Archbishop Stefan performed a litiya at the site of the Resurrection Church in Merkulovichitranslated

On October 18, 2026, His Eminence Stefan, Archbishop of Gomel and Zhlobin, visited the agricultural town of Merkulovichi, where from 1793 to 1930 there was a church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ.

At the site of the lost shrine, Archbishop Stefan performed a litany for Archpriest Mikhail Poslavsky and Deacon Emelian Shinkevich, who were buried on this territory. Praying with the archpastor were the secretary of the Gomel diocese, Archpriest Georgy Alampiev, the rector of the parish of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the agricultural town of Botvinovo, Priest Alexander Khamylevsky, Abbess Vera (Afonkina) with the sisters of the Tikhvin Convent in Gomel, and local residents.

The Merkulovichi parish has been known since the 18th century. In 1793, the construction of a new church, consecrated in honor of the Resurrection of Christ, was completed. At the church there was a bell tower with 15 bells, there was a priest's house, a prosphora and a guardhouse. Parishioners took part in the maintenance and improvement of the church.

In the 19th century the parish continued to develop. In 1842, priest Mikhail Poslavsky became its rector, who performed pastoral service here for many years.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Merkulovichi Church remained the center of parish life...