On her name day of October 8, Hegumenia Sergiya, the abbess of the Seraphim Diveyevo monastery, went to pray at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. 

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presided over the festive services. Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas was among the concelebrants. 

Addressing the hierarchs, clergy monastics and laity in attendance, His Holiness said in his Primatial word: “I heartily congratulate you, dear Your Eminences, fathers, brothers, and sisters, with the great day for all of us, the day of remembrance of our venerable saint and God-bearing father Sergius, the Hegumen of Radonezh! 

May the Lord, through his intercessory prayers, protect our land and the Church from divisions and schisms and keep us firmly in our unity, while also protect this holy monastery from every evil and assist its monastics on their spiritual path. May the Lord, through his intercession, preserve us and help us walk along our challenging walks of life. May it be so that we are never led away from the main guiding path that brings us closer to God and protects us from any sin and evil. 

I congratulate everyone with the feast!” 

On this day after the Divine Liturgy, a thanksgiving prayer service was served at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery followed by the singing of the “Many years!” to Hegumenia Sergiya who celebrated her Name Day today.  After the Order of the Panagia, everyone came together at church once more to read and sing the Akathist to Venerable Sergius wishing to beseech his help in their monastic life for he is known as a “defender of those who strive in monasticism.”