On 12 July, the day of commemoration of the holy chief Apostles Peter and Paul, the festal Liturgy was celebrated at Saint Alexius Cathedral.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the rector of the church, Priest Igor Babakov.
This feast concludes the fast that Orthodox Christians have kept for about a month. As Fr. Igor noted in his word, this fast calls us to imitate the life and labors of the apostles, who carried out their ministry with a deep awareness of their own sinfulness.
To the end of his days the holy Apostle Peter remembered how he had denied Christ three times, and the Apostle Paul how mercilessly he had persecuted His followers, seeking to wipe this teaching as a whole off the face of the earth. Of course, the All-Merciful Lord forgave them for this, restored them to apostolic dignity and granted them great gifts. For example, the shadow of the Apostle Peter healed the sick it touched. The same happened to those who touched the belongings of the Apostle Paul. Yet despite this they considered themselves unworthy. And this feeling did not lead them into despair or despondency; on the contrary, it gave them strength to labor more and to do still more works pleasing to God.
In his sermon to the faithful Fr. Igor said:
"We must thank the Lord for the sorrows and difficulties He sends us, for He gives us the opportunity to heal our sinful wounds. Understanding this, we will not ask God, 'Why me?' Our sins will always come back to our memory, and we must atone for them in the same way as the holy Apostles Peter and Paul did."
After the service the Akathist to the chief Apostles Peter and Paul was read.
