Sunday services at the Moscow Theological Academy

 Sunday services and 2022 graduation ceremony took place at the Intercession Church of the Moscow Theological Academy.

On July 2, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officed an All-night vigil at the Intercession Academic Church.

At the Canon, the Rector elevated Reader Sergei Dragan, a third-year undergraduate student, into the rank of Subdeacon.

At the service, Reader Vladimir Steblyachenko, a first-year Master's student, delivered a sermon:

Dear brothers and sisters! Let's think about this gospel story. A Christian life resembles a procession to Emmaus. We walk in bewilderment, mourning and perplexed. However, the unrecognized Lord walks with us. He said that His Kingdom did not belong to this world and we had to find it inside ourselves. The problem is that we do not recognize Him, because our inner eyes are closed and His words do not reach our hearts. The travelers to Emmaus recognized the Lord in the breaking of Bread, just as we see Him in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. If at that moment our conscience is cleansed by sincere repentance, our eyes will open and we suddenly begin to see Him clearly and know what His truth is. And if we believe in the truth of Christ’s Resurrection, all perplexities and contradictions of life will disappear».

On July 3, the Rector celebrated the Divine Liturgy co-served by the academic clergy.

During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Theodorite ordained deacon Nikita Sedelnikov, a fourth-year undergraduate student, into a presbyter and subdeacon Sergey Dragan, a third-year undergraduate student, into a deacon. 

After the Sacrament verse, Archpriest Sergiy Zabelich delivered a sermon.

At the end of the Liturgy, the Rector and the clergy performed a thanksgiving prayer service at the Intercession Academic Church at the end of the academic year and a graduation day.

Background information:

Chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of Roman Shilkin. 

Chanting at the Divine Liturgy performed by a male choir led by Hieromonk Nestor (Volkov).

MThA Press Office