Primate of Orthodox Church in America leads celebrations at Patriarchal cathedral in New York to mark 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh

On 20 July 2014, a solemn Divine Service was celebrated at St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York. Thus the Patriarchal parishes in the USA concluded the celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Upon the blessing and at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada officiated at the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad; Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA; and the assembly of clergymen of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Russian Church Abroad, and the Orthodox Church in America.

After the service, Archbishop Justinian addressed His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion with the words of greeting, saying in particular:
“Representatives of all Orthodox Churches gathered in Russia for the celebrations commemorating St. Sergius of Radonezh. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia led a great procession with the cross, having walked from the convent in Khotkovo to the abode of St. Sergius. Tens of thousands of pilgrims, both clergymen and laypeople, were following their Primate. With the blessing of Your Beatitude and Your Eminence, representatives of the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Church Abroad took part in the celebrations at the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius. And today you, esteemed hierarchs, are leading the celebrations here, at the Patriarchal cathedral in the USA. It was not a significance of the memorable date, the 700th anniversary of the birth of the Hegumen of the Russian Land, that made the celebration so solemn, prayerfully moving and cordial, but rather truly nationwide and church-wide love for St. Sergius.”

Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and to Archbishop Justinian for the invitation to share the joy of common prayer on the day of the celebration with the clergy and parishioners of the Moscow Patriarchate’s main cathedral.

Source: Moscow Patriarchate