On November 18, 2024, the day of the election to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne of Saint Tikhon, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, and of the holy fathers of the Local Council of the Church of Russia of 1917-1918, Patriarchal Vicar of the Moscow Metropolis Metropolitan Pavel of Krutitsy and Kolomna, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, led the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal suburb of the Prince Vladimir Church of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Theological Institute and the Orthodox St. Tikhon's University for the Humanities in Moscow.
Moscow Metropolis.
His Eminence was served by: the Rector of the PSTSU, Rector of the Patriarchal Palace Bishop Methodius of Egorievsk; PSTSU alumnus Bishop Anthony of Volgodonsk and Salsky; President of the PSTSU protopriest Vladimir Vorobyov; rector of the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Church of Russia in Butovo archpriest Kirill Kaleda; rector of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Tolmachy in Moscow, member of the PSTSU Academic Council archpriest Nikolai Sokolov; deputy chairman of the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Church of Russia in Butovo href="http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/65966.html">the Academic Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Valentin Vasechko; faculty, staff, and alumni of PSTSU.
The liturgical chants were performed by the combined choir of PSTSU under the direction of T.I. Koroleva and the male choir of the theological faculty of PSTSU under the direction of Priest Alexei Zaitsev.
The liturgical chants were performed by the combined choir of PSTSU under the direction of Priest Alexei Zaitsev.
After the Litany of Liturgy, a prayer for Holy Russia was offered. The sermon on the Holy Communion verse was delivered by the Dean of the Faculty of History and Philology, Priest Andrei Posternak. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Rector Bishop Methodius ordained Deacon Nikita Ganichev, and also performed the chirothesis of PSTBI students as readers.
At the end of the Liturgy, a glorification was celebrated, after which Metropolitan Pavel addressed the clergy and those praying with an archpastoral word.
At the end of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Pavel addressed the clergy and those praying with an archpastoral word.
As the feast day continued, a solemn act was held, during which the exhibition «Who will separate us from the love of God» dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the confessional death of St. Tikhon was opened.
The exhibition was prepared with the support of the Scientific and Educational Foundation named after St. Patriarch Tikhon and the charitable assistance of «Rosenergoatom» is one of the significant projects implemented on behalf of the Organizing Committee celebrating the 100th anniversary of St. Tikhon's death.
The biographical principle was taken as the basis for the creation of the exposition. The exhibition consists of 15 modules-chapters, each of which tells about one of the periods of St. Tikhon's ministry. The title of the exhibition — «Who will separate us from the love of God» — is a quote from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans (8:35), used by St. Tikhon in his famous epistle: «We call you to suffer with us in the words of the Apostle — "Who shall separate us from the love of God?" ». The Saint spoke about the fact that no suffering and tribulations can separate us from God.
The exhibition is located in the Moscow Diocesan House (now the main building of the PSTSU) in Likhovy Lane, where the All-Russian Local Council of 1917-1918, which elected St. Tikhon to the Patriarchate, took place. A series of excursions is planned. On the basis of the stationary exhibition, the PTSU staff is preparing its mobile version, which in 2025 will be offered for display in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, including schools.
The exhibition was presented at the solemn act by PSTSU professor, Doctor of Theology, Priest Alexander Mazyrin.
Candidate of Theology, Candidate of Philosophy, Priest Sergius Ivanov presented the jubilee publication The book «St. Patriarch Tikhon and the seizure of church valuables in 1922»
On the occasion of the holiday, Metropolitan Pavel presented the university's faculty and staff with Church-wide Patriarchal awards for their hard work for the good of the Church. Bishop Methodius also presented awards to the staff.
The assembly day ended with a festive concert by the university choir.
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Bishop Methodius of Egorievsk:
«The current exhibition — is the result of many years of work by St. Tikhon's University and an illustration of the development of the tradition on which it relies. In the Cathedral Chamber, St. Tikhon was elected to the Patriarchal throne, then it lost its appearance for a long time, was partitioned and divided into several floors and many rooms, partly reflecting by its fate the persecution of the entire Russian Church and its faithful servants. And today we open at this magnificently renovated church an exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the saint's confessional death. Divine services are regularly held here, lectures are given to students, and concerts of spiritual and secular music are held. From here, the voice of the Church is once again carried out to the world through clergy, teachers and lay people. All of this is evidence of a return to the vision that was originally invested in the church. to the Moscow Diocesan House by its founders. Today this ministry continues through the diverse activities of the university. And such a return would be incomplete without honoring the feat of St. Tikhon, research work, education and service in a variety of forms, which are carried out at our university.
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Propriest Vladimir Vorobyov, President of PSTSU:
«The centenary of the death of St. Patriarch Tikhon — a significant date for the Russian Church and the entire Russian people. St. Tikhon was a special chosen one of God, who was sent to our people, our Church in one of the most tragic moments of history. Patriarch Tikhon not only had to endure all the horrors of persecution, imprisonment, interrogation, but was obliged to make decisions concerning the earthly fate of his all-Russian flock. Before his eyes the persecutors tried to destroy the Church of Christ, killed the clergy, deceived the people, announced and implemented the "red terror". Monasteries and temples were closed, relics were mocked, icons were destroyed, sacred vessels were taken away, and many millions of people were killed by famine and civil war. The tragedy of this time we can no longer truly feel and imagine, nor can we appreciate those Inhuman suffering that fell to the share of the Russian people of the first half of the 20th century.
Saint Tikhon was the beloved leader of the faithful church people at the time of their most difficult trials, so the memory of Patriarch Tikhon is sacred to all of us. The veneration of Patriarch Tikhon has become a landmark for us, as it was also during his lifetime during the struggle against the Renewal schism, at a time when staunch churchmen were called "Tikhonovites". And so for us — faithfulness to the exploits of Patriarch Tikhon, to his spiritual testament, which resounds in his messages and his sermons, teaches us faithfulness to Christ in these difficult times.
*** Saint Tikhon — the first Patriarch elected after the 200-year Synodal period. November 18, the day of the Solemn Act of the PSTSU, coincides with the day of St. Tikhon's election to the Patriarchal Throne. Already during his lifetime he was honored as a saint. Many contemporaries pointed out that the scale of the personality and exploits of Patriarch Tikhon, whose ministry fell on the difficult revolutionary years and the first years of persecution, will be truly understood only after the lapse of time.
The study of the feat of St. Tikhon is an important area of research at PSTSU. Over 30 years, the university has published hundreds of scholarly books and articles, dedicated to Patriarch Tikhon and his associates. In addition to the scientific and historical study of the saint's exploits, the PSTSU is working to immortalize his name in other ways: a service and an akathist have been composed, many icons have been written, thematic exhibitions devoted to the history of the Russian Church in the 20th century are held, and excursions are organized.
In 2025 it is planned to install a memorial granite plaque with the icon of Patriarch Tikhon on the facade of the main building of the university. According to the Kolomna Diocese and the PTSU press service Patriarchy.ru
