On the Feast Day of the Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign"
10 December 2023 of the year, on the 27th Sunday after Pentecost, Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God, called "The Sign", Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk and Bishop Paisius of Zheleznogorsk and Lgov, co-served by the clergy of the Metropolia, celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign in. Kursk.
On the eve of the patronal feast, the bishops celebrated all-night vigil in the cathedral. Hundreds of Kursk believers prayed at the services. During Liturgy, Vladyka Herman ordained a student to the diaconate 4 course of the Kursk Theological Seminary of Daniil Medvedev. Upon completion of Liturgy, a moleben was served to the Most Holy Theotokos before the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign".
The head of the metropolis cordially congratulated the clergy and all the faithful on the cathedral's patronal feast day, wishing everyone the help of the Most Holy Theotokos and spiritual strength. The archpastor delivered a sermon at the Sunday Gospel reading and spoke about the history of the discovery and veneration of the Novgorod Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign", now kept in St. Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod, as well as the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign". Bishop Herman recalled the creation and revival of the majestic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign, Its founders, builders – about Archimandrite Palladius (Belevtseve), about the re-creator – the ever-memorable Schema-Metropolitan Juvenaly (Tarasov), and expressed hope, that the cathedral will be completely recreated and will take on its original appearance. At the end of his sermon, Metropolitan German noted: "We love and revere the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God 'of the Sign', and a large number of people bear witness to this, who came to the cathedral yesterday for the All-Night Vigil and today for the Divine Liturgy, to offer prayers to the Most Blessed Mother of Light and Intercessor of Christians, to which we, after the Lord, Pinning Your Hopes. May she continue to show us signs of her mercy, Let it protect us, as in ancient times, from the invasion of foreigners, from all sorts of misfortunes. May She bow to the mercy of the Lord with Her prayers, so that the longed-for peace will come and human suffering will cease, so that our country and our border region are safe. I wish you God's help and the intercession of the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos!»
Bishop Paisius of Zheleznogorsk and Lgov also congratulated Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk and all the faithful on the feast of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God. On behalf of the Governor and the Government of the Kursk Region. Shapovalov, Head of the Main Department for Public Projects and Interaction with Civil Society Institutions of the Ministry of Internal and Youth Policy of the Kursk Region, congratulated the clergy and Kursk residents on the feast.
With the blessing of Metropolitan Herman, the abbot of the monastery, Hegumen Seraphim, took part in the celebration (Kotelnikov).
Source: website of the Diocese of Kursk
