In this joyful day the Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York Hilarion, the First Hierarch of Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, proclaimed the very special decree. According to that document, from now on the Church of St. John the Forerunner has to be conciliar and to be called St. John the Forerunner Cathedral.

His Grace Bishop of Manhattan Nicholas came for the feast with Metropolitan Hilarion, and they brought the Kursk Root icon.

Metropolitan Hilarion led the festive Divine Liturgy together with Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, and with priest and deacons from other parishes of Diocese. The clergy of Orthodox Churches of Greece and Georgia were among them.

A lot of parishioners and guests of the feast had possibility to pray in front of main shrine of Russian Orthodox Church Abroad – the Kursk Root icon, venerate the relics of St. Matrona of Moscow, St. Nicolas the Wonderworker, St. Vladimir – the Baptist of Rus’, Sts. Rightbelieving Petr and Febronia, and other hundreds particles of relics, which permanently are in the church. Also people had the Holy Communion on that day.

Metropolitan Hilarion awarded clergy of the church, parishioners, volunteers and benefiters, and then together with Bishop Nicolas and the clergy, who took a part in the festive event, consecrated the entrance arch of the St. John church.

Among the guests of the feast also was Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, an employee of New York City Hall, pastor of neighboring Methodist church, jurists, businessmen etc. All of them for different times provided a great support to the church, giving assistance according their possibilities and competence, making parish stronger, and the church – one of the most beautiful, decorated and spacious.

Metropolitan Hilarion and guests of the feast wished further development to the parish, increasing of Christian faith and expressed their hope that St. John the Forerunner Cathedral in a new status will became one of spiritual centers of an Orthodox New York.

Speeches in the church

Archpriest Alexander Belya:

Your Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, the First Hierarch of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia! Your Grace Bishop Nicolas of Manhattan – the assistant of His Eminence in all good deeds, initiatives and prayers! I am happy to welcome you in our church and want to cordially thank you for your support, for your love, for your blessing, because everything in God’s Church goes on according the blessing of the bishop. If such blessing and obedience exists then any business with God’s help will be successful. And our church is the bright example of this.

Nobody could even think, I had lack of faith too, but my hope was on blessing of the bishop and I raised my prayers to God to bless our endeavor and help to realize it. Only with God’s help it became possible to create such church not for few years, but for few months, and finally improve it. Of course, we felt the great support of our Heavenly Patron – St. John the Forerunner, is such good work. And today we celebrate his Remembrance Day. We always addressing our prayers to him: «St. John, who baptized our Lord Himself, help us, pray for us»! And he helps – the greatest Old Testament prophet and first saint of the New Testament. He is such lampad about whom Lord Jesus Himself said: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist. And such Heavenly Patron our church has!

In our Cathedral we have the relics of St. Matrona of Moscow. Every day a lot of people comes to venerate it and to pray her: «Oh, Holy Matrona, help and heal us! Give us procreation, give us health and peace»! And she helps. Here is God’s grace!

We have the particle of relics of St. Nicolas, and people pray him constantly. Everyone who intended to have a trip comes and puts a candle, kneels and prays our Wonderworker: «Our holy father Nicolas, help me»! And he helps. In our church reverently kept relics of the Kyiv-Pechersk Saints, particles of relics of the 115 New Martyrs, and in front of it people prayerfully seek for help.

From Kyiv we have received the relics of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. You all know that 2015 is Jubilee year, the year of 1000th anniversary of St. Vladimir’s repose. Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Hilarion blessed to celebrate this even throughout the year. It is such great joy for everyone of us! We hope that our First Hierarch and the Bishop will share this celebration with parishioner and clergy, as well as city authorities.

Those, who visited large cities, apparently noticed memorial plaques with names of benefiters and sponsors on some buildings and churches. Those people supported in construction and decoration of these buildings. We also have such person – Mikhail Kadar, and thanking to his labors and wisdom we were able to create our new Cathedral so quickly. Near the main entrance you may see a marble plaque with the inscription: «According to blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, this church is improved by labors of Mikhail Kadar, the Rector and the Churchwarden». Of course, names of such benefiters were written in Heaven, in the Book of Life, because it is a great thing – to build a God’s church. And that is a reason for every single person to think about what he can do to his name engraved in the Book of Life.

In this day I want to thank one more time to our Bishops, clergy, all of our parishioners and guests, who came to share our joy. And now Metropolitan Hilarion will award the builders of the church and the representatives of Russian-speaking community.

Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York Hilarion:

Your Grace Bishop Nicolas, father Alexander, Reverend Fathers and brothers who came from other churches! One more time with all my heart I greet you with the Day of Heavenly Patron. We are happy this church was so quickly and beautifully improved, as father Alexander said. It is a true miracle that you were able to buy such building. It is really difficult for our communities which are very poor and has no possibility to buy a land and to construct buildings, so they have to find in any way a placement which is already exists.

This church is very properly decorated, full of your prayers because of presence of holy relics. And today, in the day of your Heavenly Patron, in our decree we attribute to the Church of St. John the Forerunner to be conciliar church and to be called St. John the Forerunner Cathedral.