Celebration of the 600th anniversary of discovering the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh

On July 17 and 18, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, took part in the celebrations of the 600th anniversary of discovering the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the foundation of the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

On July 17, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill officed the Vespers with an akathist to St. Sergius at the Trinity Cathedral co-served by the Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Thomas, Abbot of the Holy Trinity – St. Sergius Lavra, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, and members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In the evening, His Holiness officed an All-night vigil on the Cathedral Square of the Holy Trinity- St. Sergius Lavra co-served by members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the MThA Rector, the abbot of the Lavra as well as bishops of the Russian Church, abbots of stauropegial monasteries, brethren of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra and the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On July 18, His Holiness celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity- St. Sergius Lavra on the Cathedral Square. A platform with a canopy was set in front of the Assumption Cathedral specially for the occasion.

The Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Thomas, Abbot of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, the Metropolitan of Philippopolis Niphon, a representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), a representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, as well as bishops of the Russian Church and the clergy of the Local Orthodox Churches co-served His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the Divine Liturgy.  

By decree of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill approved by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, some archpastors, who were appointed as governors of stauropegial monasteries, got their abbot staff.

At the Little Entrance, Hegumen Dionysius (Shlenov), Professor, Head of the Postgraduate Department at the Moscow Theological Academy and Abbot of the St. Andrew's Stauropegial Monastery, received his hegumen's staff from His Holiness the Patriarch.

At the end of the Liturgy, Patriarch Kirill, members of the Holy Synod and the clergy performed a prayer service to St. Sergius of Radonezh.

TV channels “Soyuz” and “Spas” as well as an official website of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarchy.ru broadcast the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy on air. For the convenience of numerous pilgrims, the broadcast was shown on large screens installed on the Cathedral Square and Krasnogorsk Square.

Background information:

Chanting at the Vespers and akathist performed by a joint choir of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra and the Moscow Theological Academy under the conduct of Hieromonk Nestor (Volkov).

Chanting at the All-night vigil performed by a joint choir of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra and the Moscow Theological Academy led by Hieromonk Nestor (Volkov) and V.V. Chuvilov.

Chanting at the Liturgy performed by a joint choir of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra and the Moscow Theological Academy under the conduct of Hieromonk Nestor (Volkov) and a joint choir of Russian monasteries led by Georgy Safonov.

The MThA Press Office/Press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia