Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Beloved in Christ, dear Brothers and Sisters!

The Son and Word of God was not incarnate, did not speak to us, did not work miracles, simply so that we would become decent members of society or find a measure temporal happiness or magically live forever. The Word became flesh with the aim of restoring Adam and Eve, who before their redemption abode in misery, whose very nature had been perverted.

Eminent Brother Archpastors, honorable Fathers, 
beloved Brothers, Sisters and Children in Christ:

I offer my words of greeting, which are inspired by Christian love, on this great feast of the Nativity of Christ! With a warm heart I wish you all that profound and inalienable peace, which was heralded by the angels above the town of Bethlehem on the holy night when "the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14).

Reverend Fathers, Venerable Monastics, and Pious Faithful

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you”(John 14:27).

Having gathered in an expanded session of the Synod of Bishops as we approach the feast day of the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady “of the Sign” in New York City, we, the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, warmly greet the clergymen and God-loving flock with the all-diaspora celebration of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign", the “Protectress” of the Russian diaspora.

We are approaching the centennial of the founding of the Russian Church Abroad, which continues to minister to its flock, scattered like Divine kernels of wheat throughout the world. Over the course of that time, the work of its Councils, the sessions of its Synod of Bishops, important ecclesiastical-social gatherings and various Church celebrations have all taken place under the auspices of the Kursk-Root Icon. This miracle-working image has accompanied Russian refugees fleeing cruel persecutors who dared to desecrate or destroy the holy sites of our Fatherland, murder archpastors, pastors and a multitude of believers, including the Royal Passion-bearers. The hundredth anniversary of the martyrdom of the latter was prayerfully marked in all the dioceses of our Church this year.

On November 24, 2018, members of the church school and parish of Holy Ascension Church undertook an annual pilgrimage to Saint Herman of Alaska Monastery in Platina, California.

Hieromonk Paisius presided of the Divine Liturgy at which many of our parishioners received Holy Communion. Our Sisterhood donated the meal for some 70 monastics and pilgrims. Our pilgrims were fortified in body by the meal and edified spiritually by the reading at the time from the Synaxarion. Abbot Damascene heartily congratulated two brothers of the monastery with their Names Day, stavrophor monk Selathiel and novice Michael.