The Academy held festive services on Holy Thursday

At the Divine Liturgy, Christians become participants of the Last Supper together with other Christ’s disciples. 

The event that took place on the eve of Lord's crucifixion has an immense significance for each Christian. The Liturgy goes beyond time limits and unites different in the eternity, where there is no past or future, but Christ Himself. 

Now the Lord calls us to accompany Him. Starting in this earthly life, He gathers us into His Kingdom of Heaven offering His body and Blood. 

Church hymns of Holy Thursday call us to listen our Lord, follow Him and join the Divine Meal He prepared for us:

Let us, the faithful, enjoy the hospitality of the Lord and the immortal meal in a high place with lofty thoughts, having heard the highest word from the Word.

On April 12, according to a tradition, students of the Moscow Theological Academy gathered at the Intercession Academic Church to take part in a common confession. The Academy was visited by confessors of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra. Chanting of the general confession rank was performed by the first academic choir.

On the evening before Holy Thursday, the academic clergy officiated the Little Compline, Matins, and the 1st hour at the Intercession Academic Church. 

On April 13, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill celebrated the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

After the Eucharistic Canon, Bishop Kirill ordained monk Arseniy (Salov) into a deacon. 

After the Sacrament verse, Alexander Buyanov, a second-year Master's student, delivered a sermon.

Background information:

Clergy served at the Holy Thursday services: Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Abbots Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Philip (Zhilyakov), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), hegumen Melety (Sokolov), hieromonks Theodore (Yulaev), Cassian (Plosky), priest Valery Dukhanin, hieromonks Damian (Voronov), Mikhey (Kopytov), ​​deacons Dimitri Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk, hierodeacons Filaret (Zubov), Innokenty (Melikhov), Anthony (Streblyachenko), Arseny (Salov). 

Chanting performed by a first-academic choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a second mixed choir led by K.A. Alekseeva.

MThA Press Office

[justified_image_grid preset=c1 flickr_user=164238858@N03 flickr_photoset=72177720307471365]