July 18, 2018, the day of the celebration of the finding of the venerable relics of the monk Sergei, hegumen of Radonezh (1422), Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan Theophanes led the rite of the great consecration of the restored Sergius Church in the former St. John the Baptist monastery in the island town of Sviyazhsk and celebrated the divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated Church, the press service of the Tatarstan Metropolitanate.
During the Liturgy His Eminence was assisted by the Governor of the Sviyazhsk Bogoroditse-Uspensky men’s monastery Abbot Symeon (Kulagin), Secretary of the Kazan diocesan administration Archpriest Vladimir Samoilenko, Abbot Bishop monastery in honor of Hieromartyr Cyril of Kazan, Archimandrite Ignatius (Grigoriev), the Dean of the I Kazan district Archpriest Alexy Chubakov, rector of the Kizichesky Vvedensky monastery of Kazan, Archimandrite Pimen (Evanciew), the Governor, Raifa Bogoroditsky monastery, the hegumen Gabriel (rožnov), the Dean of the Zelenodolsk district of the Archpriest Svyatoslav Mirganiev, acting Abbot of the Makariev mens desert ieromonah Gury (Ananiev), the monks in Holy orders.
Among the worshippers at the parish feast, were pilgrims from Ukraine and from Russian regions and settlements of Tatarstan.
Hymns of the Liturgy sung the Episcopal men’s choir under the direction of Denis Rogov.
After reading the Ambon prayer the diocesan Bishop and concelebrated by the clergy sang at the temple of the icon is performed to the Abbot of all Russia.
After the dismissal of the service, the head of Tatarstan Metropolia congratulated the Governor of the monastery, the brethren and believers with the blessing of the ancient Church and addressed the congregation with an archpastoral word:
“Today we are opening a new page in the life of the community. When you climb to the temple, I involuntarily began to tremble soul, because I feel that touching something great: entering the temple and upon entering you see the icon of the Holy Trinity with the upcoming saints Sergius and Nikon, abbots Radonejskiy of all Russia, Wonderworkers. This image was painted in the early seventeenth century.
Under the arches of this temple felt the great prayers uttered here, as in 1604 the Church was consecrated the future Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Hermogenes, then Metropolitan of Kazan and Astrakhan. Making today the rite of consecration, I thought “dear God! The great hierarchs of Kazan! Great Hermogenes, the Savior of Russia! Venerable and God-bearing our father Sergius! We were honored through the ages, to be partakers of this Holy thing, when once outraged when the godless regime, a magnificent Church renovated a wonderful hramostroitelstva through the prayers of the saints of God. In this place stood the Metropolitan Germogen, serving the divine Liturgy. Many here and many prayed for the country and our people”.
It took a lot of time with since departed to the Lord Sergius, but it is in his honor built this temple, one of the first in Kazan. Sergius, standing in the heavens, has become a truly Russian man, and in the fulfillment of the vision of many birds, a phenomenon hegumen of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Chicks of the abode flew here in a newly mastered land…
Now also a century ago, as was the lost Royal family, today the memory of St. Elizabeth and nun Varvara. When restored this monastery, found the remains of people, and that the skull, the hole in his head. There was a prison, was executed here, and we are now standing on the blood of martyrs. Creating churches in Russia, under the throne were placed the relics of the martyrs. On the blood of martyrs is the Church of Christ, the first of which — our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
At the end of the words Metropolitan Feofan thanked the leadership of the Republican Fund “Revival”, Deputy Minister of culture of Tatarstan Svetlana Persova and philanthropist Valeria Sorokina who assisted in the restoration of the monastery.
Then the Archpastor gave the laity their blessing. The holiday ended and shared a fraternal meal.