On the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of Venerable Mary of Egypt, Metropolitan Vladimir presided the celebration of Divine Liturgy in the Nativity of the Lord Cathedral in Chisinau.
Archpriest Vadim Cheibas, Metropolitan Secretary and Cathedral Dean, assisted the arch-pastor during the service, together with a group of priests and deacons from the holy place.
Liturgical Responses during the service were provided by the Cathedral Choir conducted by Angela Angheni.
The spiritual journey through Great Lent marks this Sunday the ascetic significance of the second part of the Lent of the Forsaken – it shows how wonderful the fruits of repentance are, as a troparion from the feast’s canon says: “In thee, O Mother, was carefully preserved what is according to the Image. For thou didst take the Cross and follow Christ. By so doing thou didst teach us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away, but to care for the soul as an immortal thing. Therefore, St. Mary, thy spirit rejoices with the Angels”.
Venerable Mary of Egypt – one of the most renown saints of the Church, one of the saints who adorn the sky of our faith, through her life which is a model of deep repentance after serious sins. Our Lady Mary of Egypt (344 – 422) was a desert dweller from the second half of the 4th century and the first half of the 5th century who repented after a life full of grave sins.
She became an example of repentance, like Manasseh, Zacchaeus, David, the villain on the cross or the prodigal son. Mary of Egypt reposed in 422 in a noteworthy way. The Life of the Holy Pious Mary of Egypt is good reading for every individual soul who wants to know how the grace of God and the mercy of the Almighty work in the man who wants to straighten up and get out of the slavery of sin. Therefore, she proves that every sinner has the possibility of returning to God, that is, of repentance and holiness. She remains for everyone a model of rising from sin through humility.
After the Lord’s Prayer, communion with the Holy Sacraments – the Body and Blood of Christ – took place.
Next Sunday, the Orthodox Church will be on the 6th Sunday of Great Lent – Palm Sunday – The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, one of the 12 Great Feasts of the Church.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations