"Receive the Singing of Thy Children, O Father Sergius": The Academy Glorifies St. Sergius with Festive Divine Services

Today, the entire Church, just as on the feast of the Holy Trinity, is once again clothed in green vestments. As a symbol of incorruptible life, the green color reminds Christians of the grace of the Holy Spirit with which the saints were clothed.

This grace filled the heart of the all-Russian wonderworker, Abba Sergius, whom we honor today. Everyone who came to him for help and advice received consolation and touched the Divine reality. Although St. Sergius now dwells in the Heavenly mansions, his care for every suffering person is palpable and effective. Today, just as in his earthly life, he warms everyone with his fervent prayer, offered before the throne of the Heavenly King. 

He made his soul a dwelling place of the Holy Trinity and, in the image reflected in his pure heart, erected a monastery in glory to the Tri-Hypostatic God. Now, this monastery is filled with God-loving monks who emulate their abba Sergius in their love for God and for people.

The saint willed that the Moscow Theological Academy, where future pastors, choirmasters, and icon painters of the Church of Christ are trained, be located within the walls of his Trinity Monastery. Truly great is the fruit of the most-venerable labors of Abba Sergius. Emulating his Divine Teacher, he was able to acquire in his heart a love that transcends the boundaries of time and eternity and extends to the whole world. 

On July 17, on the eve of the feast, an akathist was chanted to St. Sergius in the Intercession Academic Church, with professors, students, staff, and guests of the Lavra and the Academy praying. The akathist was led by the spiritual father of MThA, Archimandrite Hilarion (Forkavets).

In the evening of the same day, the academic family gathered for the All-Night Vigil to prayerfully honor the memory of St. Sergius. The service was led by Metropolitan Leonty of Voronezh and Liskinsky. He was concelebrated by Bishop Nikifor of Otradny and Pokhvistnevo; Bishop Pitirim of Skopin and Shatsk; Bishop Georgy of Pinsk and Luninets; Bishop Panteleimon of Bikinsky, vicar of the Khabarovsk Diocese; Bishop Vyacheslav of Kansk and Boguchany; as well as the academic clergy and guests of the Academy in priestly rank.

The festive litany was performed by Bishop Vyacheslav of Kansk and Boguchany.

On the morning of July 18, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Leonty of Voronezh and Liskinsky. He was concelebrated by Bishop Nikifor of Otradny and Pokhvistnevo; Bishop Pitirim of Skopin and Shatsk; Bishop Boris of Kostomuksha and Kem; Bishop Georgy of Pinsk and Luninets; Bishop Panteleimon of Bikinsky, vicar of the Khabarovsk Diocese; Bishop Vyacheslav of Kansk and Boguchany; as well as the academic clergy and guests of the Academy in priestly rank.

A sermon before communion was delivered by Vadim Zhilkov, a second-year master's student. 

After the ambo prayer, the hierarchs and clergy performed a glorification to St. Sergius before the feast icon. 

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Leonty congratulated those praying on the feast and delivered an archpastoral address: 

"Dear archpastors, pastors, superiors, teachers, students, brothers, and sisters, today we have given thanks to God for the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Sergius, to glorify our mentor, our common spiritual father, who founded the monastery of the Holy Trinity — a monastery of love — and teaches all those who are connected to the Lavra. And all of Russia is connected to it, but especially those who have come from these walls, those who are here today, laboring, serving, and studying. And he teaches everyone love and humility. 

Love is a sacrifice, it is self-giving. And St. Sergius, a man of peace, reconciled both princes and brothers when disputes arose and complaints were made against him. He even withdrew far into the desert, prayed there, and founded new monasteries. And above all, inner peace was his possession — the peace of Christ. Because love is the foundation, the principle upon which the world is built. The Persons of the Holy Trinity are united in love into one God, and we are all called to inherit this love, to learn it. But before external peace, there must be internal peace. It is impossible to have stability in a turbulent world if you do not have this love within you, this foundation that allows you to be yourself. Indeed, these are difficult times, and again, as has happened many times in our history, the external enemy begins hostile actions. But it is impossible to have a stable, true peace if we do not remember and defend our identity. 

St. Sergius — a spiritual man, a man of peace — said that if they come to take your clothes, your food, your possessions, give them away. But if anyone encroaches on your faith, be ready to shed your blood. And he blessed the holy great Prince Dmitry and all the soldiers for battle, and he empathized and prayed during the fight. We are not some 'uranopolites', 'cosmopolitans'; we learn to love, starting with our neighbors, with our family, with our friends, with our small homeland and our large one. It is impossible to love the whole world if we have not learned to love a wife, a husband, children, our loved ones. And from them, gradually expand our hearts to contain the whole world. 

St. Sergius stands with us today like a rock, and he prays that we may pass through these military actions, all these trials that the Lord sends us, so that we may gather ourselves and return, find our Orthodox, centuries-old identity. And then we will have peace in our hearts, in society, and in the whole world. 

We congratulate you all on this great feast. May St. Sergius never leave us, wherever we may labor, with his wise, firm guidance and prayer. And we believe that this is indeed so". 

Background information:

The liturgical hymns were performed by the 1st Academic Choir under the direction of E.V. Borovinsky and the 2nd Mixed Choir under the direction of K.A. Alekseeva. 

MThA Press Office