On May 21, 2026, the feast of the Ascension of the Lord and of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, at the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York, hierarchs, clergy and laity of the Russian Church Outside of Russia and of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA prayerfully marked the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion between the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Divine Liturgy was led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York. Concelebrating with him were Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada; the sacristan of the Cathedral of the Sign in New York, Archpriest Andrei Sommer; the acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov); and the clergy of the Cathedral of the Sign.
The liturgical hymns were sung by the full hierarchical choir of the cathedral under the direction of choir director Vadim Gan. Numerous faithful from the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in the USA and from the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Church Outside of Russia prayed at the Liturgy.
After the Litany of Fervent Supplication, Metropolitan Nicholas offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the restoration of the unity of the Russian Church.
At the end of the Liturgy, the First Hierarch addressed the faithful with a sermon devoted to the feast of the Ascension of the Lord and the memory of the Apostle John the Theologian. Metropolitan Nicholas reminded those gathered that it was on the feast of the Ascension in 2007, at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, that the ever-memorable His Holiness ALEXY II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, and the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Laurus, signed the Act of Canonical Communion, which ended the division between the Church in the Homeland and the Church in the diaspora. Metropolitan Nicholas warmly greeted Bishop Matthew, noting with satisfaction the good fraternal relations between the clergy and faithful of the dioceses of the Church Outside of Russia and the Patriarchal Parishes in North America, and in memory of concelebrating on this festal day presented him with a book of sermons and spiritual reflections by departed hierarchs of the Russian Church Outside of Russia.
In turn, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada thanked Metropolitan Nicholas for the opportunity to celebrate this occasion together with the Divine Liturgy, as well as for the constant attention and help given to the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA. Bishop Matthew presented the First Hierarch with a holy panagia bearing the image of the Most Holy Theotokos, made by Russian craftsmen.
The service concluded with the proclamation of Memory Eternal for the ever-memorable Patriarch Alexy II and Metropolitan Laurus, and the prayerful wish of many years of life and God’s help to His Holiness KIRILL, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, the hierarchs, clergy and all the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Homeland and in the diaspora.
Fellowship between the hierarchs and clergy continued at a fraternal meal, after which Metropolitan Nicholas and Bishop Matthew held a working meeting. Also taking part were the head of the chancery of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Outside of Russia, Archpriest Serafim Gan; the sacristan of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign, Archpriest Andrei Sommer; and the acting Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov). Various matters of cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in the USA and the Eastern American Diocese were discussed.
