Русская Версия

May 17, 2011
New York, NY: The Eastern American Diocesan Vicars visited St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral

On Saturday evening, May 14, with the blessing of His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and at the invitation of the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, Their Graces, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishops George of Mayfield and Jerome of Manhattan, along with other participants of the Sobor of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad, visited St. Nicholas Cathedral.

As reported by the website of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, on Saturday evening, the All-Night Vigil was led by Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany, and Great Britain, co-served by Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Bishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe, Bishop John of Caracas and South America, Bishop George, and Bishop Jerome.

Upon completion of the service, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, arrived at the cathedral, accompanied by Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Bishop Agapit of Stuttgart, and Bishop Theodosius of Seattle.

Archbishop Justinian greeted Metropolitan Hilarion and the Archpastors of the Russian Church Abroad on behalf of His Holiness, Patriarch Kyrill. His Eminence noted that, over the course of many decades, "in the hearts of the Orthodox people of the Russian Orthodox Church in the homeland, and in the hearts of the Hierarchs, priests, and laymen of the Russian Church Abroad, the thought grew stronger that one day we would be one. And this came to pass, and ours it is to preserve this precious gem of unity and brotherly love."

Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated those gathered on the radiant feast of Pascha and, thanking God, noted that today the Church Abroad is now a part of the Russian Orthodox Church, which 1,000 years has existed for in our great homeland. His Eminence thanked Archbishop Justinian for the good relations and brotherly support he has fostered, and expressed his hope for the strengthening of these bonds. The First Hierarch of ROCOR also asked that the Archbishop pass along his sincere gratitude to His Holiness, the Patriarch, for the latter’s fatherly love and the care that His Holiness has shown toward the Russian Church Abroad.

Photos courtesy of the official website of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese