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Orthodox Christians in Russia to mark appearance of the Icon of Kazan Mother of God

The liturgy will take place at the Church of the Kazan Mother of God on Red Square
Photo ITAR-TASS Archive
Photo ITAR-TASS Archive

MOSCOW, July 21 (Itar-Tass) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill will leader a church service in Moscow on Sunday to honor the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God, one of the most revered relics in Russia. The liturgy will take place at the Church of the Kazan Mother of God on Red Square which has a copy of the revered icon.

The Icon of the Kazan Mother of God first appeared in Kazan in 1579. The Mother of God’s protection is believed to have saved Russia from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders in 1612. The Church of the Kazan Mother of God was erected on Red Square to mark the event. The church was destroyed in 1936 under the Soviet rule. Architects rebuilt it by using old drawings and photos in the early 1990s.

The day of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God is marked twice a year: on July 21 in memory of the icon’s appearance in Kazan and on November 4 as a gratitude for the victory of the volunteer army led by Minin and Pozharsky over Polish-Lithuanian invaders.

The Icon of the Kazan Mother of God was stolen early in the 20th century. However, several revered copies of the icon have been preserved until today. They are stored at the Moscow Church of the Epiphany in Yelokhov and the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

A religious procession with the wonder-working image of the Kazan Mother of God will be held in Kazan on Sunday. A liturgy will be held at the Annunciation Church of the Kazan Kremlin. After that, the procession will move to the Cathedral of the Erection of the Cross at the Bogoroditsky monastery in Kazan where a prayer in front of the Icon will be held.

Special police units (for mass events) of the Russian Interior Ministry department for Kazan will guard law and order during the sacred procession.