First Divine Liturgy in 100 years celebrated at Karelian church

Vekhruchey, Republic of Karelia, Russia, December 31, 2025

Photo: factornews.ru Photo: factornews.ru     

The Republic of Karelia continues its restoration of holy sites, including the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the village of Vekhruchey, which is a dependency of the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow.

Recently, the first Sunday Divine Liturgy in 100 years was celebrated there, reports factornews.ru.

“Together with local residents and Mother Margarita, the abbess of the monastery, we shared in this joyful event. I know that many residents of the Prionezh District remember the history of this place, and for them this is a return to their roots and origins,” said the head of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov.

“The church is coming back to life, as it was many years ago, filling with faith and becoming not just the spiritual center of the village, but also an important point on the Great Russian Northern Way pilgrimage route. It covers more than 3,100 miles and twelve regions of Russia, including Karelia,” Parfenchikov said.

Photo: factornews.ru Photo: factornews.ru     

After the service, the head of Karelia presented Abbess Margarita with an honorary award “For Contribution to the Development of the Republic of Karelia.”

“I thank you, Mother, for your tireless work, for preserving Orthodox traditions and for supporting pilgrimage in our Karelia! The revival of this holy site is an important step in strengthening our cultural and spiritual memory,” the head of Karelia said.

Parfenchikov noted that in preparation for the anniversary date—the 800th anniversary of the Baptism of the Karelians in 2027—the restoration of churches in the republic continues, along with the creation of educational centers and renovation of museum spaces.

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12/31/2025

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