Varvara Church in Pinsk

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

Varvara Church is located in the city of Pinsk, Brest region. It has a long and interesting history of appearance. Read about the Varvara Church in the city of Pinsk, its construction, architecture and features in this essay.

History

Varvara Church is an Orthodox church located in the Republic of Belarus, in the Brest region. However, the original temple had a different name. In 1712, the church of the Archangel Michael was built of wood. A small building of the Bernardine monastery was built next to it.

A little more than 70 years later, due to the decay of the wooden temple, it was decided to build a stone cathedral. In 1786, the construction of a stone church in honor of the Archangel Michael was completed. It was a single-nave small temple without a dome with a large altar apse, which has a semicircular shape.

The main façade was equal in width to the ship of the church and featured a laconic and restrained architecture. The beauty of the church was emphasized by an arched portal and a triangular pediment. Baroque decoration of the church - flat-relief pilasters, architraves and niches. At the main facade weretwo towers were created, having three tiers, which were crowned with small domes.

Reconstruction of the Cathedral

In 1795, a stone bell tower with a tiled roof was built next to the church. At the beginning of the 19th century, sacristy (places for storing robes and church utensils) and several rooms were erected. In 1832, the Bernardine monastery was closed.

After a couple of years, the reconstruction of the temple from the Catholic to the Orthodox Varvara church begins. Several architectural changes were made during the rebuilding process. The high rafter-type roof was replaced with a more sloping one; a false drum was created in the center of the ridge, which had an onion top. At the same time, the baroque figured pediment was preserved.

Also at the beginning of the 19th century, a monastery building was added to the cathedral, which had two floors. In the period from 1858 to 1875, the women's St. Barbarian Monastery was located in it. In the western part of the temple courtyard, a belfry with two tiers was built in the classicist style, which was very popular in church architecture of that time. All buildings looked very harmonious and formed a single architectural ensemble.

Temple in the XIX-XX centuries

In the period from 1921 to 1939, when Western Belarus was under the rule of Poland, services in the Varvara Church in Pinsk continued. It was even listed as an iconic city building in the almanac issued for the Polesie Agricultural Exhibition in 1936.

In the middleIn the 20th century, it was decided to renovate the interior of the cathedral. A new wooden, carved iconostasis was ordered, which was subsequently installed. In addition, a new painting was made in the altar part of the temple.

The peculiarity of this church is not only that it was rebuilt from Catholic to Orthodox, but also that for several decades it was the only one for Orthodox believers. A large number of parishioners came to pray here, which is why the people called her the prayerful one. Several generations of believers came to services at the Varvara Church in Pinsk.

The Church in the 21st century

At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century, on the occasion of the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral, large-scale restoration and repair work was carried out. A major overhaul of the interior of the church was carried out, the floor was completely replaced, the heating system was completely replaced, and a new carved iconostasis was made from precious wood.

The facade of the church was renovated, moreover, according to the project, which has been preserved since the beginning of the 20th century, a vestibule was added. In the niches on the sides of the facade, images of St. Barbara and the Blessed Virgin Mary were painted.

All interior stucco elements have been completely restored to their original appearance. The walls of the temple were decorated with various icons. Currently, it operates a youth church of Orthodoxy, as well as a Sunday school for children and adults.

Architecture

Varvarina Church is distinguished by beautiful architecture, made in the style of classicism. The temple remained without a dome.rectangular plan, having a fairly compact volume. The semi-circular altar apse is superbly combined with a single nave. The presbytery (a place for priests, "chosen ones") is connected through the same apse with the main hall.

The main façade ends along a symmetrical axis and is highlighted by a rectangular entrance opening. The three-lobed pediment is crowned with a round lucarne (light window in the roof). The figured attic and the dome crowning it are made in the late Baroque style and emphasize the central-axial facade section.

There are plinths in the walls of the temple - they are designed not only for light, but are also used as a decorative element. The temple harmoniously combines various architectural techniques and elements, linking the Orthodox and Catholic traditions.

Varvara Church: schedule of services

Services in the temple are held according to the schedule. On weekdays - at 10:00 and 18:00, on weekends - at 7:00, 10:00 and 18:00. However, on the days of the Great Christian holidays, the schedule may change, and parishioners are warned about this in advance.

Arriving in the ancient city of Pinsk and seeing its many sights, you should definitely visit this unusual temple. In addition to the beautiful icons and rich church utensils that adorn it, here you can see a striking architectural combination of styles and eras that amaze with their originality. The Varvara Church is a truly magnificent monument of temple architecture, which is currently under protection.state.