The Church of the Archangel Michael in the village of Stary Chekursky is located on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan. Although this church does not have a long history, it is known throughout the area for its features. About the Church of the Archangel Michael in Stary Chekursky, the history of its construction and unusual facts later in the article.
History of the settlement
The appearance of the village of Stary Chekursky is directly related to the movement of Russian servicemen towards the Volga region. They gradually moved further and further away from their small homeland and began to develop new territories.
In 1647, along the left bank of the Tusa River, which previously had no name, several villages were formed, including Staroe Chekurskoye. The settlers were engaged in agriculture and hunting. It is known for sure that the peasants who lived here were not serfs, which means they were free people.
The settlement gradually expanded, and since the vast majority of the peasants were Orthodox,there was a need for a new temple.
Building a church
The Church of the Archangel Michael in Stary Chekursky was built between 1905 and 1909. For that time, a short time was enough for the construction of the church. The name of the author of the architectural project has not survived to our time.
The construction of the temple in the name of the Archangel Michael is due to the fact that most of the settlers were from the military. Michael is the archangel and the main archangel who cast the devil into the underworld. In Russia, since the time of Peter the Great, Michael has been the patron of the defenders of the fatherland.
What was the interior of the temple at the beginning of the 20th century, is unknown, but there is evidence that its main icon was a list of the Archangel Michael with a fiery sword in his hands. Unfortunately, this face has been lost.
The Church in the 20th century
Together with the church, a parochial school was built and opened. The first priest in the Church of the Archangel Michael in Old Chekursky was A. A. Petrov, who was born in the village of Bolshaya Aksa. In addition to church concerns, he taught the law of God, Russian literacy, spelling and reading at the parish school.
In 1931, the temple was closed and gradually fell into disrepair, like the village itself. The cross was dismantled from the dome, some of the icons disappeared, and the other part was destroyed. After a short period of time, a school was equipped in the former premises of the church. For a long time, Orthodox Christian life ceased in the village. In the 90s, the temple building was on the verge of complete destruction, however, localresidents did not allow the remaining church building to be demolished.
Church Revival
After 70 years, the church began to be restored. In 2000, the Vladyka of Tatarstan named Anastasy received a blessing for the revival of the temple. Due to lack of funds, the church remained in its original state, only its interior decoration was partially restored. This made it possible to conduct temporary services, which were led by Father John, as well as the first priest from the village of Bolshaya Aksa.
In 2006, in the village of Stary Chekursky, the Church of the Archangel Michael was restored. Father Oleg (Volkov) was appointed its new rector. The temple began to be visited by a large number of believers, and pilgrims gradually began to appear. This was due to the unusual gift of a priest, Oleg's father.
The temple is a three-domed building made of wood with a conical head, which has a small onion dome. The top of the church is clad in white plastic panels.
The interior of the temple is quite modest, on a simple iconostasis there are a large number of icons, the main of which is the Archangel Michael. Despite the modesty of the interior, thousands of believers come here every year.
Father Oleg
Reviews about the Church of the Archangel Michael in Stary Chekursky initially became of interest not only to believers, but also to atheists. The whole reason was the rector of the temple, who could do what few priests in Russia can do. In the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Father Herman, known to almost every Orthodoxbeliever, heals people possessed by demons. It is precisely this gift that Father Oleg, rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael, possesses.
This unusual gift was immediately talked about throughout the district, which attracted a large number of pilgrims. An interesting fact is that only about 20 priests have such an unusual gift.
Rite of exile
One of the most frequently asked questions that arises when talking about the rite of exorcism is the question of why not every priest undertakes to perform it. The thing is that the vast majority of priests are wary, and some are even very afraid of this rite. In order to carry out the exorcism of an unclean spirit, you yourself must be inaccessible and beyond his control.
This ritual is said to be so dangerous to the performer that its completion could be fatal to the exorcist himself. For such a rite, the aura of the church itself, prayers, worship and fasting are extremely important. In big cities, unfortunately, even priests succumb to temptations and break the canons. It is for this reason that it is necessary to go to a remote and remote village, where the holy fathers are more attentive to such things. According to reviews of the Church of the Archangel Michael in the village of Staroye Chekursky, the possessed are indeed freed from the evil spirits that have inhabited them. And only father Oleg can perform this ceremony.
Ceremony
The rite of exile in the Church of the Archangel Michael is held on Friday, Saturday andSunday. These days, the total number of those who came to the church on average is more than three hundred people. In summer, this number rises to 800. Naturally, the church is not able to accommodate everyone, so most of those who come stay on the street, gradually changing places with those who have already attended the service.
To understand how many people come to this church for help, it should be mentioned that upon arrival at the temple everyone receives a cardboard number. This is necessary in order not to get confused in a long queue.
The ceremony is attended by groups of 10 people, and the priest begins to conduct it. When the holy father begins to read prayers, cries, roars, groans and cries of those suffering from demonic possession are heard. Upon completion, it becomes much easier for many, which can be seen even by the expression on their faces and eyes, but it is not always possible to help a person the first time.
Usually, a fee of 120 rubles is taken for the ritual, but they can also take a nominal fee from the sufferer, or take no money at all. It all depends on the financial ability of the obsessed and in need of help.
Those who come to the temple before the evening service can visit the refectory, where they will be fed absolutely free, but it is not forbidden to leave a modest offering. Not far from the church, you can rent a hotel room or a room in the private sector.
Church of the Archangel Michael in Stary Chekursky: reviews
You can be quite skeptical about the ceremony conducted by Father Oleg. Many parishioners believe that in the church of the Archangel Michael in the village. Old Chekurskya real miracle of healing takes place in Tatarstan. There are also a number of confirmed facts that people suffering from an inexplicable illness received healing after the ceremony was performed by Father Oleg. And this is in cases where doctors could neither diagnose nor help the unfortunate person in any way.
Many reviews of the Church of the Archangel Michael (Old Chekurskoye) say that some inexplicable miracle really happens in this temple. Sick and possessed people who suffer before the rite recover.
It's pretty hard to argue when thousands of people say that in this temple they were helped to get rid of the disease. Therefore, regardless of all the skepticism present, it is difficult to ignore such arguments; one has to look for some explanation for what is happening in the Church of the Archangel Michael in Stary Chekursky. Reviews claim that this is a miracle, everyone will decide for himself what it is and how to treat it.
