Sunday services at the Moscow Theological Academy

On January 15 and 16, Sunday services on the eve of the Epiphany took place at the Moscow Theological Academy.

Get ready Zebulun, and be adorned Naphtali, the River Jordan, stand still and accept joyfully the Master who has come to be baptized. Rejoice, Adam, with the foremother, do not hide, as you did in paradise being naked, He appeared to clothe you in your old clothes. Christ appeared to renew all the creation.

Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov) officed an All-Night Vigil at the Intercession Church co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood.

The next day Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov) celebrated the Divine Liturgy co-served by the clergy of the academic church.

After the sacrament verse, Hierodeacon Serapion (Zalessky) delivered a sermon: 

There were moments in the Church history when the Lord equated the feat of the greatest ascetics with the daily life of average people. For example, when God sent St. Anthony the Great to Alexandria to learn humility from a shoemaker, and it was revealed to St. Macarius the Great that he had not yet reached the spiritual level of two women who had been living at the same house for 15 years and had never argued or abused each other. This shows that the only thing that really pleases God is not how much somebody does, but how hard he tries to live honestly his life.

Background information:

Chanting performed by mixed choirs conducted by K.A. Alekseeva and S. Sabiryanova, a 3rd-year student of the Church singing art faculty.

Chanting at the Divine Liturgy performed by mixed choirs led by K.A. Alekseeva and K.A. Tarelkina.

MThA Press Office