Today the Russian Orthodox Church remembers the repose of Venerable Saint Sergius of Radonezh the Wonderworker of All Rus.

“Like a radiant luminary, he shone in the land of Rus amid darkness and gloom,” wrote Ven. Epiphanius the Wise, the scholar and the monk of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra about Venerable St. Sergius of Radonezh, his spiritual father. Epiphanius was the author of the first-ever hagiography of the Wonderworker of Radonezh.

The Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery held an early-morning Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral’s side altar to the Vision of the Mother of God to Ven. Sergius of Radonezh.

After the ceremony of Panagia, the sisters met at church one more time to read the akathist to Venerable Saint Sergius asking his help in their monastic endeavors, as Holy Hegumen from Radonezh is justly known to be “the strength of monastics.”

The connection linking Venerable Sts. Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov, the two saints so beloved in Russia, stays strong thanks to Matushka Sergiya. Seraphim of Sarov is the spiritual successor of Sergius of Radonezh. Venerable Sergius founded the monastery of the Holy Trinity. Venerable Seraphim established a women’s Diveyevo community located far from the large cities but he prophesied that it will grow to the size of lavra named after Trinity akin to the one founded by Venerable Sergius.

The disciples of Venerable Sergius founded a great number of cenobitic monasteries. Through the works and prayers of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, many cenobitic monasteries for women were founded. Venerable Seraphim loved and honored Venerable Saint Sergius of Radonezh. By the holy elder of Sarov’s request, an enameled icon of Venerable Sergius was placed in his tomb.

Hegumenia Sergiya, the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery, celebrated her name day on the day of remembrance of Venerable Sergius. After late-hour liturgy at the Trinity Cathedral, the sisters met for the prayer of thanksgiving service that concluded with the singing of many years to Matushka Sergiya.

On the day of the feast, Hegumenia Serigya prayed at the Sergiyevsky skete of the Diveyevo monastery in the settlement of Vyezdnoye. There were the services of Lesser Vespers with the akathist, Vigil, the prayer canon to the Most Holy Mother of God with the blessing of water, and Divine Liturgy. Following it, the clergy, Hegumenia Serigya, and sisters went in the procession with the cross around the church.

The Sergiyevsky skete is located in the settlement of Vyezdnoye near Arzamas.  The skete received its name after the church dedicated to Venerable Saint Sergius of Radonezh.