NEW YORK: June 23, 2021
Holy Pentecost at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady “of the Sign” in New York

On Sunday, June 20, 2021, the great feast of Holy Pentecost (Trinity Sunday), His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral “of the Sign” in New York City, co-served by Cathedral Dean Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Archpriest Edward Chervinsky and Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cathedral clerics), and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; diocesan cleric). Praying in the altar was His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.

The Synodal choir sang remarkably under the direction of conductor Vadim Gan. In keeping with tradition, the cathedral was adorned with green branches, and many of the faithful came to church with flowers. Most of those in attendance confessed their sins and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon completion of Liturgy, Archbishop Gabriel delivered a sermon on the feast, noting that "the Holy Spirit descend upon us in all of the Sacraments of the Church, first and foremost in the Sacrament of Baptism, through which we receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, as well as in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion. The grace of the Holy Spirit illumines us and makes us more receptive to the spiritual life."

His Eminence called on the faithful not to extinguish the grace of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, for which it is necessary to attend God’s temple and live a life in the Church, that the grace might not depart from us and that it always help us in the work of our salvation.

The Great Vespers service was then held with the Kneeling Prayers, composed by the Holy Hierarch Basil the Great, in which we ask of the Lord that He illumine us and send upon us the grace of the Holy Spirit, and not leave our departed relatives without His care.

The cathedral sisterhood organized a festal luncheon for the clergy and parishioners in the cathedral hall.

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