Kurba, Yaroslavl Province, Russia, July 30, 2025
Photo: foma.ru
A historic milestone occurred on Saturdya, July 26, when the first hierarchical Liturgy in 100 years was celebrated at the Kazan Church in the ancient village of Kurba, Yaroslavl Province, Russia.
The service was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Vadim of Yaroslavl and Rostov, marking a significant moment for the unique 16-petaled “round” church, which is the only one of its kind in the world. Following the Liturgy, believers participated in a processional cross procession around the Kurba church complex, reports Foma.
The church, built 255 years ago, is considered a masterpiece of Russian architecture with walls decorated by nearly 400 unique frescoes created between 1796-1799. The artwork contains more than 350 Biblical scenes, representing provincial 18th-century painting that bridges canonical traditions with newer artistic approaches.
Photo: foma.ru
The Liturgy was part of the “And Kurba Will Live!” festival, organized by the White Iris charitable foundation to draw attention to preserving the deteriorating architectural monument. The church has been undergoing conservation work since May 2025, though restoration was temporarily suspended for the celebration.
Local parish members and volunteers from the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI prepared the church for the historic service. Yaroslavl florists decorated the church for the occasion.
The festival, which attracted hundreds of visitors from across Russia, also commemorated the 385th anniversary of the miraculous Kurba Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Fr. John Lozan, the church’s rector, shared the icon’s dramatic history of survival during the 1930s, when believers saved it from destruction by hiding it in a cemetery before secretly passing it between homes. The icon underwent extensive restoration in 2019 and is currently housed in a neighboring village church. It will return to the Kazan Church once restoration is complete.
Photo: foma.ru
The celebration featured traditional Russian folk activities, craft workshops, musical performances, and guided tours of the historic site. A new augmented reality project was also launched, allowing visitors to use a mobile app to learn about the church’s frescoes through virtual angel guides.
Donations collected during the festival will support the ongoing restoration of the Kazan Church, which currently stands in a deteriorated condition despite its architectural and artistic significance.
Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!
