Centennial of St. Tikhon’s blessed repose commemorated at St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City

DECR Communication Service, 08/04/2025

On 7th April 2025, Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the centennial of the demise of St. Tikhon the Patriarch of Moscow, commemorative celebrations took place at St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York City, which was built and consecrated by St. Tikhon in 1902.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada, officiated at the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia; Archbishop Irénée of Ottawa and Canada (Orthodox Church in America); Bishop Irinej of Washington-New York and Eastern America (Serbian Orthodox Church); Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada; Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov, Rector of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral; Archpriest Thomas Zain, Vicar-General of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America; Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Acting Chancellor and Secretary of the Orthodox Church in America; Archpriest Serafim Gan, Chancellor of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia; and a number of other clerics of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Attending the divine service were numerous parishioners and guests. Among those present were Mr Alexander Darchiyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United States of America; Mr Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations; Mr Alexander Zakharov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in New York; and staff members of the Russian diplomatic missions. Attending the celebrations was also Pastor Gilford Monrose, Director of the Office of Faith and Community Partnerships of New York City and faith advisor to Mayor Eric Adams.

Following the Communion verse, Mitred Archpriest Georgy Konev, Rector of the Church of the Three Hierarchs in Garfield, New Jersey, read out the Patriarchal address on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the blessed repose of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

After the Holy Communion, the hierarchs and clergymen sang prayers of praise to St. Tikhon in front of a reliquary containing a particle of his holy relics. The reliquary had been brought to the United States with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. During this jubilee year, the shrine will visit many parishes of the Russian and other Orthodox Churches in the U.S., after which it will be presented as a gift fr om the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ to the Church of St. Tikhon in Cambridge, in the Canadian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

At the conclusion of the divine service, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh warmly greeted the distinguished guests on behalf of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, saying: “Today, this cathedral, built by Saint Tikhon, unites hierarchs and clergy from different jurisdictions under one roof, forming a multinational Orthodox diocese of North America, which Saint Tikhon led over a hundred years ago. The tragic events of the turbulent 20th century forced our predecessors to take different paths in developing church life in America, experiencing painful separation and disagreement. By God’s mercy and the intercessions of Saint Tikhon and all the American saints, today we partake of the Holy Eucharist from the same Chalice, in unity of mind and brotherly love, and with one heart and one voice glorify the beginning of our salvation and the blessed repose of the great hierarch of the Church of Christ and our father — Saint Tikhon. I sincerely thank all of you — Your Beatitude, dear hierarchs, fathers, brothers and sisters, esteemed representatives of the Russian Federation and New York City — for this prayerful celebration, worthy of the memory of Saint Tikhon, the praise and foundation of the Orthodox Church, by whose labors we live and move today (from the Akathist to Saint Tikhon).”

To commemorate the celebrations, Bishop Matthew presented to Metropolitan Tikhon a holy panagia, and to all hierarchs and priests he presented liturgical epigonations (palitsas) with images of the saint and St. Nicholas Cathedral built by St. Tikhon. All those who took part in the commemorative event received small souvenirs featuring the name of the street wh ere the cathedral is located — “Saint Tikhon Way,” the name officially given to East 97th Street by city authorities in January 2022.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada also greeted the parishioners and guests, saying in particular: “Today, as we celebrate the feast day of the Annunciation, and as we also celebrate the centennial anniversary of the repose of the holy great hierarch Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, Enlightener of North America, it is my great joy to be here at St. Nicholas Cathedral, a temple built with seed money from St. Nicholas II and consecrated by the hand of St. Tikhon himself. For half a decade, St. Tikhon governed the church in America from this cathedral. Though he was engaged in tireless missionary journeys, this was his headquarters. Hence it is appropriate that, on this day, in this place, bishops of the Orthodox Church in America stand and celebrate alongside bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. St. Tikhon’s legacy is our shared inheritance, a bright guiding star for both of our autocephalous Churches, the Moscow Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church in America. As the bishop of New York, he laid down the blueprint for an American Church; as the first patriarch of Moscow in over two centuries, he profoundly shaped the ethos of the Russian Church, setting a direction for the Church to follow through the era of Soviet persecution and beyond.”

Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, also addressed the participants in the celebrations, saying: “It brings me particular joy to greet all of you on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in this majestic and historic Patriarchal Cathedral, surrounded by the faithful heirs of the mission and witness of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. I express our heartfelt gratitude for the love and truly fraternal spirit shown to us! May Holy Orthodoxy flourish in North America and may our brotherly love in Christ grow stronger as we honor the blessed memory of our common father — Saint Tikhon! May the Lord bless us to further build up the Church here so that, through the grace-filled cooperation of Orthodox faithful, divisions among us and in society may be overcome, and people may find the path to peace, well-being, and eternal salvation!”

As a gift to St. Nicholas Cathedral, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia presented Bishop Matthew with “The Sign” Icon of the Mother of God flanked by Saints Tikhon of Moscow, John of Shanghai and Jonah of Hankou, as well as the new martyrs, confessors and ascetics of the Russian diaspora, painted to mark the centenary of the Russian Church Abroad.

Mr Alexander Darchiyev, Russian Ambassador to the United States, also greeted those present, saying: “Today we gather in this beautiful cathedral to pay tribute on the 100th anniversary of the blessed repose of Saint Tikhon, whose life and work are deeply revered in the Orthodox world. Under his leadership, the diocese became a true spiritual home for all Orthodox Christians in America, helping our compatriots preserve their faith, native culture, and the great Russian language. Saint Tikhon shepherded his flock with wisdom and kindness, bringing the light of Orthodoxy and spirituality even to the most remote corners of the American land. Thanks to his tireless labors, this cathedral was built, and through his righteous life he continues to give us strength and hope to overcome adversity and the modern temptations of godlessness and permissiveness. I especially want to highlight the fruitful cooperation between Russian diplomats and Orthodox parishes in America. I am grateful for your contribution to the unity of the Russian-speaking community. May your devoted service continue to bring the faithful true faith and good hope!”

The divine service was followed by an official reception in the cathedral refectory. Among those who delivered greeting speeches during the reception were Bishop Irinej of the Eastern American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Thomas Zain of the Antiochian Archdiocese, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya, and Pastor Gilford Monrose, representative of the Mayor of New York.