The academic family entered the period of Lent

All faithful people pray to God asking Him for forgiveness from their sins and transformation of their souls. But it is impossible to receive forgiveness if you do not forgive yourself:

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses».

Forgiveness is what a repentant person receives from God. It is neither formal nor legal. At the moment when a person sincerely asks for forgiveness and receives it, his internal wounds are healed, those walls that were erected between God and a man collapse. Then it comes a moment of reconciliation between the Creator and His creation. 

Before the Great Lent, the Christians following the Lord’s word ask each other for forgiveness:

He who says, “I love God” but hates his brother is a liar. And how is it possible that the one who does not love his brother, whom he sees, is able to love God, Whom he does not see? So according to one of His commandments a man claiming to love God should love his brother as well».

This year the Great Lent starts on the first day of spring. We will witness the transformation of nature, its flowering and awakening. Taking example from nature, the Christians are also encouraged to transform their souls. After all, fasting is not the time of despair, but the time of change, love and joy. 

Forgiveness is our confidence in the invincibility of good and light. And only through forgiveness do we attain love and have the right to be called Christ’s disciples.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another».

On March 1st, Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev) led an evening service in the academic Church of the Intercession of Theotokos. At the end of the service, bishop of Zvenigorod Pitirim, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, performed a ceremony of forgiveness.

Background information:

Вечернее богослужение в Покровском академическом храме возглавил иеромонах Феодор (Юлаев). Ему сослужили: диаконы Димитрий Маслов, Стефан Мартенюк, Евгений Смольянинов, Дионисий Ким.

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