On Tuesday, May 22, the feast of the Translation of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to Bari, the clergy and parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral celebrated its summer patronal feastday. On the eve of the feast, May 21, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk led the festal All-night Vigil, and on the actual day of the feast, celebrated the Divine Liturgy. After the Vigil service, Bishop John met with members of the charitible organization "St John Give Hope" and its director, Vadim Ariefiev.
His Grace was co-served by Priest Aleksey Paranyuk (dean of the Eastern States), Archpriest John Kassatkin, rector of Elevation of the Holy Cross Church in Hackettstown, NJ, clerics of the cathedral, and Deacon Andrew Massey, cleric of Holy Cross Church.
After the Great Entrance, Deacon Andrew was ordained a priest.
After Holy Communion, the clergy served a short moleben before the icon of the cathedral’s heavenly patron.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Bishop John greeted the parishioners with the patronal feastday, as well as the newly-ordained cleric of the Patriarchal Parishes, and wished him fortitude in his ministry.
A festal luncheon was held in the cathedral refectory where interaction between the clergy and parishioners continued.
Bishop John Leads Patronal Feasday Celebrations in St. Nicholas Cathedral - 05/22/18
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