Sports club "Metropolia" opened in St. Petersburgtranslated

Prikhody.ru 10/19/2026. Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga consecrated the Metropolia sports club, opened next to the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” (with pennies) of the northern capital on October 19. The chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Physical Education and Sports, Metropolitan of Murmansk and Monchegorsk Mitrofan, was present at the service.

“It is necessary that among people who play sports there should be no paganism, but an Orthodox faith. If this happens, it means that our Church has coped with the care of athletes. The Fatherland needs them as representatives of Russian sports on the international stage, and at the ordinary, everyday level, we need healthy young men and women. Physical and spiritual health must be harmoniously combined in a person,” noted Bishop Barsanuphius after the consecration ceremony.

The club was presented with an icon of the holy confessor Mikhail Soyuzov, whose memorial day is celebrated on October 19.

According to the metropolitan website, the hall is intended for boxing and other types of martial arts. The trainers in the club are Orthodox, and therefore they will not only engage in physical training, but also take care of the spiritual growth of their players.…