The Academic honored the Beheading of St. John the Baptist
Today, teachers and students of the Academy gathers for a divine service at the Intercession Academic Church to the Beheading of St. John the Baptist done according to the insane command of king Herod Antipas.
Glorifying Prophet’s life and remembering his tragic death, Christians with one heart and soul call to St. John asking him to prepare the faithful for a meeting with the Coming Lord and kindle the fire of love in their hearts.
From the Gospel we know the of St. John’s death due to the order by a drunk king Herod. That is why today special prayers are read to heal alcohol and drug addicts from their suffering.
On September 10, the Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officiated an All-Night Vigil at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy.
Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) performed the lithia and the consecration of bread.
On September 11, Bishop Kirill performed the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood.
After the Eucharistic Canon, Bishop Kirill ordained Pavel Senin, a first-year Master's student of the Sretenskaya Theological Academy, into a deacon.
Before the Communion, Hieromonk Varnava (Losev) read an Message by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill on the Day of Sobriety.
At the end of the service, the Rector performed a prayer service and offered petitions to the Lord for healing alcohol and drug addicts from their suffering. Then Bishop Kirill addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word.
Background information:
Clergy served at the All-Night Vigil, Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Abbots Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Abbot Meletius (Sokolov) , priest Stefan Domuschi, hieromonks Kirill (Sorokin), Feodor (Yulaev), priests Valery Dukhanin, Andrey Lysevich, hieromonks Cassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Mikhei (Kopytov), Georgy (Pimenov), Boris (Zelyuchenko), Serapion (Zalesny), deacons Dimitry Maslov, hierodeacons Filaret (Zubov), Pimen (Shein), Zinovy (Rusakov), deacon Dionisy Makarov.
Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Abbots Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Cyprian (Yashchenko), Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Hegumen Meletius (Sokolov), priest Stefan Domuschi, hieromonks Kirill (Sorokin), Feodor (Yulaev), priests Valery Dukhanin, Andrey Lysevich, hieromonks Cassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Mikhei (Kopytov), Georgy (Pimenov), Boris (Zelyuchenko), Serapion (Zalesny), Deacon Dimitry Maslov, Hierodeacons Filaret (Zubov), Pimen (Shein), Zinovy (Rusakov), Deacon Dionisy Makarov.
Chanting performed by the first mixed choir under the conduct of S.P. Borovinskaya and the second academic choir led by of A.O. Leventsova.
On July 25, 2014, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church restored the annual Day of Sobriety on the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, recommending that bishops and clergy would perform a prayer service for drug and alcohol addicts.
MThA Press Office