The springtime feast of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian is the patronal feast of the Arzamas Metochion of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. The right side chapel of the Smolensk Icon Church is consecrated to the “apostle of love.” On the eve and the feast day itself, Archpriest Vladimir Sidorin of the monastery celebrated the All-Night Vigil, the paraklesis with water blessing prayer service and the Divine Liturgy there. The festive services concluded with the procession with the cross around the church and the Ceremony of Lifting of the Panagia.

Today we are offering our prayers to the most-glorious messenger of peace and love asking him that he fosters for God and neighbor in our hearts and helps us to fulfill the admonition he left for us: “My little children, let us not love not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).