July 7, 2014
New York City: Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan Celebrates first Divine
Liturgy in Synodal Cathedral of the Sign
On
Sunday, July 6, on the feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of
God, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First
Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, and Bishop Nicholas of
Manhattan, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, celebrated the
Divine Liturgy in the
Synodal Cathedral
of the Sign in New York City. Note that His Grace, Bishop
Nicholas, was
consecrated to the episcopate on the previous Sunday, June 29,
in Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco, CA during the
national celebrations in honor of the 20th anniversary of the
glorification by the Russian Church Abroad of the Holy Hierarch John
of Shanghai & San Francisco. This is Bishop Nicholas’ first Liturgy
since his return from San Francisco.
The hierarchs were co-served by cathedral clerics: Hieromonks
Eutychius (Dovganyuk) and Tikhon (Gayfudinov), visiting clergy, and
the Synod’s Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff and Deacons Nathan Mousselli
and Nazari Fataliev.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the
new bishop, and related to parishioners the process of the latter’s
election, confirmation, and consecration.
In
his first sermon, Bishop Nicholas reminded the faithful of the power
of prayer, calling on them to pray more frequently in church, where
the Son of God and the Mother of God abide, not forgetting also to
attend evening services, during which the full meaning of any given
feast is revealed.
Metropolitan Hilarion and Bishop Nicholas, co-served by the clergy,
then served a moleben before the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
On behalf of cathedral parishioners, His Grace, Bishop Nicholas, was
presented a set of blue and a set of white vestments and hierarchal
mantles (mantiyas).
After the service, the sisterhood prepared a delicious light lunch
for the faithful, and a banquet for the clergy, which local clerics
also attended ‒ having completed the services in their own parishes
‒ wishing to greet Bishop Nicholas and wish him God’s aid in his
service to the Holy Church.
Photos: Prince Vladimir Galitzine
and Sergei Yakushin
Media Office of the Eastern
American Diocese
