{"id":10437,"date":"2020-01-01T17:46:30","date_gmt":"2020-01-01T14:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mpda.ru\/?post_type=news&p=10437"},"modified":"2020-01-19T20:11:07","modified_gmt":"2020-01-19T17:11:07","slug":"episkop-pitirim-sovershil-moleben-na-novoletie","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/mpda.ru\/en\/news\/episkop-pitirim-sovershil-moleben-na-novoletie\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishop Pitirim hold a prayer service before New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

On December 31 st , the bishop of Zvenigorod Pitirim, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy,\nhold a public prayer at the academy church of the Intercession of the Theotokos. <\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Academic teachers and students as well as parishioners and pilgrims offered their prayers on New\nYear\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bishop Pitirim addressed the assembly and explained the meaning of a New Year Day for the\nOrthodox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, this feast got numerous mythical images and pagan symbols. However, if we\nscrutinize it deeply, we will see where it comes from and why does it reunite people all over\nthe world. We might guess that it takes its origins from the dawn of the humanity. It simply\ntakes us back to the times of creation the world and the first man, the childhood of the human\n\nkind. There is something childish and na\u00efve in this feast as well. It inspires us to decorate\ntrees, light candles and gather round a festive table. It might have been celebrating in this\nway since its first day. Is there anything sinful? Debates have been hold until this day,\nnevertheless, it is the case which St. Gregory the Theologian mentioned. He said that if we\nmade a mistake in theological questions, we would not sin, because a question about\ncelebrating New Year does not reflect on our salvation. It is not a dogma of faith; it is just\none of rituals or customs. Even if we are not right, we do not sin.<\/em><\/p>

There is nothing sinful in celebrating New Year, it is sinful to sin on purpose, but a New Year\nfeast is quite neutral itself. We should fill it with a Christian prayer. That is what we do while\nperforming a divine night service. It is a nice occasion to thank God one more time, to offer\nour prayers and ask for His blessing for a coming year. This feast has an eschatological\nperspective as, especially, other church feasts have. We remember a forthcoming renewal of\nthis world when it reaches its sinful limit. This is what gives an eschatological meaning to\nthis festive time. Despite giving food for theological thoughts about the righteousness of\ncelebrating New Year, it does not make us sin or err. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

During the public service all the assembly thanked Almighty for peace and His forbearance, asked\nfor preserving the unity of an Orthodox church, giving kindness and benefits to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After the service the rector together with academic teachers and students lightened a Christmas tree\nin front of a new student residence and took a group photo under the fireworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Background information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public service in an academic church was held by the bishop of Zvenigorod Pitirim, Rector of\nthe Moscow Theological Academy, together with archimandrites Venedict (Knyazev), Platon\n(Igumnov), Ilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), hegumen Adrian (Pashin), hegumen Meletiy\n(Sokolov), hegumen Gerasim (Dyachkov), archpriest Sergey Zabelich, archpriest Sergey Ishkov,\nhieromonks Feodor (Yulaev), Varnava (Losev), Appolinariy (Panin), Vyacheslav (Sorokin),\nKassian (Ploskiy), Damian (Voronov), priest Alexander Orischenko, priest Dimitriy Nozdrin,\ndeacon Dimitriy Maslov, hierodeacons Pavel(Polevoy) and Innokentiy (Glazistov). <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two academic choirs sang at the service. The first choir under the conduct of hieromonk Nestor\n(Volkov) and the second one was directed by Vitaliy Chuvilov.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image gallery<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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