Moscow region, Sergiev Posad, Lavra, Academy

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“Let us come and meet Christ with divine songs”. The Academy celebrated the Feast of the Purification

Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him (Jesus) to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (Luke.2:22) And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord́s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God … (Luke.2:25-28) 

Saint Simeon found God in his heart even before meeting Christ. Spiritual thirst and sensitivity became his companions all his life. According to Blessed Augustine, "Quaeramus inventum" - we are looking for the One Whom we have found.

On February 14, Bishop Kirill officiated an All-night Vigil at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy. He led the festive lithia and consecrated bread.

Before the Kathismas, Deacon Roman Vinnikov, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon. Focusing on the coming of God into the world, the preacher noted the importance of our personal meeting with the Lord.

On February 15, the Rector Bishop Kirill together with the academic clergy, teachers, students and graduates of the MThA correspondence department celebrate the Divine Liturgy.

After the Cherubic Hymn, Bishop Kirill ordained Deacon Simeon Lobanov, a second-year student of the Nikolo-Ugresh Theological Seminary, into a presbuter. At the end of the Eucharistic Canon, he ordained Deacon Seraphim Kosenko, a first-year Master’s student, into a presbyter.

Before the Communion, Artyom Gemmandiev, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon.

At the end of the service, the Rector, the clergy and graduates of the correspondence department performed a thanksgiving prayer to the Lord. 

After the dismissal, Bishop Kirill addressed the worshipers with his archpastoral word.

Background information:

Clergy served at the All-night vigil: Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Archpriest Sergius Maratkanov, Abbots Gerasim (Dyachkov), Adrian (Pashin), Lazar ( Gnativ), Melety (Sokolov), Archpriest Sergiy Zabelich, Hieromonks Varnava (Losev), Feodor (Yulaev), Priest Valery Dukhanin, Hieromonks Serapion (Zalesny), Boris (Zelyuchenko), Georgy (Pimenov), Mikhey (Kopytov), ​​Damian ( Voronov), deacons Dimitry Maslov, Nikolay Goyuk, Miodrag Radovanovitch, Alexander Vivtonenko. 

Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy: Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Archpriest Sergius Maratkanov, Abbots Gerasim (Dyachkov), Adrian (Pashin), Lazar ( Gnativ), Melety (Sokolov), Archpriest Sergiy Zabelich, Hieromonks Barnabas (Losev), Feodor (Yulaev), Priest Valery Dukhanin, Hieromonks Cassian (Flat), Serapion (Zalesny), Boris (Zelyuchenko), George (Pimenov), Mikhey ( Kopytov), ​​Damian (Voronov), deacons Dimitry Maslov, Nikolay Goyuk, Miodrag Radovanovich, Alexander Vivtonenko and 2023 graduates of the distance learning department in holy orders. 

Chanting performed by choirs under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and K.A. Bukurova. 

MThA Press Office