NEW YORK: January 21, 2022
Theophany celebrations at the Synodal Cathedral in New York

Festal celebrations were held in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City on the great feast of the Theophany of the Lord. On Tuesday, January 18, 2022, the Eve of Theophany, His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great and officiated the festal all-night vigil.

On Wednesday, January 19, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada celebrated Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Eminence was Bishop Nicholas, along with cathedral dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer and cathedral clerics Archpriest Edward Chervinsky and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff.

The festal divine services were held under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. The Synodal choir sang beautifully under the direction of Elizabeth Ledkovsky.

Despite its being a workday, a large number of parishioners prayed at the divine services, and most of the faithful confessed their sins and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, His Eminence greeted all with the great feast, wishing them good health and reminding them of the significance of holy water and how it should be used. The hierarch called to mind the words of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov; +2006), who said that "the walls of our homes are also made subject to our sins, and thus they too require yearly blessing and renewal."

Archbishop Gabriel then performed the great blessing of the water.

The sisterhood prepared a festal luncheon in the cathedral hall.

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