NEW YORK: February 18, 2021
The namesday of Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan is celebrated in the Synodal Cathedral

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, the feast day of St Nicholas of Japan, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady “of the Sign,” the residence of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in New York. His Grace was joined by Synodal and Cathedral clergymen. Praying in the altar was His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York.

The Cathedral choir sang under the direction of Vadim Gan.

After the ambo prayer, a moleben was served to St Nicholas, the illuminator of the “Land of the Rising Sun.” After the dismissal, Metropolitan Hilarion warmly greeted Vladyka Nicholas, noting his labors as Deputy Secretary of the Synod of Bishops and Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, wishing him the limitless aid of God and the protection of the Hodigitria of the Russian diaspora, the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign," that the prayerful intercession of St Nicholas would always accompany him in his archpastoral duties. Expressing gratitude to His Eminence, Bishop Nicholas said that it is easy for him to carry out his service under the omophorion of the loving and blessed First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. Bishop Nicholas also thanked his kind and devoted assistants, the clergy, acolytes, singers and worshipers of the Cathedral.

Many warm congratulatory messages were delivered to His Grace during the reception that followed.