The solemn graduation events took place at the Moscow Theological Academy

On July 2, solemn graduation events took place at the Moscow Theological Academy.

On the Fourth Week after Pentecost, the day of St. Apostle Jude and St. John of Shanghai, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, celebrated the Divine Liturgy co-served by the Bishop of Tara and Tyukalinsk Peter, teachers, graduates and students of the Academy in the priesthood.

At the special litany, petitions for the repose of the deceased academic teachers were raised.

During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Kirill performed priestly and diaconal ordinations.

The Rector ordained Deacon Dimitry Kuzeev, a first-year Master's student, into a priest and Arseniy Ivanov, a third-year undergraduate student, into a deacon.

Before the Communion, Dmitry Rostock, a Bachelor's graduate, delivered a sermon.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy and a thanksgiving prayer service, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill congratulated the graduates and addressed them with parting words.

Then Bishop Kirill presented graduation certificates to of postgraduate, Master's and Bachelor's students, as well as the graduates of Icon painting and Church singing art faculties.

After handing out certificates, teachers, graduates, students and guests of the Academy had a festive meal, where greeting and gratitude words to the Rector, administration, the professorial and teaching corporation and employees of the Academy were read on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill.

At the end of the festive dinner, the procession of the graduates led by the Rector went to the Trinity Cathedral of the Holy Trinity – St. Sergius Lavra to venerate the relics of St. Sergius and thanked his intercession and divine help.

Professor Archimandrite Macarius (Veretennikov) addressed the graduates on behalf of the Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Thomas, Abbot of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra, and officiated a solemn prayer service to St. Sergius co-served by the academic clergy.

At the end of the solemn events, commemorative photographs with the Rector, teachers and graduates of the Academy were taken on the steps of the Lavra bell tower. 

Background information: 

Chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a choir of graduates of the Church Singing Art Faculty led by K.A. Alekseeva.

MThA Press Office