The feast of the forty martyrs of Sebaste happens during Great Lent, regardless if it is an early or late Pascha. The Canticle to the saints mentions that the passions of the holy martyrs of Sebaste have blessed all of the forty days of Great Lent.

The Church celebrates the saints’ remembrance day with great solemnity. St. Basil the Great wrote homily in praise of the Forty martyrs, while Venerable St. John of Damascus compiled a prayer service. The Lenten rule prohibits serving Divine Liturgy on their day of remembrance, so the Liturgy of Pre-Sanctified Gifts is served instead.

On this day, the Liturgy of Pre-Sanctified Gifts was held at the monastery when all of the sisters partook of the Holy Gifts.

Forty Martyrs of Sebaste’s feast is the Name Day of the late Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod and Arsamas Nicholas (Kutepov), who oversaw re-opening of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. At the end of the Liturgy, Presbyter Sergiy (Yeryskin) and Protodeacon Gregory (Poltavets) of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery served Panikhida memorial service for the repose of the soul of His Grace Nicholas of blessed memory.

Hegumenia Sergiya, the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery, took part in the services at the Nizhny Novgorod’s Savior (Old Fair) Cathedral and the adjacent burial vault of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas. Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arsamas officiated at the services.