On May 24th of this year we celebrated great holy day of the Ascension of our Lord. Our Rector, priest Igor Tarasov served solemn Divine Liturgy at St. George’s Church.
After the reading of the Gospel Fr. Igor preached a homily. He reminded that this year feast of the Ascension falls on the day of St. Cyril and Methodius, the Enlighteners of the Slavs. It is the name day of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill. The mission of the two holy and Equal to the Apostles brothers was very important for the Slavic people who received the translation of the Scripture and main liturgical books in their language.
Further, Fr. Igor preached about the Ascension of the Lord. He noted that Ascension could be viewed as a sad event because the Lord is leaving His Disciples. But the feast is, in fact, very joyful. There are at least, three reasons for that. First, the Lord does not leave the Apostles as orphans. He promises to send the Holy Spirit. That promise was fulfilled in 9 days. Secondly, we should be glad for the Lord who accomplished His mission of Redemption and now is returning to His Father, to be in heaven, at the right hand of God. Jesus goes where He was from the beginning. And thirdly, He goes to heaven to prepare there a place for us. “Thus, having a place reserved for us in heaven, let us try to collect for ourselves treasures in heaven, not on earth”, – said Fr. Igor.
At the end of the Liturgy the Rector proclaimed the Polychronion (singing of “Many years”) to His Holiness, Kirill, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’.