Posted on 02/03/2021 7:16:01 PM PST by marshmallow
Not content simply to restore and rebuild village churches, the Common Cause project of the Russian Orthodox Church is also working to restore prayer in them.
Common Cause was founded in 2006 as a project dedicated to restoring and rebuilding wooden churches of the Russian north that were neglected, repurposed, and destroyed during the long years of soviet rule. Work has been carried out on more than 150 churches in 370 trips over the years.
And thanks to its “Pascha in Every Church” and “Nativity of Christ in Every Church” initiatives, the Orthodox faithful of remote villages with dilapidated churches, and often no priest, still have the necessary materials to gather in prayer on the greatest feasts of the Church year.
“Each such church, according to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, is ‘the only thing that connects us with the past, the only thing that is a real monument of architecture and culture.’ If we don’t save these churches, ‘we will become a scorched earth in terms of history, with little to remind us of our past,’” Common Cause wrote in preparation for the celebration of Nativity this year.
“It might seem impossible to restore destroyed and abandoned churches, but, as St. Paisios the Athonite said: ‘We are required to do everything possible so that God can do the impossible.’ Churches were built with prayer and for prayer. And therefore, any business related to the church must necessarily begin with prayer,” the article continues.
Services were held in the Chapel of St. Makary of Zheltovoda in the Arkhangelsk Province and in more than 100 other such churches. Photo: vk.com
(Excerpt) Read more at orthochristian.com ...
The Holy Spirit is present there moreover than in a whole skew of castle-like monstrosities whose members preen and prawn over their latest $75,000 truck purchase or look down their nose at someone who dares enter the sanctuary looking for a home church. At such a place shake the dust from your Ariat work boots and climb into your truck.
Ping!
The real Russia!!!!
Save Thy people, O Lord,
and bless Thine inheritance.
Grant victory to Thy Church over her enemies,
and protect Thy people by Thy Holy Cross!
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