Celebration of the Cathedral of Radonezh Saints (19/07)

The history of the establishment of the Council of Radonezh Saints dates back to the mid-17th century. It was at that time that the first lists of the disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh were restored, and a prayer service was printed on the «Canon by the Venerable and God-bearing father to our abbot Sergius and his student Nikon, miracle workers». The painting of the icon of the Cathedral of Radonezh Saints dates back to approximately the same time.

Subsequent events in the establishment of the Cathedral of Radonezh Saints are associated with the name of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow. In 1843, the abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Anthony, with the blessing and under the supervision of Metropolitan Philaret, set up a dormitory department of the Lavra — Gethsemane Skete.

In 1853, a refectory church was consecrated in the monastery in the name of St. Sergius and Nikon of Radonezh. For the summer holiday of the discovery of the relics of St. Sergius (July 18, new style), «Service was compiled by the Venerable Father to our Sergius and Nikon, the Radonezh miracle workers. In their temple, in the hermitage of Gethsemane».

Over the course of the 14th-20th centuries, the Pateric of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was formed, which includes more than seventy-five saints of God, including relatives, disciples and interlocutors of St. Sergius, holy monks of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

On June 11, 1981, the abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Hieronymus, consecrated a new chapel in honor of the Cathedral of Radonezh Saints, built in the northern part of the temple in honor of All Saints who shone in Russian land, which is under the Assumption Cathedral of the monastery.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Rus', the celebration of the Cathedral of Radonezh Saints was established the day after the holiday in honor of the Finding of the Relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh — on July 19.

On July 19, 1981, the solemn celebration of the Cathedral of Radonezh Saints was held for the first time.

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