On December 21, 2025, the 28th Sunday after Pentecost, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York City.
At the entrance to the church, the ruling bishop and rector was greeted by students of the Sunday School, together with its director, Matushka Alexandra Kurakevich.
Concelebrating with the archpastor were clergy of the cathedral, as well as the rector of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Archpriest Mark Shinn, and the Dean of the Eastern States, Archpriest Michael Kapchits.
During the Liturgy, His Grace ordained Deacon Oleg Cruz of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Philadelphia to the holy priesthood.
The liturgical hymns were performed by the full complement of the cathedral's bishop's choir under the direction of choir director Ksenia Vadimovna Afanasieva. The Liturgy was attended by numerous parishioners and guests, including visiting parishioners from St. Andrew's Cathedral in Philadelphia. The service was attended by the Consul General of Russia in New York, A.G. Markov, and his spouse.
At the conclusion of the service, on behalf of the clergy and parishioners, the ruling bishop and rector was greeted by the Acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), who congratulated Bishop Matthew on the 10th anniversary of his episcopal consecration and presented him with a gift of a bishop's mantle featuring icons of St. Nicholas and St. Tikhon on the tablets.
His Grace warmly thanked the clergy and parishioners for their gracious welcome and prayerful support in his archpastoral labors. Bishop Matthew extended a special greeting to Fr. Mark Shinn and the pilgrims from Philadelphia, and he wholeheartedly congratulated the newly ordained priest, Fr. Oleg Cruz, wishing him God's assistance in his lofty priestly service to the Church of Christ.
The archpastor thanked all participants of the divine service for the joy of shared prayer, the choir for their beautiful singing, and the members of the cathedral's youth organization for the magnificent decoration of the church for the festive season. As a memento of the service, Bishop Matthew presented all those gathered with icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, wishing Her prayerful intercession during the ongoing days of the Nativity Fast.
Fellowship among the bishop, clergy, and faithful continued at a fraternal meal lovingly prepared by the cathedral's sisterhood.
