With the support of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service and with the blessing of Metropolitan Konstantin of Petrozavodsk and Karelia, the Good Saturday project began in the Petrozavodsk Diocese.
The project is being implemented by families from several rural parishes of the republic on the basis of the Public Assistance Center "Together for Peace". It aims to unite parishioners through family volunteerism and assistance. The project became one of the winners of the grant competition for church projects to support family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood, which was held by the Synodal Department for Charity.
"Good Saturday is a project that not only combines a series of charity events, but also provides living evidence that the Church does not exist apart from the world," said Anna Mugacheva, head of the Community Center. "The point of Good Saturday is to give people back a sense of support and hope, showing that caring is a natural property of the soul."
As part of the project, families from the parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the village of Meliorativny, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Essoila, the church of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg in the village of Derevyanko and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral of Petrozavodsk are helping to improve the territories of rural churches.
The project also includes joint events outside the temples. For example, the project participants went to harvest crops at a local farmer's house and visited the theater.
The Synodal Charity Department allocated 500,000 rubles for the project. The funds were used to purchase materials and equipment for the construction of temple territories, as well as to pay for the work of specialists.
The second competition of church family projects was held by the Synodal Department for Charity on April 16 — May 3. It received 53 applications from different regions of the country. After consideration by the competition committee, 24 winners were determined.