The ruling archpastor celebrated the akathist to Venerable Seraphim the Wonderworker of Sarov and the late-morning Divine Liturgy at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery today. Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas presided at the hierarchical services.

The head of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolia arrived to the Diveyevo monastery to congratulate Hegumenia Sergia, the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery, with the 30^th anniversary of her becoming the hegumenia.

Sergey Kirienko, the first deputy of the head of the Administration of President of Russia, the head of the board of trustees on restoration of the Sarov and Diveyevo monasteries, Igor Komarov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in Privolzhsky Federal District, Gleb Nikitin, Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Sergey Obozov, deputy General Director on the development of the production system at the “Rosatom” State Corporation, Igor Barinov, head of the Federal Agency on the matters of ethnic nationalities, Igor Filippov, Director of the “Sarov-Diveyevo cluster development management company” autonomous non-profit organization took part in the service.

During the sermon following the Communion, Rev. Fr. Alexiy Kurnosov of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery said that every Orthodox Christian is called not to be afraid and profess their faith in God.

In today’s reading from the Epistle to the Colossians, Apostle Paul says: “Remember my chains” (Col. 4:18). Fr. Alexiy pointed out that this commandment is addressed to every one of us, the modern Christians; we must remember what price was paid so that we could be the communicants of God to receive the good news that Christ has conquered the world.

To live with God according to His commandments is the consummate choice but the world, the preacher noted, often condemns us and brutally tests our faith. Today’s Gospel message calls us not to be ashamed of our faith, to act as the salt of the earth, and be the light for the world.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Hegumenia Sergia, on behalf of the monastic family, heartily thanked Metropolitan Georgiy for raising his archpastoral prayers today.

With gratitude, matushka Sergia highlighted the work of Vladyka Georgiy at the restoration of life at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery he carried out during the previous eighteen years. Hegumenia Sergia wished him that the Lord, through the prayers of the Superior of the Diveyevo monastery, the Most Holy Mother of God, and all the saints of Diveyevo gives strength in the future to carry out his lofty service and presented a large prosphora and the “Hegumenia of Diveyevo” Icon of the Mother of God. “The Most Holy Mother of God, – remarked matushka Sergia, – called you, Your Eminence Vladyka Georgiy, to carry on the labor as the archpastor and She assists you in the restoration of the Diveyevo monastery.”

The head of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolia thanked Hegumenia Sergia for her kind words, prosphora, and the icon and noted that any monk would receive this particular icon of the Mother of God with special joy as She is the patron of all the monastics, but even more so, – stressed Vladyka Georgiy, – of bishops who carry out a special service in the Church and wear Panagia, the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, on their chest on top of the garments.

In his hierarchical address, Metropolitan Georgiy reminded about the monastic deed of Venerable Seraphim, one the most revered saints. Through the prayers of this God-pleasing saint, many Christian souls received consolation and were saved.

In spirit of the Gospel and with the simplicity of his words, Batiushka Seraphim revealed the meaning of Christian life. His conversation with Nikolay Alexandrovich Motovilov stayed as his legacy to every forthcoming generation of Orthodox Christians. The Wonderworker of Sarov tells during this conversation that the aim for every Christian is to acquire the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Everyone, Vladyka Georgiy said, is the vessel of grace of God. Sin corrupted and darkened the pure nature of man. To bring God’s grace back, the faithful should apply the power of prayer but these virtues are only the tool to purify the soul for the grace of the Holy Spirit to settle there. The Lord vouchsafed Venerable Seraphim to have this grace that “heals the infirm and replenishes the impoverished.” He had a revelation that the time would come when the Russian people turn away from God, and the godless people would destroy the churches killing the priests. Batiushka Seraphim held a prayer vigil standing on the stone for thousand days and nights for the Russian land so that the mercy of the Lord doesn’t leave it. In consolation, Venerable Seraphim said that these times of hardship and the trials of faith would not last forever. So here we are today, joyfully noted Vladyka Georgiy, taking part in the restoration of the holy monasteries in Sarov and Diveyevo, where the faithful flock in the never-ending stream to receive the gift of healing of their souls.