One of the unique examples of ancient Russian church architecture is a monument of the 17th century ─ the Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki (photos are given in the article), erected in honor of the outstanding theologians and preachers of Christianity, Saints Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian. His parish, located in the Basmanny administrative district of the capital, is part of the Epiphany deanery of the Moscow diocese.
Princely Chambers in Kulishki
For lovers of antiquity, not only the temple complex is of interest, but also the territory near the confluence of the Moscow River and the Yauza, on which it is located. It is known from the history of the capital that once this area and the hill located on it were called Kulish or Kulishki. Explaining the origin of this name, linguists usually refer to the Old Russian word consonant with it, denoting a piece of forest after felling.
Because this area was located near the central part of the city, its development began quite early. It is known that already in the 15th century a summer residence of the Grand Duke appeared there. Vasily I of Moscow and the house church erected with her, consecrated in honor of the baptist of Russia, the holy prince Vladimir. It became the predecessor of the current church of St. Vladimir in Starosadsky Lane. Since the sovereign's stables were also located there, a church was soon erected in the name of Saints Florus and Laurus, who were considered by the people to be the patrons of horses.
The First Church of the Three Saints
According to the tradition that has developed since the time of the baptism of Russia, church hierarchs have always kept close to earthly rulers. So in those ancient times, the Moscow Metropolitan considered it good to build his residence near the princely palace with a church erected on the site of the current Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki and given the same name. Of course, in those years the doors of the princely and metropolitan house church were open only to the highest spiritual and secular persons of the state.
New temple on Ivanovskaya Gorka
In the 16th century, the picture changed. Grand Duke Vasily III moved to the new mansions built for him in the village of Rubtsovo-Pokrovsky, and the metropolitan who ruled in Moscow hurried there. The house churches left by them became parishes, accessible to pilgrims of all social strata, the influx of which at that time constantly increased due to the active settlement of the territory, which, after the establishment of a monastery in honor of John the Baptist, became known as Ivanovskaya Gorka.
Documents that have come down to us indicate that the Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki was being builtunder sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich between 1670 and 1674. The necessary funds for this were collected thanks to the voluntary donations of parishioners, which included many we althy people, such as, for example, representatives of the highest nobility - the princes Shuisky, Glebov and Akinfiev.
Creation of an unknown architect
History has not preserved for posterity the name of the architect who became the author of the project of this remarkable and innovative building for its time, but there are drawings and drawings ─ evidence of his creative thought. In the lower floor of a spacious two-story church, warm (heated in winter) chapels were arranged ─ Florolavrsky and Three Saints. Above them was the summer, unheated Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity.
Contrary to the prevailing tradition, the architect erected the bell tower not on the center line of the building, but shifted it to the corner. The tall and slender Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki, whose facades were skillfully decorated with portals and architraves, looked like a harmonious completion of the entire complex of buildings located on Ivanovskaya Gorka.
Rebuilding the temple in the next century
In the second half of the 18th century, the territory of Ivanovskaya Gorka became one of the most prestigious districts of Moscow and was settled mainly by representatives of the highest nobility, who contributed a lot to the well-being and prosperity of the temples erected there. Suffice it to say that among the parishioners of the Church of the Three Hierarchs (as the Church of the Three Hierarchs began to be called among the people) wereprinces Volkonsky, Lopukhin, Melgunov, counts Tolstoy, Osterman and many other courtiers.
Thanks to the generosity of these eminent dignitaries, in the 1770s the temple building was rebuilt and acquired a classic look. However, in order to achieve the desired effect, the builders had to sacrifice much of what made up the originality of its former appearance. In particular, the old hipped bell tower located in the corner of the building was dismantled, and a new one was built on the western side, which was more in line with the spirit of the times. In addition, they destroyed the stucco decoration of the facades and cut new windows into them.
The destruction of the temple in 1812
The events of 1812 brought the Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki an incredible disaster. In the fire that engulfed Moscow, many of the surrounding palaces, mansions, as well as the homes of ordinary people, were destroyed. And although the damage to the building turned out to be insignificant - only a small part of the roof was burned, everything in it was ruthlessly looted, and what could not be taken out was destroyed. So, the thrones and the ancient antimensions that were on them turned out to be irretrievably lost ─ silk boards with particles of the relics of Orthodox saints sewn into them.
The appearance of the temple in the XIX century
After the invaders were expelled, the Three Saints Church was consecrated anew, and a few years later, having announced a subscription among the parishioners, its interior decoration was completely restored. In parallel with this, the facades were reconstructed, giving them the features of the Empire style that was fashionable at that time. Over the next decades of the 19th century, the temple building was repeatedlyrebuilt and renovated, which left an imprint on its appearance.
By the middle of the century, the appearance of the entire Ivanovskaya Gorka had changed significantly. From a secluded aristocratic district, it turned into a densely populated part of the city. Accordingly, the inhabitants of nearby streets have also changed. If before their number included exclusively representatives of the we althy strata of society, now the neighbors of the Three Saints Church were ordinary inhabitants, among whom the habitues of the infamous Khitrov market with its countless dens and rooming houses stood out (the photo is given above).
Closing and ruining the temple
The coup d'état of 1917 was the beginning of numerous troubles that befell the Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki in Moscow. During the first ten years of the new regime, he continued to operate, but found himself in a very gloomy environment. The Myasnitskaya police station, located next to it, was turned into a prison, and a concentration camp was set up within the walls of the Ioannovsky Monastery.
Finally, in 1927, the prison administration demanded the closure of the temple, and, despite the protests of the parishioners, he ceased its activities. All interior decoration and church utensils, which were of historical and artistic value, were taken out and disappeared without a trace. Among them was a unique 16th-century icon of the Theotokos “The Enlightenment of the Eyes”, which was highly revered and survived during the Napoleonic invasion.
To the Sovietperiod, devoid of a dome and a bell tower, the building of the temple was used for various urban needs. At one time, the NKVD hospital was located in it, then it was replaced by a hostel, which gave way to a warehouse, later replaced by various offices. Finally, in 1987, the Pilot cartoon studio became its tenant.
Revival of the desecrated shrine
The Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki (address: Moscow, Maly Trekhsvyatitelsky per., 4/6) was returned to the ownership of the Russian Orthodox Church in June 1992, but for another four years it continued to house multipliers who did not have any other premises at that time. Thus, the first liturgy was celebrated only in 1996. This significant event took place in the upper church and was timed to coincide with July 6, the day of the celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
To resume regular worship, the temple, which had been used for household needs for many years and disfigured by numerous restructurings, had to be brought into proper form. This took a lot of time and large investments, which were achieved thanks to the help of a number of government agencies and private organizations. A significant role in this was played by voluntary donations from Muscovites who wanted to help restore the Church of the Three Saints on Kulishki.
Service Schedule
In 2003, the first divine service was finally held in the lower premises of the temple, but even after that it took another 7 years of restoration work.restoration work, before the great consecration took place in February 2010, and among other shrines of the capital, the Church of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki took its rightful place.
The schedule of church services that appeared on its doors and testifies to the revival of this once trampled shrine, in general terms, is similar to the schedule of most metropolitan churches. Depending on the days of the week, as well as certain holidays, morning services begin at 8:00 or 9:00, while evening services are held from 17:00.
This is just a general information, since the annual circle of services is very extensive, and the schedule is subject to change. For information regarding a specific date, please visit the parish website or contact the temple directly.
New life of the ancient temple
Today, the temple revived from oblivion, bearing the name of the three greatest pillars of the Christian faith, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian, as in ancient times, is one of the leading spiritual centers of Moscow. The dissemination of knowledge necessary for every Orthodox Christian is a priority for the entire clergy of the Church of the Three Hierarchs in Kulishki. The Sunday School, which classes are designed not only for children, but also for adult parishioners, helps to fill the gap in religious culture that has arisen among the population during the years of domination of total atheism.
At the same time, much attention is paid to the historical and cultural significance thatChurch of the Three Hierarchs on Kulishki. Excursions regularly organized by various travel agencies with the assistance of the rector of the church, Archpriest Father Vladislav (Sveshnikov), help not only to see this pearl of church architecture, but also to get acquainted with its history in detail.
