Upon graduation from the academy in 1895 with a master's degree he was sent to the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America as a lay missionary and as reader at the St. Nicholas Church in New York City.

During the ensuing years, Hotovitzky was successful[peacock prose] in his missionary activities among the immigrants from Galicia and Carpatho-Russia, as well as representing the Orthodox Church before American religious institutions and meetings.

He actively participated in establishing an Orthodox mutual aid society (ROCMAS), including serving in various management positions.

Through his initiative and active participation, a new St. Nicholas Cathedral was built to replace the small parish church in New York City.

[5] He served in America for eighteen years under Bishop Nicholas; the future Patriarch of Moscow, Tikhon; and Archbishop Platon; the now Archpriest Alexander was recalled to Russia on February 26, 1914.

In August 1917 he was transferred to Christ the Savior Church in Moscow as an assistant priest to once again serve under his old archpastor from America, Patriarch Tikhon.

Hotovitzky's activities within the church led to his arrest by the Bolsheviks for brief periods in May 1920 and November 1921 for violating government decrees concerning religion.

Tikhon issued a decree based on canon law that the clergy in Russia were not to surrender sacred vessels for non-ecclesiastical use.

This resolution, drafted by Hotovitzky, was presented at a general meeting of the parish by Archpriest Nicholas Arseniev on March 23, 1922.

A new high-visibility trial was convened in Moscow on November 27, 1922, during which 105 clergy and laity were accused of "attempting to retain in their hands possession of church valuables and, through the resulting starvation, to topple the Soviet Regime.

On September 4, 1924, the State Political Directorate recommended administrative exile of thirteen clergy and church leaders, including Hotovitzky.

After his return from exile, he was elevated to the rank of protopresbyter and was assigned as an assistant to the Deputy Locum-Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Sergius.