Elagino, Tatartstan, Russia, September 19, 2024
Another church in Russia has seen the revival of its liturgical life after being closed during the years of godless Soviet persecution.
On Saturday, September 14, on the feast of the Church New Year, the first Divine Liturgy since its closure was celebrated in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Elagino in the Republic of Tatarstan.
The Liturgy was celebrated by clergy of the Kazan Diocese, reports Orthodoxy in Tatarstan.
The service was attended by local parishioners, pilgrims, and volunteers who helped prepare the church for services.
The Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession around the church, a communal meal, and a work trip to another nearby church.
The Pestretsy Deanery of the Kazan Diocese is home to a group dedicated to reviving ancient churches destroyed during the Soviet years.
Participants clear the territory of the holy sites, construct temporary roofs, and carry out other necessary work to prepare the churches for conservation.
OrthoChristian has reported on several liturgical revivals in Tatarstan, including at the Church of the Kazan Wonderworker Sts. Guriy, Herman, and Barsanuphius in the village of Lyutkino.
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