New York: Diocesan Archpastors lead divine services for Triumph of Orthodoxy in Synodal Cathedral

On Sunday, February 25, the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City was celebrated by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, co-served by diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan. Concelebrating with the hierarchs were: Archimandrite Maximos (Weimar; abbot of St. Dionysios Monastery in East Setauket, NY), Archpriest Andrei Sommer (senior priest of the cathedral), Hieromonk Tikhon (Gayfudinov; abbot of Holy Protection Skete in Buena, NJ), and Archpriest Edward Chervinsky, Protodeacons Nicolas Mokhoff & Vadim Gan, and Deacon Pavel Roudenko (cathedral clerics).

The divine service was held under the aegis of the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. An expanded hierarchal choir saint prayerfully under the direction of conductor Peter Fekula. The church was filled with worshippers and those who came to bid farewell to longtime cathedral warden Prince Vladimir Kirillovich Galitzine, who reposed in the Lord on February 22.

In accordance with pious tradition, almost all of the parishioners communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries for the first Sunday of Great Lent.

A number of clergy from parishes in New York City and State, as well as New Jersey, joined for the Rite of Orthodoxy: Archpriest Alexander Belya (dean of New York City), Abbot Vladimir (Zgoba; rector of "Unexpected Joy" Church on Staten Island, NY), Archpriest Elias Gorsky (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY), Archpriest Mark Burachek (rector of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Newark, NJ), Archpriest Petro Kunitsky and Abbot Arseny (Manko; clerics of Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia Church in Brooklyn, NY), Archpriest Vasiliy Raskovskiy (diocesan cleric), Archpriest Alexandre Antchoutine (dean of Long Island & the Hudson Valley), Hieromonk Zosimas (Krampis; cleric of St. Sergius Church at the Synodal Headquarters), Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack), and Deacon Rostislav Zadorozhny (cleric of St. John the Forerunner Cathedral in Brooklyn). Fr. Vadim Gan proclaimed the Rite.

After the Rite of Orthodoxy, the hierarchs and clergy served a panihida for Prince Vladimir Galitzine, who gave more than half a century of his life in service to the Church Abroad and the Synodal Cathedral.

Upon completion of the panihida, a commemorative repast was served for the clergy, parishioners, and friends of the deceased in the cathedral hall.

Source: Eastern American Diocese of the ROCOR