Academic Community Honors Feast of the Lord's Ascension with Conciliar Prayer

The period of Holy Pascha has ended — a time when the Risen Christ remained with His disciples, inspiring and strengthening them, and confirming the authenticity of the Resurrection through His very presence.

Today, He ascends from the Mount of Olives to heaven, and a cloud conceals Him — the very cloud that covered Mount Sinai during the Theophany to Moses, the very one that filled the sacred tabernacle of Israel and the Temple of Solomon. The mountain and the cloud are two biblical images of Divine glory. It is in this glory of God that human nature, which Christ healed and transformed, resides.

In departing to the Father, the Lord does not abandon the apostolic community; He does not leave the Church. He is always present among His disciples, gathered into one Body in His name.

Now, Christ remains with those who bear His name and sanctify this name in their hearts. At every Divine Liturgy, God assures the Christian community of His presence within it. The Body and Blood of Christ, which now lie upon the holy altar, are the most living and effective testimony.

On the morning of May 29, the academic community met the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord with a Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Church of the Moscow Theological Academy. Teachers and students partook in the Eucharistic meal. In their prayers, they glorified the Lord and honored the event of His glorious Ascension. Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov) led the service, concelebrating with the clergy of the Intercession Church. 

Before Communion, Associate Professor of MThA, Father Dimitry Baritsky, delivered a sermon to the participants of the service.

After the Liturgy, the clergy performed a glorification to the Lord before the festive icon. 

The evening before the feast day, on Wednesday, teachers and students offered up prayer at the All-Night Vigil. Archimandrite Platon led the service and the festive litany, concelebrating with the academic clergy.

A sermon before the reading of the kathisma was delivered by Artem Gemmadiev, a first-year master's student.

Background information:

The liturgical hymns were performed by the 2nd Academic Choir, directed by Deacon Alexander Leventsov, and the 3rd Mixed Choir, directed by A.A. Antonova. 

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