On this day, grand liturgical celebrations took place in Kazan in honor of the feast of the appearance of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. The events were led by Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, and Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan.

A moleben (prayer service) was conducted in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kazan Kremlin before a copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which was brought from the Vatican in 2005. Following the moleben, a cross procession moved from the Annunciation Cathedral to the Kazan Cathedral, where the Divine Liturgy began.

The liturgy was attended by numerous metropolitans and bishops from various regions of Russia. The service was broadcast on a screen outside the cathedral for the many gathered faithful, including the Prime Minister of Tatarstan Alexei Pesoshin and the Slovak Ambassador to Russia, Ľubomír Rehák.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Benjamin highlighted the importance of the Kazan Icon for believers in different countries, emphasizing that the Mother of God unites people and inspires them to prayer and adherence to God's commandments. Metropolitan Niphon also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share the joy of the feast with the faithful of Kazan and emphasized the unity of the Orthodox Churches. Metropolitan Kirill congratulated everyone on the feast and noted the special significance of the Kazan Icon for the people.

After the liturgy, Patriarchal and diocesan awards were presented. The archpastors then visited the grave of Metropolitan Theophan (Ashurkov), where they sang "Eternal Memory."

A festive meal and cultural and educational programs were organized for the faithful at the Bogoroditsky Monastery. Additionally, charitable events were held to support large families and social projects.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most important Russian holy relics, associated with key events in the history of the Russian state and the Russian Orthodox Church. It first appeared in Kazan in 1579 during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Many copies of the icon have become widespread, with several known as miraculous, although the original is considered lost. According to church tradition, the icon miraculously appeared in 1579 after a devastating fire in Kazan. The image accompanied the militia of Minin and Pozharsky in 1612, and Peter the Great prayed before it on the eve of the Battle of Poltava.

The most significant Kazan Icons in Russian history include the original that appeared in Kazan, as well as its copies—the Moscow (located in the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow) and the St. Petersburg (located in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg).

Photo: Tatarstan Metropolia