On April 10, Great and Holy Friday – the day on which the Holy Church commemorates the holy, saving, and awesome sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ –Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York officiated the divine services in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Serving alongside His Eminence were Bishop Theodosius of Manhattan and cathedral clergy: dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov, Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad led the Vespers of Holy Saturday. During the service, the Shroud was carried out from the altar. The faithful venerated the Holy Shroud, after which the Canon of the Lamentation of the Mother of God was read.

The Vespers of Holy Saturday serve as the prelude to the Matins of Holy Saturday, during which the Church commemorates the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. The hierarchs, clergy, and faithful processed with the Shroud through the cathedral courtyard in a solemn procession.

Following the procession, the Prophecy of Ezekiel concerning the general resurrection was read.

Throughout the services, the Synodal choir sang prayerfully under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan.

Photos: S. Yakushin