NEW YORK: 8 May 2024
The services of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad during Passion Week and Holy Pascha

On Great Wednesday, May 1, 2024, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York celebrated the final Divine Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts for this year in the Synodal Cathedral “of the Sign” in New York City.

On Great Thursday, May 2, Metropolitan Nicholas celebrated the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great in the cathedral.

That evening, he officiated at matins with the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels. Numerous parishioners gathered for one of the most triumphal services of Great Lent and the liturgical year.

On Great Friday, May 3, when the Holy Church commemorates the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, Metropolitan Nicholas officiated the divine services in the Cathedral “of the Sign.”

The Holy Shroud was brought out during vespers on Holy Friday. The faithful venerated it, after which compline was served with the reading of the Canon of the Lamentations of the Most Holy Theotokos. That evening, Matins was served, concluding with the burial procession.

During the divine services, which were held under the aegis of the Miracle-working Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, His Eminence was joined by cathedral clerics: Cathedral Dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer; Archpriest Seraphim Chemodakov; Hieromonk Theognost (Kogan); Hieromonk Laurus (Solomonov; cleric of Our Lady "The Inexhaustible Chalice" Church in Brooklyn, NY), along with Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

Upon completion of midnight office on Great Saturday evening, to the singing of the hymn "Do not lament Me, O Mother," the Shroud was taken into the altar. The clergy and faithful, with lit candles, then began to sing "Thy Resurrection, O Christ Savior," and went in procession around the courtyard of the Synodal Headquarters. Metropolitan Nicholas proclaimed those eternally living words "Christ is Risen!" In the altar, the clergy changed their white vestments to red, blue, and green to greet worshippers.

After Paschal Matins, Metropolitan Nicholas read aloud the Catechetical Sermon of St John Chrysostom, after which he celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Virtually all of the cathedral parishioners and guests communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

His Eminence then blessed the Artos, which after Liturgy on Bright Saturday will be distributed to the faithful.

The cathedral sisterhood prepared a delicious Paschal meal, during which many warm words were offered on the occasion of the feast.

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