Church of Our Lady of the Sign, Paris

The parish was founded in 1927 on the initiative of the Most Serene Prince M. K. Gorchakov (1880–1961), within the Russian Church Abroad and with the blessing of Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky). The community took its name in honour of the Kursk Root Icon “of the Sign” — the chief protectress of the Russian diaspora.
It was first located at 18 rue d’Odessa and, after several moves, settled in 1954 in a mansion on Boulevard Exelmans (16th arrondissement).

This parish became a unique spiritual and educational centre for the first wave of emigration: it was made up of distinguished representatives of the aristocracy, the intelligentsia, and military circles, the families of White Army soldiers. Among those who attended the parish were Prince Felix Yusupov, the composer Igor Stravinsky, Lady Deterding — founder of the Russian Gymnasium, the artist Erté (Roman Tyrtov), the pianist Yuri Bukov, Boris Zaitsev, Vladimir Weidlé; Fr Alexander Schmemann served here every year, as did the brother of the church warden, Fr John Meyendorff, whose parents were parishioners. Alexandra Tolstaya, granddaughter of the writer, was a regular parishioner. The iconostasis was created by the artists D. Stelletsky and M. Istselennov. Among the rectors of the church was Fr Nikolai Kulomzin, professor of the New Testament at the St Sergius Theological Institute, and Fr Alexander Semenov-Tian-Shansky, who became Bishop of Zilon in 1971.

Throughout its history the parish was not only a place of prayer but also an important centre of charity and the preservation of tradition. This activity spanned many fields, among which a special place was held by a school for children, a charitable committee to help compatriots, and even a cadet museum. Many of the former traditions are still kept and carried out to this day.