Academy celebrated John the Baptist’s Beheading

On September 11th, Day of John the Baptist’s Beheading, archimandrite Hilarion (Forkavets) performed an evening service and the Divine Liturgy at the academic church of the Intercession of Theotokos.

The Holy Prophet John preached the coming of the Incarnate God. He was the one to prepare the way for the Savior, namely human hearts, and the Good News. Serving the Lord fearlessly, he told the truth, which became a reason for his assassination on King Herod’s birthday.

For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John had said to him, «It is not lawful for you to have her..

The memory of those bloody events of a dissolute feast, recalled in the Gospel, formed a base to make September 11th the All-Russian Day of Sobriety when a special prayer is proclaimed for alcoholics and drug addicts. 

After reading the Gospel, Hieromonk Kassian (Plosskiy) addressed an assembly with a sermon. 

After the sacrament verse, Hieromonk Varnava (Losev), Dean of the Intercession Academic Church, read His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s missive on the Day of Sobriety. Обращение Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла по случаю дня трезвости.

Divine Liturgy finished with a doxology to St. John the Baptist sang by the clergy of the academic church.

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