12 December 2014. Our Great Russian Motherland… Moscow’s Winter Wonderland

The first significant snowfall hit the Russian capital on 10 December. This image shows the State Historical Museum in Manezhnaya Square, in central Moscow.

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A couple in the Aleksandrovsky Sad.

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Two women walking in the snow in Red Square.

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Snow falling on the towers of the Historical Museum.

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St Basil Cathedral covered in snow.

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Yuri Dolgoruky monument.

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Christmas Fair in Red Square.

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Shoveling snow on Red Square.

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Trees decorated for the holidays in central Moscow.

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Merry-go-Round in Red Square.

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The first significant snowfall hit the Russian capital on 10 December. Up to 20 percent of the monthly snowfall amount fell in some areas of the city during the day. More than 10,000 snowploughs cleaned up the snow-covered streets.

11 December 2014

ITAR-TASS

http://itar-tass.com/en/non-political/766361

6 January 2013. They Celebrated the New Year in… Moscow

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The New Year’s fireworks lit up the sky over Red Square in Moscow, near St Basil Cathedral.

BMD

12 July 2011. Patriarch Kirill Served Liturgy for the 450th Anniversary of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God (Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed) in Moscow

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In Moscow, Patriarch of Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias served Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God, better known as the Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed, on its 450th anniversary, on 12 July (29 June OS) 2011. His Holiness noted that the cathedral isn’t only an outstanding medieval cultural artefact; it’s also a testimony to the inviolability of both the Russian spirit and the Church. He reminded us that the cathedral was almost destroyed on two different occasions… the first was at the time of Napoleon’s occupation of Moscow, and the second was during the Soviet era. After the service, the Patriarch said, “There are many legends about how this happened. You can believe them, or not believe them, as you will. However, when we see this cathedral standing firmly on the main square of Russia, it does so through the spirit of our people, because of their faith”.

During his remarks, the patriarch remembered the victims of the sinking of the cruise ship Bulgariya. His Holiness made interpolations in the service to pray for the souls of the victims of this disaster. The festival of bell-ringing and the other commemorative events planned for the 450th anniversary of the cathedral were cancelled, due to the day of mourning called by the RF authorities. The Liturgy was held in the central chapel of the cathedral (Chapel of the Protection of the Mother of God). Despite the fact that the cathedral looks impressively large from the outside, on the inside, it’s a warren of small chambers, so a relatively small number of people attended the service. One of those attending the service was the cinematographer Nikita Mikhalkov. After serving the Liturgy, the patriarch visited the restored sections of the cathedral. As a part of the 450th anniversary of the church, work on two of the chapels inside the cathedral is now complete.

12 July 2011

RIA-Novosti

http://ria.ru/photolents/20110712/400483850.html

Patriarchia.ru

Official MP Website

http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/1564025.html