Homily for the Second Sunday After Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily for the Second Sunday After Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1964)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Beloved in Christ! Today the Orthodox Church solemnly celebrates the bright memory of all the saints who shone forth in the Russian land, glorified by God for their God-pleasing deeds and holy life. These are the firstborn of the Orthodox Russian people, redeemed by the priceless Blood of Christ and sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, brought to God the Father by Jesus Christ. These are the blessed fruits of the holy Orthodox faith, Christianity, planted among our Russian people.

Remember what our Fatherland was before the adoption of Christianity? A wild, barbaric country where human sacrifices were made to idols, where life was spent in wars, debauchery, cruelty and violence. But as soon as the ray of Christian faith shone in Russia, the life of the people was immediately reborn. From a cruel, depraved pagan people, under the influence of the Christian faith, our people became a meek people, distinguished by a rare kindness of soul, simplicity of faith, devotion to Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, such devotion that for the Orthodox faith, Russian people were always ready not to spare even their own lives.

And so, in the midst of this enlightened faith of our Orthodox people, a multitude of God's servants has been nurtured and glorified: the venerables, the martyrs, the hierarchs, the holy women, the holy fools for Christ's sake, so that there is not a single corner in Russia, not a major city, that does not have within its bounds luminaries and intercessors for the Russian Land. The light of the Christian faith, kindled on the hills of Kiev, has borne abundant fruits in the form of the venerable fathers of the Kiev Caves Lavra. Our southern region is abundant with saints, where seven holy martyrs of Kherson have etched their fidelity to Christ through their martyrdom. In the north of our country, who does not know of the glorified saints such as the Venerable Zosima and Savvaty of Solovki, and Herman and Sergius of Valaam, the miracle workers? Within the territories of Novgorod and Vologda, who is unaware of the deeds of the venerable fathers Cyril of Belozersk, Cyril of Novozybkov, Nil of Sora, and Therapont of Mozhaisk, among many others?

Ryazan is adorned by its acclaimed Saints, Basil of Ryazan, and the martyr Roman. Pereslavl has as its luminaries the Venerable Daniel and Nikita of Pereslavl. Moscow has its patrons and intercessors in the persons of its high priests – Peter, Alexius, Jonah, Philip, and Hermogenes. The cities of Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Vologda, Kazan, Astrakhan, Murom, and Rostov, as well as Vladimir, all have their guardians and intercessors before the Throne of God. Even far-off Siberia shines with such luminaries as, for instance, Innocent and Sophronius of Irkutsk, Simeon of Verkhoturye, and John of Tobolsk.

The Orthodox faith has nurtured great Russian saints such as Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, who labored in the Tambov forests, Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, the Holy Hierarchs Joasaph of Belgorod and Tikhon of Voronezh. The names of these servants of God are dear not only to Orthodox Russians, but they are also lovingly honored far beyond the borders of our country. Our Fatherland is rich in intercessors, glorified saints, numbering over four hundred. And how many ascetics, pleasing to God, whose names are unknown to us! The number of saints has particularly increased in recent times, when, for the faith in Christ, for the confession of the word of God, the faithful sons of the Orthodox Church, through their steadfastness and courage, have triumphed over the devil and, in doing so, have been granted heavenly crowns and blessed eternal life.

Dear brothers and sisters, having such a great multitude of saints who have shone forth in our Russian land, you and I must rejoice and be comforted that we are not alone, but have in Heaven our elder brethren, our patrons and intercessors, who see all our needs and hear all our prayers and sighs.

Let us turn to them today with fervent prayer for the Russian Land and for the salvation of our souls, so that they may with their prayers ask for God's mercy and grace for us: All saints of our land, pray to God for us! Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.