The Church of the Archangel Michael, or the Svir Church is one of the oldest religious buildings in Smolensk. This is the only accurately dated and well-preserved monument of Orthodox culture of a similar architectural direction. The shrine is one of the first Orthodox structures in Russia, erected as a stone pillar-like architecture.
Story
The Church of the Archangel Michael (Smolensk) was built in 1194. Prince Rostovlavich Smolensky himself acted as the customer, having spent considerable funds on the construction of the church. His goal was to overshadow the scale of the new structure of all nearby churches.
The surviving chronicles of that time contain admiring reviews of the Smolensk Church of the Archangel Michael, which amazed with its monumentality and richness of the interior against the backdrop of wooden buildings.
During the attack on the Smolensk Polish-Lithuanian troops in 1609, the Mikhailovsky Church was captured by enemies and used as a fortress. In 1611, the church was converted into a church and a Catholic parish was organized here, which lasted until 1627.
Smolensk was returned to the power of the Russian state in 1654. Then the Church of the Archangel Michael was re-consecrated and open for Orthodox services.
In 1733, a chapel (now defunct) was added to the church, consecrated in the name of Alexander Svirsky. Later, the headman of the Church of the Archangel Michael in Smolensk was appointed merchant A. Khlebnikov. Under his guardianship, from 1775 to 1785 a stone bell tower, a fence and a one-story house were built in which boys from the poor class were trained at Khlebnikov’s own funds.
During the war of 1812, the Mikhailovsky Church was looted and destroyed by the French. After the expulsion of the enemy, the church was restored with the money of the merchant Khlebnikov with the personal intervention of Emperor Alexander I.
In 1833, they brought here a white stone tomb with the remains of Prince David, found in the destroyed Borisoglebsky monastery. After the temple was closed, the tomb was taken out and placed in the historical museum. In 1950, the sarcophagus was broken. Miraculously, the surviving part of the tomb of David is now stored in the Smolensk Museum-Reserve.
Since the 19th century, the church has become not only a parish, but also a prisoner and regimental.
Soviet period
In 1930, the Church of the Archangel Michael in Smolensk was closed. All church property was confiscated, and the building was used as a military warehouse.
In the Great Patriotic War, the church did not significantly suffer, but nevertheless after it was in need of restoration work. There was no roof in the building and in some places plaster flew off. In this state, the temple stood for two decades, gradually collapsing.
In 1963, thanks to restoration work, the original appearance of the temple was partially restored, lost during renovations in the 18th century and the destruction of the 20th century. True, this affected only the appearance of the temple. Inside the church stood empty and unsettled.
The next cycle of reconstruction work was started in 1978 by the Smolensk Scientific and Restoration Workshop. The restoration was carried out with short interruptions until 1990 and remained incomplete. The main reason for this was the lack of adequate funding and the shortage of plinths necessary for work.
In 1982, part of the 12th century architectural elements were restored on the facade of the building: small windows, a drum, cornices, a case icon over the southern portal. We can say that the restoration was of a limited nature and did not set as its goal the complete restoration of the original appearance.
One of the highlights of the reconstruction was the restoration of window openings. Their shape was significantly changed during perestroika in the 13th century, which greatly distorted the appearance of the shrine.
Architecture
The Church of the Archangel Michael in Smolensk is an outstanding monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. Built on the top of a large hill, it is perfectly visible from a great distance and blends harmoniously into the Dnieper landscape.
The building has atypical architecture for 12th-century Orthodox churches. Unlike most churches of that time, St. Michael's Church looks strict and majestic.
On the plan, the church is a four-pillar cross-domed church, the ceiling of which is formed by western pillars, since the eastern pair of pillars is a support for the wall of the building.
The large central apse has a semicircular shape. The narthex adjacent to the three portals, previously having their own apse, now no longer exist, but discovered earlier during excavations.
The size of the temple, without vestibules - 23.6 meters in length and 16.3 in width. The height of the building is 33 meters. The vaults of the church were completely shifted in the 13th century, but the arches separating them survived. The pedestal for the drum and the main part of the drum itself also remained unchanged.
The masonry is made of plinth - thin burnt brick, alternating the usual equal-layer technique with stripes of hidden (recessed) rows. In some places, there is also a brick pattern. The foundation is made using dry boulders.
The architectural composition of the Mikhailovsky Church makes an incredibly holistic impression. The silhouette of the building is directed upwards not only due to the helmet-shaped dome raised on the pedestal, but also due to the sequence of different parts of the building that visually create the effect of stepwise increasing volumes.
The facades had a rich decor, especially the narthexes. On the surface of the walls were laid continuous rows of arcature belts and curbs, decorative crosses, niches and eyebrows above the windows.
Interior decoration
Inside, Mikhailovsky Church was also richly decorated and painted, but only some fragments of fresco and tempera paintings were preserved.
As in many ancient temples, lighting played an important role in deciding the interior of this church. The central part of the building is well lit thanks to large windows in the walls of the long drum and additional windows.
It can be assumed that in those days when the temple was painted, this abundance of light, the brightness of magnificent decoration and the upward aspiration made an unforgettable impression on the parishioners.
The Church of the Archangel Michael in Smolensk (see photo in the review) is a brilliant example of the skill of ancient Russian architects. The further formation of this architectural direction was interrupted by the Tatar-Mongol invasion, which for a long time suspended the monumental construction on Russian soil.
Rebirth
In 1990, the Church of the Archangel Michael (Smolensk) was returned to the Smolensk diocese. At the same time, restoration work began, at the end of which the cult building should acquire the original appearance of the XII century.
The state partially allocated funds for restoration work, but the main work was carried out independently, under the leadership of the parish. An important problem of the restoration was the choice of texture and color of the exterior surfaces.
In 1991, regular worship services began again. In 1999, a new carved iconostasis was installed in the church, modeled on the iconostasis of the church of St. Pimen in New Collars.
Current state
Today the Church of the Archangel Michael in Smolensk is operational, although restoration work has not yet been completed. The church has a Sunday school and a library of spiritual literature.
The rector of the church of the Archangel Michael (Smolensk) is Archpriest Pavel Petrovsky.
Service Schedule
The Church of the Archangel Michael in Smolensk, the schedule of services in which, if necessary, can be found on the website, is open for parishioners daily from 8:30 to 19:00.
Morning service starts at 9:00. The evening liturgy takes place at 17:00.
On holidays and Sundays, the opening hours of the temple may change. A detailed schedule of services for each day can be seen on the official website of the Smolensk diocese.
The Church of the Archangel Michael is located in Smolensk at the address: st. Parkovaya, house 4a.
How to get there
St. Michael's Church is within walking distance from the railway or bus station. You should go over the bridge over the Dnieper and turn right onto B. Krasnoflotskaya Street. Travel time is about 30 minutes.