A Report from Orthodox France: Lesna Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God celebrated its patronal feast day

On Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1, the Lesna convent celebrated its patronal feast day – in honor of the Lesna miraculous icon. The All-Night Vigil and Liturgy were led by His Eminence Nektarios, a bishop of the Serbian True Orthodox Church, in concelebration with His Eminence Sofroniy, an Archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Priests from different countries took part in the festive services: Archimandrite Efimy, spiritual confessor of the monastery, Archpriest Alexei Lebedev, Priest Oleg Gramachi, Hieromonk Dimitri and Priest Romarik D’Amico.

The Feast of the Lesna Icon of the Mother of God is always celebrated on the Sunday closest to the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. Thus, the Sunday service combined two major celebrations: the Most Holy Theotokos and the post-celebration of the Exaltation of the Cross. The cross and icon were beautifully decorated with flowers in the center of the church. The women’s choir of the monastery, led by Abbess Mother Euphrosinia, sang very prayerfully. The opening psalm at the All-Night Vigil of Valaam was sung with special beauty and mastery in the canonarch style. The melody was taken and learned from a very old recording.

In the morning, according to custom, on the patronal feast, the choir and clergy meet the bishop at his cell, and “with glory,” that is, with special singing, they lead the bishop into the church. And so Bishops Nektarios and Sofroniy entered the church together to celebrate the Divine Liturgy. The feeling of union and Christian love was evident in the overpacked church. A special solemn mood was given by the concelebration of two bishops, who harmoniously and reverently performed their bishop’s official functions.

Both bishops administered communion to the faithful from two chalices. It was especially touching to see so many children receiving communion. The service ended with a solemn procession around the church with banners (horugvi). “Eternal Memory” was proclaimed by Archimandrite Efimy to the deceased abbesses and clergy of the monastery, and then “Many Years” to all those present. Afterwards the bountiful meal fed more than 200 people. Greetings and congratulations were read out from afar. Among the guests were three nuns from Bulgaria.