On the evening of April 4, 2026, on the eve of the 6th Week of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated an all-night vigil at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
After reading the Gospel, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church performed the traditional consecration of palm and palm branches.
At the end of the polyeleos, His Holiness venerated the miraculous Vladimir and Donskoy icons of the Mother of God.
Then His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the participants of the divine service with a Primatial address.:
This holiday is accompanied by many wonderful events that resonate with joy in the hearts of believers. And, probably, one of the most important historical events is the return to the Church of the miraculous images — the Vladimir and Don icons of the Mother of God, which we now see here.
Unfortunately, for many years it was not possible to return these images to the Church, because they are of great artistic value. Many cultural figures, referring to this significant artistic value, strongly resisted the return of these shrines. And so it went on for quite a long time.
...But my appeal to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, our Orthodox President, led to his decision to return these shrines to the Church. Of course, I would also like to thank the Minister of Culture, who is present here, and the staff of the Tretyakov Gallery for the fact that this wise decision of the President has not been challenged in any way and no social movements have been created that could question the legitimacy, legitimacy and, above all, the usefulness of this act. Therefore, my gratitude for the return of the shrines that we see here, first of all to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, our Orthodox President, who understood the simple truth that shrines should be in churches. Because a shrine is an object of prayer and worship of believers.
Our tsars, our outstanding generals, those who led and protected our Fatherland for centuries, prayed before these holy icons. But the most difficult years of the 20th century led to the fact that the Church lost the opportunity to offer its prayers in front of perhaps the greatest and most significant shrines, at least in the city of Moscow.
...We will believe and hope that the Protection of the Most Pure Queen of Heaven will extend over Russia. And we, believers, as we fall down to the shrines that have just been mentioned, we will ask the Lord to extend His blessing over our country, over our authorities and our army, over our President Vladimir Vladimirovich. So that Russia can really rise from strength to strength. So that all the potential of our country can truly be revealed today for the benefit of our people, for the benefit and security of our Fatherland, and, of course, for the prosperity of our martyred and confessing Church, which is experiencing perhaps the most inspiring and wonderful moment in its recent history."