The Academy honored Prophet John the Baptist

On September 10 and 11, Archimandrite Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, officed All-Night Vigil and the Divine Liturgy in honour of Prophet John the Baptist at the Intercession Academic Church.

On that day the Holy Church recalls the tragic event of beheading Prophet John the Baptist.

St. John the Baptist led the righteous ascetic life, he prepared people for Christ’s coming by calling them for repentance. Once he publicly condemned the adultery of Herodias, a wife of King Herod. 

For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philips wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, «It is not lawful for you to have your brothers wife (Mark 6, 17-18).

Part of John the Baptist’s head is preserved in the Great Lavra on Mount Athos.

On September 10, the Rector Archimandrite Kirill officed an All-night vigil at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy.

At the litany, the Rector blessed the bread for the worshipers.

On September 11, Archimandrite Kirill celebrated the Divine Liturgy co-served by teachers and students in the priesthood.

At the Liturgy, special petitions for healing alcohol and drug addicts were raised to the Lord.

After the Gospel, Hegumen Meletius (Sokolov) delivered a sermon:

On this day we fast. Why? In contrary, if someone dies, we try to give a treat, something sweet, for example, to commemorate the diseased. So, why do we fast on that day? Repentance is the path, which a soul takes to salvation. St. John preached about it. It means that we have to restrain our flesh and raise the spirit. Otherwise, we cannot be saved, otherwise we cannot get rid of our passions. Fasting is not at all a sign of sadness. It reminds us about the salvation and the path of repentance.

After the Sacrament verse, Hieromonk Varnava (Losev) read out the epistle of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the Day of Sobriety.

Then, the clergy sang the glorification to John the Baptist.

At the end of the service, the Rector Archimandrite Kirill delivered a sermon.

Background information: 

Clergy served at the All-Night Vigil and the Divine Liturgy: Archimandrite Kirill, Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev), Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov), Archimandrite Hilarion (Farkovets), Archimandrite Luke (Golovkov), Archimandrite Simeon (Tomachinsky), Abbot Nikifor (Kirzin), Abbot Melety (Sokolov), Abbot Adrian (Pashin), Abbot Gerasim (Dyachkov), Hieromonk Barnabas (Losev), Hieromonk Theodore (Yulaev), Priest Dimitry Baritsky, Priest Valery Dukhanin, Hieromonk Cassian (Flat), Hieromonk Boris (Zelyuchenko), Hieromonk Damian (Voronov), Hieromonk Mikhey (Kopytov), ​​Hieromonk Athanasius (Italo), Deacon Dimitry Maslov, Deacon Nikolai Goyuk, Hierodeacon Theodosius (Makarov).

Chanting performed by a male choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and a mixed choir led by K.A. Tarelkina.

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