Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan Leads the Patronal Feast of the Moscow Theological Academy's Church of the Protection

14 October is a special day for the large family of the Moscow Theological Academy. Today is the Academy's patronal feast. It all began 205 years ago, when the Moscow Theological Academy, then the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, moved to the monastery of Venerable Sergius and the Life-Giving Trinity. The Academy was solemnly opened on 1 (14) October 1814, on the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Every year graduates gather within the familiar walls of their alma mater, under the omophorion of the Most Holy Lady.

The patronal celebrations of the Academy's Church of the Protection were led by Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, Head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District, concelebrated by Archbishop Feodosy of Boyarka, the Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy Bishop Pitirim of Zvenigorod, the Rector of the Kolomna Seminary Bishop Konstantin of Zaraysk, the Chairman of the Educational Committee Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, and lecturers, students and guests in holy orders.

Before the Divine Liturgy, Hieromonk Cassian (Ploskiy) celebrated a moleben with the blessing of water.

During the Augmented Litany those present in the church prayed for the unity of the Holy Orthodox Church and for its preservation from divisions and schisms. Metropolitan Vikenty then read the prayer for peace in the land of Ukraine.

After the Communion verse, a sermon on the history of the feast was delivered by Ivan Dubrovin, a first-year master's student. In the ninth century our pagan ancestors, the Rus', marched on Constantinople. In the Church of Blachernae, the chief shrine of Constantinople, the Mother of God appeared during a service to the defenders of the city. As a sign of her protection she covered the people with her veil. In Rus', Ivan Dubrovin recalled, the feast was established in the twelfth century by the holy Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky.

After the Prayer before the Ambo, the hierarchs, clergy and worshippers glorified the Most Pure Lady.

After the service Metropolitan Vikenty warmly congratulated the large academic family on the patronal feast, conveyed the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, and addressed them with an archpastoral word:

I convey to you the paternal blessing and greetings of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the patronal feast of the Moscow Theological Academy, which today celebrates the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Under this protection the Academy carries out its service to the Orthodox Church, preparing worthy pastors and archpastors for the field of Christ.

We are celebrating a great event that took place in ancient times. Yet a firm faith has remained in our souls that the Most Holy Theotokos is our protectress and intercessor before the Throne of God. Our Heavenly Mother takes care that you and I remain under her protection and shelter, so that our service may be a means of attaining the Kingdom of Heaven, which our God Jesus Christ gave us at a great price, the price of His Blood and His sufferings.

I congratulate the Rector of the Academy, Bishop Pitirim, the head of the Academy, and all teachers and students and all the parishioners of this church on the great feast of the Protection of the Mother of God. God grant that the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos never depart from us, and that we carry out our service worthily.

After the service Metropolitan Vikenty, Bishop Pitirim and the guests of the celebration proceeded to the Great Assembly Hall for the solemn Act.

For reference:

The Divine Liturgy on the patronal feast of the Church of the Protection of the Moscow Theological Academy was celebrated by Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, Head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District. He was assisted by Archbishop Feodosy of Boyarka, vicar of the Diocese of Kyiv; the Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Bishop Pitirim of Zvenigorod; the Rector of the Kolomna Seminary, Bishop Konstantin of Zaraysk; the Chairman of the Educational Committee, Archpriest Maxim Kozlov; Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev); the Rector of the Kursk Seminary, Archimandrite Simeon (Tomachinsky); the Rector of the Nikolo-Perervinsky Seminary, Archpriest Vladimir Chuvikin; Archimandrites Platon (Igumnov), Hilarion (Forkavets) and Luka (Golovkov); Hegumens Nikifor (Kirzin), Dionisy (Shlenov), Adrian (Pashin), Gerasim (Dyachkov) and Meletios (Sokolov); Archpriest Sergiy Zabelich; Hieromonk Mark (Svyatogorov); Priest Pavel Lizgunov; Hieromonks Varnava (Losev), Apollinary (Panin), Vyacheslav (Sorokin), Dometian (Kurlanov) and Cassian (Ploskiy); as well as guests, lecturers and students in holy orders. The deacons were led by Deacon Dimitry Maslov.

The hymns of the festal service were sung by the First Academic Choir (conductor: Reader Dmitry Mikhalev), the Second Academic Choir (conductor: Hieromonk Nestor (Volkov)) and the Third Academic Choir (conductor: Reader Serafim Moroz).

The service in the seminary church of Venerable John Climacus was led by Archimandrite Mikhail (Borey), concelebrated by Hegumen Lazar (Gnativ), Hieromonks Pimen (Buryak), Damian (Voronov) and Philotheos (Artyushin), Protodeacon Igor Mikhailov and Hierodeacon Pavel (Polevoy).

The liturgical hymns were sung by the first and second mixed choirs conducted by Ksenia Tarelkina and Sofia Borovinskaya, and by the women's choir conducted by Ksenia Alekseeva.