On March 24, Metropolitan Georgiy tonsured two sisters into Small Schema in the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery’s Trinity Cathedral. They made a vow of obedience, chastity, and poverty. According to tradition, the tonsure was conducted in a darkened church illuminated by lit candles.

The archpastor presented the newly tonsured nuns to Hegumenia Sergiya, their spiritual mother, and offered his archpastoral advice. His Eminence Georgiy said: “Dear sisters, do not assume that after tonsure you will live free of temptation. Whoever was given a lot will be tested a lot. You have received a great spiritual gift and you should not lay it to waste. It is important that you must never let the physical desires influence your spiritual life. The worldly cares should never eclipse the heavenly aspirations. I wish you that your thoughts, words, and actions should always be about Christ and spiritual life. Why doesn’t it work as times? It isn’t so due to our self-indulgence, carelessness, and complacency. Every monastic should be able to live in obedience. If you do not have a blessing to do something, you mustn’t do it or desire to have it. If you own something and there is no blessing for it, it means that you attached yourself to earthly life. Then, all of a sudden you have a hard time praying, the services become annoying, or you will suffer from a headache when it is time to have a confession. Gradually, your spiritual life fades away. Dear sisters, remember that in our life the spiritual things should always be above our earthly cares.”

The sisters retained their previous monastic names of Christina and Ephraima and the former heavenly patrons.

According to the Typikon, the newly tonsured nuns will remain in church for three days spending time in prayer and contemplation partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ at every liturgy.