Church of St. Catherine (Feodosia): history, description, reviews

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

The resort of Feodosia, located in the southeast of Crimea, is known to travelers not only for its wonderful beaches and warm sea, but also for its original architecture. Centuries-old history has turned this city into a cultural center rich in museums, unique religious monuments.

Church of Saint Catherine

Feodosia annually receives thousands of tourists who, in addition to a beach holiday, also study local attractions. There are many holy monasteries in this resort town, but one of them strikes the imagination with its diversity. This is the Church of St. Catherine (Feodosia). We will present a photo of this cathedral, its description and interesting facts in this article.

Building this God's abode by joint efforts. Its second name is St. Catherine's Church. The choice of the patroness is associated with the fact that it was during the time of Catherine II that Crimea became part of the Russian state. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the village of Sarygol was on this site. It was inhabited by workers servingrailway station "Feodosia". The Church of St. Catherine, whose address is Fedko Street, 95, was built in 1892 just for them. It is noteworthy that the foundation of the temple was laid on the birthday of the Russian Empress.

History

The Synod allocated only three thousand rubles for the construction. Most of the money came from private donors. Ordinary residents of the city did not stand aside, among whom fundraising was also carried out. Local merchants who bought building materials also helped a lot, as well as some workers who on Sundays erected the Church of St. Catherine for free. Feodosia, at that time a small town, already had several small churches, but the locals were especially reverent about this.

The work was directed by a committee headed by the director of the local male gymnasium. The Church of St. Catherine (Feodosia) functioned until 1937, and then, for obvious reasons, was temporarily closed by the Soviet authorities. Divine services resumed during the occupation of the city by the Germans, but after the liberation it was no longer closed.

Description

During the construction of the church, the traditions of Russian architecture of the eighteenth century were used. This style implied a special elegance of the building with the use of numerous decorative details. That is why St. Catherine's Church immediately attracts attention. At the heart of the plan of the temple is an equal-sized cross. The entrance to the church is located on the western side. It is decorated with a portico, above which it rises relativelysmall belfry. Its decoration is a low colonnade, assembled from columns expanded in the middle part.

The walls of the church stand on a plinth of impressive height. There are columns in all corners. There is no single dome over the church. In this temple, it is replaced by five small onions, which is also typical for many religious objects in Russia.

Interesting facts

Some of the priests who served within the walls of the church, history did not leave unnoticed. For example, the former rector of the monastery, A. Kosovsky, was canonized as a saint. Andrei Feodosijsky was shot by the Bolsheviks for allegedly anti-Soviet activities. In her memoirs, Tsvetaeva mentions another minister from St. Catherine's Church - Father Macarius. She became close to him during her stay in Feodosia. Archpriest Alexei is credited with initiating the restoration of the temple. It was during the years of his ministry that new works were begun, thanks to which today the church has been turned into a huge complex.

How to get there

The village of railway workers Sarygol is currently located within the city, which means that the Church of St. Catherine is also located there. Feodosia is growing rapidly. To get to the monastery, you need to go from the central bus station in the direction of the railway station. And from there, right along Turetskaya Street, then along Lunacharskaya Street, you can go directly to the Church of St. Catherine (Feodosia).

Reviews

Today the monastery is a fairly large temple complex. Here, in addition to the church, there is a library, a Sunday school, a methodological office and hotels. A new building has recently been erected to house the full immersion baptismal facility.

Judging by the reviews, many citizens prefer to hold weddings, baptisms, etc. in this church. People say that after the repair and restoration work carried out from 1999 to 2002 on the territory of this landmark of the city of Feodosia, it has become much brighter and more comfortable here.

Many people like the appearance of the temple, its some variegation, which improves mood. Judging by the reviews, people are also impressed by its interior space. In terms of area, the Church of St. Catherine, originally designed for three hundred parishioners, is much larger today. Therefore, it can receive many more people.

Many tourists are attracted by the appearance of the temple. They also note that all the buildings around the main building of the church are designed in the same style, which creates a single architectural ensemble.