The Academy celebrated the Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great

The Lord endures circumcision and being Good, circumcises all human sins to relieve the world.

The Academy held the Divine Liturgy on the feast of Circumcision of the Lord and a memory day of St. Basil the Great. 

At about two thousand years ago, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to Virgin Mary. Having come in, the angel said to her, «Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women! Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David» (Luke 1, 26-32).

Nowadays, the prophecy has been fulfilled. The Baby was born and brought on the eighth day for the circumcision to get His name Jesus.

The Lord obeys the law and proves His human and divine nature, because He was in everything except a sin similar with a man. 

Through Christ's Circumcision and Baptism, death and Resurrection people got an opportunity to be healed from a sin and live in the Heavenly Kingdom. 

Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov) led the All-Night Vigil with Litiya and celebrated the Divine Liturgy co-served by the academic clergy. 

After the Sacrament verse, Hieromonk Damian (Voronov) delivered a sermon. In his speech, he noted that the Lord calls us to fulfill His commandments and waits for the spiritual circumcision of our passions and thoughts. Holy Scripture is our guide, where we can find how to overcome sinful inclinations and reach love for God and a neighbor. St. Basil the Great, whose memory was honored that day, can serve us an example for fulfilling God’s commandments.

Background information: 

Clergy served at the all-night vigil: Archimandrite Platon co-served by Archimandrite Hilarion (Forkavets), Priest Valery Dukhanin, Hieromonks Kassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Deacons Nikolai Goyuk, Boris Sandar, Roman Vinnikov, Miodrag Radovanovich.

Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy: Archimandrite Platon co-served by Archimandrite Hilarion (Forkavets), Hieromonks Kassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Boris (Zelyuchenko), Athanasius (Italo), Priest Valery Dukhanin, Priest Nikolai Cherepinin, Deacons Nikolai Goyuk, Boris (Sandar), Roman Vinnikov, Miodrag Radovanovitch. 

Chanting performed by two mixed choirs under the conduct of K.A. Alekseeva and K.A. Bukurova.

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