Paradoxically, the Znamensky Cathedral in Kemerovo was built during the period when an anti-religious campaign was conducted throughout the country. But the temple did not last long. In the sixties the next struggle "against obscurantism" began. The community was removed from registration, and the temple was destroyed. You can learn more about the history of the Znamensky Cathedral in Kemerovo from this article.
Temple restoration
After the Znamensky Cathedral was destroyed, only one active church remained in Kemerovo. Residents of the city visited St. Nicholas Church. In the mid-eighties, authorities somewhat revised their attitude towards the Church. The voices of believers were heard. However, the restoration of the Znamensky Cathedral in Kemerovo was considered for at least five years.
In 1990, divine services resumed. However, the new church had not yet been rebuilt. Divine services were held in the building of the former store. The first stone was laid in the same year.
Construction progressed rapidly. Already in May 1992, a bell rang over Kemerovo. The former store building now housed a Sunday school.
Alexy II and Znamensky Cathedral
In 1993, the Kemerovo Diocese was established. Divine services were now held according to a clearer schedule. Alexy II visited the Znamensky Cathedral in Kemerovo in September 1993.
In 1995, Archpriest Vladimir Kurlyuta began to feed the Kemerovo hospitals. Orthodox libraries and church rooms were opened in the city. In 1996, Alexy II once again visited Kemerovo. This time he consecrated the Znamensky Cathedral. The mayor and other representatives of the city government attended the ceremony. In addition, the Holy Patriarch donated several icons to the Kemerovo Church as a gift.
Charity
In 1996, a new building was built near the Znamensky Cathedral. On the ground floor there is a Sunday school. On the second - diocesan administration. Since the late nineties, the Znamensky Cathedral has played an important role in the life of Orthodox Kemerovo citizens. The cathedral promotes the construction of temples in the vicinity of the city.
Almost from the first day after the restoration of the cathedral, a charity refectory has been operating here. The temple provides assistance to needy citizens in conjunction with the social services of the city. Children from low-income and dysfunctional families, retirees, people with disabilities, and people who find themselves in difficult situations come to the refectory.
Painting
Work on improving the interior decoration does not stop to this day. Mural painting is regularly supplemented by new subjects. In the nineties, professional artists, graduates of the Stroganov School worked here. Several frescoes that can be seen in the Znamensky Cathedral are dedicated to Seraphim of Sarov. In recent years, artists from Tomsk have been painting the temple.
In 1999, the Znamensky Cathedral was included in the list of monuments of regional significance. This temple is included in the tourist routes, there are regular excursions. The cathedral is often visited by Sunday school students from neighboring cities. This temple is a real architectural monument. The frescoes that are here are of high artistic value.
Schedule of Divine Services
The Znamensky Cathedral in Kemerovo opens every day at eight in the morning. Closes at seven in the evening. The morning service begins at 8:30. On holidays, the schedule changes a bit. The first liturgy takes place at 6:30, the second at 9:30. On ordinary days, evening worship begins at five o’clock.
In the summer of 2018, the construction of a new library began. It will be located at the northern facade of the building. Sunday meetings are regularly held on the territory of the cathedral, where important issues of Orthodoxy are discussed.
The most famous Kemerovo temple is located at: Cathedral Street, 24