Orphanage at the Intercession Convent

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexey II, an Orthodox charity orphanage for girls was opened at the Pokrovsky convent in 2004. The official name of the shelter is the Social Rehabilitation Center "Children's Shelter of the Intercession Convent at  Pokrovskaya Gate of Moscow,  Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)." The convent’s Shelter is a home to 27 children aged 6 to 18 years. All girls has hard fates – most of them are orphans with living parents - alcoholics or drug addicts. The sisters of the convent with special pedagogical education and extensive experience working with children engage with the girls.

Girls study at the Orthodox gymnasium in Trinity-Lykovo, and also receive additional educational services within the walls of the convent and study at a music school. Classes in the in-depth study of school subjects and homework are conducted by Orthodox professional subject teachers, who also have experience in the Orthodox children education.

The shelter life is planned out almost minute by minute; in addition to the usual morning and evening activities, a general reading of prayers, the Epistles of the Apostles, the Gospel is mandatory. All girls from 7-8 years old already independently read them aloud: the youngest in Russian, who are older - in Church Slavonic.

During the service

Meeting of Patriarch

The meal is always shared, with prayer. The older girls fast the same way as the sisters of the convent, and the younger ones are even given dairy products from the convent homestead  to strengthen the growing organism.

Congratulations to Mother Superior on her Angel’s day

All girls are taught to work: to keep their cell clean, in the classroom, to help in cleaning the corridors, in the refectory; to sew, knit, embroider, and cook.

Preparing for the Easter holiday. Holy Thursday

Obedience at the convent homestead in Markovo village

The children of the orphanage are sure to participate in the divine services – on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holy days, the girls sing at the all-night vigil and at the divine Liturgy.

Procession on Easter night

Students of the orphanage sing at the all-night vigil

Foster children before the communion

Confession before the communion

Palm Sunday

During the Easter procession

Children also regularly attend Patriarchal services, such as the Annunciation in the Kremlin. According to the tradition of the holiday, his Holiness Patriarch Kirill releases pigeons into the sky together with the children of the orphanage.

During the Easter procession

During the Easter procession

Preparing for the holidays, especially for Easter, Christmas and for the days of memory of the blessed Matronushka, takes a lot of time for the students of the shelter. The girls show performances, prepare musical numbers, sing songs dedicated to the holiday, and Christmas carols. Children are very fond of these holidays and are happy to show their knowledge and skills to all sisters and guests.

During the Easter procession

Girls show performances, prepare musical numbers, sing songs dedicated to the holiday, and at Christmas-carols. Children love these holidays and are happy to show their knowledge and skills to all the sisters and guests.

The Christmas pageant

Playing instruments at a concert on the day of the blessed Matrona

Festive performance of students of the orphanage

Easter concert

Preparation for the Easter holiday

They also have free time: every day the students can play, run in the street or in a special game room, watch Orthodox movies or cartoons, read their favorite book, play in the gym.

Winter holidays

Excursions and pilgrimage trips to cultural and natural reserves are conducted, entertainment and educational trips to the zoo, culture and recreation parks, and boat trips are organized.

During excursions to the holy sites of the capital

Tour of the shrines of the capital

Boat tour on the Moscow- river

Summer holidays at the sea

Summer holidays at the sea

The shelter of the convent lives as one big family, where everyone feels necessary and loved. Angel days and birthdays are celebrated all together. All joys and sorrows of children are common. During her life Matronushka loved orphans very much, and today under her wing the students of the convent shelter grow up, learning to fulfill the commandments of Christ about love for God and neighbor, to be “light” and “salt” for the world.

Hegumeness Feofania with graduates of the gymnasium.

Metropolitan Arseny, clergy, students and teachers of Orthodox high schools after the presentation of certificates in the Church of Christ the Saviour.

Children from dysfunctional, single-parent families from 6 to 11 years old are accepted to the shelter of the Pokrovsky convent. For questions about admission to the orphanage please contact the office of the convent on the phone 8-495-911-81-66, info@pokrov-monastir.ru

Graduates presented hegumeness Feofania memorable albums.

After prom

Hegumeness Feofania with graduates of the orphanage of different years.

Hegumeness Feofania with graduates and their children.

Graduates of the orphanage congratulate abbess Feofania on her Angel’s day.

Hegumeness Feofania with graduates of the orphanage

After graduation at the Orthodox gymnasium

Interview before taking a child to the shelter

Hegumeness Feofania with students of the convent orphanage in the homestead of Markovo village

Obedience of orphanage children at the convent homestead in Markovo village