Wondering why a traditional Russian church stands in Uccle? It is the \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job. This is not just any church. It is a memorial.
The \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job’s story begins after the October Revolution of 1917. The revolution and the Russian civil war followed. Communists won. Supporters of the old regime suffered. Many fled. Some found their way to Western Europe, including Belgium.
These refugees often belonged to the elite under the Tsar. They had lost everything including their social status. Despite their hardships, a group of them managed to build their own church in Uccle. Construction started in 1936. World War II delayed completion. The church was finally consecrated in 1950.
The \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job construction was a small miracle. It was built during the crisis of the 1930s. It received no support from local authorities. Funds came solely from parishioners and their church leaders. This achievement inspires admiration from all Russians in Belgium.
The founders of the \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job were devoted to the old Russian regime. The church is dedicated to Saint Job. It serves as a monument to the last Tsar Nicholas II and his family. They were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918. It also honors all victims of the revolution and civil war. It is a memorial church.
The location in Uccle was chosen for ground availability. Many Russians had already settled in Ixelles and later in Uccle. The first Russian church in the 19th century was in Ixelles near the Tsarist embassy. Interestingly, the Soviet Union’s embassy was later built near the \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job. This was purely coincidental. The diplomats needed space for security and a large embassy.
Until the 2000s, the \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job remained independent from Moscow. It was part of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad. Since 2007, it has officially reunited with the Moscow Patriarchate. The congregation has become more diverse. Recent migration from Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet Union countries has contributed.
Inside the \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job, you will find different kiots. These are cases protecting icons from dust. They allow veneration. Above one kiot, marble plaques commemorate the murdered members of the Russian Imperial family.
A relic from Ganina Yama is in one of the church walls. Ganina Yama is where members of the Russian Imperial family were massacred. This relic is believed to be a finger of Tsar Nicholas II. Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna gave the church an icon of Saint John the Baptist. It was from the Ipatiev House. The Imperial family was murdered there. She also gave Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s bible. Vestments and small furniture belonging to the Tsar were also gifted.
The \u00c9glise orthodoxe russe Saint-Job stands as a testament to faith. It is a memorial to a lost world. It also serves as a reminder of the resilience of a community in exile.