Morning of Great Friday. 12 Passion Gospels.

      On April 9, the seminary church held the Morning Service of Great Friday with the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels. The service was conducted by the rector of the Kazan Spiritual Seminary, Priest Nikita Kuznetsov; acting vice-rector for academic affairs, Priest Ioann Kulikov; and Deacon Ioann Krasnopyorov. This is a very poignant, deep service during which we hear the Gospel narratives about the Passion of Christ, as told by all four apostolic evangelists. Being at the Morning Service of Great Friday, we seem to exist outside of time and relive the most tragic events in human history: betrayal, arrest, unjust trial, and the Crucifixion of the Savior. The 4th Antiphon of Great Friday: Today Judas leaves the Teacher and accepts the devil, blinded by the passion of greed, falling away from the Light, darkened: how could he see, having sold the Light for thirty pieces of silver? But for us, He who suffered for the world has shone. To Him we cry out: suffering and compassionate for mankind, Lord, glory to You.