The Academy held divine services on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Each Sunday brings us closer to the Holy Pentecost. The Gospel parable of the week makes it clear how far we are from God and how our soul longs Him.

Hymns from the Lenten Triodion on the previous Sunday described two sides of a human life on the example of a publican and the Pharisee. So, Christians can recognise these two images at different periods of their lives. Where is God in this story? It is found in a pure and humble heart. 

This Sunday, the Gospel parable gives us the motif of returning home. Just as a father awaits his son and rejoices at his return, the Losd awaits our return like His sons, who followed the call of passion and went to a land far away.

Each Sunday Liturgy, Orthodox Christians, like a big family, gather at a meal prepared by their loving Father. Through parables, the Heavenly Father calls His children back home and hope that they will never leave Him again.

On March 3, the Week of the Prodigal Son, the Bishop Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Abbot of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Intercession Academic Church co-served by the academic clergy. 

At the service there was a delegation from the Malankara Church led by Metropolitan Matthew Mar Timothios of Chengannur. The guests were accompanied by an employee of the Department of External Church Relations, Hieromonk Peter (Akhmatkhanov). 

At the Antiphons, Bishop Kirill tonsured fourth-year undergraduate students Ioann Belyaev, Igor Muravyov, Oleg Muravyov and Semyon Semenov as Readers.

After the Eucharistic Canon, the Rector ordained Artemy Samsonov, a second-year Master's student, into a deacon. 

Before the Holy Communion, Hierodeacon Pimen (Shein), a second-year Master's student delivered a sermon.

At the end of the Liturgy, Bishop Kirill addressed an assembly with his archpastoral word. Then he welcomed Metropolitan Matthew Mar Timothios and the delegation of the Malankara Church. 

On Saturday evening, Bishop Kirill officiated an All-Night vigil co-served by the academic clergy. 

Before the Kathisma, Vladimir Inshakov, a fourth-year undergraduate student, delivered a sermon. 

Background information:

Chanting performed by the first academic choir under the conduct of E.V. Borovinsky and the second mixed choir led by K.A. Alekseeva. 

MThA Press Office