The Academy celebrated the feast of the Lord's Entry to Jerusalem

Now when Christ with His disciples drew near Jerusalem and entered this great city, He calls us to follow Him and witness mysterious and terrible events in those days.

Let us meet Him rejoicing and spreading His way with branches with a prayer on our lips:

Lord, open our mouths with Your Spirit to praise You. Put meekness and love into our hearts and keep us in unity and fidelity to You.”

On April 8, the Bishop of Zvenigorod Kirill, Rector of the Moscow theological Academy, officiated an all-night vigil at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy.

Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) performed the festive lithia and the consecration of bread. 

Before the Kathisma, Andrey Kisilyuk, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon in which he spoke about the testament left by Christ to His Church:

The Savior knew that people surrounding Him at the entrance to Jerusalem in a few days would betray Him, humiliate and crucify. But at the same time, He does not rebuke them at the entrance to the city or does not show any signs of anger. He taught us to see in any person the most precious creature, taught us to be humble even facing injustice and devastation..

After reading the Gospel, the Rector traditionally read a prayer to the Lord for the consecration of palm branches and willows. Then the clergy sprinkled the bunches of willows with holy water.

During the canon, Bishop Kirill elevated newly tonsured monks Filaret (Zubov), Innokenty (Melikhov), Anthony (Streblyachenko), Arseniy (Salov), Grigory (Trofimov), Pimen (Shein) into the rank of subdeacons.

On April 9, Bishop Kirill celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church.

After the Eucharistic canon, Bishop Kirill ordained monk Philaret (Zubov), a secretary and a lecturer at the Biblical Studies Department of the Moscow theological Academy, into a deacon.

After the Sacrament verse, Pavel Tarasenko, a student of the propaedeutic Master’s course, delivered a sermon. In his speech, he noted that the celebrated event is both joyful and mournful. The Savior, Who came to the people of Israel, was rejected by them and crucified. The king,Who came to his people, was humiliated and put to death. The Creator, Who make Himself visible to His creation, was hung on a tree as a thief.

At the end of the service, the academic clergy sang the glorification in front of the central icon. Then Bishop Kirill addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word:

Background information:

Clergy served at the All-night vidi: Bishop Kirill co-served by: Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Farkovets), Luka (Golovkov), Abbots Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), Archpriest Sergei Zabelich, Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev), Priests Dimitry Baritsky, Sergiy Gimonov, Hieromonks Cassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Boris (Zelyuchenko), Georgy (Pimenov), John (Merzlyakov), Serapion (Zalesny), Deacons Dimitri Maslov, Nikolai Goyuk, Hierodeacon Ioanniky (Pajan).

Clergy served at the Divine Liturgy: Bishop Kirill co-served by the Vladyka Kirill was co-served by: Archimandrites Venedikt (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Farkovets), Luka (Golovkov), Abbots Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), Hegumen Meletius (Sokolov) , Archpriest Sergiy Zabelich, Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev), Priests Dimitry Baritsky, Sergiy Gimonov, Hieromonks Cassian (Plosky), Damian (Voronov), Boris (Zelyuchenko), Georgy (Pimenov), John (Merzlyakov), Serapion (Zalesny), deacons Dimitry Maslov, Nikolay Goyuk, Hierodeacons Ioanniky (Padzhan), Filaret (Zubov). 

Chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a choir of students of the Varnitsa gymnasium. 

MThA Press Office