Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in Sofrino

Originally, the village was called Suponevo, then it was renamed Safarino in honor of a merchant who owned these lands in the 16th century, and only in our time did it become known as Sofrino. Over the many years of its existence, the village changed several owners. It was owned by the state for a time, and then it was transferred to Fyodor Petrovich Saltykov, the father-in-law of Tsar Ivan Alexeyevich, brother of Peter the Great. The last owners were the Yaguzhinskys, under whom the estate underwent significant transformation.

The Smolensk church was founded in 1691 with the funds of Fyodor Petrovich Saltykov, who generously financed the construction and attracted the best craftsmen of that time. By 1694, the temple was completed and consecrated in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. Nearby, a large palace was built, where Saltykov moved.

Due to its convenient location, the estate often hosted Russian tsars who passed through on their way to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In memory of these visits, a small crown was placed on the cross of the main dome of the church, restored in our time.

During the Soviet period, the church was looted and closed in 1938. The last abbot before the closure was 61-year-old Hieromonk Platon (Klimov), who was exiled by the Soviet authorities; he survived and died in 1966. The temple remained unattended for a long time and fell into disrepair, but in the 1970s it was restored. After the collapse of the USSR, the church was returned to the faithful, and soon services resumed there. Thanks to the efforts of caring individuals, the building was restored, and now everyone can once again enjoy its beauty.