Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Solntsevo
Russian Orthodox Monk Sergius of Radonezh was an outstanding spiritual ascetic, abbot of the Russian Church, collector and mentor of the Russian people, founder of many monasteries, including the Holy Trinity Monastery near Moscow (now the Trinity-Sergius Lavra). He was born around 1314 in the family of the Rostov boyars Cyril and Maria, he was baptized with the name Bartholomew. Since childhood, he was drawn to knowledge, but had difficulty learning. According to legend, while searching for lost horses, he met an elder in the field, praying under an oak tree. After telling him about his difficulties, Bartholomew received a blessing and heard that God would now grant him the ability to read and write. After this meeting, he easily mastered reading and diligently studied spiritual books. In 1328, his family moved to Radonezh, where his future monastic name came from. In 1337, having chosen the path of monasticism, he and his brother Stefan retired to the forest on Makovets hill, where they built a small wooden church in the name of the Holy Trinity. This event became the starting point for the creation of a great spiritual monastery, the Trinity Sergius Monastery, which soon attracted many monks and pilgrims. Sergius became not only a spiritual mentor, but also a reformer of monastic life, laying the foundations of the cenobitic rule, which later spread throughout Russia. His students founded dozens of monasteries, contributing to the spread of the Orthodox faith and the unification of Russian lands. St. Sergius played a key role in the fate of Russia, giving Prince Dmitry Donskoy his blessing in 1380 before the Battle of Kulikovo, strengthening his spirit and warriors in the fight against the Tatar-Mongol yoke. This act made Sergius a symbol of spiritual unity and national resistance. Russian Orthodox Church canonized him for his ascetic life and he is revered as a defender of the Russian land, mentor of monastics, patron saint of warriors and a special helper to children in education. Today, his legacy continues to inspire believers, and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra remains the spiritual centre of Russia. In Moscow, at possession 50, Bogdanova Street is the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Solntsevo. In 2008, the church was laid. The minor consecration and the first Liturgy in the lower church were celebrated on November 14, 2010, and in the upper church on January 6, 2013. In 2020, the church was completed.
Address: Moscow, Bogdanova St., 21
