The Feast Day of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle was marked on December 18-19. The celebration was led by His Grace Theodosy, Bishop of Seattle, together with Archpriest Peter Perekrestov, Dean of the Holy Virgin “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Cathedral in San Francisco, St. Nicholas Cathedral clergy – Priest Pavel Volkov and Deacons Rostislav Kroshko and Alexei McDougall; the rector of St. Innocent Church in Silverdale (WA), Priest Stephen Clark; the rector of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Stanwood (WA), Priest Theodore Obrastoff; the rector of St. Thomas the Apostle Antiochian Church in Snohomish County (WA), Priest David Sommer and a host of subdeacons and acolytes. The cathedral choir capably and beautifully sang responses under the direction of Gregory Kotar. Archpriest Alexei Kotar, St. Nicholas Cathedral Dean, is seriously ill and took part in the services as much as his health permitted.

At the beginning of the All-Night Vigil, on December 18, the Theotokos in Her Kursk-Root Icon was greeted and placed in the center of the cathedral, in between the icon of St. Nicholas and the St. John of Shanghai and the San Francisco travel reliquary which was brought from San Francisco. It was here at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle that St. John reposed in 1966, with the Kursk icon in his arms. It was joyous to see the large number of faithful at the Vigil, as well as to hear all the stichera sung and the reading of the Canon to St. Nicholas in two languages, without any abbreviations. Despite it being a weekday, 22 altar servers participated in the Divine Liturgy on December 19. The sermon was offered by the guest from California, Fr. Peter Perekrestov.

At the completion of the Liturgy a solemn procession took place, followed by a sold-out festal meal and the Seattle premiere of the new movie about St. John of Shanghai, “The Aroma of Holiness,” in the prestigious banquet hall of the University Women's Club. At the end of the meal, Bishop Theodosy led a special prayer for the health of the ill Fr. Alexei Kotar, and Fr. Alexei’s new project was announced: complete iconography of the room chapel where St. John reposed, and the installation of custom stained glassed panels in the windows.

During the visit of Bishop Theodosy and Fr. Peter Perekrestov to Seattle, several meetings and events took place: Bishop Theodosy held a talk/meeting with the teachers of St. Nicholas Cathedral’s St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Russian Orthodox School, and Fr. Peter Perekrestov gave a talk on the subject of holiness and showed his new film about St. John to the students of the parish school. On Saturday, December 21, and Sunday, December 22, Bishop Theodosy led the weekend services at St. Nicholas Cathedral. The parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle expressed their gratitude to Bishop Theodosy for his visit, his archpastoral guidance and support, for heading the Divine Services, and especially for bringing the miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon to Seattle. Most Holy Theotokos, save us!