“Today Christ trampled down the death”: Sunday services at the Intercession Academic Church
A life of a modern man resembles the stormy sea, which captures and plunges him into its depth. The person does his best to cope with numerous tasks, obligations and problems but in vain. In this endless battle he exhausts himself and gives up, he has no time to stop and listen to himself and the eternity.
The Divine Liturgy lets the eternity meet the time. At the Sunday Liturgy, a person can refresh himself from his daily labors and join with the inexhaustible Source of life. Each Liturgy summons us “to put aside all worldly cares”. It inspires us to tune in to the same wavelength with the eternity.
Archimandrite Aemilian (Vafidis) said:
All our everyday cares can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, so, they are those bridges that lead us there. Everything can express our love for God. A kind attitude towards your wife, taking care of your children, daily work, struggles, tears, sorrows that you experience in secret should be brought to the Sunday Liturgy and left in the Kingdom of Heaven. God bless you and give you the strength to live next week. All our deeds are valuable for Christ, but we shall not forget that our main aim is the Kingdom Heaven, and our soul yearns for God.
On November 19, the Bishop of Skopinsk and Shatsk Pitirim, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill and the academic clergy served an All-night vigil at the Intercession Church of the Moscow Theological Academy.
Before the Kathisma, Roman Vinnikov, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon.
On November 20, Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church.
After reading the Gospel, Hegumen Meletius (Sokolov) delivered a sermon, in which he interpreted Christ's commandment Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mat.5:3)
At the special litany, petitions were lifted up for the Fatherland and the Russian army. After that, a prayer for Holy Rus' was read.
Before the Communion, Seraphim Gladkih, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon:
Faith and repentance, courage and awareness are two poles of a spiritual life. Our faith must be bold and make steps towards the Savior by fulfilling His commandments, which require faith and courage.”
After the prayer before the ambo, the clergy, teachers, students and staff of the Academy sang many years to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill.
At the end of the Liturgy, Hieromonk Damian (Voronov) performed a lithia for everyone who died in car accidents.
Background information:
За Clergy served at All-night vigil: the Bishop of Skopinsk and Shatsk Pitirim and the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Plato (Igumnov), Hilarion (Farkovets), Luka (Golovkov), abbot Philip (Zhilyakov), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Melety (Sokolov ), Cyprian (Yashchenko), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev), Priest Valery Dukhanin, Priest Dimitry Baritsky, Hieromonks Damian (Voronov), Micah (Kopytov), Procopius (Rudchenko), Serapion (Zalesny), Priest John Popov, Deacons Dimitry Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk, Hierodeacon Job (Urum).
Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy: Archimandrite Venedikt co-served by Archimandrites Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Farkovets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Abbot Philip (Zhilyakov), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Melety (Sokolov), Cyprian (Yashchenko), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev), Priest Valery Dukhanin, Priest Dimitry Baritsky, Hieromonks Damian (Voronov), Mikhey (Kopytov), Procopius (Rudchenko), Serapion (Zalesny), Priest John Popov, Deacons Dimitri Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk Hierodeacon Job (Urum).
Chanting performed under the conduct of E. V. Borovinsky and S. P. Borovinskaya.
Third Sunday in November is the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims. It is annually practice as a part of the international days of the UNO. According to a tradition, funeral litanies served for the repose of the perished in car accidents.
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