Flowers and small Smolenskaya Church on the grounds of Lavra

View from Cathedral Square of Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra richly decorated with flowers and fir trees on a church in honor of the Smolensk icon of the Mother God. The small church was built in 1746-1748 by order of Empress Elizabeth on the site of the former kitchen where in 1730 took place a miracle, when a monastery monk, whose arms had been twisted by rheumatism, was ardently praying in front of the icon of the Mother God “Our Lady of Smolensk” and was cured of his disease. The money for the construction was donated by Duke Razumovsky. Photo #062 taken on August 21, 2013 during countryside tour with my Dear clients from USA, Shirley Smith and Don Elliott.