On March 20, Wednesday of the First Week of Great Lent, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, prayed at the appointed divine services in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, and then celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

Serving alongside His Eminence were: Archpriest Andrei Sommer (cathedral dean), Archpriest Serafim Gan (chancellor of the Synod of Bishops), Abbot Zosimas (Krampis; rector of the Synodal English Mission), Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cathedral cleric), and Deacon Nicholas Ilyin (cleric of Holy Protection Church in Nyack, NY).

The Synodal choir under the direction of V.S. Gan sang the hymns of the divine service.

Greeting the worshippers at the end of the service, His Eminence, expressing gratitude to God for the opportunity to pray at the services of the first week of Great Lent, wished everyone a fruitful passage across it, in order to worthily greet and celebrate Holy Pascha.