Metr. Nicholas Calls Clergy to Honor Legacy of ROCOR Hierarchs

NEW YORK — Metr. Nicholas of Eastern America and New York has called on clergy throughout the Eastern American Diocese to commemorate four prominent hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) who reposed in 1976, marking the 50th anniversary of their deaths. In an epistle addressed to diocesan clergy, he highlighted the enduring legacy of Archbishops Averky (Taushev), Nikon (Rklitsky), Savva (Raevsky), and Nikodim (Nagaev), describing their lives as enduring examples of faithful pastoral ministry, reverent worship, and unwavering devotion to the Church.

The Metropolitan devoted particular attention to Abps. Nikon and Averky, emphasizing their influence on the Eastern American Diocese. He praised Abp. Nikon for his paternal care, missionary zeal, and insistence that pastors embrace their flocks with Christlike compassion. Abp. Averky was remembered as a steadfast defender of Orthodox teaching whose writings stressed prayer, fasting, truthful preaching, and fidelity to the patristic tradition. Their examples, Metr. Nicholas wrote, remain relevant as clergy confront modern challenges.

A significant portion of the letter focused on the responsible use of technology and social media. Drawing on Abp. Averky's teachings, Metr. Nicholas urged priests not to mistake online visibility for authentic ministry, to avoid pride, political disputes, and fruitless internet arguments, and to devote more time to prayer, spiritual reading, and direct pastoral care.

The age of information technology has brought a new temptation for the pastor: the imperceptible yet destructive squandering of time. It is entirely unbecoming for a pastor of Christ’s Church to spend hours "lost" in the virtual world or aimlessly scrolling through a smartphone feed, frittering away the treasures of his soul on fleeting worldly vanities. We must remember: time is given to us for eternity. It is entrusted to us by God for ceaseless service to Him and to our fellow man, for fervent prayer and the active doing of good. When a priest is consumed by the screen of a gadget, both his flock and his own spiritual labors suffer, even in those instances where he uses the device with good intentions.

He concluded by directing clergy to serve memorial services for the four hierarchs throughout the anniversary year and to preach on their spiritual legacy, encouraging them to preserve the same spirit of faithful service in contemporary parish life.

Previously, the UOJ reported that ROCOR faithful honored St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.