August 9, 2012

Russian Olympians Place Their Hopes in Their Orthodox Faith


Ksenia Dmitrievna Afanasyeva (b. September 13, 1991) is a Russian artistic gymnast. She is the 2011 World Champion on the floor exercise, and represented Russia at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.

In the photo above, Ksenia Afanasyeva holds an icon of her patron Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg after her performance during the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise final at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday Aug. 7, 2012, in London. Afanasyeva placed the icon near the mat prior to her performance.


Prior to the Olympics, Ksenia Afanasyeva and her teammates Viktoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina, lit candles at a Russian Orthodox Church on media day.

Read also: The Fervent Orthodox Faith of Greek Olympians