Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has allocated over 82 million rubles for the initial phase of constructing a new church dedicated to Hieromartyr Vasily in Konkovo, Moscow, as reported by the press service of State Duma Deputy Vladimir Resin, who oversees the construction of Orthodox churches in the capital.

"The original plan was to complete the foundation work by the end of this year and begin the above-ground construction in 2025. However, it has been decided to start the main construction immediately after the foundation work is completed, which we estimate will happen in October this year," Resin told RIA Novosti.

According to Mosgostroynadzor, the church will feature a single dome and include a narthex, a candle shop, an altar with a throne, a prayer hall, a choir loft, and auxiliary rooms, accommodating up to 500 parishioners. The church will be adorned with white brick, ceramic mosaic, and granite, while the windows and doors will be made of wood, and the roof will be clad in copper sheets. The building and its surroundings will be accessible to people with limited mobility. The surrounding area will feature driveways, pedestrian paths, sidewalks, parking, and a playground, with planned landscaping as well.

The church is dedicated to Hieromartyr Vasily (Basil) Smirnov, who suffered during the persecutions of the church and was martyred in 1938 at the Butovo firing range. Born in 1870 in the village of Kazanskoye in Moscow Province, Vasily graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and taught in theological schools before serving in several churches on the outskirts of Moscow. By 1917, he was a deacon at the Nikolo-Zayitsky Church, later becoming its rector until its closure in 1929.

After the revolution, when clergy were required to fill out a "questionnaire for religious cult servants," Father Vasily responded to questions about his affiliations and views on Soviet policies with cautious compliance, stating his sympathy for religious organizations and his obedience to Soviet power, despite disagreeing with the separation of church and school.

In 1938, he was denounced, arrested, and imprisoned in Lefortovo Prison. During interrogations, Father Vasily maintained his innocence. He was executed on July 1, 1938, at the Butovo firing range and buried in a mass grave.

Photo: vk.com/hramvasilia