NEW YORK: March 16, 2016
Metropolitan Hilarion Celebrates the First Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts of the Year

On March 16, 2016 , Clean Wednesday , His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, celebrated Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady "of the Sign" in New York. He was joined by His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Deputy Secretary of the Synod of Bishops and the cathedral clergymen and choir.

At the end of the service, His Eminence performed a commemorative litiya to mark the 8th anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory, who died on this date which in 2008 was the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.

After the dismissal, Vladyka Metropolitan greeted those in attendance on the first such Liturgy of Great Lent, wishing them a spiritually-beneficial season and a joyous greeting of the Pascha of the Lord.