On 2 June, the day of the uncovering of the relics of St. Alexius the Wonderworker, Metropolitan of Kiev, Moscow and All Rus’, our church celebrated its minor patronal feast!
On this memorable day the rector of Saint Alexius Cathedral, Priest Igor Babakov, celebrated the festive Divine Liturgy.
On the eve, the All-Night Vigil was served in the church.
After the Liturgy a procession of the cross went around the cathedral.
St. Alexius the Wonderworker, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia (in the world Eleutherius), was born in 1292 (according to other sources, in 1304) in Moscow into the family of the boyar Feodor Byakont, who came from the Principality of Chernigov.
In 1320 he entered the Moscow Theophany Monastery, where he spent more than twenty years in strict monastic struggle. His guides and friends were the remarkable ascetics of that monastery, the elder Gerontius and Stephen, brother of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Then Metropolitan Theognostus ordered the future hierarch to leave the monastery and take charge of the judicial affairs of the Church. The saint held this office for 12 years with the title of metropolitan’s vicar. At the end of 1350 Metropolitan Theognostus consecrated Alexius Bishop of Vladimir, and after the metropolitan’s death he succeeded him in 1354. Patriarch Callistus granted Alexius the right to be regarded as Archbishop of Kiev and Great Russia, with the title of “most honourable metropolitan and exarch”.
Despite all the turmoil, St. Alexius cared for his flock in every way: he appointed bishops, founded cenobitic monasteries (on the model of the Trinity Monastery founded by St. Sergius) and maintained relations with the khans of the Horde. More than once the saint himself had to travel to the Golden Horde. In 1357 the khan demanded of the grand prince that the hierarch come to him and heal his blind wife Taidula. “The request and the task exceed the measure of my strength,” said St. Alexius, “but I believe in Him Who gave sight to the blind; He will not disregard the prayer of faith.” And indeed, through his prayer, the khan’s wife, sprinkled with holy water, was healed.
St. Alexius reached a great age, 78 years, having occupied the metropolitan see for 24 years.
He reposed on 12 February 1378 and was buried, according to his will, in the Chudov Monastery.
Many years later his holy and greatly healing relics were found completely incorrupt. Even the vestments on the reposed hierarch were entirely intact, as if they had been put on the day before. After this event the memory of the great hierarch and intercessor for the Russian land began to be honoured.
The relics of St. Alexius were transferred to the Cathedral of the Archangel, and in 1947, in preparation for the 800th anniversary of Moscow, at the request of Patriarch Alexy I, they were moved to the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo, where they rest to this day.
To this day many healings flow from them as from an inexhaustible spring, and through his holy prayers help is given to all who come to them with faith.
After the services Fr. Igor addressed the faithful with a heartfelt word. At the end of his sermon the rector warmly thanked the parishioners for their common prayers and congratulated everyone on the feast.
Then the akathist to St. Alexius was read.
A major event on this festive day was the Paschal Festival of the Sunday Schools of the Samarkand churches, held at Saint Alexius Cathedral. The children prepared theatrical sketches, musical performances and poems on the theme of the Bright Feast of Pascha.
After the festival the children were shown a liquid nitrogen science show, and a meal was prepared for the participants and guests of the festival. Everyone was invited to the festive table!
