“We are bound by the union of Christ’s love”. The Academy honored the memory of the Royal Passion-Bearers

On the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, the Church honors the memory of the Royal Passion-Bearers from the Romanov’s dynasty. They were Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra, Prince Alexy and Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia.

The Church honors the memory of the royal family, who were martyrs for Christ.

The Royal Martyrs endured both physical and moral sufferings, which are conceivable only for a humble heart devoted to God.

Also, on this day, the Church honors the memory of St. Andrey Rublev, an outstanding icon painter of the XV century. His famous icon of the Holy Trinity is now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

On July 16, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officed an All-night Vigil co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood.

On July 17, the Rector celebrated the Divine Liturgy co-served by the academic clergy at the Intercession Academic Church. 

At the antiphons, Bishop Theodorite tonsured as a reader and elevated Sergei Arkhutich, a third-year undergraduate student of the Sretenskaya Theological Academy, into the rank of a subdeacon.

After reading the Gospel, the Rector addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word. 

During the Liturgy, Bishop Theodorite ordained deacon Evgeny Sibilev, a second-year Master’s student of the Nikolo-Ugresh Theological Seminary, into a presbyter and subdeacon Sergei Arkhutich into a deacon.

After the Sacrament verse, Alexey Lashtaev, a 2022 graduate of the Moscow Theological Academy, delivered a sermon: 

There is a long list of predecessors, who to some extend resemble the martyr’s feat of Tsar Nicholas and his family. They were saint princes Boris and Gleb, who voluntarily gave their lives for the sake of peace and unity in their state. Prince Igor (Gabriel after taking his monastic vows), who was killed by his subjects in the XII century. Prince Michael of Tver tortured before the Khan by his nephew to preserve the peace in his principality. Tsarevich Dimitry of Uglich was treacherously killed at the age of eight. All of them accepted the martyr’s death following Christ’s commandments and remained faithful to the very end..

Background information:

At the All-night vigil chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a mixed choir led by S.P. Borovinskaya.

At the Divine Liturgy chanting performed by a mixed choir conducted by S.P. Borovinskaya.

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