On Sunday, 7 April, in the Week of the 3rd week of Lent, the Feast of the Cross and the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Archpriest Daniel Lugovoi, rector of the parish of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov), deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
After the service, the rector of the parish congratulated all those praying on the feast and welcomed Father Filaret. From 2000 to 2004 Archimandrite Filaret was the rector of the parish of St. Sergius of Radonezh. During this time, the church was erected and the parish was actively forming. Remembering these years, in his response Father Filaret urged all parishioners to spiritually reflect on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to strengthen the Orthodox faith by praying before the Cross of the Lord.
The day before, an all-night vigil was celebrated in the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh. At Great Vespers a liturgy was celebrated with the consecration of bread, wheat, wine and oil. At Matins, after the Great Glorification, the Holy and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord was brought to the centre of the church to be worshipped.