The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Voronezh is a landmark that is known far beyond the city limits. Consider the history of the creation of the shrine, a description of the features of the temple.
The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Voronezh was erected in honor of the Holy Apostle Andrew. Who was this person during his lifetime?
How Andrew became the First-Called
The Bible says that Jesus once saw two brothers - fishermen. They threw nets in Lake of Galilee. God's Son turned to men with a proposal to follow him, so that the fishermen would receive the status of "fishers of men." The brothers complied with the request, and from that moment their life has changed dramatically. The men were called Simon and Andrew, they lived in Bethsaida.
Who was Andrey? Before meeting with Jesus, he was acquainted with John the Baptist and is known as his disciple. Even then, the man knew about the divine power of Jesus, who was ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of people. Andrew believed in these stories first, and therefore received the nickname of the First-Called, becoming an apostle.
Bible story
Apostle Andrew owns the words addressed to Jesus. As indicated in the Holy Book, he showed the Son of the Lord a boy who carried five loaves of bread and two fish. And Jesus multiplied this food by sharing it among many people. They were also brought to Jesus by the Greeks. Manuscript sources such as Acts and Life report these events. Memorial Day of this saint is celebrated annually on the thirteenth day of December.
Troparia of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called:
Like the first-called apostles / and the supreme true brother, / Lord of all, Andrew, praying, / peace of the universe to bestow // great mercy on our souls.
Kondakapostol Andrew the First-Called:
The courage of the namesake goddess / and the Church of the investigator of the supreme, / we will praise Petrov’s relative, / as soon as we see this / and now call us: // come, with the wish of Zhelimago.
History of creation
The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Voronezh was laid in the first year of the new millennium. In the year 2000, the architect Shepelev V.P. began the construction of the holy building, choosing a combination of Russian and Byzantine style, combining elements of Peter's Baroque art.
The foundation of the building is cross-shaped. Walls 26 meters high are supplemented with thirty-meter bell towers.
Five years later, the crosses of the bell towers were consecrated. The temple itself was consecrated in 2009 by Metropolitan Sergius. On the day when St. Andrew is commemorated, the feast day of this sacred building is celebrated - the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Voronezh. The area around the building is 12 acres. Today the temple is under the auspices of benefactors:
- Saenko E.I. - President of the Women's Football Club;
- Astankova V.V. - General Director of a large company and deputy.
Building description
The Comintern district of Voronezh is a picturesque area. With the advent of the temple, she became even more beautiful. Believers come here not only for prayer, but also for visiting the Sunday school, founded shortly after the opening of the temple.
Holy places in Voronezh
The Orthodox churches of Voronezh are diverse. Among them are known buildings:
- Churches in honor of Alexander Nevsky.
- Annunciation Cathedral.
- Epiphany Church.
- Vvedensky and Resurrection churches.
- Church of All Saints.
- St. George and Ilyinsky churches.
- The temple where the dedicated icon of the Kazan Mother of God.
- Churches in honor of such saints as Methodius and Cyril.
- Church of the angel Michael and St. Nicholas, also in honor of the Great Martyr Panteleimon.
- Pokrovsky Cathedral.
- Samuil and Spassky churches.
- Tikhvin-Onufrievskaya and Assumption Admiralty Churches.
- Assumption Church, located in the Monastery district.
The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Voronezh, the Sunday school at which gathers hundreds of parishioners, is one of the holy places, of which there are many in this city, as can be seen from the list above.
People reviews
The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Voronezh, reviews of which are provided by parishioners, is considered a bright place where you can spend time in sincere prayer. Among the picturesque nature, the luxury of architecture and holy icons, Christians are welcomed by friendly priests who are ready to provide support in difficult times.
After the first visit to the temple, many people decide to go here all the time. To date, the rector of the temple is Father Vitaly, reviews of which are also positive.
Hundreds of people come here as families, are regular members of the Sunday school. They celebrate Orthodox holidays together, study biblical truths, communicate and thank the Creator.
People turn to priests for help and support. Among the sacred canvases and the scent of church candles, Christians find hope and tranquility.
Today, the bright tradition of visiting temples on weekends and holidays is reviving. This is a good sign for the future. Thanks to the efforts of the priests of this temple, they can receive their help and spiritual support, which is very important for a person in everyday life.
To summarize
Voronezh is a city that is unusually rich in the buildings of Christian churches. Among the picturesque nature are the cathedrals and churches where every Christian can find peace of mind.
One of the shrines is the church, built in honor of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. It was he who first believed in the power and mission of Jesus Christ on earth. He devoted his life to studying the Word of God. And for his deeds he was canonized.
Many icons are painted in honor of the Apostle Andrew. The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in the Comintern district of Voronezh is a relatively new building. It was created in the year 2000. According to Orthodox Christians, there are very friendly priests, and Sunday school has become a place of constant visit to hundreds of parishioners.
The Christian faith today continues to revive after the persecution of the last century. People are getting closer to the Lord, which means their life will be brighter, more joyful and spiritually rich.