Russian Orthodox Church in the USSR (1943-1986)

The ruins of the cathedrals of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra after the liberation of the city in November 1943. Priests inspect the destruction in one of the churches.

View of the dome of the church pierced through by an artillery shell (from bottom to top).

Priests in the destroyed church.

A fresco on the wall of the church with bullet holes.

Residents of the liberated city throw flowers to passing Red Army soldiers.

A religious procession around the destroyed church.

Girls with bouquets of flowers.

Red Army soldiers in a liberated village talk to the church warden.

Orthodox priests bless the Red Army soldiers, women make the sign of the cross over them.

A Red Army unit passes by the destroyed church, people throw flowers to the soldiers.

The domes of the Orthodox cathedral in the 1970-1980s.

Parishioners at the entrance to the cathedral.

The interior of the cathedral during a service (panorama).

A priest performs the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Parishioners during the Divine Liturgy.

Parishioners kiss the cross.

Statue of the crucified Christ in the church.

The rite of baptism of an infant.

Parents with a child in their arms.

The priest lowers the infant into the font and hands him over to the arms of the godmother.

The face of the baptized infant.

The face of the mother.

The priest anoints the baptized infant.

An icon depicting the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.

The end of the rite of baptism: godparents and parents with infants in their arms walk around the lectern.

Icon of the Mother of God.

Faces of the parishioners.

The sacrament of marriage in the Lviv Cathedral.

The face of a woman.

A festive loaf of bread in the hands of one of the relatives.

A burning candle in the hand of a woman.

Faces of the bride and groom during the wedding.

An icon depicting Jesus Christ.

Communion of the newlyweds.

The newlyweds kiss the icon and walk around the lectern.

The faces of the Mother of God and the Christ Child on the icon.