The Academy celebrated the Day of the beheading of St. John the Baptist
On September 10 and 11, divine services took place at the Intercession Academic Church on the Day of the beheading of St. John the Baptist.
Saint John the Baptist is an example of fearless and selfless service to God. Despite the death threat, he openly talked about King Herod’s sins and ended his life as a martyr.
For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, «It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife».
St. John the Baptist was altogether a prophet, a preacher and a martyr:
What shall we call thee, dear prophet? Are you an angel? Or an apostle? Or a martyr? You are an angel because you are not in flesh. You are an apostle because you taught people. You are a martyr because your head was cut off for Christ. So pray for Him to have mercy on our souls».
This event clearly illustrates dreadful consequences of an excessive alcohol consumption. In this regard, September 11 became the All-Russian Day of Sobriety and the Church pronounces special prayers for those addicted to drink.
On September 10, the Bishop of Amur and Chegdomynsk Nicholas together with the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officed an All-night vigil at the Intercession Academic Church.
On September 11, Bishop Nicholas and Bishop Theodorite performed the Divine Liturgy co-served by academic teachers and students in the priesthood.
While singing antiphons, Bishop Theodorite tonsured a fourth-year undergraduate students Nikolai Malyuta, Ivan Khristev, Peter Shein and Nikolay Selyunin as Readers.
At the Divine Liturgy, a deacon proclaimed prayers for those suffering from alcohol and drug addictions.
After reading the Holy Gospel, Bishop Theodorite addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word.
After singing the sacrament verse, Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Dean of the Intercession Academic Church, read out a letter from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the Day of Sobriety.
At the end of the service, the Bishop of Amur and Chegdomynsk Nicholas, Bishop Theodorite and the clergy sang the glorification of the holiday.
Background information:
Chanting performed by the first joint choir under the conduct of S.P. Borovinskaya and the first academic choir led by of E.V. Borovinsky.
MThA Press Office
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