The frescoes of the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field are included in the list of world heritage monuments. Unfortunately, only copies brilliantly made by the artists N. I. Tolmachevskaya and E. P. Sachavets-Fyodorovich in the twenties of the last century have survived to this day. By the brightness and richness of colors, one can judge the harmony that was traced in the entire interior of the temple.
The historical monument was barbarously destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. The Nazis dropped a record amount of ammunition on the temple, destroying it to the ground. The city itself suffered from the bombings. From the beginning of July 1941 until the end of August, air raids on Novgorod were daily. The city with an ancient history was deliberately destroyed by the Nazis.
The history of the formation of the city where the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field was located
Endless lake full of fish, dense forests with a variety of game reliably sheltered the Finno-Ugrians fromwarring Scandinavians. They hid from the barbarians on the banks of the only river flowing from Ilmen. The restless lake did not give a chance to cross on boats, so people lived in peace. Men hunted, fished, and women with children gathered berries and mushrooms. In the abundance and variety of food, the tribes grew and built.
In the sixth century, from the side of Smolensk, the Slavs-Krivichi came to the river. In the eighth - Slovenians. The tribes got along well on the shores of Lake Ilmen, rich in fish, until the Scandinavians found a way to strengthen the boats and swim across the troubled reservoir. After the attack, the inhabitants of the future Novgorod land began to pay tribute to the barbarians.
Cradle of Novgorod Principality
To maintain prosperity, Novgorodians were forced to start trading, following the example of Scandinavian merchants. The decision was made at the council of tribes, which became the prototype of the famous veche. The tribes that bought peace with the barbarians began to settle around the lake. The yoke must be thrown off, and it is best to defeat the enemy by spreading out on your own land.
Resettlement helped in the development of rivers and the laying of the B altic-Volga trade route. Firstly, it is convenient to build ships on the banks, and secondly, the more rivers are developed, the better the Novgorodians control the situation, having many ways of retreat or attack.
The second decision of the intertribal council was the creation of a prototype of modern taxation and the creation of a common army. So, by the end of the ninth century, the foundations of the state system were emerging on the territory of the modern Novgorod region.
The next step is the leaders of the united tribesdone against their enemies. They bribed and lured over to their side the Scandinavian prince with a retinue, who lacked power in his native land. This step marked the beginning of the Rurik dynasty, which played an important role in the history of Russia. The prince performed the duties of the court and monitored equality.
From Paganism to Christianity
In the tenth century, the Novgorodians who got stronger undertook a military campaign against Byzantium. The famous trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks" was laid, Smolensk and Kyiv were conquered. The Slavs united with their eastern brothers and created a single state with its capital in Kyiv. By the middle of the tenth century, Christianity replaced the bloody pagan gods in Novgorod.
The new religion was propagated by fire and sword. Prince Vladimir of Kyiv certainly wanted to christen the Russian north, rich in natural resources. By the end of the tenth century, the desired was achieved and the multi-domed wooden St. Sophia Cathedral grew in Novgorod.
Monk Moses
The episcopal throne of the Novgorod principality often changed owners. The decision to build the Church of the Assumption on Volotovo Field was made by Archbishop Moses, who became the twenty-ninth church official since the end of the tenth century.
Mitrofan, the future Bishop, was born in Novgorod into a we althy family. Raised in faith and fear of God. In his youth, he decided to devote his life to serving Christ and, secretly from his relatives, went to the Tver region, to the Otroch Monastery. A God-fearing novice was tonsured a monk with the name Moses.
Inoka foundthere, the inconsolable mother begged to be transferred to a ministry closer to home. The future bishop heeded the woman's tears and transferred to the Kolmov Monastery, located not far from his home.
Archbishop of Novgorod
For the height of spiritual life, humility and meekness, Moses was soon ordained to the rank of hieromonk, and then to the archimandrite, appointing him the rector of the Yuriev Monastery in Novgorod. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, Metropolitan Peter conducted the consecration and elevated the saint to the rank of archbishop with the appointment to the post of Novgorod and Pskov Bishop.
The years of Moses' life were full of trials. Numerous wooden churches perished in terrible fires, the Horde raided Novgorod, and the people suffered. And the monk's soul was looking for peace and solitude. Archbishop Moses had a passion for building churches and temples and helped monasteries.
Under his reign, the church economy grew and grew stronger. Therefore, grateful residents in the middle of the fourteenth century persuaded him to take the sovereign's chamber again. The humble monk could not refuse the townspeople. Having accepted his appointment as the will of God, Moses began the construction of the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field.
Unique painting
The first chronicle of the Novgorod principality describes the decree of the lord on the construction of a stone church. The builders immediately set to work. Not even ten years have passed since the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field in Novgorod began to paint inside. The artist remained unknown, which is not surprising. Many icon painters possessed enviable humility and considered themselves only a brush, withthrough which the Lord Himself embodies holy images.
Some sources contain the so-called "chronicle" of artists, but only those who painted icons and decorated churches for the glory of God, that is, for free, were honored to be included in it. The list also included the names of benefactors for whom they were to pray during the Liturgy. There is no information about the masters who painted the church. During the bombing, the frescoes were almost completely destroyed.
Plan of the Church of the Assumption
There used to be a monastery on the Volotovo field, for which the temple was built. The monastery did not leave any significant traces in Orthodox history, except for the structure under study. The monastery was abolished by decree of Empress Catherine II, and all the temples of the monastery were transferred to the status of parishes.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the authorities intended to create a museum on the basis of the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field. Photos in the archives have preserved the interior and architecture of the monument in black and white.
The scientists also made a plan of the building. The Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field consists of three rooms: a vestibule, the main chapel and an altar. This is a four-pillared, single-apse temple, typical for stone architecture of the fourteenth century. The rough rectangle of the walls is softened by the flowing lines of the roof.
Subsequently, two more vestibules were added to the temple. A bell tower was built over the north. Choirs made of wood were arranged above the entrance to the temple from the west. Church of the Assumption on Volotovofield in the nineteenth century lost the bell tower. The reason for such an architectural decision is not known for certain, perhaps the high tower has fallen into disrepair. Instead of the old one, a new two-tiered bell tower was built over the western narthex, but the former charm of the temple could not be restored, the structure was rather clumsy. The general appearance of the church has become rough, but the internal beauty of the restructuring has not been hindered.
Murals
The value of the murals of the temple is so high that even the Soviet theomachists have taken a number of steps to preserve the monument of ancient architecture. After making copies in the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field, the frescoes were restored by a specially assembled group of scientists and artists.
The total area of painted walls and ceilings covered about three hundred and fifty square meters. The restorers counted more than two hundred individual figures and biblical scenes in the temple. Painting occupied nine registers, the lowest of them covered with a layer of soot. Window openings and wooden altar beams were covered with intricate floral ornaments.
The lower register consisted of figures of average human height, about a meter and seventy centimeters, but the higher the eyes of the parishioner rushed, the larger the images were. The height of the biblical prophets written in the drum of the dome reached two and a half meters. Scientists came to disappointing conclusions after examining and analyzing the mural of the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field. The story could have ended well if the war had not come to Novgorod.
Restoration of the temple
In the summer of 2001, the Ministry of Culture of Germany and Russia agreedabout the beginning of the restoration of a unique monument of stone architecture, destroyed during the hostilities in 1941. The corresponding agreement was signed by Mikhail Shvydkiy. A group of restorers arrived in Veliky Novgorod, the German side provided free financial assistance in the amount of more than a million dollars.
The work is in full swing. Like a phoenix from the ashes, the renovated Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo field rose. Feedback and advice from masters and scientists from Germany helped Russian restorers and artists to choose the right materials and recreate unique frescoes.
Revival of holy images
Specialists note that rebuilding the temple was not as difficult as collecting frescoes. Huge trucks with broken stone were brought to the workshops, which had to be sorted out by hand, putting aside everything that had to do with interior painting.
By 2003, restorers were able to find almost two million pieces. By the end of the first decade of the new century, the “martyr Procopius with an ornament”, two unknown martyrs and the “Dream of Jacob” were returned to the temple, and in 2010, “Archangel Michael” and “Prophet Zechariah” took their places on the walls. The painstaking work of scientists and craftsmen moves hard and slowly, but the result is worth the effort.
