“Today, the Church opens up its heart and receives a bounty of God’s grace as the monastery, chosen by the Most Holy Theotokos, rejoices and celebrates the memory of the great assembly of its saints who sing triumphantly in heavenly Diveyevo and intercede for our souls,” today we sing at the troparion to the Synaxis of Diveyevo saints.

Festive Vigil services on the eve of the feast at the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery were held at the Trinity Cathedral and the side altar of the Dormition church dedicated to the Synaxis of Diveyevo saints.

The memory of the saints of Diveyevo was marked by the archpastoral service at the Trinity Cathedral where Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas presided at the Matins service.

“I congratulate everyone with the day of remembrance of the Diveyevo saints,” said the head of the Nizhny Novgorod’s Diocese in his homily at the end of the service. “They represent a great host of pious ascetics. They left us a remarkable example of obedience, reverence, and prayer. Let us pray to these God-pleasing saints so that we may also become the communicants of the Holy Spirit. All saints of Diveyevo, pray to God for us! Happy feast to everyone!”

The Synaxis of Diveyevo saints includes the Holy Hieromartyr Seraphim (Chichagov), the author of «Chronicle of Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery;» Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, our ever-rejoicing and consoling elder; Venerable Alexandra, Martha, and Elena, with their commitment to serve others; the blessed ones Pelagia, Paraskevi, and Maria, called to save the souls of monastics from the assaults of the enemy of mankind; and, imbued with the Christian faith, the holy martyrs and new martyrs of Diveyevo. They dwell in the Heavenly Kingdom and busy themselves by actively helping us in our earthly sojourn. They were humans and, like us, fragile, subjected to challenges and temptations, faltering, at times, in their beliefs… As the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov said, determination was the only difference between them and us. They were unstoppable in their battle, to the last breath, and remained steadfast to everything that was most pure, sacred, and noble in themselves and their fellow men.