NEW YORK: May 22, 2017
Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York Departs for Moscow

On Monday, May 22, 2017, after praying during Divine Liturgy on the feast day of the Translation of the Relics of St Nicholas of Myra the Miracle-worker at the Synodal Chapel of St Sergius in New York City, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York departed for Moscow. There, His Eminence will participate in the namesday celebrations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on Wednesday, May 24, the feast day of SS Cyril and Methodius, at Christ the Savior Cathedral. A reliquary containing St Nicholas’ relics will be brought to the cathedral.

The following day, the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Metropolitan Hilarion will concelebrate with His Holiness at the great consecration of the Cathedral of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors in Sretensky Stavropighial Monastery, followed by Divine Liturgy. The 10th 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, which restored full canonical unity, will be marked that day.

On Friday, May 26, His Eminence will head to Kiev, Ukraine, where he will congratulate His Eminence Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the archpastors, pastors and faithful flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. They will continue to celebrate the anniversary of reestablished unity and will make pilgrimages to holy sites.