On Holy Wednesday, Hegumen Seraphim (Dubrovsky), the clergyman of the monastery, celebrated this year’s last Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts in the Trinity Cathedral of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery.

The Gospel reading during the liturgy glorifies the act of a harlot who poured precious myrrh on the head of the Savior and by so doing has prepared Him for burial. The reading concludes with the story of Judas who went to the chief priests and said: “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” After being offered the thirty pieces of silver, he was looking from that time onwards an opportunity to betray his teacher.

At today’s Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts, as we recited “Lord and Master of my life,” the prayer of Venerable Ephraim the Syrian, we made final prostrations of this year. This prayerful lament was with us from Wednesday of Cheesefare Sunday through the whole of Great Lent. We cease to perform prostrations until the Feast of the Holy Trinity, except when we prostrate before the Shroud on Holy and Great Friday and Great Saturday.