On Sunday, December 7, the Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple and the feast day of the Holy Great-Martyr Catherine, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco & Western America and Bishop Theodosius of Seattle, vicar of the Western American Diocese, prayed in the altar.

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 conductor Vadim S. Gan.

Numerous parishioners gathered in the church, both from the cathedral and from other churches in the city. Most of them communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Metropolitan Nicholas greeted everyone with the Lord’s Day and, in his sermon, reminded them that in the Temple the Mother of God received the upbringing necessary for a life in the Lord, and that she serves as a living example of how we, too, can receive all things necessary for spiritual growth.

His Eminence also recounted the life of St. Catherine, who was born in Alexandria to a noble family in the second half of the 3rd century. The saint possessed a clear intellect, was well educated, and was knowledgeable in philosophy. But she realized that all of this was worldly, found the Lord God, was baptized, and preached God’s Word. They tried to seduce her, but she stood firm in her faith, gave her life to God at the age of 18, and sets an example for us of steadfastness in the Orthodox life.

A traditional lenten meal was prepared in the cathedral hall, during which the fraternal fellowship of the clergy and parishioners continued.