Church of the Holy Righteous Symeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess in Cheryomushki
In the Orthodox tradition, the event of the Meeting of the Lord is inextricably linked with the figures of two Old Testament righteous individuals-Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess-who became heralds of the New Covenant. The Church venerates them as the last prophets of the Old Testament and the first apostles who were deemed worthy to encounter the incarnate Savior. Saint Simeon, a pious resident of Jerusalem, was one of the translators of the Holy Scriptures into Greek. Tradition holds that when he doubted the words of the Prophet Isaiah about the birth of a Son from a Virgin, he received a revelation from an Angel that he would not die until he witnessed its fulfillment. Righteous Anna, who had reached the age of 84, dedicated her entire life to serving God in the Jerusalem Temple through fasting and prayer, for which she was granted the gift of prophecy. When the Most Holy Theotokos and righteous Joseph brought the Infant Jesus to the Temple, both elders, inspired by the Holy Spirit, came there as well. Simeon received the long-awaited Messiah into his arms, uttering his famous words: “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace…” and Anna proclaimed to those gathered the arrival of the Redeemer. The Church celebrates their memory on February 16. Believers especially pray to Saint Simeon for the health and protection of infants, as well as for liberation from captivity. In Moscow, in the Novye Cheryomushki district, spiritual life and the construction of a church in honor of these saints have been ongoing for many years. The beginning of the parish was marked by the appointment of its rector, Priest Igor Sharov, in 2012. On January 12, 2014, Bishop Feofilakt of Dmitrov performed the minor consecration of a temporary wooden church, where regular services have been held ever since. The parish is actively developing: since 2014, a Sunday School has been operating; shared meals are held after liturgies, and concerts and performances take place on holidays; a film lecture series is also conducted. In 2017, a Prayer Path, similar to the Diveyevo “Kanavka,” was arranged and consecrated along the perimeter of the territory for praying while walking. To ensure the comfort of parishioners, traditional Greek stasidia were installed in the church in 2020, and a Veneration Cross was erected on the site of the future stone church. The parish strives to be open to all: a barrier-free environment has been created, air conditioning has been installed, and a playground has been set up for children. This year, the project for a large church complex has been approved, which will include a spacious stone church for 500 people, a clergy house, and a service building. This opens a new chapter in the history of the community, which, preserving the memory of the great meeting of Simeon and Anna with the Infant God, itself becomes a place of living and sincere encounter between humanity and God.
Address: Moscow, Matushkina St., 1
