EASTERN AMERICAN DIOCESE: April 12, 2004

Pascha at the Cathedral of the Synod of Bishops in New York

The Paschal celebrations at the Synodal Cathedral were conducted with solemnity and a multitude of worshipers. They were led by His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan along with Protopriest Andrei Sommer, Priests Serafim Gan and Victor Dobrov and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff.

On Great Saturday, the clergy blessed kulichi and paschi in St. Sergius Chapel on the main floor of the Synodal building. At the end of Paschal liturgy, during which the clergy administered communion from three chalices, the Sisterhood of the Cathedral offered a magnificent feast, before which, as tradition dictates, a brief moleben was served by Protopriest Andrei Sommer, who delivered a few words before the singing of Many Years, intoned by Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff. In his greeting, Fr. Andrei congratulated His Grace Bishop Gabriel on the great joy of Pascha and asked His Grace's prayers for the clergymen and worshipers of the Synodal Cathedral during his forthcoming pilgrimage to the Holy Land in May, and also asked Vladyka to raise his prayers at the Life-bearing Tomb of the Lord for the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, which will be in Russia at the same time.

His Grace Bishop Gabriel blesses the worshipers during the minor entrance of the Paschal liturgy.

A short moleben before the trapeze in the Synodal hall.

At the beginning of the Paschal matins.