25 Years Since the Rebirth of Christ the Savior Cathedral
Patriarch Kirill leads anniversary Liturgy marking restoration of Moscow’s most iconic church
MOSCOW — On August 19, the feast of the Transfiguration, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated the 25th anniversary of the consecration of the rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presided at the Divine Liturgy, joined by hierarchs and clergy from across Russia, commemorating a landmark moment in the revival of Orthodoxy after decades of persecution.
The cathedral’s history mirrors the trials of Russian faith and nationhood. Originally conceived as a monument to Russia’s victory over Napoleon, construction began in 1839 under Tsar Nicholas I and concluded with its consecration in 1883. Less than 50 years later, Joseph Stalin ordered its destruction in 1931 to make way for the colossal Palace of the Soviets—a project that, in God's Providence, was never realized. Instead, the site became the world’s largest open-air swimming pool, which remained in operation from 1958 until the collapse of the Godless Soviet regime.
In 1990, the Church received permission to rebuild. Nearly one million Muscovites contributed to the project through donations, and on August 19, 2000, the restored cathedral was solemnly consecrated. Since then, it has once again become the spiritual heart of the Russian capital.
Tuesday’s anniversary service included special prayers of thanksgiving, offered “with fear and trembling” for the blessings poured out over the past 25 years. The prayers expressed gratitude for the miracle of the cathedral’s recreation “in glorious splendor to Thy glory and for the consolation of the Orthodox people of our capital city.”
Following the Liturgy, Patriarch Kirill spoke at the fraternal meal, paying tribute to those who labored and sacrificed for the cathedral’s restoration:
“This was truly a feat. Despite limited resources and despite the fact that many had fallen away from the Church due to years of atheistic education, a miracle of God occurred: the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was recreated in Moscow."
The Patriarch stressed that the cathedral’s significance transcends architecture, standing instead as a symbol of Orthodoxy’s rebirth in Russia. “The rebirth of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior led to the rebirth of the Orthodox faith throughout our country and even beyond its borders,” he said.
Reflecting on the Church’s resurgence after decades of repression, he linked the revival to the biblical teaching that “God’s strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). The cathedral, he noted, represents “a response to the sufferings and sorrows endured by our people during the persecution of the Church and the political mistakes of the 20th century.”
Since its reconstruction, the cathedral has hosted major events in the life of the Church, including the 2000 canonization of the New Martyrs and Confessors and the 2007 reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
Concluding his remarks, Patriarch Kirill emphasized that the cathedral remains not only a monument of stone but a testimony to divine providence: “God’s mercy will abide over the capital city, protecting Moscow from every enemy and adversary, and contributing to its spiritual, moral, cultural, and material flourishing.”
A brief history of Christ the Savior Cathedral is available at Orthochristian.com
