Metropolitan Nicholas blesses the wheat, wine and oil during Saturday evening's Great Vesper Service which marked the beginning of the Pilgrimage.

The Seraphim Singers of St. Michael's parish, Binghamton, NY, were directed by Claudia Rogers. The group sang segments of the Vespers on Saturday evening, as well as Communion and hymns in honor of the Mother of God at the Pilgrimage Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. The members include, from left to right: Helen Lisick, Claudia Rogers, Peter Roseboom, Rick Dutko and Adam Rogers.

Hundreds of diocesan faithful were in attendance at Great Vespers.

Bearing the Cross for the Procession prior to the Pilgrimage Liturgy is Benjamin Pribish, a member of St. Nicholas Church in Elizabeth and member of the Camp Nazareth summer staff, the son of Fr. and Pani John Pribish, Ben is no stranger to kids at Camp Nazareth, where he has spent many summers as a member of the camp staff. Later in the morning, he was ordained to the Order of Reader by Metropolitan Nicholas.

Deacon Michael Ellis escorts Benjamin Pribish, a candidate of the Order of Reader, into the church of Saints Cyril and Methodius.

Clergy gather with Metropolitan in front of the new Shroud of the Dormition of the Mother of God as the Akathist is chanted by the congregatoin led by cantors of the diocese

St. Michael's acappela Choir of Binghamton, NY, directed by Kevin Petrosky, sang the responses to the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Camp Nazareth during the Diocesan Pilgrimage.

Metropolitan Nicholas extends congratulations to Mr. Andrew Bezek of St. Michael's in Binghamton, for his efforts in helping procure medical equipment from a number of hospitals in the United States for the Uzhorod Regional Medical Center. In recognition of his efforts, a certificate of appreciation was presented to him by the Metropolitan on behalf of the clergy and faithful of the diocese.

Mr. John Reghetti, president of the Rusyn Society, extends his appreciation to Metropolitan Nicholas on the formal establishment of a Research Center in the lower level of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodios at Camp Nazareth. The center will help youngsters and adults alike grow in an appreciation of the religious and cultural roots of the people of faith who established the Diocese generations ago from Central and Eastern Europe.

In conjunction with the establishment of the Heritage Center in the basement of SS. Cyril and Methodios Church at Camp Nazareth, Ann Melanie Yurcisin, presented a copy of a book written on the life of the late Fr. Alexander Duchnovich, by her father, Msgr. John Yurcisin. Father Yurcisin, former chancellor of the diocese, dean of Christ the Saviour Seminary and professor of Carpatho-Russian history and language, wrote this book at age of 14 as a high school student.