Sevastopol, many consider only a summer resort. But this is far from the case. There are many places on its territory that are worth seeing for tourists. The ruins of ancient Chersonesos, the city that is the cradle of Orthodoxy, have also been preserved here. Therefore, many believers today make a pilgrimage here to be able to visit temples, monasteries and many other religious shrines, including the Intercession Cathedral (Sevastopol).
Story
Its construction was begun at the end of the nineteenth century. The Pokrovsky Cathedral was built in Sevastopol according to the project of V. Feldman. It was this architect who directed all the work. Construction began in 1892 and was completed in 1905. It was carried out only at the expense of patrons and income from parishioners. In total, one hundred thirty four and a half thousand rubles were spent on the construction. The author used Russian stone temples of the sixteenth century as a base sample.
In 1905, the Intercession Cathedral was consecrated. Sevastopol is rich in churches, but the townspeople always had a special relationship with this religious building. The rite was performed by Bishop Nikolai of Tauride and Simferopol, and the rector of the Kherson Monastery, His Grace Innocent, was in the service.
The upper church was consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the lower - in honor of the Saints Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia. In October 1905, according to the decree of the Holy Synod, located on the Great Sea Intercession Cathedral (Sevastopol is still proud of its architectural monument) began to be considered urban.
After the revolution
At the end of February 1919, the consecration of Archimandrite Benjamin as bishop of Sevastopol was performed here. The cathedral was closed by the Bolsheviks. But during the years of the occupation of Sevastopol it was discovered. During the Great Patriotic War, the cathedral building was bombed and badly damaged. Then a shell fell on him, from which several parishioners died and two of its southern side chapels were completely destroyed.
In Honor of the Salvation of the Sovereign
The Intercession Church also owned the chapel of St. Nicholas. It was located on the square, which today bears the name of Admiral Lazarev. It was built solely on private donations. According to some reports, funds for the chapel were received from the Sevastopol merchant Feologoy a year after the construction of the Intercession Church began - in 1893.
It was a cross-shaped temple in plan and had a hipped roof topped with a poppy. The architecture of the building, in particular stucco friezes, semicircular kokoshniks and arched windows, were similar to the one in which the Intercession Cathedral (Sevastopol) was erected. An inscription was made on the chapel stating that it was built "For the salvation of the Tsar’s heir ..." Unfortunately, in 1927 the building was demolished.
Temple restoration
In 1947, John Krashanovsky was appointed rector in the Intercession Cathedral. Sevastopol became his hometown. It was this spiritual father who began the restoration of the upper temple - its southern aisles, which were severely destroyed during the war. Through the efforts of the abbot John was completely restored and in 1948 the Pokrovsky Cathedral was consecrated again. Sevastopol in those years has undergone many changes. But until 1962, divine services were held regularly, but then, by the decision of the city authorities, a gym was placed in the building, and after that - the city archive.
Thirty years later - in 1992 - the northern chapel was again transferred to the community of Sevastopol believers. On April 8, he was consecrated in the name of St. Great Martyr Panteleimon. And two years later, the whole building was handed over to believers.
Description
The architecture of the cathedral is in line with the cult of the Orthodox Church. The building, made as a basilica, is a pillarless five-domed temple. A lancet vault is arranged above its main dome, surrounded by four twelve-sided turrets.
In the western part there is a bell tower, not separated from the cathedral. It is connected with the temple by a continuation of the central volume elongated perpendicular to the street. The bell tower and its turrets have tent coverings and are crowned with a bulbous shape with poppies. There are two aisles from the north and south, and the south has not been preserved in its original form. The refectory adjoins the western side of the temple, in the interior of which there are two rows of pillars, as well as a staircase leading to the choirs.
Outside
The entrance to it goes through the porch, which has the type of a closed gallery, with stone steps. Pokrovsky Cathedral (Sevastopol, phone: 692 54-54-84) is decorated with several rows of semicircular kokoshniks, while its moldings are emphasized by stucco friezes. The building was built of hewn Crimean and Inkerman types of stone. The roof on the domes is made of piece galvanized tiles, the rest of it is made of galvanized steel. The height of the entire building is about thirty-seven meters, the bell tower is ten meters lower.
Interesting Facts
Pokrovsky Cathedral (Sevastopol), the schedule of services of which can be found by phone or directly in the church itself (daily services begin at 7:30 - in the morning, at 18:00 - Vespers), has two churches inside. Upper - Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary - preserved. In the lower one, located in the basement, was the St. Sophia Church. Judging by the preserved documents, there were crypts, but their exact location is not known today.
On the crosses of the cathedral crescents unusual for Orthodox buildings are depicted. Researchers, historians and architects to this day can not come to a single conclusion, somehow explaining the meaning of these signs.
In the history of the Church of the Protection of the Mother of God, which survived many tragic events, there are several more interesting facts. For example, on the western facade of the building in the wall there is a burial indicated by a slab and a cross of Crimean diorite. The text on it says that Archpriest Alexander Demyanovich, who died on August 18, 1988, rests here, while the building itself was erected later - in 1892, and was completed in 1905.
In May 1917, the remains of Lieutenant P. Schmidt were brought to the cathedral and temporarily buried, along with other revolutionaries who were shot on the island of Berezan. They were brought on the Princess Mary ship. Together with the remains of P. Schmidt, crypts with the bodies of S. Chastnik, N. Antonenko and I. Gladkov were placed in the crypts of the lower church. However, in November 1923, by a decision of the city council, they were solemnly reburied at the communal cemetery.
In the southern nave in the eighties of the last century, restorers found a fragment of a well-preserved mural under a thick layer of plaster.
In 1993, the fire in the temple building was so severe that even the concrete floor melted. However, by the will of God or by a lucky chance, the iconostasis, which was in the midst of fire, was practically not damaged and has survived to this day. Currently, it is an adornment of the Seraphim limit.
Today, almost every citizen knows where the Intercession Cathedral is located. Sevastopol, the schedule of services of which every local believer knows, annually hosts armies of pilgrims who want to see this temple located on Bolshaya Morskaya - one of the most beautiful central city streets. And today the doors of this Christian monastery are always open.