Novonikolskoe church. Novonikolskoe. Church of the Ascension of the Lord (St. Nicholas the Wonderworker). Photo and description
Photo: Ascension Church in Novonikolsky
Photo and description
A wooden church in Novonikolskoye existed already at the beginning of the 17th century. More precisely, then the village was called Novy, and the church was Nikolskaya. At that time, the village belonged to two princes - Nikita Leontyev and Foma Ivanov.
The stone temple was erected in the village at the beginning of the 19th century. It was also Nikolsky, but in the mid-30s the building was reconsecrated (the reasons for this are unknown), the church became Voznesenskaya.
The building stood on the bank of a stream, in the southern part of the village. It was erected thanks to the landowner Elizaveta Savelova - construction work was carried out at her expense. There were two thrones in the temple. In the middle of the 19th century, new aisles were built. Over eight hundred parishioners visited the temple, and only males were taken into account in the count.
In the 30s of the 20th century, the doors of the church were closed to believers, the temple became a warehouse.
Until the 50s, there was a unique alley near the church, which was bordered by trees planted more than two centuries ago. All these trees were cut down in connection with the construction of the highway.
The temple building was gradually destroyed. In the 80s, it actually ceased to exist, only the walls remained. In this form, it was returned to the parishioners in the 90s. Restoration work has begun. Divine services at this time took place in a wooden house located near the temple. The restoration of the church was completed only a few years ago.
The church contains shrines that are highly revered by believers - for example, the image of the Mother of God, created more than a century ago on Mount Athos.
The village of NovonikolskoyeStory. In 1627 in the village. New, which is on the river. Dubna, there was a wooden church “without singing”. The village at that time was called New and belonged to Prince. Nikita Leontiev and Prince. Foma Ivanov. Then the village was owned by: Zagryazhskys, Volynskys, Dmitrievs-Mamonovs, Golitsyns, Trubetskoys and others.
In 1827, a stone church was erected in the village, and first consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas, and in 1836 it was reconsecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord.
Two chapels were built in the church: in the name of St. Nicholas and in the name of St. App. Peter and Paul.
In 1931 the church was closed and used as a warehouse.
In 1991, the parish of the Ascension Church was formed. The temple has been almost completely restored. Divine services are held regularly.
Shrines. In the temple there is the revered Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, painted at the end of the 19th century. on Holy Mount Athos, and a particle of St. relics of St. Innocent of Moscow.
Address: 141900, Moscow region, Taldomsky district, village. Novonikolskoe.
Directions: from Moscow from Savelovsky station to the station. Verbilki (89 km), then by bus (3 km).
date |
Time |
Name |
What is the Divine Service dedicated to? |
All-night vigil. |
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Liturgy. |
Week 6 of Easter, about the blind man. |
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Liturgy. |
Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. |
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All-night vigil. |
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Liturgy. |
Ascension of the Lord. |
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Liturgy. |
3rd discovery of the head of John the Baptist. |
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All-night vigil. |
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Liturgy. |
Week 7 of Easter, St. father 1 Omni. Cathedral. |
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Vespers. |
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Liturgy. |
Trinity Ecumenical Parents' Saturday. |
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Liturgy. |
Pentecost. |
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Liturgy. |
Holy Spirit Day. |
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All-night vigil. |
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Liturgy. |
Week 1 through Friday. All saints. |
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All-night vigil. |
History of the temple
In 1627, in the village of Novy on the Dubna River, a wooden church stood “without singing,” “with a tent up.” In 1715, priest Fokiy Artemonov and his son, sexton Vasily, served at the wooden St. Nicholas Church. The village of Novo-Nikolskoye at that time was called the village of Novy. And one half of the village was for Prince Nikita Leontyev’s son Shekhovsky, and the other was for Prince Foma Ivanov’s son Kvashnin. Then the village was owned by the Zagryazhskys, Korcordinovs, Artemon Matveev, Volynskys, Dmitriev-Mamonovs, Golitsyns, Trubetskoys.
In 1827, a stone church was built on the site of a wooden church. In 1831 she was listed as Nikolskaya. In 1836 - as Voznesenskaya, which has two thrones. In the middle of the 19th century. in the church in the name of the Ascension of the Lord there were already two chapels: in the name of St. Nicholas and the holy apostles Peter and Paul. There were 815 male parishioners. The following people served at the church: priest, deacon, sexton, sexton.
In 1931, the temple was closed, after which the premises were used as a warehouse. By the end of the 1980s. Only the walls of the church remain.
The parish was formed again in 1991. At this time, services were held in a wooden house next to the church and the church building was being restored.
The church contains the revered Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, painted at the end of the 19th century. on Holy Mount Athos, and a particle of the holy relics of St. Innocent of Moscow.
We love and honor the history of our native land
Preserve the memory of all representatives of the Gardner family
In the spring of 2014, in the Taldomsky district, in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye (formerly Novoye), during the demolition of one of the houses, tombstones of a destroyed cemetery were discovered in the foundation. Among them was a granite monument to Alexei Pavlovich Gardner. The monument is surprisingly well preserved. Local residents reported the discovery to the porcelain factory in Verbilki. The plant administration took urgent measures to preserve the monument - it was removed from the foundation. They decided to move it to the territory of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, but this was not possible; the monument had to be transported to the gates of the cemetery.
The surname Gardner in these places is well known to many, since not far from here, in Verbilki, there is a famous porcelain factory, which was founded in 1754 by the Scotsman Franz Yakovlevich Gardner. Many of his descendants, managing the factory, lived in Verbilki, were parishioners of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novoe and were buried near its walls.
After the revolution of 1917, difficult times came, including for the temple. In 1931 it was closed, and by the end of the 1980s. All that remained of the church were the walls and the parish cemetery, and the graves near the church were destroyed. From the Gardner burials, only the grave of Sofia Alexandrovna, the wife of Alexander Petrovich Gardner, great-grandson of Franz Yakovlevich, with daughters Sofia and Anastasia, has survived.
Alexey Pavlovich (1863-1908) (nephew of the above-mentioned Alexander Petrovich) was a respected person. He, however, was little involved in the affairs of the factory; mainly, he served in the District Zemstvo Administration of the city of Dmitrov, and was a member of the Noble Guardianship and Trusteeship of Incapacitated Persons, Minors, the Elderly and the Sick. He did a lot for the village of Novoe, which he acquired in 1885. He was a trustee of the local zemstvo school, completed the bell tower at the church, for which in 1896 he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd degree, by the Holy Synod. At the end of his life he suffered from bouts of depression, as a result of which he was forced to leave the service, and at the age of 45 he tragically passed away. He was buried and buried in the parish cemetery. New. Alexey Pavlovich, even after his death, took care of his fellow countrymen. He bequeathed his house in Novy Selo and capital in the amount of 15,000 rubles. into the ownership of the Moscow Provincial Zemstvo so that a sanatorium for teaching staff could be established in this house. A year after his death, the Dmitrov Uyezd Zemstvo Administration opened a free public library in his name in this village.
The news of the discovery reached me, and I wanted to see this monument. When I first saw Alexei Pavlovich’s tombstone, my heart ached from historical injustice. I considered it my duty to pay my last tribute to the man who once lived here and tried to improve the life of his settlement to the best of his ability. I turned to the rector of the church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Fr. Savva with a request to erect a monument at a symbolic burial place, on the modern territory of the temple. In the fall, the monument was moved, and Alexey Pavlovich Gardner finally found final peace. It’s very nice that there are caring, responsive people in the world.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who loves and honors the history of their native land and tries to ensure that it is not forgotten. First of all, these are the employees of the local history center and museums of the cities of Dmitrov and Taldom, especially L.A. Fatueva, N.L. Elovskaya, T.K. Mamedova; Administration of the Gardner Manufactory in Verbilki plant - General Director A.V. Polikanov, President of the company A.B. Mamedova, as well as former director V.D. Lunev, keepers of the history of the plant T. Motakova and Yu.N. Kravtsova; ministers of the Orthodox Church - dean of the Taldom region and the city of Dubna, Archpriest Vladislav Bobikov and Abbot Savva (Mokhov); as well as to the deputy of the Taldomsky District Council I.A. Kudryavtsev.
From the metrical books of the Church of the Ascension, which are stored in the central archive of Moscow (Profsoyuznaya str., 80), it is known that Elizaveta Nikolaevna, the last owner of a porcelain factory from the Gardner dynasty, mother of Alexei Pavlovich, who died in Novy Selo in 1913, was buried in the churchyard. Unfortunately, her grave has not survived. I have a dream: to collect the necessary archival materials and install a memorial plaque at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, indicating other representatives of the Gardner family, buried here, but whose memory has been erased.
With respect and gratitude,
great-granddaughter F.Ya. Gardner in the 9th generation Natalia Kornienko
Temple News
28.4.19
On April 28, 2019, Orthodox Christians celebrated the holiday of Holy Easter. On the eve of the holiday, on Holy Saturday, in the Ascension Church in the village of Novonikolskoye, after the service, the consecration of Easter food took place. An Easter charity fair was held on the same day. It featured crafts made by the parishioners' children. All proceeds went to the charitable foundation of the Moscow diocese for the restoration of destroyed shrines in the Moscow region.
21.4.19
On April 21, 2019, on the day of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, in the Ascension Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district, the Divine Liturgy was performed by the cleric of the Dubna-Taldom deanery, the rector of the temple, Hegumen Savva (Mokhov). In ancient times, believers came to the temple with palm branches, so the holiday was called Vai Week. In Russia it is called Palm Sunday, since by this time the willow tree was already blooming, with which believers came to church.
7.1.19
In the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, January 6, 2019, Abbot Savva (Mokhov) celebrated the All-Night Vigil, which, according to the liturgical regulations, consists of Great Compline and Matins. On the morning of January 7, in front of a large crowd of people, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, at which the Christmas message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' and Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna was read.
30.11.18
On November 30, 2018, at the Central House of Writers in Moscow, in the presence of the head of the Russian Imperial House, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, a solemn ceremony for presenting the Heritage Prize took place, which was attended by parishioners of the Ascension Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district. The “Heritage” star was established by the Russian Union of Writers and, by its status, is a public award awarded for contributions to the development of Russian culture and literature. The “Heritage” star of the third degree was awarded to Taldom resident Elena Nikolaevna Bobkova, for whom this is not the first high award.
13.11.18
On November 13, 2018, parishioners of the Ascension Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district, led by the rector of the temple, Abbot Savva, made a pilgrimage to the ancient city of Uglich, long known for its miraculous icons and revered saints. The tour of sights and shrines began with the central Transfiguration Cathedral, which has preserved unique decoration and stunningly beautiful wall paintings. More recently, the temple was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church, and now regular services are held there. We visited the Church on the Blood, built on the site of the death of Saint Tsarevich Demetrius.
30.10.18
“Let's warm children's hearts” - this is the motto of the annual charity event organized by the Department for Social Service and Charity of the Moscow Diocese and the Ministry of Social Protection of the Moscow Region. Clergy and parishioners of the Moscow diocese organize holidays for orphans, pilgrimages to holy places, organize competitions and quizzes on spiritual and moral topics, and much more.
26.10.18
October 26 is one of the days when Orthodox Christians honor the Iveron Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Resurrection Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district, the revered image of the Iveron Mother of God, painted in the 19th century on Mount Athos, is kept. This icon was saved during the years of atheism by pious local residents. On the eve of the celebration, the rector of the temple, Hegumen Savva (Mokhov), performed an all-night vigil, and on the day of the holiday itself, October 26, 2018, the Divine Liturgy. At the end of the service, Abbot Savva addressed those gathered with a sermon and thanked everyone for their joint prayer.
9.10.18
On October 9, 2018, an excursion trip to the churches of the Taldomsky district took place, developed and organized by the staff of the Taldom Historical and Literary Museum together with the parish activists of the Ascension Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye. The need for a pilgrimage route has been long overdue, because today such trips are extremely popular. There are many Orthodox shrines in the Taldom region, many of which are located in remote villages and hard-to-reach places.
3.9.18
Every year on September 3, Russia celebrates the Day of Solidarity in the Fight against Terrorism. This memorable date in Russia was established in 2005 and is associated with the tragic events in Beslan, when militants seized one of the city schools. As a result of the terrorist attack at school No. 1, more than three hundred people were killed, including more than 150 children. On this day in 2018, a number of events took place in the Sunny Beach eco-park in the village of Zaprudnya. The day began with a bike ride to the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, where an excursion was held, cyclists were told about the history of the temple and the noble families that were associated with the village.
20.8.18
After the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19, 2018), parishioners of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye made a pilgrimage to the shrines of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg is one of the largest Orthodox centers in Russia, where thousands of pilgrims come every year. Pilgrims from the Taldomsky district venerated the relics of St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg at the Smolensk Cemetery, and the relics of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, which rest in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
19.8.18
On August 19, 2018, on the day when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, a Divine Liturgy was served in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, led by the rector of the temple, Hegumen Savva (Mokhov). After the service, the choir singers and parishioners went to the village of Spas-Ugol for the regional holiday “Spas in Spas.” In the village of Spas-Ugol in 1826, the famous writer M.E. was born. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
21.7.18
On July 21, 2018, in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district, after the Divine Liturgy, an excursion was held for members of the Taldom cycling club “Rosinante”. Tourists were introduced to the history of the temple and the village, told about the Savelov family, under which the Ascension Church was built in 1827; about the porcelain manufacturers Gardner: with their funds a bell tower was erected, a zemstvo school was opened and a sanatorium was organized for teachers of the Moscow province.
12.7.18
On July 12, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul, who, as is known, were the most zealous and zealous disciples of Christ and accepted martyrdom for their faith. The events of the lives of Peter and Paul are told in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, the letters of the Apostle Paul, as well as apocryphal literature. In Rus', this day was the calendar boundary of the year, and Peter and Paul were always especially revered saints, in whose honor churches and chapels were built. The Taldomsky district did not escape this either: in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, one of the chapels was consecrated in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul.
10.4.18 Easter in Novo-Nikolskoye
On Holy Saturday, at the end of the service, the consecration of Easter food took place. At night, after the Easter service, a breaking of the fast after Lent was organized for the helpers and regular parishioners of the temple.
On Tuesday, Bright Week, the feast of the Iveron Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the service was led by the dean of the Dubna-Taldom district, Archpriest Pavel Murzich, after which the guests and parishioners were offered a festive meal.
Hegumen Savva (Mokhov)
29.6.17
On June 29, 2017, with the support of the Committee on Culture, Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Work of the Taldom District Administration, monitoring of estates, architectural monuments and historical places was carried out with the author of the blog “Chronicle of the Russian Estate”, head of the “Manor Express” project Vadim Razumov Taldomsky district for the development of tourist routes.
4.6.17
The Feast of the Holy Trinity is celebrated annually on the 50th day after Easter. This year the holiday falls on Sunday, June 4th. On this day, the Divine Liturgy was served in the Ascension Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, after which Great Vespers was served with a special rite of kneeling prayers. After the festive service, Abbot Savva (Mokhov) and the parishioners went to the village of Trinity-Vyazniki, where on the steep bank of the Dubna River stands a dilapidated church, consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity.
25.5.17
No matter where you come to the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, you can see the gilded crosses of the revived Church of the Ascension of the Lord from everywhere. In 2017, the church turns 190 years old and on May 25, the parish solemnly celebrated the patronal feast - the Ascension of the Lord.
02/24/17 MASLENITSA HAS ARRIVED!
February 24, 2017 in the village. In Maklakovo, Taldom district, Moscow region, a festive program was held in honor of the celebration of Maslenitsa. As part of the charity event “Let's warm children's hearts with kindness and love,” the parish of the Ascension Church in the village. The Novo-Nikolskoye Dubna-Taldom deanery, together with students from the monastery school in the village of Maklakovo, organized a children's play “12 months” in English.
03/13/16 Orthodox Book Day in the Ascension Church in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye
On March 13, 2106, on Forgiveness Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, the rector of the Ascension Church with. Novo-Nikolskoye Abbot Savva held a conversation about the Orthodox book with parishioners. This meeting was timed to coincide with the 452nd anniversary of the publication of the first printed book in Russia and Orthodox Book Day, which is celebrated on March 14.
Hegumen Savva told the audience about spiritual enlightenment in Rus'. He recalled that the impetus for the beginning of enlightenment and education in our fatherland was the Baptism of Rus' by Saint Prince Vladimir. During the further conversation, Father Superior spoke about the collection of teachings of St. John Chrysostom, called “Chrysostom,” which was widely circulated in ancient Rus' among Orthodox Christians. Abbot Savva illustrated his story with the ancient book “Chrysostom” he brought to the meeting.
10/07/2012 Great consecration of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district
With the blessing of His Eminence JUVENALIY, Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna, on October 7, 2012, in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district, Moscow region, the Great Consecration of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord took place. The Rite of Great Consecration was performed by His Eminence ROMAN, Bishop of Serpukhov, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese, in co-service of the Council of Clergy. The history of church life in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye goes back hundreds of years. We have received information that in 1627 there was already a wooden tent church in the village in the name of St. Nicholas of Myra. A hundred years later, in 1827, instead of a dilapidated wooden church, a stone temple in the Empire style was built. The peculiarity of its architecture was that there were no stone vaults in the temple, but a wooden plastered ceiling. The temple was built at the expense of the landowner Elizaveta Mikhailovna Savelova. ... Full text and photo of the article "Great consecration of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Novo-Nikolskoye, Taldomsky district."
Orthodox churches in Russia are of special cultural value. Beneath the majestic architecture and clean and inspiring atmosphere are often hidden stories full of mysteries, disputes and bloody struggles for faith. A clear confirmation of this is St. Nicholas Cathedral (Mozhaisk). Despite natural vagaries and historical unrest, it has stood for centuries and still sanctifies the Russian land. What's its story? And what secrets and shrines does the temple keep within its walls?
Location
The city where St. Nicholas Cathedral is located is Mozhaisk. It occupies the western part of the Moscow region and is one of the ancient cities of Russia. The first mentions of it in chronicles date back to the 13th-14th centuries. During archaeological excavations, finds dating back to the 3rd millennium BC were discovered. e. Settlements and fortifications were based on a hill (now Sobornaya Gora) in the area of the lower reaches of the Mozhaika River. A little later, the Mozhaisk Kremlin was built here. At first it was made of wood. However, at the beginning of the 16th century there was a fire. According to some sources, the reason for it could have been robberies and riots during the period After this, all that remained of the fortress were earthen ramparts and a burnt stone tower. Later, by order of Ivan the Terrible, the Mozhaisk Kremlin was rebuilt.
History of the temple
According to chronicles, St. Nicholas Cathedral was founded at approximately the same time as the fortress, in the 12th century, and was located at the St. Nicholas Gate. Originally made of wood, it did not survive the fire, so a white stone temple was erected in the 15th century. At this time it was called the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. During the Polish-Lithuanian invasion, the temple was looted, but the building survived. At the end of the 17th century the cathedral was rebuilt. The gate (upper) church with the St. Nicholas Gates formed the New St. Nicholas Cathedral, and below, accordingly, the Old St. Nicholas Cathedral was located. The second, after several rebuildings and reconstructions, became known as the Peter and Paul Church.
Description
Externally, the Novo-Nikolsky Cathedral is only partly similar to a traditional Orthodox building. It is made in a pseudo-Gothic style, which is called Russian Gothic. This can be easily guessed by the whimsical architectural forms and the Star of David on the pediment. Inside the temple is decorated with two carved columns and wooden (!) statues of saints. The strangeness of the style in relation to the usual (Orthodox) is reinforced by the sharp contrast with the Old St. Nicholas Cathedral (now the Peter and Paul Church).
The Novo-Nikolsky Church stands at the Nikolsky Gate on a hill and is clearly visible at the entrance to the city. Archival data and construction drawings have not been preserved. However, some sources claim that the author of the cathedral project was the Russian architect and artist Alexei Bakarev.
It is believed that the construction of the temple began in 1779 and was completed only in 1814. It went on with interruptions and periodic changes of customers and performers, with additions and restructuring. There are unusual symbols on its walls. It is this that gives historians the basis to claim a “Masonic” version of construction. This is also indicated by the Masonic influence that was present in Russia in those years. In addition, some scientists associate the date of completion of construction with the 500th anniversary of the death of the last Master of the Templar Order, Jacques de Molay. In 1314 he was burned at the stake.
The temple also includes the 11-meter wall of the Mozhaisk Kremlin, which Polish cannons were never able to destroy. And as the foundation, ancient masonry was used, which is particularly strong and reliable.
Closing of the cathedral
From 1933 to 1994 was a rather vague and uncertain period in the religious life of the city. For unknown reasons, St. Nicholas Cathedral was closed. Mozhaisk suffered greatly during the Great Patriotic War. And although the temple was restored (without the central domed rotunda), in the 60s a knitting factory was located here. And twenty years later, the cathedral and several other buildings were transferred to the department of the Borodino Military History Museum. Only in 1994 did services begin to take place in the church again.
Landslide
In 2013, a strong landslide occurred in Mozhaisk. The soil collapsed from the hill where the Novo-Nikolsky Cathedral is located. Amazing but true. The building was saved from serious damage by the fact that the landslide stopped some 17 meters from the temple. According to other sources, minor damage was caused to its western wall. There the stucco collapsed and bricks fell out. Residents of the city always knew about the natural danger and vulnerability of the cathedral, but continued to attend services. And soon they wrote a letter to the Russian Ministry of Culture, explaining the precarious situation in which the Orthodox church in Mozhaisk was located, and with a request to strengthen it. In 2014, all restoration work was completed.
Mysterious disappearance
It is known that St. Nicholas Cathedral, until the revolutionary period, kept the relics of saints (Sergius of Radonezh, Prince Vladimir, Lawrence the Prisoner, Hieromartyrs Macarius and Barbara, St. Michael of Stadsky and Nikon Sukhoi). However, in 1919 they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
Another thing happened in the spring of 1922. This time the loss turned out to be more significant both spiritually and materially. Two obruses with the image of the Virgin Mary, two stars, a chalice with images of saints, golden crosses and a token of Peter I were seized. All items were decorated with diamonds and precious stones. The miter and chasuble also disappeared from the image of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk. It is unknown who seized the shrines. They disappeared without a trace.
However, despite numerous evidence, in 1925, local historian N.I. Vlasyev, representing the Mozhaisky district, described in detail the robe of Nikola Mozhaisky in his notebooks with a note that it was kept in the Kremlin Armory.
Icon
The icon of Nicholas of Mozhaisk, the patron saint of its inhabitants, has always been of particular value for the city of Mozhaisk. The first mentions of him are found in the epics “Sadko” and “Mikhailo Potyk”. There is also an ancient legend. According to him, the city was once besieged by enemies. Feeling danger, the residents of Mozhaisk began to fervently pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Soon a majestic image of the saint appeared above the fortress. The sparkling sword and menacing appearance frightened the enemies. This is how Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of the city of Mozhai. After this, a wooden statue was created. The image depicts a saint with a sword in his right hand and the Mozhaisk fortress in his left.
The sculpture was decorated with a chased silver chasuble and a miter with large pearls, a gold cross and precious stones. The cross on the chest and the crown were made of and the wooden sword and Mozhai hail were gilded.
The image of St. Nicholas was placed in St. Nicholas Cathedral. During the War of 1812, the temple (still unfinished) was significantly damaged, but the sculpture and other precious church utensils survived, as they were hidden in the basements. Today the relic is kept in Moscow, in the Tretyakov Gallery. And in the St. Nicholas Cathedral there is an icon of the Saint.
- The miraculous image of St. Nicholas, installed on the Nikolsky Gate, protected Mozhaisk from enemies. Coincidence or divine providence, but when the icon was taken from the city, it was immediately captured by the enemy. This is an urban legend, but the exact dates and events are not indicated.
- It is known that there are more than a dozen St. Nicholas churches in Russia. One of the largest is located in St. Petersburg, and one of the most visited is in Orenburg. And St. Nicholas Cathedral (Mozhaisk) is perhaps the oldest among its “brothers” and unusual in architectural style.
- At the end of the 19th century, during fair festivities in Mozhaisk, a miraculous phenomenon occurred. A bright glow was seen over St. Nicholas Cathedral for several nights in a row. The townspeople at first mistook it for a fire, but after figuring it out, they considered it a miracle and a blessing from the Lord.
Today
Currently famous for more than a dozen attractions. Among them, Orthodox churches are of particular importance. The first place on this list is occupied by St. Nicholas Cathedral. Mozhaisk preserves its rich and foggy history. Until now, scientists are arguing whether it is a truly Russian cultural value or another Masonic symbol. But for Orthodox parishioners this does not matter. Believers come here from all over Russia to venerate holy images and relics and feel the pure and spiritual atmosphere. St. Nicholas Cathedral is a real historical monument, which, along with other ancient churches, reminds of the power of the Orthodox faith, thereby inspiring and uniting the Russian people.
