On the Feast of the Intercession of the Theotokos, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy at St. John the Theologian Cathedral in the city of Rudny

October 14, 2024 – Feast of the Intercession of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

 

The Feast of the Intercession of the Theotokos was established in Russia during the reign of the righteous Prince Andrey Yurievich Bogolyubsky. The basis for the feast was the miracle of the year 910, described in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ of Constantinople. When pagan barbarians besieged Constantinople, the city’s inhabitants gathered in the Blachernae Church to pray to God for protection from their enemies. During the service, the Theotokos miraculously appeared and, as a sign of her protection over the city, spread her veil – her omophorion – over the faithful. Through the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, the city was saved, and the enemies fled in fear from the walls of Constantinople.

 

In the second main church of the Kostanay Diocese – the St. John the Theologian Cathedral in Rudny – a festive Divine Liturgy was held to mark the occasion of the arrival of the reliquary containing the relics of the blessed Matrona of Moscow.

 

The Liturgy was led by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

 

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Protopriest Evgeny Vorobyov, rector of the Almaty church dedicated to the icon of the Theotokos “Joy of All Who Sorrow”; Hieromonk Gennady (Burduzha), secretary of the Kostanay Diocese; Protopriest Mikhail Pinaev, cleric of the Theophany Church in Rudny; Hegumen Sebastian (Ovsiyenko), rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Arkalyk; Hegumen Maxim (Boykov), head of the missionary department of the Kostanay Diocese; Protopriest Oleg Kalmykov, rector of the Church of St. Righteous John of Kronstadt in Lisakovsk; Protopriest Ioann Trymbach, cleric of the Theophany Church in Rudny; Protopriest Vitaly Kleba, rector of the Archangel Michael Church in Kostanay; Protopriest Vitaly Gutsan, rector of St. Nicholas Church in Kostanay; Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky), head of the metropolitan’s personal secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, head of the administrative secretariat of the Metropolitan District; Priest Andrey Krutin, rector of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Theotokos in Zatobolsk; and other clergy of the Kostanay Diocese. Also assisting were Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Deacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Eliazar Aitbakin, and Deacon Ioann Churkin.

 

The choir of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Kostanay, directed by T. Zhebrak, sang during the service.

 

After the communion hymn, Priest Georgy Sidorov read Metropolitan Alexander’s address on the occasion of the arrival of the relics of the blessed Matrona of Moscow in Kazakhstan.

 

Following the Liturgy, a prayer of glorification to the Theotokos and the blessed Matrona of Moscow was offered in front of the reliquary.

 

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and faithful on the great feast of the Intercession of the Queen of Heaven and the God-given opportunity to offer prayers before the revered relics of the blessed Matrona of Moscow.

 

The Metropolitan sprinkled the numerous faithful with holy water and delivered a homily.

 

After the service, veneration of the relics of the blessed Matrona of Moscow began. Many residents and visitors of Rudny, as well as a large number of pilgrims from nearby towns and villages, gathered to offer prayers to the great saint.

 

“In the life of the Church of Christ, in the historical destinies of countries and peoples, in the lives of the holy God-pleasers, and in the life of every believer, we can see the saving power of the Most Holy Theotokos. Chosen from among all people, she became the Mother of the Savior and forever remains a source of divine gifts for the whole universe. St. Gregory the Theologian says: ‘To each of the chosen is given grace in part, but to the Virgin, the fullness of grace.’ As we celebrate and glorify the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, offering prayers and lighting candles, we must remember that our best praise to the Theotokos is living according to the Gospel commandments. ‘Whatever He says to you, do it’ (John 2:5), the Mother of the Savior said at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, addressing the participants of the wedding feast. She says these words to each of us, calling us to listen to the Lord Jesus Christ and follow His commands. St. John of Damascus reminds us that the Theotokos ‘grieves over all evil and rejoices over all virtue, as her own gift.’ She, being not only the Mother of Christ but also His faithful disciple, expects us to hear the word of God and keep it (Luke 11:28).” – from the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.