The diocesan comprehensive support service for pregnant women in crisis, Ark of Life, has begun work at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saratov. The project was supported by the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service as part of the first Church Family Project competition, which was organized by the department at the end of December 2025.
Pregnant women will be able to receive legal, psychological, medical and humanitarian assistance in the Ark of Life service. The project also provides methodological support for priests and specialists who help women and families in crisis situations.
"To help women who are faced with a choice between staying pregnant or not, one conversation may not be enough — you need to understand each person's problem, deal with their situation and propose a specific action plan. Therefore, our main goal is to unite the efforts of clergy, psychologists, and specialists who work with crisis families. We are planning a series of seminars and round tables for priests and specialists who deal with this topic, as well as the release of a methodological manual. All this will help explain how to work with the family, where and to which specialists to send women," said Irina Malyuchenko, coordinator of the Ark of Life service, psychologist.
Today, in addition to the Ark of Life service, several other church crisis centers have been opened in the Saratov Metropolitan area to support pregnant women and the family as a whole. There is a crisis center "With faith in Life" in the Balashov diocese, and a crisis center "Under Cover" in the Pokrov diocese. There are two centers in the Saratov diocese where women can not only receive specialist help, but also temporary housing. In Saratov, such a center is coordinated by the diocese's social department. It was created in cooperation with the Good People Social Support Fund. Another women's aid center of the Saratov Diocese has been opened in Volsk at the Vladimir Convent.
Also, with the blessing of Metropolitan Ignatius of Saratov and Volsk, clergymen have been assigned to all women's consultations, both in the regional center and in the districts of the region. They meet with expectant mothers, have conversations about faith, family life and the value of motherhood, perform prayer services for a successful delivery, and spiritually support doctors. The Diocesan comprehensive support service for pregnant women in crisis, Ark of Life, is also included in this work. The staff and volunteers of the service help to establish interaction between priests, government agencies and non-profit organizations.
Today, 87 crisis centers for women in difficult situations have been opened in the Russian Orthodox Church. There are also 273 humanitarian aid centers. Those in need, regardless of nationality and religion, receive food, household items, and clothing for free.