Met. Saba Gifts Belt Worn by St. Raphael to Met. Nicholas

Met. Saba presents Met. Nicholas with the belt of St. Raphael. Photo: Rdr. George Konyev/Eastern American Diocese ROCOR

NEW YORK — At the invitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), His Eminence Metropolitan Saba joined celebrations for the patronal feast of the Synodal Cathedral of the Mother of God of the Sign on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Hierarchs and clergy from the Antiochian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and Russian Church Abroad jurisdictions concelebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, which commemorates the Wonderworking Kursk-Root Icon enshrined in the cathedral.

Following the service, Metropolitan Saba presented Metropolitan Nicholas with the leather belt once worn by St. Raphael of Brooklyn. The belt, inscribed with Psalm 90 in Slavonic, was exhumed during the 2024 translation of St. Raphael’s relics at the Antiochian Village. Metropolitan Saba also gifted each hierarch an epigonation (shield) embroidered with an icon of St. Raphael.

Metropolitan Nicholas, in turn, offered Metropolitan Saba a hand-painted icon of the Lord Jesus Christ. The First Hierarch and the cathedral community then hosted a festal luncheon for all attendees.

Previously, UOJ reported that Metropolitan Saba led a weekend of ordinations in New York and New Jersey.

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