July 9, 2015
San Francisco, CA: Bishop Nicholas participates in Celebrations in Honor of St. John of Shanghai & Francisco

From Friday the 3rd to Tuesday the 7th of July, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, visited churches of the Western American Diocese and took part in the annual celebrations in honor of the Holy Hierarch and Wonderworker John of Shanghai & San Francisco. One year ago, during the celebrations in honor of the 20th anniversary of the glorification of St. John in Holy Virgin Cathedral "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in San Francisco, Archimandrite Nicholas (Olhovsky) was consecrated Bishop of Manhattan. Also in the cathedral, Bishop Nicholas celebrated his first Liturgy as a hierarch, prayerfully attended by Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, hierarchs taking part in the Council (Sobor) of Bishops and the celebrations, as well as participants of the XIII All-Diasporan Youth Conference from countries around the world.

In 2015, the feast day of St. John of Shanghai in the parishes of the Russian Church Abroad was celebrated on Saturday, July 4 (the closest Saturday to July 2). On Friday, July 3, the All-Night Vigil was served in Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral by a multitude of hierarchs and clergy. On the feast itself, Saturday, July 4, celebration of the Divine Liturgy was led by the cathedral’s rector, Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco & Western America, co-served by Bishops Paisie of Timișoara (Romanian Orthodox Church), Theodosius of Seattle, and Nicholas of Manhattan, and a multitude of clergy from the parishes of the Church Abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate. Singing at the service was the cathedral choir under the direction of V. Krassovsky. That day, in keeping with tradition, many parishioners and faithful from around the country came to pray at the divine services in the cathedral.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, a moleben was served, followed by a procession around the cathedral. The clergy descended into the crypt, where St. John’s holy relics were once located. After the service, the cathedral sisterhood prepared a lenten festal meal for celebration participants.

On Sunday, July 5, Bishop Nicholas celebrated Divine Liturgy in Our Lady of Kazan Church in Guerneville, CA.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese