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
