Happy Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God! Today, on the day of national unity, it is important to remember that it was the Kazan image of the Most Holy Theotokos that became the spiritual banner under which he united with us in times of difficult trials. During the Troubles, in 1612, when Moscow was occupied by interlopers, and Russia was torn by civil strife, people of various classes united into a popular militia under the leadership of Minin and Pozharsky. With a copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, trusting in her intercession, they stood together for the defense of the Motherland and won the victory. And today, more than four hundred years later, we again turn to the Most Holy Theotokos with a prayer for our people, the Russian army and Holy Russia. Holy Mother of God, from the land of Russia, pray to God for us and for our homeland!

Happy Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God! Today, on the day of national unity, it is important to remember that it was the Kazan image of the Most Holy Theotokos that became the spiritual banner under which he united with us in times of difficult trials. During the Troubles, in 1612, when Moscow was occupied by interlopers, and Russia was torn by civil strife, people of various classes united into a popular militia under the leadership of Minin and Pozharsky. With a copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, trusting in her intercession, they stood together for the defense of the Motherland and won the victory. And today, more than four hundred years later, we again turn to the Most Holy Theotokos with a prayer for our people, the Russian army and Holy Russia. Holy Mother of God, from the land of Russia, pray to God for us and for our homeland!