NEW YORK: January 10, 2021
Nativity of Christ celebrations at the Synodal Cathedral in New York

The clergy and faithful of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City celebrated the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. Officiating the festal All-Night Vigil on Thursday the 6th and celebrating Divine Liturgy on Friday the 7th of January was Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan. Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, prayed in the altar during the divine services.

Concelebrating with Bishop Nicholas at Liturgy were: Archimandrite Elevferiy (Skiba; dean of Our Lady "The Inexhaustible Chalice" Church in Brooklyn, NY), Archpriest Edward Chervinsky (cathedral cleric), Hieromonk Lavr (Solomonov; cleric of " Inexhaustible Chalice" Church), and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric).

The Synodal choir sang marvelously under the direction of conductor Vadim S. Gan.

The faithful were able to pray before the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. Joining the parishioners of the Synodal Cathedral at Liturgy were parishioners of the Serbian Church. Most of those present communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Bishop Nicholas greeted everyone with the radiant feast of Christ’s Nativity, and read aloud the Nativity Epistle of Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow & All Russia.

A gramota was then presented by Metropolitan Hilarion as president of the Synod of Bishops to Vladimir (Edward) Balodis in recognition of his zealous and longtime labors in preparing the fellowship luncheons.

In the cathedral hall, the clergy and faithful then took part in a Nativity reception.

eadiocese.org