Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church

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Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church is a Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia church in Ottawa, Canada. The church is located at 99 Stonehurst Drive in the Mechanicsville area of Ottawa. It is part of the Montreal and Canada Diocese of ROCOR.

The church was built in 1988 to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the arrival of the conversion of Russia to Christianity. It was paid for by ROCOR members from around the world. The parish had previously been based in a structure at 267 Richmond Rd.

In its short history the church has seen considerable controversy. Alongside the church St. Vladimir's Russian Residence, a seniors home run by the church was built. However after complaints of harassment and financial mismanagement the government took control of the facility away from the church in 1989. In 1999 the church's priest, Father Dimitri Sever, led the congregation in a vote to leave ROCOR and join the Russian Orthodox Church. Bishop Michael Donskoff alleged that the decision was contrary to ROCOR's bylaws and stripped Sever of his position, however when Donskoff came to take possession of the church members of the congregation barred him from entering. The matter eventually went to the courts and it was ruled that that Sever had violated the bylaws and the church was restored to ROCOR.