Восточно-Американская епархия РПЦ за границей

The Diocesan Media Office will publish photo-reports of the Nativity of our Lord in the parishes and monasteries of the Eastern American Diocese on the diocesan website. 

By God’s ineffable goodness, we enter once more into the joyous days of the great feasts of Christ’s Nativity and Theophany. I sincerely greet you all with this world-saving joy! The feat of faith and its fruit in life must be this joy: from the triumph of the Theophany ‒ God’s manifestation and incarnation ‒ and the sound of the Heavenly doxology and otherworldly peace being sung over Bethlehem.

Today the Church in Heaven and on earth is triumphant as She rejoices at the coming into the world of our Lord and Savior and lifts up praises and thanksgiving to God for His mercy and love for the human race. It is with spiritual trembling that we listen to the words of the hymn: "Christ is born, give ye glory!

On January 3, the Sunday before Nativity, of the Holy Fathers, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

As the 2020 year departs, the Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese would like to share some of the year’s top stories with our readers. Below you will find articles on the principal and defining events in the life of the Diocese over the last year.

On December 27, the 29th Sunday after Pentecost and the 2nd Sunday before Nativity, that of the Holy Forefathers, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign

On December 26-27, the 29th Sunday after Pentecost and the 2nd Sunday before Nativity, that of the Holy Forefathers, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan paid an archpastoral visit to St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ, where he officiated the divine services.

On December 27, the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern American & New York, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada officiated the divine services in St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in Pompano Beach, FL.

The year 2020, the centenary year of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), was marked by the release of a new version of the ROCOR Studies website.

On Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th of December, Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV, where he officiated the divine services

On Saturday, December 19, the feast of the Holy Hierarch Nicholas the Wonderworker, with the blessing of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, Bishop Isaac of Vorzel, a vicar of the Kiev Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, consecrated the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Bávaro, on the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic.

This year, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) is marking its centennial. Although most of the celebrations were postponed until better times because of the pandemic, some of them have already taken place, locally. Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of ROCOR, discusses what has been accomplished over the century and what challenges the Church faces today.

Despite the quarantine measures in place due to the Coronavirus pandemic, work with youth in the Eastern American Diocese is continuing wherever possible. For many years, the Diocese has hosted the traditional St. Herman Youth Conference on the feast day of Venerable Herman of Alaska and the surrounding days.

On Tuesday, December 22, the feast day of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy," Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan paid an archpastoral visit to the church of the same name in Staten Island, NY, where he celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast day.

On December 19-20, the 28th Sunday after Pentecost and the feast of the Holy Hierarch Ambrose of Milan, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan paid an archpastoral visit to St. Elizabeth the New-Martyr Church in Columbia, SC, where he officiated the divine services

On Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th of December, the feast of the Holy Hierarch and Wonderworker Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan paid an archpastoral visit to St. Nicholas Church in Fletcher, NC, to officiate the divine services in honor of the parish’s patronal feast day, accompanied by the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.

On Saturday, December 19, the feast of the Holy Hierarch & Wonderworker Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT, where he celebrated Divine Liturgy for the parish’s patronal feast day.

Historically, in Catholic countries, before Lent, a carnival (in Latin, "goodbye meat") is organized. It has long lost its religious significance, but acquired an entertaining meaning for Caribbean people and their culture.

On December 20, the 28th Sunday after Pentecost and the feast day of the Holy Hierarch Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

On Thursday, December 17, the commemoration of the Holy Great-Martyr Barbara and Venerable John of Damascus, His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan, paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV, accompanied by the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God.