On January 7, 2025, a Christmas dinner for the homeless was held in the Church of the Martyrs Flora and Lavra on the Zatsep in Moscow. More than 60 volunteers participated in the preparation of the event. More than 200 homeless people received hot dinners and food gifts during the holiday.
The Christmas dinner began with a joint prayer and a welcoming speech by Archpriest Mikhail Potokin, Acting Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service.
"Such charity dinners have been held at the Flora and Lavra Church on Zatsep for Easter and Christmas for the fifth year," said Archpriest Mikhail Potokin. "The disadvantaged and the needy gather for festive dinners, those who have nowhere to go and no one to share the joy of the holiday with."
Dinner preparation begins on Christmas Eve, with the help of temple volunteers. "This Christmas, homeless people from all train stations and volunteers from all over Moscow and the Moscow region came to us — there were so many people," said Anna Zakharova, coordinator of charity projects at the temple. "The atmosphere was joyful, as if the closest relatives had arrived."
Among the dishes prepared for those in need for dinner are chicken and potatoes, salads, rolls and sandwiches, tea, compote and pies. Also, after dinner, those in need received food gifts — sausage, cheese, chocolate, stew, tangerines and Christmas cards.
The charity dinner is a traditional event of the Church of the Martyrs Flora and Lavra on Zatsep. It has been held twice a year since 2021: at Easter and Christmas. A month before the dinner, preparations begin in the temple — charity fairs are organized to raise funds and find volunteers.