The Day of Hegumenia was solemnly celebrated at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. The celebration of this day began exactly thirty years ago in 1991 when Metropolitan Nikolay (Kutepov) of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas of late memory elevated nun Sergia (Konkova) to the rank of hegumenia of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery.

The Day of Hegumenia is, above all, about giving honors to The Most Holy Mother of God, the Superior Hegumenia of Diveyevo. The Queen of Heaven promised to be Hegumenia Herself in this monastery and effuse it with Her mercy and grace bestowed over Her other three lots: Iveron, Mount Athos, and Kiev. Venerable Seraphim of Sarov used to tell the sisters: “The Mother of God is your only Sovereign Lady, She gathered all of you, choosing and selecting one by one, She is your Only Hegumenia, the Supreme Hegumenia forever, while your earthly hegumenia is solely the abbess of the Sovereign Lady who executes Her will. That’s why it doesn’t pertain to anyone else to handle the affairs here! You are the domain of the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven Herself.”

From the day of elevation to the rank of hegumenia, Matushka Sergia continuously carries out the labor to renovate and beautify the Diveyevo monastery; she was distinguished by church and state awards for her work.

On the eve of this day, the Akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God as the Hegumenia of holy monasteries was served at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery, that’s why today’s feast icon is the “Hegumenia of Diveyevo” Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God. The same icon was carried at the head of the festive procession as Matushka Hegumenia Sergia with sisters proceeded along the Holy Kanavka.

On the festive day, two Divine Liturgy services were held at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. The late morning liturgy was celebrated by the archparstor at the Trinity Cathedral. Metropolitan Kirill (Pokrovsky) of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk presided at the service.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Hegumenia Sergia, the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery, on behalf of the monastic family, thanked Metropolitan Kirill for presiding at the hierarchical service that adorned today’s feast in honor of the 30^th anniversary of the restoration of monastic life in the Diveyevo monastery. Matushka Sergia noted with grateful remembrance the work carried out by Vladyka Kirill as he was among the first restorers of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. Hegumenia Sergia wished that the Lord, through the prayers of the Most Holy Mother of God and all the saints of Diveyevo strengthened Vladyka Kirill as he continues to carry out his labors and presented large prosphora and the“Hegumenia of Diveyevo” Icon of the Mother of God with the soil from the Holy Kanavka encased in it.

The head of the Stavropol Metropolia wholeheartedly thanked Hegumenia Sergia, the clergy, the sisters of the monastery and all those who prayed at the church today with the 30^th anniversary of the restoration of life in the Diveyevo monastery. “The Holy Church blessed you, matushka hegumenia, to labor at the fourth lot of the Most Holy Mother of God and your service is the worthy answer to that confidence the Church has in you,” said Metropolitan Kirill addressing the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery.

His Eminence stressed that these thirty years were filled with exceptional effort of prayer and monastic labor that matushka shared with the Nizhny Novgorod archpastors. Metropolitan Kirill has remarked that today the Lord and the Queen of Heaven have delivered the former glory back to the renowned Diveyevo monastery and many people lay their hopes and aspirations on the Most Holy Mother of God that, with the help of Her fourth lot, She would grant prosperity to the Orthodox Church and all Russia.