NEW YORK: February 25, 2015
The First Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts of the Year is Celebrated at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady "of the Sign" in New York

On Wednesday, February 25, 2015 , on the First Week of Great Lent, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York (who is making an archpastoral visit to the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand), His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Vice Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, having prayed first at matins, the reading of the hours and typica, then celebrated the Liturgy of Pre-Sanctified Gifts at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady "of the Sign" in New York.

He was joined by the Senior Priest of the cathedral, Protopriest Andrei Sommer, Vice President of the Synodal Youth Department; Protopriest Serafim Gan, Synod Chancellor and Personal Secretary of the President of the Synod, Rector of St Seraphim Memorial Church of the Reestablishment of Unity within the Russian Orthodox Church in Sea Cliff, NY; Hieromonk Evtikhy (Dovgan) and Priest Igor Grytsyna of the cathedral, along with Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff and Deacon Denis Lvov.

After the services, His Grace, thanking the clerics, acolytes and choir, congratulated everyone on this first Liturgy of Pre-Sanctified Gifts of the calendar year and wished for all who participated in the blessed prayers this day many mercies as Great Lent proceeds, and Divine blessing for them to continue to travel this path of peace, repentance and mutual love.