On 8 October 2017, when the Church commemorates the repose of Venerable Sergius, Hegumen of Radonezh and Wonderworker of All Russia, the rector of Saint Alexius Cathedral, Priest Igor Babakov, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Alexius.
On the eve, Matins of the All-Night Vigil was served in the cathedral.
After the Litany of Fervent Supplication, Fr. Igor offered a prayer for peace in Ukraine.
At the end of the service Fr. Igor addressed the parishioners with a sermon:
"Among those who labored in the field of Christian enlightenment was the saint whose memory we celebrate today within the walls of Saint Alexius Cathedral: our venerable and God-bearing father Sergius, Hegumen of Radonezh and Wonderworker of All Russia. He withdrew into the remote forests of Radonezh not to become a fisher of men, but to save his own soul. For many years he lived in solitude, but gradually word of his ascetic struggle spread through the surrounding country, and people began to come to him wishing to undertake the same struggle. Thus a small group of disciples gathered around him, and little by little his spiritual flock grew.
We glorify our venerable and God-bearing father Sergius as the hegumen of the Russian land, whose name is linked with the revival of monastic life in one of the most difficult periods of our Russian history. Today we pray to him that the Lord may preserve our Russian land in the Orthodox faith forever, and that those whom God calls to salvation and eternal life may always be caught in the divine nets. Amen."
After the sermon Fr. Igor congratulated everyone on the feast.
