Sunday services on the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee

 Today’s Gospel passage presents a parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. Christ spoke it to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a devout and respected Pharisee and the other a scorned tax collector.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, «God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. And that one standing afar off would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, «God, be merciful to me a sinner!» (Luke 18:13).

Comparing those two people, the Savior said that the Publican’s prayer was closer to God than the Pharisee’s. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ called His disciples for humility and meekness. As Apostle Peter said, «God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.» (1 Pet. 5:5). 

On February 12, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officed an All-night vigil at the Intercession Academic Church.

At the evening service, a male academic choir sang "Open the doors of repentance" from the Lenten Triodion.

During the Canon, Bishop Theodorite elevated Vladislav Ratnikov, a 2nd-year Master's student of the Sretenskaya Theological Academy, into a subdeacon.

On February 13, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Theodorite celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the academic church co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood.

At the antiphons, Bishop Theodorite tonsured third-year undergraduate students Dmitry Gorshkov, Nikolay Chernov, Dmitry Shumsky and Alexei Nefedov as readers.

After reading the Gospel, Bishop Theodorite addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word.After reading the Gospel, Bishop Theodorite addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word.

At the end of the Eucharistic Canon, Bishop Theodorite ordained Subdeacon Vladislav Ratnikov into a deacon.

Background information:

Chanting performed by a male academic choir conducted by V.V. Chuvilov and a mixed choir led by K.A. Alekseeva.

MThA Press Office

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