Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, Novokuznetsk: review, description, history and interesting facts

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

The Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Novokuznetsk) is a decoration of the city and a memorial in honor of the fallen miners. It appeared thanks to the general support of people and can be considered a folk temple of Kuzbass.

History

The Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Novokuznetsk) was built at the seminary and dedicated to the memory of the fallen miners. When the temple was laid in 1998, it was believed that the cathedral would stand in memory of only those 29 people who died in the Zyryanovskaya mine, the tragedy happened on December 2, 1997. Now all the dead miners are commemorated in the cathedral. The foundation stone of the temple was consecrated in July 1998, and funds for construction from the Prime Minister did not come until 2000.

Zero construction cycle was completed in February 2001, and all work stopped due to lack of funding. The project was frozen, the situation changed after the creation of a charitable foundation in 2008. Architectural and design documents were sent for revision, a new construction contractor appeared. For parishioners and all interestedthere was a firm conviction that the Church of the Nativity in Novokuznetsk would soon adorn the city and serve as a consolation to all whose loved ones died in the mines.

Construction stages

On August 18, 2008, a prayer service was served and a religious procession was held on the foundation of the future cathedral. Two years later, on August 19, on the day of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the gilded domes of the temple were consecrated. Seven towers and a bell tower were crowned with onions. The central dome is made by analogy with the dome of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (Moscow), it is so large that it was raised in separate fragments and assembled into a single whole immediately on the central drum.

The highest point of the cathedral was the top of the cross on the bell tower, it rises to a height of almost 52 meters. The Church of the Nativity of Christ in Novokuznetsk has its own voice, consisting of nine bells, which were produced by Ural craftsmen.

Almost all civil works were completed in 2011, and in April the foundation stone was consecrated, marking the construction of the administrative building of the temple.

Interior work and temple painting

In May 2011, a group of specialists began painting frescoes inside the cathedral. The painting was done with acrylic paints, the compositions were based on traditional paintings of the 14th-15th centuries.

In November of the same year, the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Novokuznetsk) in the eastern part of the facade was decoratedthree mosaic icons - the Holy Life-Giving Trinity, Great Martyr Barbara (patron of miners) and Sergius of Radonezh (patron of Russia).

The Lower Baptismal Church was built in a complex architectural form, richly decorated with mosaic icons made of natural stones and sm alt. The decoration used marble, columns. The intimacy of the interior is given by the stepped floor, hemispherical arches and convex icons made in the ancient Byzantine tradition. The font of the temple is decorated with early Christian symbols.

The Cathedral of the Nativity in Novokuznetsk was built by the whole world, funds for its needs were donated by large organizations, entrepreneurs and ordinary parishioners. It became a people's cathedral and a memorial in memory of the miners. The total area of the temple is 3391 square meters, the approximate capacity is 2200 people at the same time.

Architecture

The Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Novokuznetsk) consists of four main parts. The square part of the apse is covered with a flume vault, the cylindrical part, which is covered with a hemisphere, adjoins the room. Natural illumination of this part of the temple is provided by four semi-circular windows. The apse with the temple part is connected by an arch, in front of which the iconostasis is planned.

The temple part of the cathedral has a square shape with northern and southern aisles. Each aisle has its own apses and iconostases. In the western part of the temple there is an arched opening, above which, at the level of the second floor, choirs are arranged. Large light drum provides illuminationthe center of the cathedral.

In the basement of the temple there is a baptismal room, the entrance to which is possible near the main entrance. It is possible to get to the lower and upper floors by spiral staircases located in the side porches of the church. Also in the basement there are storage rooms, a room for employees and staff, a room for the catechumens.

You can get to the bell tower by stairs starting from the level of the second floor. Symbiosis was chosen as the architectural style of the Novokuznetsk Memorial Church, which combines historical eclecticism and pseudo-Russian style. The type of temple is a ship with nine domes, a bell tower and two aisles. The Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Novokuznetsk) was consecrated on August 25, 2013, the service was performed by the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church - Kirill.

Administrative building

The cathedral complex includes an administrative building, which includes utility rooms. It is part of the seminary and houses the assembly hall, library, administration offices of the institution, classrooms, refectory, hotel and garage. The dining room is designed for 80 people, the dining room covers an area of about 172 square meters. Nearby is a kitchen and other production facilities.

The basement was given over to utility, technical and storage facilities. According to the plan, on the second floor there will be a library with 25,000 storage books, hotel rooms of several categories, classrooms and administrative offices. On the third floor isan equipped assembly hall that can accommodate up to 200 people, a museum exposition, an icon-painting workshop. The total area of the building is more than 4200 square meters. The new building of the seminary was consecrated by Patriarch Kirill on August 25, 2013.

The temple not only performs a direct function, but also serves as a memorial to all the dead miners of Kuzbass. Their names are forever imprinted in a memorial list located on a special funeral table. To date, it contains 15.5 thousand names, the list of the dead is counted from 1920.

Seminary

The Kuzbass Seminary appeared in Novokuznetsk in 1994 and occupied a modest building on the first floor of a standard residential building in the city center. In an educational institution, young people studied at the pastoral department for two years, and girls received the education of regents for three academic years. Liturgical practice was held in the Transfiguration Cathedral (Novokuznetsk).

Since 2004, pastoral education has moved to a three-year course of study, the number of applicants for it has constantly increased, and the seminary was relocated to a new large four-story building. Since 2000, next to the educational institution, the construction of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Christ began, later the temple and the seminary were merged into a single architectural complex.

Today KDS is one of the best higher educational institutions in its segment with modern technical equipment, extensive scientific, theological and educational facilities. Students not only get hereeducation, but also go in for sports, social and educational activities, creativity. An icon-painting workshop, chor.

Useful information

Many historical and memorable places can be seen while walking around Novokuznetsk. From the moment of its consecration, the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ has become one of the local attractions and the center of the spiritual life of the entire Kuzbass.

Worship services on weekdays are held daily in the morning from 07:00, in the evening the service begins at 17:00. On holidays and Sundays, morning services begin at 07:00 with an early Liturgy, after which a prayer service is held. The second Liturgy begins at 09:00, followed by a memorial service. Service in the evenings - 17:00.

Contacts (Cathedral of the Nativity): phone in the cathedral - (3843) 601 530 or (3843) 993 773. Hotel phone (3843) 601 533, 8-923-464-15-33. Address: st. Zyryanovskaya, building 97a.