Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk is a landmark that tirelessly impresses parishioners. The history of its creation amazes with legends and traditions. In the article, we will consider the description of this shrine, the features of the work of a religious organization.
Holy sign
Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk took the place of a wooden building that housed a parish church built in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. It was completely burned down in the early 18th century.
In the process of clearing the ashes, people discovered a wonderful thing - one of the icons miraculously survived in the flames of the fire. It was the face of Our Lady of Kazan. Despite the fact that the shrine was on the ashes, it remained completely invulnerable. This was the impetus for the construction of a stone building of a new temple on the site of a wooden church. The Blessed Virgin blessed the inhabitants of the city in a peculiar way for this good deed.
To preserve the memory of the church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh, they decided to name the lower church after him. They gave the upper holidaythe name of the Kazan icon of the Mother of God. The icon that survived the fire has become a guiding sign for good deeds.
Start of construction
Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk began to be erected in 1752. The construction contractor was the merchant Moshnin. During his lifetime, he did not have time to complete his plans, and then his wife Agafya was engaged in work. She was a deeply religious person and carefully monitored the progress of construction. The woman decided to complete the business started by her late husband. In this she was supported by her seven-year-old son Prokhor. The boy was keenly interested in the progress of construction work, always accompanying his mother.
A Miraculous Case
During the construction of the Sergiev-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk, a wonderful event happened. Once Agafya Moshnina and her son went up to the top of the bell tower. And the boy suddenly lost his balance, flying down from a great height. He fell on a pile of construction debris. The desperate mother did not hope to see her son alive. But not only did he survive, he didn't even get hurt.
Over time, this boy Prokhor became known as the great Russian Saint Seraphim of Sarov. He was prepared for a bright worldly road. The place where he fell as a child is now marked with a commemorative sign. One of the aisles of the temple is dedicated to this amazing person.
The first thing after the construction of the temple was the consecration of the lower church. Fifteen years passed and the same procedure was applied to the upper temple. The construction of the iconostasis looks impressive - almost a 20-meter creation, arranged in three tiers. It is truly magnificent.
Architecture Features
Sergius-Kazansky Cathedral of Kursk, the schedule of services of which is indicated on the official website of this religious organization, according to the architectural style, belongs to the Elizabethan Baroque. The traditional composition has the form of a ship and contains a bell tower, a refectory, a section of the main temple and an altar subway. The project indicated that the length of the structure would be 33 meters. This is almost twice as much as the width of the building. This feature provided the building with the correct form. After an extension was built in the 19th century, this strict proportionality was destroyed.
XX century
Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk, like many other temples, over time also experienced an acute need for restoration work.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the floors in the building were redone. The arches of the lower temple acquired a marble finish. But the building itself remained the same, without significant changes.
Also refreshed the paint on the roof and walls, restored the sculptural ornament of the facade.
The years of socialism did not pass without a trace for this temple. The era of atheism required the cessation of worship. But the temple survived the times of atheism relatively calmly. The upper part of the building was given over to an art gallery. An art workshop was organized in the lower temple.
Later the former church was used as a museum of atheism. But it was good forshrines, as icons and other religious artifacts from the whole city were brought here. Thus, they have been preserved to this day. As you can see, the support of the holy forces never left this building.
The temple was re-consecrated
Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk, the photo of which is provided in the article, passed the rite of re-consecration. The exact date of this event remains unknown. According to some sources, the event was preceded by the restoration of Gornostaev. Other sources indicate that the re-consecration ceremony was held in the middle of the last century in honor of the opening of the temple after restoration work.
There was a time when there was a change in the dedication of the upper and lower temples. The lower part was now dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan, and the upper church to St. Sergius of Radonezh. The restored shrine has survived to this day. It impresses with the luxury of decoration, preserved despite all the hardships of the past.
Honoring Seraphim of Sarov
Today the cathedral is full of signs by which one can judge the parishioners' devotion to St. Seraphim of Sarov. The memorial plaque installed on the facade of the building contains information that Prokhor Moshnin, who became the future Reverend Seraphim of Sarov, prayed here. The commemorative tablet was erected in honor of the centennial anniversary from the moment when the saint was canonized.
A year later, in 2004, they celebrated 250 years since the appearance of Prokhor, who became greatascetic, into the world. A memorial chapel was erected in honor of this bright event.
Latest events
Recently, on the day of the memory of the saint, the iconostasis was updated. The memory of St. Seraphim does not fade even in our time.
The place where the lad Prokhor fell when he climbed the bell tower with his mother is especially revered by believers. Previously, a well-groomed flower garden flaunted here. Later it was replaced by stone slabs, a memorial plaque was installed. It depicted a saint and featured an inscription about the events that had happened.
Such actions were not supported by everyone. According to critics, it would be more correct if the boy's fall site remained intact. But it should be noted that the appearance of a commemorative tablet carries information to descendants. And it keeps you from being forgotten.
Visitor information
Attraction can be found by studying the information on the website of the cathedral. The address of the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk: Maxim Gorky Street, 2. The doors of the temple are open to all Orthodox Christians.
The schedule of the Sergiev-Kazan Cathedral in Kursk is as follows: the temple is open from 7 am to 7 pm. Services are held here every day.
Schedule of services in the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral of Kursk:
- Morning service - from 7.30.
- Evening service at 17:00.
- On Sunday morning service starts at 8 o'clock.
- Sunday School is held weekly from 12 noon to 4 pm.
To get to the cathedral fromcapital, you can take the Nightingale train. In 8 hours he will take you to Kursk. When choosing a bus route, you should come to the Novoyasenevskaya station. The bus will pass through here. From the stop "Teply Stan" you can drive directly to Kursk. Travel time will be 9 hours.
If you choose your own transport, the distance between the capital and Kursk will be 530 km. The path runs through cities such as Tula and Orel. You need to move along the highway "Crimea".
Summarize
Today the cathedral has become the center of the spiritual life of this area of Kursk. Parishioners and everyone can visit the premises of the Orthodox library and pick up religious literature for study. The assembly hall of the cathedral is used for classes with the younger generation.
Every year in spring and autumn, a religious procession takes place with the participation of clergy and parishioners. They carry banners and candles. This event is dedicated to the Kursk Icon of the Mother of God, called the "Sign".
The sacristy of the cathedral keeps a rare relic - the shroud of Jesus himself. This is a rare highly artistic work, for the creation of which gold and silver threads were used. Believers have the opportunity to pray at this sacred relic.
The cathedral has a refectory for students studying at the regency department at the Kursk Theological Seminary. Here you can always get food for the body and soul. Thanks to the parishioners, there is food in the refectory. They bring food here as a donation.
In the icon and book shop at the temple, you can purchase related products. Allicons are pre-consecrated. You can choose them for your home or as a gift. The study of church literature will help a Christian to shape his spiritual development.
