St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe: a brief history and modernity

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Until now, in some amazing and unusual way in Central Asia in the capital of Tajikistan, the city of Dushanbe, St. Nicholas Cathedral, belonging to the Dushanbe diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, has been preserved.

Role in religious life

It is located next to the city cemetery, which is called Russian, but people of different nationalities are buried there. In the first rows from the entrance are the graves of famous figures of the republic. The cemetery has been operating since 1937. Its area is 160 hectares of land.

Once upon a time, on the Easter holiday, city people came in a stream to the graves of their deceased relatives and friends.

When the USSR collapsed and the Civil War broke out, the population of the republic rushed to look for a quiet life throughout great Russia and other states that accepted tens or even hundreds of thousands of refugees from hot spots.

Now, everyone who comes to their hometown tries to visit St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe to pray, praise the Lord for everything and commemorate the ancestors who died on this earth. There are very few Russians left in the city, but the parish is still working.

History

The main altar of the cathedral was consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In honor of John the Russian, the right throne is named, in honor of the icon of the Mother of God, called the "Life-Giving Spring", - the left one.

Permission to found St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe was obtained in 1943. This became possible due to the fact that by that time there had been a softening of the government structures of the USSR in relation to the Patriarchal Church.

For many years, St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe was not restored, and only in the spring of 2005 did a major reconstruction of buildings begin, which lasted until 2011

Temple Decoration

During the reconstruction, gilded domes were installed, the roof was re-roofed, floors were laid. The altar of the main temple was also rebuilt, the territory was ennobled by installing benches, gazebos and new paths. A new bell tower was also built near the facade of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe. The walls of the temple were decorated with sculptures of the Savior and the Virgin. Where there used to be capital walls that separated three limits, original arched openings appeared, connecting the area into a single room.

The marble iconostasis formed three arcades filled with lightdecorative carved panel. In addition to painted icons, mosaic canvases of the iconostasis of the main nave, created from semi-precious stones, appeared in the temple, presented in the form of images of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, St. app. Peter and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Photo of St. Nicholas Cathedral from the inside and outside is available in the article.

Mosaic

In the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe, a kiot of temple icons is made from the original mosaic - the Crucifixion of Christ and the face of St. Nicholas. The altar wall of the main nave is decorated with a beautiful panel "The Last Supper". The choir was rebuilt and decorated. In the limit of John the Russian, a new iconostasis was also installed. Wooden decorations of both limits were created by the woodworker Bobodjanov Alisher, who studied the art of cabinetmaking in the city of Bukhara. He also made the throne of the Most Holy Theotokos and icon cases for the icons of the Three Hierarchs and Xenia of Petersburg.

Holy relics of St. Nicholas Church

After the formation of the Dushanbe and Tajikistan diocese, thanks to the prayers and efforts of Bishop Pitirim, relics began to gradually arrive there, most of which are now in the cathedral.

The Lord gave us holy relics as saving sources that exude good deeds necessary for human life. Through them, the weak are healed, demons are cast out, and everyday problems are solved. Every such beneficence from the Father comes down to those who ask with undeniable faith.

If you enter the temple, you can immediately see what is inOn the right side of the central part of the aisle, next to the icon of St. Nicholas, there are two reliquaries: a large one and a small one.

Particles of 24 holy saints of God are stored in a large reliquary. Among them are particles of John the Baptist, the apostles Andrew, Peter, Thomas, Matthew, the righteous four-day Lazarus.

In a small box are 16 particles of holy relics: the great martyr George the Victorious, the martyr Domian, the holy great martyr Catherine, the martyr Sekund, the great martyr Anastasia the Solver, the right-believing prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and Gleb, St. Ambrose of Milan, Heraclius of Issykul, Blessed Cosmas of Verkhotursky, Saint Innocent of Irkutsk, Demetrius of Rostov, Nicholas of Alma-Ata, Saint Martyr Alexander Malinovsky.

In the same central part of the limit, on the left side, there are icons with the relics of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow and St. Luke of Crimea (Voino-Yasenetsky).

In the limit of John the Russian in the central lectern, you can see an icon with relics and this saint of God.

Schedule of services at St. Nicholas Cathedral

Although any non-Muslim religious activity is prohibited in Tajikistan, this Orthodox church is still considered active.

Many are interested in the schedule of St. Nicholas Cathedral. In this matter, it is imperative to focus on the holidays that may fall during the week, so you need to look at the liturgical schedule in the church. On weekdays, the service is performed daily. The time is set in advance according to the usual schedule, the morning liturgystarts at 8:00, evening worship - at 16:00. On Wednesday and Friday, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served.

Address: 34024 Tajikistan, Dushanbe, st. Friendship of peoples, 58.