Thanks to the new attitude of the Russian government towards religion, established during the years of perestroika, as well as a radical change in policy in matters related to church property, many churches returned to believers regained the status of spiritual centers. These include the Nikitsky Church (Vladimir). Address: Knyagininskaya St., 8. Its history goes back almost two and a half centuries.
The charitable deed of the Vladimir merchant
In the 60s of the 18th century, the pious merchant Semyon Lazarev erected the Nikitsky Church in Vladimir at his own expense. The place for its construction was the territory of the Cosmo-Demianovsky Monastery, which had been abolished by that time, known for the fact that at the end of June 1174 it became the burial place for the innocently killed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Later, a wooden church was installed there in the name of the great martyr Nikita, which was extremely dilapidated and required restructuring. This is where the generosity of the Vladimir merchant came in handy.
The dates of the beginning and completion of the construction of the temple raise doubts among historians, but most likely they became 1762-1765. Information has also been preserved that initially there were two thrones in it - in the name of Cosmas and Demian and in honor of John the Baptist. Both of them were solemnly consecrated by Bishop Paul of Murom.
The result of an architectural error
From time immemorial, the Russian merchants have shown generosity in charitable deeds, due to which many churches in Vladimir, the original trading city, shone with their beauty. The St. Nicholas Church was not forgotten. In the middle of the XIX century, a prominent merchant, P.V. Kozlov, engaged in grain export and, in addition, founded the first soap factory in the city, took care of its reconstruction.
At his expense, two-story side limits were attached to the Nikitsky Church (Vladimir). However, as time showed, they were designed unsuccessfully and, due to the lack of windows in the lower tier, always remained dark and damp.
Subsequent construction work
Subsequently, this architectural error had to be corrected. To accomplish this very expensive task, it should be noted that the funds were found thanks to a voluntary donor - the eminent city merchant N.L. Filosofov, who left a noticeable mark in the history of the Nikitsky church (Vladimir).
Not limited to the previously outlined scope of work, he purchased with his money an extensive land plot on which he built a school for children from poor families and a parable house. In addition, around the entire complex of buildings, the pious merchant erected a stone fence with wrought-iron decorative gates. His grave, located near the church wall, has survived to this day.
The end of the XIX century in the life of the Nikitsky church
In the second half of the 19th century, among the parishioners of the church was the outstanding Russian historian N. A. Artleben, who became the founder of a new science at that time - architectural restoration. Thanks to his work, many temples in Vladimir were returned to their original appearance, distorted by subsequent restructuring. It was he who was entrusted with the supervision of the reconstruction of the Nikitsky church, carried out at the expense of the merchant Filosofov.
The last time works on updating and improvement of the Nikitsky church built in Vladimir were carried out in 1898 and were also carried out at the expense of a voluntary donor. This time it turned out to be a merchant of the 1st guild D.P. Goncharov. Thanks to his generosity, the iconostasis was re-gilded in the church and a new, richly decorated choir was built.
Under the yoke of godly authority
In the future, it was supposed to rebuild the bell tower, but the implementation of the plans was hindered by the entry of Russia into the First World War, as well as the tragic events associated with the coming to power of the new atheistic Bolshevik government.
In the first post-revolutionary years, Nikitsky Church (Vladimir) was repeatedly tried to close, but each time they refused this action, fearing popular unrest. Only in 1938, when the bloody wheel of Stalinist repressions swept through the country, the authorities were able to carry out the plan, having previously arrested members of the clergy on charges of anti-Soviet activity. The last priest of the Nikitsky Church was Archpriest Father Alexy (Vladychin), who was shot in December 1937.
Temple revival
Fortunately, the church building itself was not destroyed and did not undergo major redevelopments during the years of Soviet power. It was used for economic purposes, since 1970 it housed a restoration and art workshop.
Among other churches, the Nikitsky Church - the last of those closed by the Bolsheviks - was later returned to the believers. This event occurred only in 2015, when divine services resumed in many churches. Today she is again one of the leading spiritual centers of the city.
Thanks to the donations of numerous parishioners, as well as the generosity of sponsors from among local entrepreneurs, it was possible to carry out the necessary restoration and restoration work and give the church its former splendor. Within its walls, all worship services prescribed by the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church are performed. In addition, there are catechesis courses open to all who wish to receive Holy Baptism, as well as a Sunday school.