On March 15, the Sunday of the Cross, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America & Canada, celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, concelebrated by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.

Concelebrating with the hierarchs were: cathedral dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino (chancellor of the OCA; rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC), Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan; cathedral clerics), and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin (cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY).

The service was held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

An expanded choir sang beautifully at Liturgy under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan.

A multitude of cathedral parishioners, as well as faithful from other parishes of the Russian Church Abroad and the Orthodox Church in America, gathered to venerate the Cross of the Lord, to pay homage to the "Reigning" Icon of the Mother of God – whose commemoration the Orthodox Church also observes on this day – and to commune of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, the hierarchs and clergy prayerfully venerated the Cross of the Lord.

Greeting the clergy and faithful with the feast, Metropolitan Nicholas reminded them that with the Cross, one can overcome all things: all troubles and horrors, and lead a prudent life in Christ and with the Cross, with hope in the Lord.

Welcoming the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, His Eminence presented Metropolitan Tikhon with a magnificent cross crafted in Jerusalem. Metropolitan Nicholas also presented a cross to the chancellor of the OCA, Fr. Alexander.

His Beatitude thanked Metropolitan Nicholas for the gift and presented him with a relic of the recently glorified ascetic of the 20th century, the Righteous Olga of Alaska – the first Orthodox woman of North America to be glorified.

The saint was born into a family of Alaska Natives (Yupik), who had preserved the Orthodox Faith following the mission of the Venerable Herman of Alaska. She is remembered as a humble and self-sacrificing priest’s wife and mother of a large family, who was filled with love for all – especially for women who were victims of abuse – and who assisted women in childbirth. For several decades now, the righteous saint has been venerated by the Orthodox faithful in Alaska, throughout America, and in other parts of the Orthodox world. There are countless instances of grace-filled assistance by the Righteous Olga, who responds to the prayers of those who seek her intercession.

In the cathedral hall, the sisterhood prepared a Lenten meal for the clergy and the faithful.