December 15, 2015
New York City: Metropolitan Hilarion leads Patronal Feast of Synodal
Cathedral
On
Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th of December, the patronal
feast day of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City –
the feast of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign,"
His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern American & New York,
led the divine services in the cathedral. The First Hierarch of the
Russian Church Abroad was co-served by members of the Synod of
Bishops, who were holding a regular session of the Synod on December
8th:
- Archbishop Mark of
Berlin, Germany & Great Britain;
- Archbishop Kyrill of
San Francisco & Western America;
- Archbishop Gabriel of
Montreal & Canada;
- Bishop Peter of
Cleveland, Administrator of the Mid-American Diocese;
- Bishop Nicholas of
Manhattan, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese; and
- Bishop John of
Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.
The hierarchs we
co-served by Synodal and diocesan clergy. Singing the festal
services was the Synodal
choir, under the
direction of Peter Fekula.
During
the Communion of the clergy, Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow (cleric of
Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY) addressed the
faithful with a sermon. Fr. Yaroslav offered some detail about the
Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God: "The Mother of God was
incredibly humble, and today we honor her icon. The image is an
interesting one: the Theotokos is not holding the Infant Christ in
her arms. After Christ’s Resurrection, she took to preaching
Christianity, and she was approached by people who asked her,
doubtingly, ‘It is true that you are the mother of God?’ But she
said nothing, and humbly raised up her arms, and over her womb
appeared an image of the Savior, the Infant Christ. This event is
relayed to us by Holy Tradition, and is the basis on which this
composition of the icon was created."
Upon completion of the service, the hierarchs and clergy served a
thanksgiving moleben before the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the
Mother of God.
Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated the clergy and parishioners of
the cathedral on the occasion of the patronal feast day, and also
congratulated Archbishop Mark of Berlin & Germany, who n 2015 marked
35 years of hierarchal service. In honor of this momentous occasion
and on behalf of the Synod of Bishops, the Metropolitan presented
Archbishop Mark the Russian Church Abroad’s highest award: the Order
of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, 1st Class.
For their selfless labors on behalf of the Holy Church, Metropolitan
Hilarion awarded Synodal Gramotas to Peter Fekula, director of the
Synodal choir, to Matushka Irina Gan, and to Igor L. Astrakhankin,
who dedicated much time and effort to work on the cathedral
building.
The feast concluded with a reception in the cathedral hall, where
the sisterhood prepared a bountiful lenten luncheon.
Photos:
Official ROCOR Website
Media Office of the Eastern
American Diocese
