The Academy celebrated a patronal day of a seminary church in honor of St. John the Climacus

Tell us, St. John, how to ascend a divine ladder of virtues and clean our hearts to see God Himself? Tell us about your ascetic deeds, so that at the time of fasting we can follow your example to worthily meet the Bright Christ’s Resurrection. 

Passing the time of the Great Lent is always associated with struggle and confrontation with the wicked egotism of man. Sometimes a person can go astray or lose a landmark that indicates the right path, and even lose the desire to move on.

St. John was an Abbot of a Mount Sinai monastery. In his work “The Climacus” he gives some ascetic tips instructing a weary and lost traveler on his way to Heaven.

This day also is a patronal day of the seminary church in honor of St. John the Climacus. Numerous guests of the Lavra and the Academy gathered together to take part in divine services. 

The Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, co-served by the academic clergy and Lavra brethren celebrated the Divine Liturgy. 

At the antiphons, Bishop Kirill tonsured third-year undergraduate students Andrey Krivov, Elisey Pochkolin and Ivan Shumilin as Readers.

After the sacrament verse, Aleksey Makhonkov, a first-year Master’s student, delivered a sermon. The preacher noted that doing St. John’s instructions described in his ascetic work we have an opportunity to control ourselves, curb our passions and climb the ladder of virtues to the Heavenly Jerusalem.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the clergy sang a glorification in front of the image of St. John the Climacus. After that, Bishop Kirill read a prayer to the saint. 

After the dismissal, the archpastor thanked Archimandrite Michael (Boreas), Dean of a seminary church, and students for their service. Then, Bishop Kirill addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word. 

On March 25, Bishop Kirill officiated an All-Night Vigil at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy.

Archimandrite Michael (Borey) led the All-Night Vigil at the seminary church co-served by the academic priesthood. During the service, he performed a festive lithia with bread blessing.

Background information:

Clergy served at the All-Night Vigil at the Intercession Church: Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luke (Golovkov), Hegumen Adrian (Pashin), Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Hegumen Meletius (Sokolov), Hieromonk Filofey (Artyushin), Priest Valery (Dukhanin), Hieromonk Cassian (Plosky), Deacons Dimitri Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk, Hierodeacon Job (Urum). 

Clergy served at the All-Night Vigil: Archimandrite Mikhail co-served by Hegumen Lazar (Gnativ), Hieromonks Pimen (Buryak), Prokopiy (Rudchenko), John (Merzlyakov), Hierodeacons Ioanniky (Padzhan), Theodosius (Makarov), Elijah (Yermak).

Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy in the church of St. John the Climacus: Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrite Michael (Boreas), Hegumen Lazarus (Gnativ), Hieromonks Varnava (Losev), Theodore (Yulaev), Athanasius (Italo), Procopius (Rudchenko), Deacon Dimitry Maslov, hierodeacons Ioanniky (Padzhan), Theodosius (Makarov), Elijah (Ermak). 

Chanting at the church of St. John the Climacus performed by mixed choirs under the conduct of S.P. Borovinskaya, K.A. Alekseeva and K.A. Bukurova. 

Chanting at the Intercession Academic Church performed by a male choir led by E.V. Borovinsky.

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Historical information

The patronal day of a seminary church is April 12 (March 30), which is a calendar memory day of St. John the Climacus. However, according to a tradition, it is celebrated on the 4th Week of the Great Lent. The tradition starts from the very foundation and consecration of the church in 1896, when the brethren of the Lavra asked the Metropolitan of Moscow Sergius (Lyapidevsky) for his blessings to postpone the patronal day. They immediately received a satisfaction of their request.

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