His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Officiates at Nativity Services at Holy Trinity Monastery and the Synodal Cathedral

On the eve of the Nativity of Christ and on the Nativity itself, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus officiated all the required services along with the monastic brethren and teachers of priestly rank of Holy Trinity Seminary. Upon the conclusion of the festal trapeza, His Eminence accepted greetings in his residence in the main monastery building. On the second day of the Nativity, when the Holy Church honors the Most-Blessed Mother of God, His Eminence Metropolitan, during the reading of the hours, ordained his cell-attendant, Reader Nicholas Olhovsky, to the rank of Subdeacon; Reader Nicholas had entered into holy matrimony last November with E.P. Shohoff, granddaughter of Bishop Mitrofan of Boston (Znosko-Borovsky, + 2002) of blessed memory. At the customary point of the liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus ordained Subdeacon Sergei Ledkovsky to the deaconate, son of the recently-reposed A.B. Ledkovsky, Director of the Synodal Choir for many years. At the end of the solemn service, His Eminence Vladyka congratulated the new clergymen and expressed the hope that they will be good and devoted servants of the Church of the Living God Who became Living Man.

The following day, on the third day of the Nativity, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus officiated at divine liturgy at the Synodal Cathedral in New York City along with Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan, Protopriest Andrei Sommer, Priest Serafim Gan and Priest Victor Dobroff, and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff. After service, His Eminence Vladyka greeted all the singers of the Cathedral Choir, headed by P.A. Fekula, and proceeded to the residence of Bishop Gabriel, where he celebrated together with the clergymen. His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus then attended the Yelka, or Nativity pageant, organized by the Holy Protection Russian School in Nyack, NY, during which he delivered a sermon and greeted the Parish Rector, Mitred Protopriest George Larin, the students and teachers, participants and visitors of the event.

From left to right: Deacon Sergei Ledkovsky, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, Protodeacon Victor Lochmatov and Subdeacon Nikolai Olhovsky.

Carolers visit His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus.

Divine liturgy at the Synodal Cathedral.