The Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral in St. Petersburg is deservedly considered one of the most striking monuments of the Elizabethan Baroque. Erected in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra - the patron saint of all sailors and travelers - for many years it has been a place of spiritual guidance for Russian sailors.
Petersburg Marine Sloboda
It is well known that the life of St. Petersburg is inextricably linked with the sea, and it began around the Admir alty shipyard built in 1704. In those years, Morskaya Sloboda was located near it - a settlement that consisted mainly of one-story stone barracks, in which those who built the Russian fleet lived. The memory of them is preserved in the names - Kanonerskaya street and the lane of the same name. Gunners in the times of Peter the Great were called gunners.
In addition, the cathedral erected here, which is discussed in our article, also gave its name to the square on which it is located, the market, the alley, two bridges, and the street,bearing today the name of Glinka.
As it is clear from archival documents, the choice of the place where the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral subsequently rose was determined not only by the presence of free space, but also by the proximity of water arteries, such as the Kryukov and Ekaterininsky canals, as well as the Fontanka River.
Predecessors of the current temple
In order to spiritually nourish those who served in the Naval Department, several churches were originally erected not far from the Admir alty Shipyard. In the place where the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral now stands, there was a chapel, also consecrated in honor of the heavenly patron of sailors and travelers. From the memoirs of contemporaries it is known that it was distinguished by the extraordinary richness of its decoration, but could not accommodate everyone.
Condescending to the numerous requests of the parishioners, the Holy Synod decided to build a wooden church in its place, also dedicated to the heavenly patron of the fleet, but to make it much larger, which was completed in 1743. Icons, church utensils and everything that was of any value were transferred to it from the former chapel. The parish community of the new church was very numerous. According to the surviving documents, its members were 3396 state employees and artisans, not counting women and children.
Beginning of the construction of the stone temple
However, the construction of the wooden church was only a half measure. The Russian fleet, covered with glory, demanded forhis heavenly patron of a more worthy temple, and in 1752, Prince Mikhail Golitsyn, who was the president of the Adir alty College, filed a petition to the highest name for the construction of a new stone cathedral.
All costs were planned to be covered from the funds of the Maritime Department, as well as from voluntary donations from citizens. In his appeal to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the prince emphasized that the construction of the cathedral would be a worthy retribution to the memory of the "glorious victories of the Russian fleet." Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was not slow to give her consent, after which work began.
The architect who designed the cathedral
The Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral, the photo of which is presented in the article, was built by the St. Petersburg architect Savva Ivanovich Chevakinsky. As a model for future construction, the architect was recommended to use the cathedral, previously built in Astrakhan and with its outlines very much liked by Peter I during his visit to this Lower Volga city. It is known that the sovereign intended to build the same in St. Petersburg, but the unexpected death that followed in 1725 prevented the implementation of his plans.
Chevakinsky was forced to agree, but in the end the similarity of the two temples was limited to their five domes, which was rare for St. Petersburg in those years. The fact is that for a long time all the temple buildings in it were erected on the model of the famous cathedral located on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress, that is, single-domed and crowned with a bell tower with a spire. Thus, by creating the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral, the architect took a significant step towards returning to the Russian Orthodox tradition.
The flood-proof cathedral
The architect submitted his first project for the highest approval in the spring of 1752, but soon received it for revision, since the possibility of floods, so frequent in the Northern capital, was not taken into account when drawing up the drawings. After proper revision, which took a year, the project was finally approved in the form in which the cathedral has survived to this day.
In its new version, its building was raised so much that the floor was higher than the level that the Neva water reaches at the time of a natural disaster. In accordance with this, the general proportions of the cathedral were also thought out. Separately from it, in the period from 1755 to 1758, a bell tower was erected, according to the St. Petersburg tradition, topped with a high spire.
Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral: description
This one of the largest cathedrals in St. Petersburg can accommodate five thousand people at the same time. Its building has a cruciform plan and is richly decorated with Corinthian columns, stucco architraves, as well as balconies with forged patterned lattices.
According to the project of S. I. Chevakinsky, the cathedral building was built in two floors. The vaults of the premises have the shape of an equilateral cross. The upper church was consecrated in honor of the Theophany of the Lord. The solemn ceremony was held on July 26, 1762 by Archbishop Sylvester(Kulyabka) in the presence of Empress Catherine II, who visited the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral. Its lower church, as originally planned, was consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Cathedral icons and decorative carvings
The iconostases of both churches, made in the 18th century by the outstanding carvers S. P. Nikulin and I. F. Kanaev, deserve special attention. Also interesting are the icons, the creation of which was entrusted to the best St. Petersburg icon painter of those years, Fedot Lukich Kolokolnikov, as well as to his two siblings, Ivan and Mina.
It should be noted, by the way, that the sketches of both iconostases were developed by the architect of the cathedral himself - S. I. Chevakinsky. He was also involved in compiling a list of icons needed for them. In addition to the works of these masters, the cathedral displays a unique icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with particles of his relics, made in the 17th century. It is the main cathedral shrine.
Memorial obelisk and cathedral charities
Everyone who comes to the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral involuntarily pays attention to the austere obelisk rising in his garden. It was installed in 1908 in memory of the crew of the battleship Alexander III, who died heroically in the Battle of Tsushima, which was one of the tragic pages of the Russo-Japanese War.
The sketch of the obelisk was created by one of the participants in those events - Colonel, Prince M. S. Putyatin. In the pre-revolutionary period, a hospital for the poor was opened at the cathedral, as well as a women's shelter.almshouse and charitable society with a free school.
The cathedral in the Soviet and post-Soviet years
In the years following the October coup, the Nikolo-Epiphany Naval Cathedral, whose address is Nikolskaya Square 1/3, unlike many other city churches, was not closed, and in the period from 1941 to 1999 it even had the status cathedral. In those years, the Leningrad metropolitans lived in the premises arranged in the choirs - Alexy (Simansky), who later took the patriarchal throne, as well as Grigory (Chukov).
In April 2009, after Metropolitan Vladimir (Kotlyarov) re-consecrated the upper church, many previously confiscated shrines were returned to it, among which a special place is occupied by ancient icons made by the painters Kolokolnikovs (they were discussed above), as well as an ark with particles of many Orthodox saints.
Since the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral (St. Petersburg) was originally built as a tribute to the memory of the heroes of the Russian fleet, even today this tradition has found its continuation. This can be confirmed by the memorial plaques installed in the upper church with the names of dozens of submariners who died in the line of duty. Among them are the crew of the Komsomolets submarine, which sank in April 1989 in the Norwegian Sea, as well as the Kursk nuclear submarine, which sank in 2000. On the days of commemoration, memorial services are served in the cathedral for them and for all the sailors of the Russian fleet who gave their lives for their Motherland.
Services held in the Cathedral
Today, when Russia, after many decades of total atheism, once again rushed to its spiritual sources, among other St. Petersburg shrines, St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral has found its rightful place. The schedule of divine services held in it testifies to the fullness and richness of his religious life.
There are two liturgies every day: early, at 7:00 and late, at 10:00. Each of them is preceded by a confession, starting 15 minutes before the specified time. In addition, prayer services are held at 8:45 and 12:00, and an evening service is held at 18:00. The rest of the time, as needed, is filled with all sorts of requirements.
