On August 10, 2026, a solemn opening ceremony of the monument to St. Silouan of Mount Athos took place in the work settlement of Novaya Lyada in the Tambov Municipal District of the Tambov Region, on the territory of the church of St. Silouan of Mount Athos. The event was led by the Moscow Patriarchate's managing director, Metropolitan Gregory of the Resurrection, who arrived in Tambov with the blessing of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, to participate in the celebrations in honor of St. Pitirim, Bishop of Tambov, and the Cathedral of Tambov Saints.
Before the event, Metropolitan Gregory of the Resurrection and Metropolitan Feodosiy of Tambov and Rasskazovsky visited the church.
The initiator of the monument's creation is Rostislav Ignatievich Medinsky, adviser to the chairman of the Russian Military Historical Society, whose idea was supported by the Government of the Tambov Region and the Tambov Diocese.
The monument was created at the expense of the Russian Military Historical Society by Tambov sculptors Mikhail and Dmitry Salychev.
Metropolitan Gregory of the Resurrection, the administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. "Any saint is a role model for us, and St. Silouan of Athos, a native of Tambov land, is, among other things, a teacher for us. This saint, who was born on the Tambov land, who worked here, went to the Holy Mount Athos during one of the periods of his life. He lived a very special spiritual life. He has reached righteous heights. And thanks to this achievement, he was able to teach a lot of people," said Metropolitan Gregory of the Resurrection.
Rostislav Medinsky, Adviser to the Chairman of the Russian Military Historical Society, welcoming those gathered at the unveiling of the monument, recalled that the Cathedral of the Tambov Saints includes the names of people famous throughout Russia. These are the admiral of the Russian fleet, the righteous warrior Feodor Ushakov, and the famous Optina elder Ambrose. In his opinion, the opening of the monument to Saint Silouan of Athos in the year of the 160th anniversary of his birth is also symbolic, because in the image of this saint, everyone can find "something close and sacred" and try to learn from him to love his neighbor, not to lose hope for God's mercy and not despair.