DIOCESE OF EASTERN AMERICA AND NEW YORK: September 8, 2010
A New Russian Orthodox Church is Consecrated in the Capital of New York State 

On Monday, September 6, 2010, which is Labor Day in the United States, the traditional end of summer, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, performed the great consecration of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, the capital of New York State. His Eminence then celebrated Divine Liturgy in the newly-built church, and was joined in the service by His Eminence Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States; His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada; His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America; His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield and His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, Vicars of the Eastern American Diocese; along with a great multitude of clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, the Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe and other Churches, along with many parishioners and worshipers.

During the minor entrance, Vladyka Metropolitan gave numerous awards, including a second cross to Nativity Church’s Rector, Protopriest Wsewolod Drobot, and gave his son, Protodeacon Nicholas Drobot, the kamilavka in recognition of his twenty-years’ service to the Church of Christ.

At the end of Liturgy, the Primate of the Russian Church Abroad gave a gramata [decree of blessing] from the President of the Synod of Bishops to the parish with the following words:

“This gramata is granted on the day of the great consecration of the newly-built church in honor and memory of the Nativity of the Most-Holy Mother of God. Holding in high esteem the labors and enormous contributions of the Rector, parishioners and worshipers of this church towards the preservation and strengthening of Russian Orthodoxy abroad, I express to them my First-Hierarchal gratitude and invoke upon you God’s blessing. In witness to this, the present gramata is imparted, duly signed and bearing the Synodal seal, confirmed in the City of Albany on September 6, 2010.”

Photographs of the event can be viewed on the official website of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York