← News feed Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)

On November 4, the Church will celebrate in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God 2026translated

November 2, 2026 · 1 min read

The celebration in honor of one of the greatest shrines of Orthodoxy - the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - will be celebrated on November 4, 2026 by the Orthodox Church. Also on this day, National Unity Day will be celebrated at the national level.

The miraculous appearance of the miraculous icon occurred in Kazan in 1579 (celebrated on July 21), and the celebration on November 4 was established in memory of the deliverance of Moscow and Russia from Polish invaders in 1612.

It was with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God that in the 17th century Moscow was liberated from the Poles by the militia of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky.

In 1904, the original icon was stolen by criminals from the Mother of God Monastery in Kazan.

In August 2004, an ancient Kazan image - a copy of the lost icon - was delivered to Moscow from the Vatican.

In July 2005, it was transferred by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II to where the original once resided - to the Holy Cross Church of the former Mother of God Monastery.

Since 2005, on November 4, on the day of remembrance of the Kazan Icon, Russia has also celebrated the Day of National Unity, on which the liberation of Moscow in 1612 from Polish invaders is remembered.