On March 20, 2016, the Sunday of Orthodoxy, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph hosted His Eminence Archbishop Michael of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Diocese of New York and New Jersey, and more than forty priests and deacons, at Brooklyn's St. Nicholas Cathedral. Numerous faithful representing various jurisdictions from throughout the greater New York area attended the Sunday evening service. (View more photos on Facebook.)
A Byzantine choir let by Protopsaltis Rassem El Massih and the "Spirit of Orthodoxy" pan-Orthodox choir, shared in the responses to the Vespers service. Earlier in the day His Eminence and Archbishop Michael concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church (OCA) in South River, NJ. Metropolitan Joseph preached at the Divine Liturgy and Archbishop Michael preached at Vespers service at our Cathedral. After the morning liturgy, Fr. Thomas Zain, Archdiocese Vicar General, assisted His Eminence in giving a talk on the situation of Syrian refugees and the ongoing war in Syria. The group of religious and civic leaders from the South River community was brought together for this occasion by the rector of Ss. Peter and Paul, Fr. David Garretson. It was a day of witness and unity for the entire Orthodox community of the Tri-State area.