In 2002, the majestic Assumption Cathedral was erected in Khabarovsk. He rose to the very spot where, seventy years earlier, in a theomachic frenzy, the crowd turned the former temple into ruins, which was the largest and most famous spiritual center of the region. Our story is about this lost and resurrected shrine.
The charitable labors of a Khabarovsk merchant
The history of Russian Orthodoxy knows many cases when the initiators of the construction of churches and the laying of monasteries were people of a merchant rank. This was facilitated by their inherent efficiency and energy, multiplied by religiosity. In addition, they had the material opportunity to carry out their plans, which sometimes played a decisive role.
One of these people was the Khabarovsk merchant of the first guild A. F. Plyusnin, who in 1877 organized a fundraiser for the construction of a city church in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not only representatives of private capital, which was gaining strength in those years, but also the most ordinary people, responded to his pious initiative. Through joint efforts, a year later, an amount was collected,necessary to start work, and in 1876, after a solemn prayer service, the Assumption Cathedral (Khabarovsk) was founded.
Building the temple and its attendant difficulties
However, the available money was only enough to lay the foundation, after which A. F. Plyusnin died unexpectedly, and the construction site was empty for six whole years. And the good undertaking would have ended in great embarrassment, but, fortunately, the Lord blessed his heirs with excellent perseverance and zeal. They collected the missing funds by kopecks, while donating most of their own fortune.
In 1884, work resumed, and two years later the Grado-Uspensky Cathedral (Khabarovsk), built according to the project of engineer S. O. Ber, was consecrated. At the same time, the first Christmas service was held there. A significant event in the history of the temple was its visit by the future tsar, and at that time the crown prince and heir to the throne, Nikolai Romanov. In memory of this, an additional border was added to the temple in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Construction of the cathedral bell tower
In 1894, a parochial school began working at the church, where children from low-income families studied. At the same time, the city authorities attended to the construction of the bell tower. The Assumption Cathedral (Khabarovsk), whose images were widely circulated in newspapers and on postcards, became a kind of hallmark of the city, and, of course, its construction should have been completed.
However, the same problem arose- no money. No matter how hard the city men were, they were forced to admit this fact, and limited themselves to the construction of a temporary wooden bell tower, from which the measured strokes of its three-ton bell floated over the city for the next decade.
In 1905, this gap was filled, and, despite all the hardships associated with the war that broke out in the Far East, the wooden bell tower was replaced by a stone one. At the same time, two side aisles were added to the temple building and the space of its central part was significantly expanded.
Destruction of the first temple
After the atheist government came to power, the Assumption Cathedral in Khabarovsk remained active for more than ten years, but in 1929 the city executive committee decided to dismantle it and use bricks for the construction of the Press House. A year later, after the termination of the lease of the building with members of the community, the temple was closed. After that, the bells were removed and the crosses were cut down by a specially dedicated unit of soldiers.
Soon a series of subbotniks was announced, at which the temple was dismantled into bricks by the forces of Komsomol enthusiasts, as well as everyone who wanted to rid the city of this "relic of the past" as soon as possible. An excavator completed their work, with the help of which they leveled the hill that served as the foundation of the temple.
Subsequently, on the site of the destroyed shrine, the gates of the city park were built, the square in front of which was called Komsomolskaya. In 1956, it was decorated with a monument to the heroes of the Civil War. So it was wiped off the face of the earthAssumption Cathedral (Khabarovsk). The city lost not only its spiritual center, but also a beautiful building, which was rightfully considered an architectural landmark.
Construction of the second temple
During the years of perestroika, spiritually enlightened, realizing and repenting, the public of Khabarovsk, led by its administration, began to restore the previously destroyed cathedral. It was erected as quickly and with the same enthusiasm as it was destroyed. Construction work took only a year, after which the interior decoration was carried out for several more months. In 2002, the newly built Assumption Cathedral (Khabarovsk) was consecrated.
Outwardly, he is largely different from his predecessor, although he has common features with him. For example, the forms of domes and arches were taken from the old version. In general, as art historians note, the cathedral was built in the Russian style, but supplemented with elements of other directions.
The shrines of the temple and the services held in it
The newly built Assumption Cathedral (Khabarovsk) is famous for its shrines. Among them is the icon of the Savior, which in ancient times was donated to the temple by V. F. Plyusnin, the brother of its founder. In addition, the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, kept in the cathedral, is revered by believers. It is also a gift to the temple, but perfect in our time.
There is no need to talk about how necessary and important the Assumption Cathedral (Khabarovsk) has become for the spiritual life of Khabarovsk residents. Schedulethe worship services held in it can be seen at the entrance to it and on its website. Morning services on weekdays begin at 7:45, and on Sundays and holidays - at 8:45. Evening services start at 16:45.
