Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Sokolniki. History and architectural features

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

The majestic Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Sokolniki was built not so long ago - at the beginning of the last century, or rather, in 1913. The project of this church was developed by the architect P. Tolstykh. The funds were raised by believers. Archpriest John Kedrov was the chairman of the building committee. It was this priest who became the rector of the new church, and later was repressed and evicted from Moscow. The temple itself is still sometimes called "Kedrovskiy".

Architectural features

The church was built on a basement and has the shape of a cross in plan. Its height from the base to the top of the main dome is 34 meters. According to fashionable trends in architecture of the early 20th century, the Church of the Ascension in Sokolniki was built in the Art Nouveau style, slightly pretentious, but at the same time light and elegant. The central part of the complex is crowned with a hipped octagon decorated with four cupolas. The elements of the Old Russian style give a special charm to this building - kokoshniks under the domes, arched portals, high windows. There are also gothic elements directed upwards. And although this style is called RussianArt Nouveau, the architectural design of the temple can be safely attributed to the direction of "eclecticism". The temple is crowned with nine onion domes.

The main architectural feature of this church is that its altar part is turned not to the east (as it is customary in Orthodox places of worship), but to the south. It is believed that Archpriest Kedrov himself chose this orientation of the structure, since it is in this part of the world that the birthplace of Christ and the place of his resurrection are located.

Father John Kedrov

Father John Kedrov was born in 1870 in the Moscow region. After seminary, he served in Moscow in a small hospital church. Father John with good reason can be called a "people's" father. He helped his parishioners very often. In matters of faith, he was strict, but fair. Often, after talking with him, a person completely changed his life.

How the temple was founded

There were quite a lot of churches in Sokolniki at the beginning of the century. However, all of them were small and departmental, that is, they were opened with various kinds of charitable societies. There was no large temple in the area. Therefore, Father Kedrov came up with the idea of building it.

The Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Sokolniki was founded at the end of September 1908. Local boys collected money for the construction. They were hung around their necks in large mugs for change and issued special certificates,confirming that the funds are really needed for the construction of the church. The consecration of the main altar of the temple took place in 1913. Other thrones (in honor of the apostles Peter and Paul, as well as the Bogolyubskaya Mother of God) were consecrated in 1915-1916

Legends about the construction of the temple

Several legends about the construction of this church have survived to this day. Here, for example, is one of them. After the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Sokolniki had already been erected, it was time to settle accounts with the workers. However, Father John did not have enough money for this. And then a real miracle happened. An old pilgrim came to the future rector of the Resurrection Church. Father John settled him in one of the cells of the temple. However, when I entered the room the next morning, I found it empty. On the table lay a significant monetary donation. The funds were just enough to pay off the workers.

Church of the Resurrection of Christ after the revolution

Unlike most Moscow churches, the Church of the Resurrection was not only not destroyed after the revolution, but remained active to this day. It was often called for to close - factory workers, medical staff of the local psychiatric clinic, etc. However, the Moscow Council of Falconers did not dare to deprive the believers of their last refuge in the area.

In 1945, the Church hosted the Local Council (the first since 1918), at which Alexy I was elected Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. The event was attended by 47 bishops, 87 priests and 38 laity. Alexy I headed the Russian Orthodox Church for almost a quarter of a century until his death in 1970. In ourCurrently, the temple is included in the list of structures proposed for taking under state protection in the capital.

Temple Shrines

The Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Sokolniki has a shrine that is widely known outside of it. This is an old Iberian icon of the Mother of God, which since 1669 has been in the Iberian chapel not far from the Kremlin. It was written by order of Patriarch Nikon. After the revolution, the chapel and the gate were demolished. So the icon ended up in Sokolniki. She remained in the Church of the Resurrection even after the chapel with the gate was restored.

In the church there is another shrine very revered by believers - the icon of the Mother of God "Passionate", previously located in the Passion Monastery.

Today, as in the years of Soviet power, anyone can visit the temple. It is located at: Sokolnicheskaya Square, Building 6. Everyone who cares about Russian history, as well as believers, should definitely visit such an interesting place as the church in Sokolniki at least once. Schedule of services: eight-hour Liturgy (daily) and Vespers at 17:00 (Wednesday - St. Nicholas, Thursday - St. Panteleimon, Friday - Mother of God of Iberia). On Sundays and holidays, Liturgies are held at 6.45 and 9.30. The church has a Sunday school.