Church of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin in Yasenevo
The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, one of the revered Orthodox feasts, symbolizes maternal love and heavenly protection. Its historical basis is an event from the 10th century in besieged Constantinople, when, during communal prayer at the Church of the Blachernae, the Fool-for-Christ Andrew and his disciple Epiphanius were granted a vision: the Mother of God, accompanied by angels and saints, fervently praying for Christians, removed the radiant veil (omophorion) from her head and covered all those praying with it, which became a sign of protection and consolation. Soon after, the enemies retreated, and the city was saved. Since then, this feast has been perceived by believers as a symbol of the intercession of the Mother of God for all humankind, and the image of Her spreading Her veil over the world – as a source of hope and consolation. This centuries-old tradition found its embodiment in a church built in honor of the feast: its construction began on September 21, 2008, and on December 27, 2015, it was consecrated with the great rite. Even before the completion of construction, on April 19, 2009, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the lower tier, and in June of the same year, the solemn foundation rite took place. A distinctive feature of the complex is the lower baptismal church, which houses a marble baptismal font in the Byzantine style, as well as the implementation of the unique architectural project “Icon of the Holy Land,” combining exact replicas of eight of the greatest Christian shrines: the Star of Bethlehem, the Water Jug from Cana of Galilee, the Prison of the Lord, Golgotha, the Holy Sepulchre, the Stone of Anointing, the Tomb of the Mother of God, and the Column of the Holy Fire. The landscaping of the chapel in honor of the Prayer in the Garden (Gethsemane) has been completed on the church grounds. The life of the parish is multifaceted: active missionary and catechetical work is carried out here. A Sunday School for children operates, with the study of the Law of God, creative classes in drawing, sculpting, choral singing, knitting, and beadwork. For adults, catechetical courses, discussions on faith, and Greek language classes are organized. In collaboration with the youth organization “Pokrov” of the Optina Pustyn Metochion, thematic meetings, missionary and pilgrimage trips with interactive programs are held, and care is provided for orphanages. Social ministry includes food, financial, and clothing assistance, as well as volunteer support for caring for people with disabilities and children.
Address: Moscow, Litovsky Boulevard, 7A
