Fifth Sunday after Easter: the Samaritan Woman.

“Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink” (Jn. 4:6-7). The Samaritan woman became filled with confusion and doubt of a purely worldly nature: How could He, a Jew, ask to drink from her, a Samaritan? The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. And even more, He said that if she knew Who He was, then she herself would ask drink from Him, and He would give her Living Water. How could He give her something to drink? Why, He didn’t even have anything to draw water with, and the well was deep.

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Second Sunday of Easter: Thomas’s Sunday.

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe (Jn. 20:24-25).

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Novo-Diveevo is closed to visitors until further notice.

Христос Воскресе! / Christ has Risen!

Dear brothers and sisters,

We remind everyone that restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic are still in effect in Novo-Diveevo. The cathedral, small church, adult home, cemetery and the entire territory of the convent will continue to be closed to visitors until further notice. Subsequently, all events and visitations on Radonitsa are cancelled and entry into to the convent is also restricted.

We are looking forward toward an ease of the restrictions that we are hoping will come into effect in another several weeks. In the meantime, we continue to serve the full cycle of services and pray for all of you. Here you can submit a prayer request, including for Radonitsa: http://novo-diveevo.org/prayer-request-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%83

Great and Holy Friday: Sermon before the Shroud.

“Say ye, His disciples…stole Him away.” So said the high priests to the soldiers when they notified them of what had happened in the tomb. Starting in verse 12 of the 28th chapter of Matthew, it says: “And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money and did as they were taught; and this story has been spread [and is being spread] among the Jews to this day” … to this day … to this day. And over Jewish life fell darkness, malice, deviousness — darkness.

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Palm Sunday. Sermon by Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

Brothers and sisters! So the Holy Church indicates for us spiritual spring. Winter is over. Ended is the state in which our heart was like ice, as if dead in languor, thirsting for Grace. And now, during the past six weeks the sun has been warming us more and more, and nature has gradually started to come back to life. And so our heart too should have come back to life.

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Fifth Sunday: St. Mary of Egypt.

“This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting (Mk. 9:29). So if you will remember, last Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Great Lent, the Gospel proclaimed to us: “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” What is “this kind’?

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Blessing and Unveiling of the Venerable St. Seraphim of Sarov Monument

Sunday, June 3rd at approximately 12:30 pm (following the Liturgy and procession around the convent)

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, together with Bishop Nicholas, the blessing of the monument of St. Seraphim of Sarov will take place after the liturgy and procession around the convent on Sunday, June 3rd. Following the blessing will be a trapeza at the reception hall next to the cathedral.

On this Sunday of All Saints the church commemorates Sts. Constantine and Helena and the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. This holiday is of special significance to Novo-Diveevo. The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was presented as a gift to our founder, Archbishop Andrei from the Elder Nektarios of the Optina monastery. To mark this special day, Vladika Andrei began a tradition of taking the icon on a procession around the entire convent grounds.