About the Centennial Project
The Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox church was built with funds donated by pioneers of our community, and with the assistance of great pillars of our community like Sergei Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky, Maria Rasputina, Michael Chekhov, the Golitsyn family, Russian Cossack troop, and many others. In 2024 we will celebrate 100 years of our first Russian Orthodox Parish in Los Angeles and the second one in California.
Historically, community groups of our church have comprised local people and remained a center of Orthodox mission for Americans of different cultural backgrounds, whether Russian, Belorussian, Ukrainian, Greek, Armenian, Georgian, American, or others. Our church building is used for the benefit of children’s camps and workshops, community meetings. We run a successful school program, outreach for the homeless, catechetical classes. Our parish hall is used to teach cookery and personal development, to host concerts, exhibits and events. Our museum provides a historic overview of the Russian Orthodox community in Los Angeles.
We have now reached a point, where our present church building needs to be extended, and we have set out on a fundraiser in order to accomplish considerable amount of work for the extension of our church. The extension will provide not only an additional place for worshipers, but also will allow us to have a proper candle and icon kiosk with plenty of storage, outside of nave, where people pray in silence, it will offer a bright and comfortable space for choir rehearsals on the second level, and will make our cathedral aesthetically complete, memorable, and a more prominent place.
Many years ago, Father Dimitri Gissetti, of blessed memory, envisioned this project, and I hope that, with your assistance, this vision will become a reality.
Your support will be vital in fulfilling this vision and enabling our church to continue to provide a place, where people can experience hope, friendship and the embrace of God in the most beautiful and prayerful place in Los Angeles.
From the letter of the Rector of the Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral of February 16, 2021
Levels and Benefits of Contribution
We all have heard the prayers offered by the clergy during the Great Entrance for Builders, Benefactors, and Beautifiers of this holy temple; in this prayer the Holy Church proclaims its gratitude to all taking an active part in creating holy temples and their sustenance. Parishioners who contribute from $100 to $1,000 to the church expansion project will be listed with the title of Beautifier of Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Los Angeles.
| Level 4: $100 up to $1,000 |
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Patron is a title of the person in Church contributing valuable gifts and donations for the holy temple. Parishioners, who contribute from $1,000 to $5,000 to the church expansion project for the centennial anniversary of our parish will be listed with the title of Patron of Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Los Angeles.
| Level 3: $1,000 up to $5,000 |
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Benefactor is the title of the person in Church contributing the means for construction or sustaining of the temple or monastery, or for its decoration with icons, frescos, and items of ornamental arts and crafts. Parishioners who contribute from $5,000 to $10,000 to the church expansion project for the centennial anniversary of our parish will be listed with the title of Benefactor of Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Los Angeles.
| LEVEL 2: $5,000 up to $10,000 |
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In its original meaning, the Builder (creator) of a Christian temple is a person contributing their labor and material means for the construction of the temple. Images of Builders are commonly found in the art of the middle ages of Byzantium, Russia, the Balkan Peninsula and the Caucuses, often depicted with models of churches in their hands. Parishioners contributing $10,000 and more to the centennial cathedral expansion project will be listed with the title of Builder of Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Los Angeles.
| Level 1: $10,000 and above |
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