“Come, all nations, let us glorify the Cross of the Lord” The Academy honored the Exaltation of the Cross

Today the Church honors the Cross as the main tool of our salvation, however, many people reject it. They find an idea of the God Almighty being crucified totally mad and impossible. But Apostol Pavel said: «My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness». Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2Cor.12:9).

Calling to take up the cross and follow Him, the Lord shows that suffering, sorrow and even the death does not make any sense. Human pain is nothing in the light of the Cross of Christ. 

The Cross of the Lord awakes thoughts about the very origins of the universe and the Eternal Council of the Holy Trinity. Even before the creation of the world God prepared the Cross as an instrument of salvation. 

At the Matins, all the faithful witness an amazing and touching procession when the Cross is brought out of the alar and installed in the middle of the church remimding that the Cross was hidden in the eternal divine darkness and then solemnly and victoriously erected in the world. 

On September 26, Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) officiated the All-night Vigil at the Intercession Church of the Moscow Theological Academy co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood. 

During the Great Vespers, the academic clergy performed a festive litany. Then Archimandrite Venedikt offered a prayer to the Lord for the consecration of bread. 

Before the Kathisma, Alexey Vechkanov, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon. 

After the Great Doxology, the clergy solemnly carried out the Cross of the Lord from the altar. The Ceremony of Exaltation was led by Archimandrite Venedikt.

At the end of Matins, the clergy anointed the worshipers with holy oil.

On September 27, Archimandrite Venedikt celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy. 

Before the Communion, Nikolay Kharitonov, a preparatory Master's student, delivered a sermon.

After the prayer behind an ambo, the clergy sang the glorification to the Lord in front of His Life-Giving Cross. Then, Archimandrite Venedikt greeted an assembly with the holiday.

Background information:

Clergy served at the All-night Vigil and the Divine Liturgy: Archimandrite Venedict co-served by Archimandrites Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Abbots Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Archpriest Sergius Zabelich, Priest Stefan Domuschi, hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev), priests Dimitry Baritsky, Valery Dukhanin, hieromonks Cassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Mikhei (Kopytov), ​​Boris (Zelyuchenko), Georgy (Pimenov), Serapion (Zalesny), priest Evgeny Torkunov, deacon Dimitri Maslov, hierodeacons Filaret (Zubov), Pimen (Shein), Zinovy ​​(Rusakov), deacon Dionysius Makarov. 

Chanting performed by the second academic choir under the conduct of A.O. Leventsova and the first mixed choir led by S.P. Borovinskaya. 

MThA Press Office

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