In the Moscow district of Zyuzino, in the south-west of the capital, there is a small but remarkable church of Boris and Gleb. It is located on a quiet street, but many people know about it and often come here. This temple has a very long and interesting history. Today, the church has many problems, but despite all the difficulties, the clergy are hard at work and continue the work begun several centuries ago, when the first stone of the new sanctuary was laid.
History of Creation
The Church of Saints Boris and Gleb in Zyuzino began to be built at the end of the 17th century - the first works date back to 1688. Construction lasted almost 20 years and was completed in 1704. Initially, of course, it was not a district of a large modern metropolis, but a small village that belonged to the noble princely family of the Prozorovskys. These princes are the descendants of the Yaroslavl Rurikovich, the first princes of Russia.
Boris Ivanovich Perekopsky decided to build a stone church on the site of the former wooden building.
The lower temple was built very quickly - within the first year. It was named after the noble prince Vladimir. The upper temple in Zyuzino of Boris and Gleb was intended forwarm summer services and was built second.
At the end of the 19th century, a small bell tower with a spire was added to the temple, but due to long years of non-use in the middle of the 20th century, it collapsed without surviving historical upheavals.
After closing in 1938, services were not held in the temple for more than 50 years, and the building was given to secular institutions.
At the moment, a permanent photo exhibition dedicated to the history and modern life of the temple is open in the Sunday school building. Interesting angles of the church and its interior decoration are presented.
Architecture
The temple was built in the Moscow baroque style and in appearance is very similar to the temple in the Trinity-Lykovo, which, according to some sources, was created by the architect Y. Bukhvostov. Experts say that the Church of Saints Boris and Gleb can also be his work.
The exterior decoration of the church is more modest than that of other contemporaries. But the lack of some decorative details is compensated by two rich and elegant staircases that lead to the upper temple.
The upper temple immediately creates aspiration upwards, while the lower one is much lower and tighter.
USSR period
The temple in Zyuzino of Boris and Gleb survived the era of Soviet atheism with not the strongest losses. It was officially closed in 1938. Unfortunately, after the closure, the church was robbed - a carved iconostasis, preserved from the day the church was founded, was cut down for firewood.
For a long time the temple in Zyuzino Boris andGleba was empty. After 20 years, when the bell tower began to collapse, and the building was very dilapidated, its restoration began, after which a diamond processing workshop was created in its premises. For almost 20 years, gem cutters have been working in the building.
After 20 years, in the late 70s, a new restoration began. Now it was decided to place an archive of documents from the Ministry of Tool and Machine-Tool Industry of the Soviet Union here, but it did not last long here. In the late 1980s, the practice of religious beliefs began to be allowed on the territory of the USSR, and many churches and temples began to operate again according to their intended purpose. The temple in Zyuzino of Boris and Gleb was consecrated again in 1989. As in the case of its creation, the lower temple was first restored, and the upper one a little later. It opened its doors to parishioners only in 1990.
Shrines
In every temple and church there are revered icons. The Church of Boris and Gleb is no exception - here is the revered Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, which was painted by one of the apostles - Luke. The original is in the Tikhvin Monastery. This is one of her many options.
The temple also has an icon of the "Helper in childbirth", to which expectant mothers come, asking for a safe birth.
Community activities
The rector and staff of the temple are active in social activities. Sunday school for children and adults opened here 10 years ago.
There is a site on the Internet about the temple of Boris and Gleb in Zyuzino. Moleben, liturgy, festive events - photos of these and other events are regularly posted on the portal. Employees promptly answer questions from parishioners and those interested.
In the building of the temple, interesting events are often held for children and adults: joint reading of fairy tales, master classes in various types of needlework. Collections of things are constantly organized to help the poor and needy. Sunday school teachers often hold extracurricular meetings and lessons with students from general education institutions in the Zyuzino area.
The Parish Missionary Service often organizes interesting walks and excursions around Moscow, which everyone can join. Charitable activities are active.
The clergy help people in difficult life situations. Employees visit prisoners in the pre-trial detention center, patients at the narcological hospital, and also talk with students of the children's boarding school.
