Sunday services on the Week of Adam's Exile

Before the Lent, the Church remembers the exile of Adam and Eve from paradise. Also, according to ancient tradition, the Christians ask each other for forgiveness.

The Creator endowed His creation with free will so that he could manifest his love through it. However, Adam and Eve violated the only God’s commandment and used their free will for their own benefit. As a result, it caused their exile and through them influenced subsequent generations. But God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). The Lord did not leave His creation lonely and gave him hope to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

During the service, Nikita Parakhin, a 4th year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon:

Во время богослужения проповедь произнес студент 4 курса бакалавриата Никита Парахин. Он рассказал верующим о смысле поста:

Fasting is not only the rejection of certain types of food and entertainment, but primarily an internal self-restraint. St. Ambrose of Optina formulated it this way: “the main idea of fasting is not to eat each other». St. Tikhon of Zadonsk added: “There is fasting of the body and there is fasting of the soul». Bodily fasting means abandoning certain types of food and drink, while soul fasting includes refraining from evil thoughts, deeds and words. We should not follow the Pharisee’s steps, attending services, making bows, excluding non-fasting products from your daily ration, but at the same time keep on blaming your neighbors and noticing their deeds».

On March 6, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the lower seminary church of the Holy Great Martyrs Barbara, Anastasia and Martyr Akilina.

At the litany, special petitions and a prayer were read for peace in Ukraine.

Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) celebrated the Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church.

Veniamin Polzikov, a 4th year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon:

Before the Great Lent, the remembrance of Adam's exile gives us hope that even being justly expelled for our sins we will reach the promised salvation according to St. John Chrysostom’s Easter Epistle. Let us turn our spiritual gaze to the Heaven and focus on our spiritual work. Without hard work and active participation it will be difficult to become worthy of the Sunday joy!»

Background information:

Chanting at the Intercession Academic Church performed by a male academic choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a mixed choir led by K.A. Alekseeva. 

Chanting at the lower seminary church of the Holy Great Martyrs Barbara, Anastasia and Martyr Akilina, the hymns of the Divine Liturgy performed by a mixed choir led by K.A. Tarelkina.