In the village of Ust-Izhora, located on the territory of the Kolpinsky district of St. Petersburg, there is a unique example of Russian temple architecture - the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, which has become a monument to the heroic past of Russia. Closed and partially destroyed during the Soviet period, it found a new life only thanks to the trends of perestroika.
Early forerunners of the current temple
According to legend, shortly after the Russian troops under the command of Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich defeated the Swedes at the mouth of the Izhora River on July 15, 1240, a wooden chapel was erected at the battle site, near which the village grew over time. By the beginning of the 18th century, it was extremely dilapidated, and in 1712, by decree of Peter I, it was replaced by a wooden church, also erected in honor of the glorious victory of Prince Alexander, who was awarded the title "Nevsky" for it.
It is curious to note that in those days it was mistakenly believed that the legendary battle that immortalized the name of the prince took place at the placewhere the Alexander Nevsky Lavra is now located, that is, in close proximity to St. Petersburg, therefore the newly erected Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora was perceived by contemporaries as a purely religious building, and by no means a memorial monument.
Building a stone structure
This short-lived wooden temple burned down in 1729, but was soon rebuilt and this time stood for more than six decades, until it again fell victim to a fire caused by a lightning strike. In those ancient times, wood was the main building material, so fire disasters often disrupted the peaceful course of life.
The current stone church in Ust-Izhora was erected in 1798 with voluntary donations from the residents of the village, as well as subsidies allocated by the administration of nearby state-owned factories that produced bricks for the needs of the capital. Generous funding has allowed the construction to expand on a befitting scale.
The brainchild of court architects
Suffice it to say that the project of the future temple and control over the progress of the work was entrusted to two court architects - father and son Neyelov, who decorated Russian cities with their works for four reigns - from Catherine II to her grandson Nicholas I., erected on the banks of the Izhora and which became a memorial monument to the heroism of Russian soldiers, they gave the features of the then fashionable architectural style in Europe - classicism.
After completion of the construction of the Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora, its building and a number of related buildings were surrounded by a stone fence, decorated with a cast-iron grate, cast at one of the St. Petersburg factories according to specially made sketches. The main attraction was the bell, which weighed 4.5 tons and was distinguished by its unique timbre of sound.
Construction works of the subsequent period
During the 19th century, the temple was repeatedly renovated and supplemented with new elements of interior decoration. The most significant work was done in the period 1835-1836. Then, under the guidance of architect P. L. Gromov, the length of the refectory was increased and a new bell tower was erected, which lasted until 1942.
Another significant reconstruction of the Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora was carried out in 1871-1875. In view of the fact that the number of parishioners increased significantly, and there was not enough space for everyone, two chapels were added to the main building, one of which was consecrated in honor of John the Baptist, and the other - Nicholas the Wonderworker. At the same time, the size of the dome was also increased.
At the turn of the century
By the end of the 19th century, the Church of Alexander Nevsky, erected on the banks of the Izhora River, became one of the main religious centers of the region. Behind it were three cemeteries and two chapels located in nearby villages. In addition, there was a parochial school and an almshouse - a shelter in which the elderly and deprived of livelihood residents of the region were kept. It is important to note that allthese institutions were funded by voluntary donors.
On the Way of the Cross
The coming to power in 1917 of the God-fighting government was the beginning of a series of religious persecutions that hit representatives of all faiths and caused irreparable damage to Russian Orthodoxy. Soon after the armed coup, all the valuables in it were seized from the Alexander Nevsky Church in Ust-Izhora, and a little later, in the mid-30s, it was completely closed, transferring the building to the disposal of local economic authorities. Since then, it has been used as a warehouse for agricultural products and a clubhouse for one of the local factories.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora was under fire from enemy aircraft, but the main damage was not caused by bombs. Considering the bell tower a convenient reference point for German pilots and gunners, they ordered to blow it up.
If this decision of the command, caused by the current operational situation, was fully justified, although it led to the irretrievable loss of an important architectural element, then further destruction was the result of mismanagement and neglect of historical heritage. In 1962, the dome of the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky completely collapsed due to the fact that the damage caused to it during the war years was not repaired.
Revival of the shrine
During the last decades of the Soviet period, the Church of Alexander Nevsky, located in Ust-Izhora, remained destroyed, and only thanks to perestroika began its restoration. Enthusiasts from the Research Institute named after D. V. Efremov were the first to take up the matter, soon supported by the leadership of the Lenoblrestavratsiya trust. Thanks to their joint actions in July 1995, the church was returned to the believers and re-consecrated.
The last stage of work related to the improvement of the territory adjacent to the Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ust-Izhora, located at the address: Shlisselburgskoye Highway, 217, was the strengthening of the nearby bank of the Neva, as well as the construction of a granite embankment on it. In addition, a monument-chapel dedicated to the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky was erected in the church fence. A separate monument to him was erected and somewhat at a distance - opposite the mouth of the Izhora River. The location of the church is indicated on the map below.
Renewed Church Life
Since that time, services have been fully resumed within its walls, interrupted once for more than half a century. This is eloquently evidenced by the timetable placed on the doors of the church. In Ust-Izhora, the territory of which is part of the Kolpinsky deanery (administrative-church unit), as well as throughout Orthodox Russia, spiritual life is subject to the requirements of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, in accordance with which the order of worship is determined.
From the schedule of services it follows that on weekdays they begin at 9:00, while those who wishto confess, they can come half an hour earlier. Evening services are held from 17:00 and are accompanied by the reading of akathists corresponding to the events provided for by the Church calendar. On Sundays and holidays, the doors of the temple open at 7:00 for everyone who wants to take part in the early liturgy. It is followed by a late Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am. The church day ends with evening services, starting, as on all other days, from 17:00. The rector of the temple, Father Sergiy (Bondarchuk), is vigilantly monitoring the observance of the established order.
