Hospital churches of the orthodox Russia: semantics of public care

The article is a research essay on the basic semantic distinctive features of hospital churches appeared and strengthened as a phenomenon of the church and public life of the Orthodox Russia. The author pays particular attention to the unity of the main historical and cultural values of the hospital churches: from the time immemorial management and activities of the hospital church community, its priesthood and parish has been associated with government-related decisions, which were not only an act of political deliberation, but also reinforcement of ethical, soteriology-related and aesthetic aspects. The article emphasizes symbolic character of the public care of hospital churches, its rootedness in the general socio-orthodox tradition of philanthropy.