On Monday, December 19, the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk led the Divine Liturgy in St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City. The previous evening, Bishop John led the festal All-Night Vigil. Before the Vigil service, members of the parish youth organization decorated the facade of the cathedral for the upcoming feast of the Nativity.

At the Divine Liturgy, Bishop John was co-served by:

- Archpriest Igor Tarasov, Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA

- Archpriest Nikolai Babijtchouk, rector of All Saints of Russia Church, Pine Bush, NY

- Priest Aleksey Paranyuk, Dean of the Eastern States

- Abbot Eutychius Dovganyuk, cleric of St. Gregory the Theologian Mission, New York City

- Hieromonk Savvatey (Ageyev, Acting rector of St. Demetrius Monastery, Framingham, MA)

- Abbot Serafim (Zvyagin, cleric of St. Demetrius Monastery)

and clergy of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral

At the Little Entrance, for their dedicated service to the Holy Church, Bishop John awarded clerics of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Priest Mark Rashkov the right to wear the Gold pectoral cross, and Deacon Yulian Ryabtsev the right to wear the double orarion within the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.

After the Cherubic Hymn, Bishop John ordained cleric of the cathedral, Deacon Dmitrii Schieffler to the Holy Priesthood.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, His Grace and the clergy served a short moleben before the icon of St. Nicholas. Afterwards, Bishop John congratulated Archpriest Nikolai with his namesday, as well as Priest Dmitrii with his ordination. 

Interaction between the clergy and faithful continued over a festal meal in the cathedral refectory.