« The Primate of the Orthodox Church in America leads patronal feastday celebrations of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral »
20-12-2018 
On Wednesday, December 19, the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Divine Liturgy for the patronal feast of St Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City was celebrated by the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of all America and Canada. His Beatitude was co-served by the interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh.
The hierarchs were co-served by:
- Archpriest Igor Tarasov (Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA)
- Archpriest Alexander Golubov (cathedral cleric)
- Archpriest George Konyev (rector of Three Saints Church in Garfield, NJ)
- Archpriest Nikolai Babitjchouk (rector of All Saints of Russia Church in Pine Bush, NY)
- Archpriest John Behr (cleric of St. Vladimir Seminary in Crestwood, NY)
- Archpriest Andrei Sommer (senior priest of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City)
- Archpriest Eric Tosi (secretary of the Orthodox Church in America)
- Archpriest Yaroslav Lutoshkin, Abbot Nicodemus (Balyasnikov) & Priest Rodion Shamazov; cathedral clerics)
- Archpriest Alexey Bocharnikov (rector of St Nicholas Church in Chester, PA)
- Priest Dmitry Nedostupenko (secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh)
- Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak (secretary to the Metropolitan)
- Deacons Alexey Golubov, John Peters and Yulian Ryabtsev (cathedral clerics)
- Deacon Nicholas DeGraaf (cleric of Three Saints Church in Garfield, NJ)
At the Augmented Litany, petitions for the unity of the Orthodox Church and peace in Ukraine were read.
During the Liturgy, Bishop Matthew ordained new clerics of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA: Deacon Nicholas DeGraaff to the Holy Priesthood, and Subdeacon Michael Sidorechev (cleric of St. Nicholas Church in Chester) to the Holy Diaconate.
Following Holy Communion, a short moleben was served before the icon of the patron saint of the cathedral.
Afterwards, Bishop Matthew greeted Metropolitan Tikhon, thanking him for his prayers during the Liturgy. In commemoration of his visit, Bishop Matthew presented the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America with a jade prayer rope.
His Beatitude then greeted the concelebrating clergy and faithful, then asking Bishop Matthew to relay the words of gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia for his unwavering brotherly attention to the Orthodox Church in America as well as well as his support for the hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
A bountiful lenten luncheon was served in the cathedral refectory where interaction continued. Later, the two hierarchs met discussing various points of cooperation between the Orthodox Church in America and the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, as well as exchanging assessments on the situation in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.