Sviatohirsk Lavra begins special preparation for Holy Intercession Feast

Sviatohirsk Lavra. Photo: svlavra.church.ua

According to tradition, in the days leading up to the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra began a three-day service of prayer with the Akathist to the Mother of God, while the brethren observe a strict fast, as reported by the monastery's press service.

On October 11, following the morning prayers and the midnight office, the brotherhood of the monastery gathered to perform a Paraklesis – a special prayer service to the Mother of God with a canon and Akathist chant – before the miraculous Sviatohirsk icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. At the end of the service, the brothers were anointed with oil from the lamp that burns before the miraculous icon.

On Saturday morning, a prayer service with an Akathist to the Dormition of the Mother of God was performed. On Sunday, during the small vespers, the Akathist to the Most Holy Lady Theotokos, "Most Honorable Abbess of Monastic Communities," will be read. The prayer service will be offered before the icon of the Queen of Heaven, "Abbess of the Holy Mountains".

As is customary, throughout these three days, all the brothers of the monastery observe a strict fast, and on the Feast of the Protection, they will partake in the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Pilgrims of the Sviatohirsk Monastery are also invited to participate.

This tradition was established in the 1990s. According to Metropolitan Arseniy, special spiritual preparation for the feast is necessary to “please the Mother of God, our Constant Intercessor, the Zealous Defender of the Christian people.” “Through this small act of devotion, we prepare ourselves to partake in the greatest mystery of the Church – the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. We partake on the Feast of the Queen of Heaven to revere the Mother of God, to draw closer to Her, and to seek from Her loving motherly heart forgiveness and intercession on our behalf,” the abbot of the Lavra said in one of his sermons.

The Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the patronal feasts of the Sviatohirsk Lavra. The Lavra’s gate church is dedicated in honor of this feast.

As previously reported, celebrations in honor of the Sviatohirsk saints took place at the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

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