On Sunday, July 2 the Church commemorated St. John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco. This is the name day of His Grace, Bishop John, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA. On this occasion our he led the Divine Liturgy in St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York City. For that reason we cancelled our Sunday services at St. George Church and our Rector, as well as some parishioners attended the Liturgy at the cathedral.

His Grace was co-served by the Rector of St. George Church, Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Archpriest Igor Tarasov and clerics of the cathedral. Among our parishioners attending the Liturgy were our Warden, Olga Roussanow and our altar server Andrew Malyshew with his family.

After the reading of the Gospel. Bishop John preached a homily on the topic of the appointed Gospel reading for the day. Following the Eucharistic Canon His Grace ordained Subdeacon Yulian Ryabtsev to the holy Diaconate.

Before the dismissal of the Liturgy, Bishop John served a short prayer service before an icon containing a piece of the relics of St. John. 

At the conclusion of the service, Archpriest Alexander Golubov congratulated His Grace on the occasion of his name day. In turn, Bishop John thanked Fr. Alexander, the clergy and faithful for their prayers on this feast. The Bishop then also congratulated Deacon John Peters and altar server John Godin on the occasion of their name day as well.