St. Petersburg’s first church of St. Xenia celebrates first patronal feast day

St. Petersburg, February 10, 2020

Photo: foma.ru Photo: foma.ru     

The Orthodox Church celebrates the greatly beloved St. Xenia of St. Petersburg on February 6, and it was an especially joyous feast for her native city this year.

The city’s first church dedicated to its most venerated saint was consecrated on June 6, thus it celebrated its first patronal feast day of St. Xenia this year. The church stands on the site where it is believed St. Xenia lived with her husband. The All-Night Vigil for the feast was celebrated the evening before by His Eminence Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, reports the Metropolis of St. Petersburg.

Photo: foma.ru Photo: foma.ru     

“Six months ago, we consecrated this wonderful church dedicated to Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg,” Met. Barsanuphius said in his sermon. “Today she gathered us for her feast day. We have come to her with requests. First of all, that she would pray to God for us. If she entreated for Petersburgians during her life in this city, now, being in Heaven, she intercedes for everyone, especially for those who venerate her, remember her in their cells and home prayers, come to the Smolensk cemetery to the chapel, and who now come to this church.”

There were about 400 people present at the anointing in Vigil, the hierarch noted.

“She loved the poverty of Christ and by humility acquired the grace of God. We often do not realize what ‘the poverty of Christ’ is, but the Savior says: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 5:3). ‘The poverty of Christ’ is the realization of one's own sinfulness,” Met. Barsanuphius preached.

Photo: foma.ru Photo: foma.ru     

“But man has fallen so that he does not see his sins. So human nature today is amazed that we see the sins of other people, but we do not notice our own. As blind people, we do not see our sins, we have nothing to repent of, and we do not need Christ. But blessed is the one who sees his sins. This is higher than miracle working… It is difficult to imagine the humility of Blessed Xenia… We can’t do anything without humility,” said the Russian hierarch.

“Let us imitate the blessed Xenia, acquiring spiritual poverty and humility. This is enough for salvation,” he concluded.

All of the faithful were given wooden crosses brought by His Eminence from Jerusalem.

Photo: foma.ru Photo: foma.ru     

The community of the Church of St. Xenia was registered in 2002, and the construction of the church was initiated by a society for disabled people in the Petrograd District. The church is equipped with ramps and an elevator.

The society for disabled people originated at the Optina Podvoriye in St. Petersburg, and today includes 2,500 people, ranging from ages 7 to 100, with various disabilities, including blindness, deafness, and mental illness. 80% of the members are elderly.

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2/10/2020

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