On November 4, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, and the Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA & Canada, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the patronal feast day of the parish of the Russian Church Abroad in Newark, NJ.
The hierarchs were concelebrated by parish rector Archpriest Mark Burachek, and a host of clergy of the Eastern American Diocese and parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA.
At the end of the service, Metropolitan Nicholas heartily congratulated the rector, clergy and laity of Our Lady of Kazan Church on their patronal feastday. The First Hierarch warmly greeted Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, wishing his concelebrant a blessed stay on American soil as well as God's help in his archpastoral labors.
Bishop Matthew thanked the Metropolitan and the rector of the church for the opportunity to celebrate the liturgy in this holy church on this feast, and conveyed to those gathered the blessing and good wishes on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill.
As a gift to Metropolitan Nicholas, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes presented him with a holy panagia, expressing gratitude for the constant fraternal support and assistance of the hierarchy of the Russian Church Abroad to the flock of His Holiness in North America, during the past difficult years of various restrictions related to the epidemic, which prevented in-person interaction and joint services.