Moscow, January 4, 2018
Photo: vpmon.ru Yesterday, on the day of the repose of the St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia, Moscow’s Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery prayerfully greeted its main feast day with the celebration of a festive Divine Liturgy, and the first cross procession of the new year, marching through the streets of Moscow.
The monastery was founded by St. Peter, the first metropolitan of Kievan Rus’ to move his see to Moscow, in the 1320s.
Photo: vpmon.ru The solemn Liturgy in the monastery’s St. Sergius Church was headed by Archbishop Theogonost of Sergiev Posad, the Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism and abbot of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, reports the site of Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery. The bishop was assisted by the abbot and brethren of the monastery, as well as a number of clergymen from throughout Moscow.
Following the Divine Liturgy, according to the monastery’s tradition, the gathered faithful headed out through the nearby Moscow streets in a cross procession, with the members of the “Sons of Athos” brotherhood bearing the revered icon of St. Peter of Moscow. Hundreds of faithful Muscovites joined in the annual procession. Banners with icons of St. Peter and the Petrovsky Icon of the Mother of God were carried by the children of the monastery’s Sunday School.
In his archpastoral homily following the procession, Abp. Theognost noted the significance of St. Peter in the establishment of the capital: “St. Peter the Metropolitan of Kiev’s episcopacy was during a difficult period, difficult years, when the Mongols wiped the remnants of the state of Kievan Rus’ from the face of the earth, and the time of troubles began. By the spirit of God and His providence, the metropolitan came here, to the land of Moscow, which at that time was small in comparison with the Tver or Ryzan principalities. But the holy hierarch blessed Moscow to be the capital city.”
Photo: vpmon.ru The festive day then continued with a traditional tea in the monastery courtyard, arranged by the monastery bakery.
