Orthodoxy

When visiting an active church or monastery in Moscow, you should bear in mind that it is not only an architectural and historical landmark. In the first place, it is where religious services are held and where believers come to pray or to ask for support.

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is the largest Orthodox cathedral in Russia. This majestic Moscow cathedral erected on the bank of the Moskva River opposite the Kremlin was built to gratify God for saving Russia from Napoleon’s army invasion.

The Saint Basil's Cathedral dates back to the era of Ivan the Terrible. It is the most famous symbol of medieval Russian architecture. This ornate complex of nine churches built on a common foundation occupies the vast expanse of Red Square in Moscow.

The Resurrection Church in Kadashi (Zamoskvorechye District) is one of the most beautiful churches in Moscow. Despite its turbulent historical background, this magnificent Naryshkin Baroque church built at the end of the 17th century has survived until today.

Marfo-Mariinsky Convent is a female stavropegic monastery and one of the most visited in Moscow. Located in Zamoskvorechye, this beautiful convent has a unique look, being an incredibly unique example of Art Modern church architecture in Moscow.

Kazan Cathedral stands where Moscow Red Square meets Nikolskaya Street, next to the Historical Museum and the GUM. The moment you see it, your imagination carries you away, deep into the mystery of ancient Moscow the way it was in the last part of the Middle Ages.

The Cathedral of the Archangel was built in the 16th century and dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It was the main necropolis of the grand princes of Moscow. Ivan Kalita, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan the Terrible and Michael I Romanov are buried here.

The Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin was a key Orthodox cathedral of the Russian state in the 15th–19th c. It is where all the emperors of the Romanov dynasty were coronated. The cathedral was the burial place for Kremlin Russia Metropolitans and Patriarchs.

Glas Spiritual Theatre is the only theatre in Moscow that has received the blessing of the Russian Orthodox Church. Excerpts from the Gospels, canons and prayers have all become part of the performances, a novelty after the fall of the Soviet Union.

The Novodevichy Convent is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments in Moscow, a true masterpiece of the 16th–17th cent., that played a crucial role in the history of Russia. The Novodevichy Convent is an example of Moscow Baroque architecture.

The Danilov Monastery is one of the largest and oldest functioning monasteries in the Russian capital. The main cathedral of this Moscow monastery is the Trinity Cathedral built in the early 19th century. Most probably it was designed by architect Osip Bove.

The Church of the Intercession at Fili built at the end of the 17th century is one of the most notable and beautiful Naryshkin Baroque churches in Moscow. In the 20th century, the church was transferred to the Andrei Rublev Museum of Old Russian Culture.

St. Clement’s Church is located in Pyatnitskaya Street in Moscow historic centre. Its majestic building with light blue domes can be seen from afar. This is one of Moscow’s most famous churches and a unique example of Baroque church architecture.

The Moscow Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church officially includes about 1,000 churches and chapels. However, this count leaves out inactive churches, many of which are beautiful monuments of architecture. The true masterpiece is the St Basil's Cathedral.

The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is one of the oldest in Moscow. It dates back to the 14th cent, when the fist wooden church was built here. It gained most of its momentum at the end of the 17th century, when its patrons were the Naryshkins and Peter the Great.

The Ivanovsky Convent, or St John the Baptist’s Stauropegic Convent, built in the 16th century is one of the oldest in the capital. The main church of this Moscow convent is the Beheading of John the Baptist Cathedral. It was patterned after Italian basilicas.

The Novospassky stauropegic monastery is one of the largest active monastic cloisters in Moscow. Every day it welcomes a great number of believers seeking spiritual guidance. Moscow Transfiguration Cathedral is the main cathedral of this monastery.

Over the last few years monasteries around Moscow have been rapidly reconstructed. Over the hundreds of years they have been glorified by great saints, hermits, and preachers. Objects of religious reverence such as miraculous icons and relics are kept in them.

It's impossible to list all the Orthodox sanctities and relics in Moscow. There are hundreds scattered all around the city in various churches and monasteries. One of the key relics among them are venerated icons of the Mother of God, Holy Patroness of Russia.