The Academy honored the memory of Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

On March 22, the Holy Church honors the memory of Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. 

Revered martyrs, forty warriors of Christ that strongly armed with faith, you have passed through fire and water and live together with angels, pray with them to Christ for all those who glorify you. Glory to the One who gave you strength, glory to the One who crowned you, glory to the One Who gives healing through you to everyone.

Today, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, celebrated the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood.

At the pictorials, Bishop Theodorite elevated Reader Mikhail Khasia, a fourth-year undergraduate student of the Sretenskaya Theological Academy, into a rank of Subdeacon. At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts he ordained him into a deacon.

After singing the sacramental verse, Vasily Smirnov, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon:  

“Those soldiers accepted sufferings for Christ in the icy Lake of Sebaste in 320. Their feat is especially glorious, because they could get rid of that execution and death. A bathhouse was ready on the shore and they were tempted to save their lives there. We must not forget that one of the soldiers could not stand the test and preferred to run ashore, changing Christ for the temporary warmth and comfort. The incomprehensible Divine providence let the watch guard see the sings of glory above martyrs’ heads. He realized that the Lord Himself was with them. The guard saw the crowns of martyrdom descending on the soldiers. He also saw a vacant place left after the betrayal of one of the soldiers. So, he shouted: “And I am a Christian!” and joined both their sufferings and glory. 

Background information:

Chanting performed by male choirs under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and V.V. Chuvilov. 

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