Light in the night: Why an Orthodox library should be open 24/7 and how you can change it
Have you ever wondered why we are used to everything spiritual being closed at sunset?
In most churches, libraries are open only a few hours a week. For example, in Krasnoyarsk — three days for three hours, in Lakhdenpokhya — from 10 to 14, and in Sergiev Posad — only on Sunday mornings. This schedule is convenient for the librarian, but… is it convenient for the soul?
What happens to a person who needs the Word of God at 3 o’clock in the morning, when doubts are most choking? Where should a person go who works shifts or returns home late at night and seeks solace in a book? Now —nowhere. He is left alone with gadgets and anxiety.
We want to change this.
A project that does not yet exist in Russia
Imagine a space where the light is always on. The 24/7 Orthodox Library is not just a room with books. This is an open door to the world of faith at any time of the day. This is a place where you can:
- Pick up a book in the dead of nightwhen the silence is conducive to prayer and reflection.
- Find a cozy reading cornerany open window between work and family.
- Get answerto a pressing question, without waiting for Sunday morning.
This is the first project of this scale, combining modern design, a convenient digital catalog and, most importantly, 24-hour access. We don’t just collect books (from the lives of saints to Orthodox fiction, as parishes do now), we create a safe environment where people will not be left alone with darkness.
The Tradition of Generosity
It is important to understand: libraries in Rus’ were never built only with government money. Even in pre-revolutionary Russia, book funds were formed precisely thanks to donations — both from large patrons of the arts and ordinary people who donated not only money, but also books from their home collections. Then it was a matter of honor and duty to society. Today we invite you to return to this good tradition, but at a new technological level.
Why do you need this? Honest conversation about motivation
We could write a long article about budgets and estimates. But let’s be honest: you are reading this because you feel:that’s how it should be. It is necessary that the next generation have an alternative to pointless scrolling of the feed. It is necessary that an island of meaning appears in the city, working when the soul asks.
Your donation is not just “paying bills.” This is an investment in specific meters, in shelving, in an electronic access system that will allow us to open the doors 24/7.
We need to raise funds for:
- Arrangement of the premises (zoning, security systems for round-the-clock access).
- Purchase of modern shelving and comfortable furniture.
- Formation library collection: from the works of the holy fathers to the best examples of artistic prose, so that everyone can find “their” book.
Don’t put it off until tomorrow
Right now, there are many events happening in the world that frighten and disorientate. A person needs support. And this support can be a book and a place of power that is always available.
Do not wait until the library opens on schedule. Let’s open it together — for everyone and forever.
Make a donation right now. Let the light of the Orthodox book always burn for you and your loved ones, even in the dead of night.
Click the “Help” button and become a co-author of this space.
Together we will create a place where the book will always find its reader, and the reader will have time to meet God.
