On Thursday, December 6, 2018, numerous believers attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral by His Eminence Nicolae, the Metropolitan of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, along with the Cathedral priests.     

On this day, the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Romanians in the Americas celebrated his spiritual protector, Holy Hierarch Nicholas, the Archbishop of Myra Lychia. HE Nicolae read during the Liturgy prayers of thanksgiving for the overflowing benefits bestowed over the priests and faithful of the Metropolia.

In the sermon, Metropolitan Nicolae spoke about the life of St. Nicholas interpreting the troparion of the feast. The one called "an image of gentleness" has "inherited the earth" as Christ Himself teaches us in the Beatitudes. St. Nicholas certainly "inherited" the Kingdom of Heaven through his deeds of mercy known for 1700 years.          

A Te-Deum service followed by a fraternal agape took place in the evening of the same day for the Chicago believers who wished to congratulate their shepherd on the occasion of his name day. HE Metropolitan Nicolae spoke to those present about the historical events he had attended in the last few days: the consecration of the National Cathedral in Bucharest on November 25, the celebration of the first patronal feast of the Cathedral, St. Apostle Andrew on November 30, and the celebration of the Great Romania Centennial at Alba Iulia on December 1. Joy and emotion were the feelings that marked these holidays.