The Academy celebrated the Holy Resurrection of Christ

Today, Orthodox Christians celebrate the biggest holiday of in the entire church year, the Bright Resurrection of Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ became like a redeeming lamb for all human sins. He descended into hell, conquered the death and opened the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. The good news that “Christ has Risen” spread all over the world and gave hope for everyone believing in it.

On April 23, Archimandrite Luke (Golovkov) with deacons brought the Shroud into the altar at the Intercession Academic Church and started the Easter Midnight Service.

On April 24, at twelve o'clock, the cross procession headed by Bishop Theodorite went round the church singing the stichera:

"Thy Resurrection, Christ the Savior, angels sing in heaven, and let us glorify Thee on earth with a pure heart."

It reminds us how the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb of the Lord. Similar to them the procession entered the church with singing the stichera and the bell ringing.

Easter Sunday began with the singing of the Easter Canon.

The Easter greeting "Christ is Risen!" was proclaimed in different languages.

At the end of Matins, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, read out the "Announcement of St. John Chrysostom." That time the Easter Hours and the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom served with open Royal Doors.

According to Easter custom, the first chapter of the Gospel of John was read in Church Slavonic, Ancient Greek, Classical Syriac, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Aramaic (maalula), Serbian, in the Intercession Academic Church, Romanian, Gagauz, Estonian, Chuvash, Kazakh, Tajik, Indonesian, English, French and Chinese. 

After the Sacrament verse, Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Dean of the academic church, read out the Easter Epistle of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Theodorite blessed the artos and greeted everyone with the Christ’s Resurrection. 

Archimandrite Michael (Borey) performed divine services in a seminary church in honor of St. John Climacus.

Background information:

Chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a mixed choir led by S.P. Borovinskaya.

MThA Press Office