On April 2, an unexpectedly snowy Monday morning, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, came to Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY to celebrate the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts. His Grace was co-served by convent clerics: Archpriest Alexander Fedorowski, dean of the convent’s St. Seraphim Cathedral, Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow, and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky, as well as Deacon Paul Roudenko (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City). Praying in the altar was Archpriest George Zelenin (convent cleric and rector of St. Michael Cathedral in Paterson, NJ).

A large number of people came to the service on the 40th day since the repose of Prince Vladimir K. Galitzine. A panihida was served following Presanctified Liturgy.

Bishop Nicholas thanked the clergy, altar servers, and choir for a wonderfully prayerful service. He wished everyone a peaceful Paschal season. His Grace referred to the snow outside and how it has covered everything in its entirety, noting the beauty and quiet surrounding everything, and how this peace and calm is what we all need to have inside of us. Like the white blanket of snow that has covered the grass and trees that have not yet woken to spring, so must our soul be as we enter the times when we remember the Passion of Christ. Then can we greet the joy of His Resurrection. The hierarch asked that each and every one take this peace home inside themselves and remember it all week, so that they might greet the feast of Pascha with a clean conscience and a calm soul.

Following the service, Bishop Nicholas eagerly spoke with Abbess Makaria and the other sisters, who presented the archpastoral with a card of Paschal greetings in multiple languages. Afterward, His Grace and the clergy joined the Galitzine family in the cathedrals’ reception hall for a lenten luncheon, before traveling back to Synod in the midafternoon.