During his visit to Valaam, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on July 10, 2026, performed the rite of minor consecration of the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring", located on the northern side of the outer square of the central estate of the Transfiguration of the Valaam Stavropol Monastery.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the participants of the divine service with a Primatial address:
"I congratulate all of you, dear hierarchs, fathers, brothers and sisters, on a wonderful event — the consecration of the temple!
Every time we consecrate churches, we lay the foundations of the spiritual life that must develop, improve and strengthen in our people. When it comes to churches in monasteries where the monks perform feats, there, of course, requires a special presence of the grace of God. That's how it always happens. And the people feel the presence of this grace in their hearts. Therefore, pilgrimage paths to those blessed places where spiritual feats are performed are not overgrown.
Valaam is a special monastery of our Church, both in its historical and spiritual significance. The way Balaam went through the hardest years of wars and godlessness testifies to God's special favor for this place. It could not be otherwise, because spiritual feats were really performed here. People lived here in a state of mind that undoubtedly brought them closer to the Kingdom of God during their lifetime. That's exactly what saints are like. Their existence cannot be divided into two parts: the earthly and the post-earthly. Because there, in heaven, in the mansions of God, there are only those who, here on earth, have acquired the opportunity and the ability to be together with God in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Every temple that we consecrate gives us hope that those who visit, pray and serve in this temple will find everything necessary for the salvation of their souls and for the salvation of the souls of those who come to these temples with prayer and hope for the goodness of God.
I cordially congratulate all of you on the consecration of this temple! In memory of this event, I would like to present to this holy temple the image of the holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, depicted not in armor, as is usually the case, but in a monastic schema.
Praying to the holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, let us ask him for help to our Fatherland in this difficult time, for help to our authorities, especially our Orthodox President, and to all those who work for the good of the Fatherland, so that the forces aimed at preserving the faith and strengthening the life of our people do not run out. Amen to that!"
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The temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" is located in the northern part of the outer square of the central estate of the monastery and forms a single architectural ensemble with the Transfiguration Cathedral and the gate church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
In 1785, Abbot Nazarius drew up the first plan for the construction of the Valaam Monastery with stone buildings. A hospital and a temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring" were provided in the monastery complex. Construction began in 1807. In 1814, the church was consecrated by Abbot Innocent. In 1835, with a donation from the merchant Nabilkov, work began on the superstructure of the second floor, which was completed in 1837. The newly built upper church was consecrated in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity. Hospital rooms were adjacent to the temple, so that sick and infirm monks could participate in divine services without leaving their cells.
After the October Revolution, the territory of Valaam belonged to Finland, but monastic life on the island continued. With the outbreak of the Soviet-Finnish War (1939-1940), peaceful life was disrupted. In January 1940, Soviet aircraft carried out strikes from the fortifications of the Valaam archipelago on the territory of the monastery. Significant damage was caused to the buildings of the Winter Hotel (now the Valaam Pilgrim's House) and the Water Supply House. A direct hit by an aerial bomb completely destroyed a two-story church that united churches in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity and the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring".
After the end of hostilities, the territory of the Northern Ladoga Region, including the Valaam Archipelago, became part of the Soviet Union, and the monastery's brethren were evacuated to Finland. In 1940-1941, the monastery housed a Jung school, from 1949 a state farm, and from 1952 to 1984 a boarding school for the disabled. During the renovation works of 1976-1977, the building of the former temple lost the porch of the southern entrance, the octagon and the crowning cornice. Later, a simple rafter system was installed and a new roof covering was completed.
The temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring" was transferred to the ownership of the Valaam Monastery by Resolution No. 245 of the Council of Ministers of the Karelian ASSR dated August 28, 1991. Work on its restoration began as part of the Program of the Patriarchal Board of Trustees for the restoration of the Valaam Monastery.