The Monastic Community of Mercy in honor of Blessed Xenia near Vitebsk, Belarus began with a simple act of compassion. In the late 1990s, parishioners began visiting and caring for elderly residents of a local boarding home. Over the years, this ministry grew into a sisterhood, and many of its members eventually dedicated their lives to God as monastics. In 2015, with the blessing of the local bishop, the parish church of Blessed Xenia became a monastic community devoted to prayer, service, and care for those in need.
At the heart of the community stands a small church that was rebuilt after a fire destroyed its wooden predecessor. During that difficult time, one elderly resident comforted the sisters with these words: “Mother Xenia has placed a little candle before the Lord. That means there will be another church there.” Today, the restored church is larger and more welcoming, with daily services and a growing community of worshippers. Like the storks that return each spring to nest nearby, the community has become a living symbol of hope, renewal, and the quiet persistence of life.
Now the community is preparing for its next great undertaking: the construction of a House of Mercy, a place where elderly and infirm people can live with dignity, receive loving care, and become part of a true spiritual family. At present, the community's living quarters are too small and are not properly equipped for residents who use wheelchairs. Some people who wish to live within the community cannot do so because suitable accommodations are not available. The new building will provide accessible living spaces, appropriate facilities for those with limited mobility, and eventually a small chapel where residents can gather for prayer.
The House of Mercy will also bring together people who need care and those who have devoted themselves to providing it. One part of the building will become a home for Lyubov Nikolaevna Kurnevich, a parishioner who has opened her heart and home to abandoned children. Together with the sisters, she has helped children from troubled backgrounds find the stability, love, and guidance they need. She is raising a family of ten children, three of whom are her biological children and seven whom she welcomed into her family through adoption and love. The new home will give her family a more permanent place to live while allowing her to continue caring for children who need a safe and nurturing environment.
In this way, the House of Mercy will unite generations in a shared life of compassion: elderly people will receive care and companionship, children will grow up surrounded by love and faith, and the monastic community will continue its mission of prayer and service. It will be more than a residential building. It will be a place where people who might otherwise be forgotten can find belonging, where children can experience the security of a loving home, and where the vulnerable can discover that they are not alone.
Construction has already begun. The foundation was laid last autumn, and some building materials have been delivered. The planned two-level building will require considerable work and resources before it can welcome its future residents. The community has made a beginning through prayer, hard work, and the generosity of parishioners and friends, but it cannot complete this undertaking alone.
We invite you to become part of this work of mercy. Every contribution will help bring the House of Mercy closer to reality—a home where the elderly can live with dignity, children can grow in safety, and compassion can take tangible form in everyday life. With God's help, through the prayers of Blessed Xenia, and with the generosity of people willing to share what they can, we hope to build a place where love is not simply spoken of, but lived each day.
