Christ Nativity Cathedral in Kargopol: white stone history

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

There are not so many people in Russia today who have heard of the city of Kargopol, unless, of course, you live in Arkhangelsk or its environs. However, not so long ago (by historical standards) this city, located at the source of the Onega River, in the southwestern part of the region, was a center of trade, as evidenced by numerous merchant houses, some of which are hundreds of years old. The pride of Kargopol is the Nativity Cathedral, built under Ivan IV (the Terrible).

Departing nature of the Russian North

In the expanses of the Russian North today you can find unique monuments of wooden and stone architecture. In the ancient villages and cities of the Arkhangelsk region, many of which have long been abandoned, while in others life is barely glimmering, the remains of ancient temples have survived to this day. Some of them can still be saved, and many are irretrievably lost, as,for example, the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Lyadiny, Kargopol district.

In 2013, on Easter, lightning struck the temple, and the fire began to spread rapidly. The wooden monument of architecture, the analogue of which can only be considered Kizhi, burned out by midnight. Is it necessary to delve into the symbolic meaning of what happened?

This church, like many wooden buildings of the Russian North, needed urgent restoration. And the work seemed to be underway, but the process was barely flickering, and fire safety was at a "high" prehistoric level. Apparently, the Almighty has run out of patience…

History of Kargopol

Located in the Arkhangelsk region, Kargopol is a city with an ancient history dating back to 1146. That is, he is 1 year older than Moscow. Under Ivan the Terrible, the city was part of the oprichnina lands, and in the 12th or 13th century, Daniil Zatochnik created his "Word" (or "Prayer") here. Little is known about this man, but his name is mentioned in the Simeon Chronicle of 1387.

In Kargopol itself and its environs there are many functioning and dilapidated churches of the 16th-18th centuries. They are unique and their architecture is different from the churches of central Russia.

For example, the Vvedenskaya Church, located within the city, is known for the fact that its cellars became a repository for the property of the royal family during the invasion of Napoleon. Today it houses the centralinsertion hall of the Kargopol Museum-Reserve.

Surviving temples

The Temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, or rather, what is left of it, is located at the intersection of Sovetskaya and Akulov streets. The date of its construction is 1797. The famous shrine of the church was the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk. In the early 1930s, the temple was reequipped for household needs, which was accompanied by the destruction of its five domes. So now it can be called a monument to Soviet "realism".

The Sretensko-Mikhailovskaya Church is located in the village of Krasnaya Lyaga, Kargapolsky district. The location of this most ancient (1655) church in the vicinity of Kargopol is now abandoned. At the beginning of the last century, the last renovation was carried out here, during which the unique decorative lining of the temple was lost. The fate of the monument of wooden architecture is a big question. However, time will soon solve this problem, as the temple is self-destructing…

The Church of the Resurrection was built in the northern part of the city at the end of the 17th year. It once housed the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas. Now it is in a deplorable state, since the restoration work begun in 2008 by order of the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography has been suspended. In 2009, the funds ran out, and then the agency was gone. Meanwhile, the temple is a monument of federal significance.

White stone structures

In the 17th century, there were about 20 temples for the city's 3,000 population.

Among them stood outNativity Cathedral of Kargopol. Construction began in 1552 and lasted about 10 years. Judging by the architectural solution, Novgorod masters took part in its construction. The white-stone cathedral has 5 domes and was originally a rectangle with two floors. The roof covering was plank, since there was plenty of forest around.

After 100 years, the chapel of Saints Philip and Alexis was attached to the northern part of the temple. A little later, a chapel in the name of the All-Merciful Savior was completed from the southern side, and a gallery and a covered porch were added to the western wall. Due to the fact that it was already the 18th century, all the buildings were covered with ornate carvings.

Fire and Restoration

In 1765 there was a fire and a third of Kargopol burned out. The Cathedral of the Nativity was also damaged. Its walls were covered with cracks. Catherine II allocated 10,000 rubles for the restoration of the city and the temple. In order to strengthen the walls, buttresses were erected, however, during the construction work (5 years), many murals of the temple were damaged or lost.

For more than two centuries (from 1714 to 1920) the Nativity Cathedral in Kargopol was the guardian of the miraculous Kazan icon of the Mother of God. Today it is considered lost, but it is quite possible that one of the private collections is the place of its storage.

In 1923 the church was closed, worship was forbidden.

Historical Heritage

The history of Kargopol and the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ is connected with many events that took place in Russia. Its beginning coincided with the reign of John IV.

It was at that time, according to historians, that the construction of dungeons began. The entrance to them was in the area of the cathedral, but inside or outside it is unknown. They say that underground passages connected all the temples of Kargopol and two monasteries, as well as some private houses. The exit from the dungeon was in the area of the cemetery and the field.

In those days, Kargopol was a prosperous city, and therefore the significance of these dungeons was quite definite: keeping the treasury in case of an attack. During the Time of Troubles and during the War of 1812, the dungeons were used for their intended purpose.

NKVD also knew about the secret passages, but used them in accordance with their needs: there was something like a prison. Today, the secrets of the city dungeon are lost, as are the documents that could shed light on their discovery.

Over time, there was a shrinkage of the Nativity Cathedral of Kargopol by 1 meter. However, much has been preserved: a unique carved iconostasis in 5 tiers, an element of a fresco from the Middle Ages (but mainly from the western side), icons restored after a fire in the 18th century. These are the images of the “Position of the Robe of the Virgin” and “The Nativity of Christ”, dating from the 16th century. However, the icon “The Nativity of Christ” is kept in the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg due to its great historical value.

Since 1936, the temple has been part of the historical, architectural and art museum-reserve of Kargopol. On special occasions, services are held there. For example, in memory of the victims of Kargopol-lag, the Metropolitan of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogorydiocese Daniel served a prayer service in the cathedral.