« On the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated the Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in London »

On December 19, 2020, on the feast day of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in London.

His Grace was assisted by the Secretary of the Sourozh Diocese, Priest Dimitry Nedostupenko, and Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch.

At the end of the Liturgy, Vladyka Matthew addressed the parishioners with a sermon and congratulated the parishioners bearing the name of Nicholas with their Angel Day.

The service was broadcast live on the diocesan page Life of Sourozh on the social network Facebook.

On this day, the parish of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York, the main church of the Patriarchal parishes in the United States, celebrates its patronal feast.  In connection with the Cathedral celebration, Vladyka Matthew sent an Address to the clergy and laity of the Cathedral.  The text of the appeal is given below.

Congratulations from His Grace, Bishop MATTHEW of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, on the occasion of the feast day of the St.Nicholas Cathedral in New York City and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Patriarchal Parishes in the USA

Beloved in the Lord Fathers, brothers and sisters!

I cordially congratulate all of you with the patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral in the city of New York - the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia!

Today we honor and glorify Saint Nicholas, who has become the most beloved and revered Saint in the entire Christian world.  The wondrous servant of God is the patron Saint, intercessor and quick helper to everyone who relies on his help with faith and prayer.  For a long time, Saint Nicholas has been the patron Saint of the city of New York.  At the beginning of the 17th century, Dutch navigators, who especially venerated the Saint, founded the colony of New Amsterdam in North America, from which the modern metropolis grew.  The first Russian church in the city of New York was also founded under the heavenly patronage of this beloved Saint.

Today, turning our prayers to the servant of God Nicholas, we remember, with love and gratitude Holy founders of the Cathedral, who are now glorified as Saints - St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Holy Martyr Archpriest Alexander Khotovitsky, Holy passion-bearer Tsar Nicholas and Righteous John of Kronstadt, who provided an invaluable support and  prayful assistance to the founding of the St. Nicholas parish, which has become the unifying spiritual center of the Russian Orthodoxy in the New World.

In our days, the life of Patriarchal parishes in the United States is inspired by the personal example of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), the outstanding Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church of the 20th century. By his efforts, 50 years ago, autocephaly was granted to the Orthodox Church in America, and the clergy of the Patriarchal parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church were given the opportunity to continue their special missionary service on the North American continent.

This year, due to the epidemic of the global epidemic, we were unable to celebrate our anniversary together, but we continue to maintain spiritual unity and offer our united prayers to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Honoring him as a “rule of faith and an image of meekness,” we ask that the Lord, through his prayers, may strengthen us in true faith and grant us meekness, love and patience.

May the All-Merciful Lord, through the intercession of Saint Nicholas, keep everyone in peace, good health and prosperity!

+ MATTHEW

Bishop of Sourozh

Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA

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