NEW YORK: September 30, 2020
Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York leads celebrations of the Elevation of the Cross of the Lord at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady "of the Sign"

On Saturday and Sunday, 26-27 September, 2020, on the great feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York officiated the divine services in the Synodal Cathedral "of the Sign" in New York City. During all-night vigil in the evening, His Eminence, accompanied by clergy, brought the Cross out of the altar and performed the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, after which the clergy and faithful bowed down before the Life-Creating Cross.

Concelebrating with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad at Liturgy on Sunday morning were: Archpriests Andrei Sommer (cathedral Dean) and Edward Chervinsky, and Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral clerics) and Serge Arlievsky (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY). The divine services were held under the aegis of the wonder-working Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

A multitude of the faithful came to venerate the Cross of the Lord, and many communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the clergy and faithful, and spoke to them about the history of the feast, saying, in part:

"What does the Lord’s Cross call to mind for us? It tells us about the Lord’s ineffable love for us. In His sufferings on the Cross, He voluntarily took upon Himself all of the tortures inflicted upon Him, in order to cleanse us of our sins. For Christians, the Cross is not only a symbol, but a tool and aid. Thus, throughout the day we make the sign of the Cross over ourselves many times. The Holy Hierarch John Chrysostom, whose memory we also celebrate today, reminds us in his sermons of the importance of teaching children from the earliest age to make the sign of the Cross over themselves. And the Cross guards us from every evil."

His Eminence reminded the faithful of the need to bear one’s cross, humbly accepting life’s challenges, safeguarding ourselves from every sin, and being worthy of God’s aid and the grace that He sends us through the Holy Spirit, which fortifies and saves us.

The clergy then serves a short moleben to the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord. Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated the cathedral dean - Fr. Andrei Sommer - on the occasion of his birthday, and wished him many years.

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