Sunday services on the Week of the Paralytic

The liturgical hymns and Gospel passages tell about an inexpressible mystery of Lord's love and mercy, Who healed the paralytic suffering 38 years.

Everyone who reads the Gospel can recognize himself in this passage as in everyday life we suffer from spiritual insensitivity, which paralyzes our souls.

In this situation, a person is not able to help himself. He asks the Supreme Power to raise him from the bed of weakness and grant him the fullness of life. 

Christ reaches out His hand willing to help. He asks at every divine service: “Do you want to be healthy?” He waits for an affirmative answer to make us partakers of His glory and an eternal joy. 

On May 6, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officiated an All-night Vigil co-served by the academic clergy at the Intercession Academic Church. 

During the Canon, the Rector elevated Reader Vsevolod Yemelyanov, a fourth-year student of the Orthodox St. Tikhon’s Theological Institute, into the rank of subdeacon. 

On May 7, Bishop Kirill celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church.

After the Eucharistic Canon, Bishop Kirill ordained Subdeacon Vsevolod Yemelyanov into a deacon. 

After the Sacrament verse, Deacon Dmitry Konov, a first-year Master’s student, delivered a sermon:

“After His Ascension, the Lord left a human race an invaluable opportunity to unite with Him in His divine sacraments. Unlike the paralytic and other sick people who were at the Sheeps' font, we know the time and place when the Sacrament of Communion was established. So, everyone has an opportunity to participate in this Miracle of miracles.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Kirill addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word. 

Background information:

Clergy served at the All-night Vigil: Bishop Kirill co-served by Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), Abbot Melety (Sokolov), Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev) , Priest Pavel Lizgunov, Hieromonks Filofey (Artyushin), Cassian (Plosky), John (Merzlyakov), Georgy (Pimenov), Deacons Dimitri Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk, Daniil Lyanov, Hierodeacons Filaret (Zubov), Innokenty (Melikhov), Pimen (Shein) ), Grigory (Trofimov). 

Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy: Bishop Kirill co-served by the PSTGU Rector Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov, Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), Simeon (Tomachinsky), Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Head of the PSTGU Biblical Studies Department Archpriest Alexy Yemelyanov, Archpriest John Yemelyanov, Priest John Vorobyov, Hieromonk Filofey (Artyushin), Priest Dimitry Popov, Hieromonks Boris (Zelyuchenko), Mikhey (Kopytov), ​​Deacons Dimitry Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk, Evgeny Kovalev, Dmitry Konov, Hierodeacons Filaret (Zubov) , Innokenty (Melikhov), Pimen (Shein), Grigory (Trofimov).

Chanting performed by the second academic choir under the conduct of V.V. Chuvilov and the third mixed choir led by K.A. Bukurova.

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