Bishop Theodorite celebrated the first Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

On March 9, on the third day of the Great Lent, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Intercession Academic Church.

The celebration of the Divine Liturgy is very important for the Christians. However, the Great Lent is time of intense repentance and judging our sins. The liturgical structure, prayers and chants encourage a person to rethink and change his life. Therefore, on weekdays the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated. To support the faithful the Holy Church gives them a chance to take part in the most important Sacrament, the Holy Communion.

During the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the clergy prepare the Holy Body and Blood of Christ in advance, at the Sunday Liturgy. Thus, believers can constantly draw strength from the Holy Chalice, uniting with their Lord.

On March 9, Archimandrite Simeon (Tomachinsky) headed the Matins and the Hours. Archimandrite Luke (Golovkov) read a canon at the Matins.

The Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officed the Vespers and celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

Before the Holy Communion, Deacon Vadim Sergiev, a 1st-year Master's student, delivered a sermon:

“Again we enter the period of the Great Lent, which is intended for our healing. After all, restriction in food helps us learn moderation. When we stop eating our favourite food for a sufficiently long period of time, then we notice that the need for it has been greatly exaggerated in our minds and we start to treat it calmly. 

However, fasting is meant not only the excluding some types of food prescribed in the charter, but carefully examining our habits and lifestyle. We can find something that make us lose peace and good mood. Such habits as reading news, watching videos or surfing the Internet can be obsessive. They are not sins on its own, but our addiction makes them so. “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12), writes Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians. The more our soul is bound by various addictions, the more difficult it is to reach Heaven; the farther it is from God and true happiness.

Dear brothers and sisters, if we find the courage to honestly look into the depths of our hearts, if we now begin to refrain from at least one sinful attachment, then this Great Lent will truly become a spiritual spring for us. 

On Wednesday evening, Bishop Theodorite read the canon of St. Andrew of Crete.

At the end of the service, Bishop Theodorite addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word.

Background information: 

Chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a mixed choir led by K.A. Alekseeva.

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