A Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God at SIZO-2 of the State Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the City of Moscow (Butyrskaya Prison), attended by prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment.
The service was celebrated by Acting Chairman of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry, Priest Kirill Markovsky, accompanied by Priest Florentiy Aleksandrov, Assistant Head of the State Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Moscow, and Priest Nikolai Klementiev, Assistant Head of SIZO-2 for Work with the Faithful.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Priest Nikolai Klementiev.
Pokrovsky church in pre-trial detention center-2 is the only prison church in Russia, which regularly celebrates Liturgy for those sentenced to life imprisonment. The tradition of such services was formed through close cooperation between the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry, the State Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Moscow and the administration of Detention Center No. 2.
The Liturgy, in compliance with the norms of current legislation and ensuring all security measures, was attended by the staff of the Special Purpose Department of the GUFSIN of Russia in Moscow, headed by its head Boris Nikolaev, representatives of the management and staff of SIZO-2, Orthodox volunteers from among the laity, singers of the church choir, and seven prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment.
For some life prisoners, this is the first and possibly last Liturgy of their lives, according to Priest Kirill Markovsky. Where they will serve their sentences, there are only prayer rooms where the priest can confess and give communion. Those sentenced to life imprisonment have no opportunity to attend the Liturgy, including for security reasons; it is impossible for them to participate in mass events. Meanwhile, it is those sentenced to life imprisonment, deprived of all earthly goods, with little hope of ever being free, who are most in need of spiritual help.
«It is our pastoral duty to help even those who have committed terrible crimes to find faith and come to repentance, especially since these people often turn to us for help. I know convicts who have really deeply repented of what they have done, live a spiritual life and bring the fruits of repentance to the Lord during the 20 and even 30 years of their life sentence. They conscientiously work at production in correctional institutions (for convicts of this category is organized, as a rule, sewing production) and have encouragements from the management. Yes, they may never go free again, but we must help them find freedom in the Father Kirill said.
All the convicts on that day confessed and received Holy Communion. Some of them did it for the first time in their lives. Correctional officers present at the Liturgy noted the special reverence of the inmates and their concentration on the divine service.
At the end of the Liturgy, Priest Kirill addressed the inmates with a pastoral word: «All of you have a very long trial ahead of you. But if you stay with God, you will be able to overcome everything. And to be with God, we should fight against everything that separates us from Him: hatred in our hearts, impure thoughts, pride, bad words, murmuring, evil deeds and laziness. Then the Lord will not leave you without His consolations. "The kingdom of God is within you," — Christ said (Luke 17:21). If a person has paradise in his soul, even if he is going through a difficult period of life, he will not be discouraged. Seek God in every day of your life, trusting Him with your tomorrow and all your future».
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At the end of the Liturgy, Fr. Kirill presented each convict with his book «The Prison Trial and How to Overcome It. To help prisoners and their relatives».
The inmates, in turn, thanked the clergy and staff for the opportunity to attend the church service. They also expressed a special appreciation to the church choir for their performance of liturgical hymns.
Convicts of this category are staying in remand prison No. 2 temporarily, soon they will be sent to specialized correctional institutions to serve life sentences.
Synodal Department for Prison Ministry/Patriarchy.ru
