In the middle of the XIX century in the city of Pavlovsk, located near St. Petersburg and which included the architectural ensemble of the imperial residence, the Exemplary Cavalry Regiment was quartered. At the same time, due to the lack of its own parish church, a house church was set up in one of its premises. It was she who became the predecessor of the now widely known Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk. However, its foundation was preceded by considerable efforts.
Regimental Church of St. Nicholas
In 1868, dashing cavalrymen were transferred to St. Petersburg, and their barracks were given to no less valiant artillerymen, who, along with all other property, inherited the church. It should be noted that this temple of God in those days not only did not resemble the current Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pavlovsk), but outwardly it was a very sad sight.
It was located in one of the barracks and differed from other state-owned premises only by a small wooden cross mounted above the door. He hadthe official status of the regimental church, and later even became the garrison church of the city of Pavlovsk, but not only did it not have a permanent priest, but there were even no liturgical books. On the days of Orthodox holidays, as well as name days of the reigning persons, the regimental authorities invited one of the parish priests to serve a prayer service. At the same time, the temple was not heated, and in winter, services were not held in it at all.
The Sorrows of Father John
The situation improved somewhat only in 1894, when the diocesan leadership considered it necessary to attribute the church to the Sergius Cathedral, located in St. Petersburg on Liteiny Prospekt, and attach a permanent priest to it ─ Father John (Pearl). This venerable pastor subsequently became the main initiator of the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
However, the enemy of the human race has placed many obstacles in his way. It began with the fact that during the overhaul of all the garrison buildings, carried out in 1895, the building where the house church was located was demolished, and it was not included in the plan for new buildings. Father John repeatedly submitted requests to various government authorities, but constantly received a negative response, motivated by the fact that the former church was freelance, and he himself was only an attached priest in it.
Resolution of the Minister of War
Unexpectedly, help came from a very pious resident of Pavlovsk, who had extensive connections in highercircles of metropolitan society. Thanks to the efforts of this influential lady, the petition of Father John was submitted personally to the Minister of War A. N. Kuropatkin, who imposed the desired resolution on him.
After that, the department subordinate to him showed very commendable promptness, and soon order No. 259 was revealed to the world from its bowels on the construction of the garrison St. Nicholas Church, which had been destroyed by that time, into the state. This “posthumous legalization” of the temple freed Father John and allowed him to continue the efforts to build a new capital cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
Protection of the Kronstadt saint
Nevertheless, the implementation of such a grandiose project required the patronage of some secular or clergy person who was not only well received in the palace, but also had influence on the sovereign. In search of such a patron, Father John turned to his namesake, the priest John of Kronstadt, who was highly revered in all sectors of society. It was hardly possible to find a more authoritative and respected pastor in Russia of those years.
Having listened very favorably to the request of his Pavlovian colleague, Father John of Kronstadt not only gave him his blessing, but acted as the first and very generous donor for such a charitable cause. In addition, he promised his assistance in case of any administrative difficulties. Thus, the creation of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk is associated with the name of this great pastor, who is already numbered today. Russian Orthodox Church to the face of saints.
Ambition of the Grand Duke
Initially, it was planned to build a rather modest church, intended for the needs of the local garrison. But the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, who was the owner of all Pavlovsk, considered this an undermining of his own prestige and ordered to build on a grand scale. The future temple was supposed to increase the glory of Pavlovsk with its architectural and artistic merits, and, consequently, contribute to the grandeur of the reigning house.
Having rejected two projects proposed for his consideration, the Grand Duke ordered to use as a model the church built shortly before and which he liked very much at the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Its author, the architect A. I. von Gauguin, was entrusted with the creation of the project for the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
Building a temple
Flattered by such a flattering opinion of his previous work, the architect free of charge completed the sketches of the new building, and in 1899 another Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich created a working commission for the construction of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
It included several members of the government, as well as the author of the project A. I. von Gauguin and Father John (Pearls) himself. Soon construction began, and in 1904 the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk, the photo of which is presented in the article, was fully completed, although its partial consecration took place long before that.
Under the rule of the victorious proletariat
After in October 1917 the "God-bearing people" (that's what Leo Tolstoy called him) took power into his own hands, he first of all took care to destroy, plunder or close as many churches as possible. In this situation, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pavlovsk, Leningrad region) was able to hold out until the early 30s. In 1930, the authorities attempted to abolish it, but it was only possible to close it after 3 years.
The temple was not destroyed, since its building, built very thoroughly, was of economic interest. At first, a club was placed in it, which was nearby a motorized rifle brigade, and then repair shops were equipped. At the same time, military equipment freely entered under the defiled vaults through a breach made in the wall.
Under the rule of the occupiers
In September 1941, Pavlovsk found itself in the zone of German occupation, and divine services were immediately resumed in the cathedral. At the same time, the building itself received significant damage as a result of shelling and bombing. When the fascist invaders were expelled in January 1944, and Pavlovsk again became Soviet, church services were again banned, and a repair shop was again housed in the cathedral. In addition, it has undergone significant redevelopment.
Revival of the desecrated shrine
In 1987, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk (address: St. Petersburg, Pavlovsk,st. Artilleriyskaya, 2) was taken under state protection as an architectural monument of local importance. By this time, the repair shop in it was closed, and a military warehouse was equipped instead.
Regular services in the temple were resumed in 1991. This time, fortunately, without the intervention of foreign invaders, but because of the perestroika announced in the country and changes in government policy towards the church. After a long break, the first liturgy was served. Then the authorities went even further and included the cathedral among the monuments of historical and cultural heritage of federal significance. After that, for almost 10 years, its restoration and restoration work was carried out.
The temple is a pearl of architecture
Today, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Pavlovsk Cathedral, built in the Russian style, is one of the most beautiful temple complexes in the northern capital. Its walls, made of French red-brown brick, are skillfully decorated with stucco elements. The roof is crowned with five domes, traditional for Russian architecture, elevated to a height of 32 meters and complemented by corner turrets.
From the western and eastern sides, a semicircular apse (altar extension) and a bell tower adjoin the main building. A characteristic feature of the facades of the building are the images of the three patron saints of artillery placed on them ─ Archangel Michael, George the Victorious and Nicholas the Wonderworker. In addition, the walls of the cathedral are decorated with Russian double-headed eagles.
Howget to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker?
You can get to Pavlovsk from the Vitebsky railway station in St. Petersburg, using the train that makes the final stop in it, or by taxi No. 286, which runs from Moscow Square to the temple itself. Bus number 379 goes directly to the cathedral in Pavlovsk.
