saints who shone forth in the Russian land, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan 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 cathedral clerics: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

The Synodal Choir sang at Liturgy under the direction of Vadim S. Gan.

Cathedral parishioners and believers from other churches prayed at the service, and many communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Nicholas greeted all with the feast and addressed those present with a sermon on those saints who shone forth in the Russian land.

"In the 16th century, Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow established a feast for the veneration of the Russian saints. In the 17th-18th centuries, people began to forget about the legacy of those special people who labored in the Russian land. And only at the All-Russian Local Council in 1918, led by Patriarch Tikhon, was the celebration of All Russian Saints established, which began to be celebrated during the Apostles’ Fast on the first Sunday after the Sunday of All Saints.

"Today we glorify many saints dear and close to us: servants of the Church, monastics, martyrs, new martyrs, whom we honor for their prayerful feats – not for their achievements and their position in the world, in society, but for their prayerful struggle. And today we continue to pray to our loved ones, our saints. The Holy Confessor Patriarch Tikhon is an example for us. This year marks the 100th anniversary of his blessed repose and we celebrate his memory all year long.

"…The saints heard the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, they heard the words of the Apostle Paul about the feat of prayer. This is what the Apostle Paul said: ‘Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving’ (Col. 4:2). In the Epistle to the Romans: ‘Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer’ (Rom. 12:12). And in the Epistle to the Thessalonians: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you’ (I Thess. 5:16-18). And about the feat of prayer we read in the Gospel of Mark: ‘Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them’ (Mark 11:24).

"It is impossible to list all the saints by name, but we can mention Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov, the Holy Hierarchs Tikhon of Zadonsk and John of Tobolsk, and the Holy Hierarch John of San Francisco, who served and blessedly reposed abroad. Venerable Herman of Alaska began his service on Valaam and planted the seeds of the Faith in Alaska. The Holy Hierarch Jonah of Hankow, a confessor of our time, ended his life’s journey as a young bishop. This October we celebrate his memory – the 100th anniversary of his blessed repose.

"In our difficult times, prayer is the most important thing to do. We beg the Lord: help, spare, have mercy, save, and reconcile us. This is how our ancestors prayed and so, I hope, our prayer will multiply today.

"St. John of Kronstadt in his book My Life in Christ described the temple of God and the saints well. And in our times these words resonate with us in connection with today’s feast.

‘I gaze upon the icons in the temple ‒ upon Thy holy icon, my Lord, upon that of Thy Most Pure Mother, those of the holy Angels and Archangels, and upon the faces of the saints, adorned, resplendent with gold and silver ‒ and think to myself how Thou hast honored and adorned our nature, Creator and Provider of all! Thy saints shine with Thy light, they are sanctified by Thy grace, having conquered sin and washed away the sinful impurities of body and spirit; they are glorious with Thy glory, they are incorruptible through Thine incorruptibility. Glory to Thee for having so honored, enlightened, and raised our nature! Here are Thine Apostles and Hierarchs, living images of Thee, the Highest, Who passed through the heavens, Envoy of the Father, Hierarch and Chief of Shepherds; Thy goodness, Thy wisdom, Thy might, spiritual beauty, power, and holiness shine in them. Here are Thy martyrs, who by Thy strength overcame terrible temptations and endured fearful tortures; they have washed the garments of their souls white in Thy blood. Here are Thy venerable ones, who by fasting, vigilance, and prayer obtained Thy wonderful gifts, the gifts of healing, of discernment; Thy might strengthened them to stand above sin and all the snares of the [demons]; Thy likeness shines forth in them like the sun.’

"Indeed, the saints shine like the sun. And there is always hope that we too will be able to shine as our saints shone, as St. John of Kronstadt wrote about them."

Metropolitan Nicholas called on the faithful to pray to our saints, our loved ones, our relatives, and to honor them for their prayers and their prayerful feat.

Metropolitan Nicholas and the clergy served a short moleben before the festal icon.

The sisterhood held a meal in the cathedral hall.