Mari El is a republic located in the Middle Volga region, among many forest lakes, for which it received the name "blue-eyed". Its capital is Yoshkar-Ola, or the Red (beautiful) city. Half of the population is Russian, and despite the fact that most of the natives are adherents of the traditional local pagan religion, the first Orthodox churches were built in the capital of the republic in the eighteenth century.
Churches of the city
Existing temples of Yoshkar-Ola:
- Ascension Cathedral.
- Resurrection Cathedral.
- Cathedral of Seraphim of Sarov.
- Church of the Holy Trinity.
- Tikhvin Church.
- Assumption Church.
- Church of the Nativity.
- Chapel of All Saints who shone in the Russian land.
- Chapel of Elisabeth Feodorovna.
- Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
- Chapel of the Protection of the Holy Mother of God.
- Chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
- Peter's Chapel andFevronia.
In addition to the existing churches, several new churches are being built in the city.
Cathedral
Now the Ascension Cathedral is the city's cathedral. Temples of Yoshkar-Ola - Resurrection, Tikhvin and Trinity are attributed to it. The building of the cathedral was built in 1756. Unfortunately, this temple, like many others, did not escape a long period of service to something other than Christ. In 1937 it was closed and handed over to the brewery. The bell tower was demolished, and the building itself gradually collapsed. In the mid-nineties of the twentieth century, donations began to be collected for the restoration of the cathedral. After the restoration, the temple became a three- altar one. Thrones consecrated in the name of:
- Ascension Day.
- Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
- Ex altation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
Holy Trinity Church
The temples of Yoshkar-Ola built in the eighteenth century, such as Voznesensky, Voskresensky and Trinity, are typical examples of Russian architecture of that time. Now the interior decoration of the Holy Trinity Church is complemented by a painting made in the traditions of the Byzantine and Athos schools of temple painting. The church choir of the Trinity Church took second place in the competition of the republican level among similar groups.
There is a Sunday school at the temple. The main activity of the school is the study by children of the law of God, the basics of Orthodox culture and church singing. The school has several needlework clubs, a music club.
From the history of the Trinity Church
Temples of Yoshkar-Ola began to be built in the seventeenth century. In 1646, the oldest of them, the wooden Trinity Church, was mentioned for the first time. In 1736, the construction of a stone church began with the money of a local merchant and peasant. By 1757 the construction was completed. The temple kept a large number of shrines. Among them was the image of the Savior, carved from wood. It depicts Christ sitting in a dungeon wearing a crown of thorns. Judging by the inscription, the image was donated to the church by a certain archer in 1695. Orthodox throughout the city especially revered him. Many came from afar just to bow to him. Numerous cases of healing through prayers before this image are known. Unfortunately, in difficult Soviet times, when the temple was closed, the icon had to be transferred to another church, where it remains now.
The church successfully existed until 1932, when it was closed and transferred to the local history museum. Seven years later, the building was dismantled down to the ground floor and abandoned until 1991. This year it was finally returned to the church. Reconstruction has begun. Twelve years later, the repair of the lower floor was completed. It was completed by the consecration in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the throne of the lower chapel. It took another five years to restore the top floor. His throne is consecrated in the name of the Most Holy Life-Giving Trinity. The church has been fully functioning since 2008. The appearance that the temple has today is significantly different from the original.
