In the historical center of Irkutsk, on the territory of the lost Kremlin, the Church of the Miraculous Savior of Christ rises. The temple appeared at about the same time as the city of Irkutsk. The Savior Church has existed since 1672.
For the Irkutsk residents, Spas on the Angara is not just the main temple, but the image of the city, a symbol of the small homeland of the inhabitants of the Trans-Urals. The church was repeatedly subjected to fires, destruction, but rose from the ashes. A real gift for the parishioners was the resumption of worship on the feast of the centenary of the church (2006).
From the depths of centuries
The first Spasskaya Church (Irkutsk) was built by the son of the boyar Ivan Maximov and the townspeople. The construction certificate was issued by Metropolitan Cornelius of Tobolsk. This temple burned down during a fire.
In 1706, with the blessing of Metropolitan Moses of Tobolsk, the construction of a new Church of the Savior began. For work, stone craftsmen were invited from Moscow by Moses Ivanovich Dolgikh. The construction was completed in 1710. Then they consecrated the upper cold temple of the Savior Not Made by Hands, and in 1713 - the lower warm temple of Nicholas of Myra. In 1758, a bell tower with a military clock was added to the refectory.
In the 70s of the XVIII century, parishioners in Irkutsk increased, so the church was expanded. In 1777, the building was supplemented with two stone annexes: Entrances into the temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Abalatsky Icon of the Mother of God. A Dmitrievsky chapel was arranged under the bell tower, and a wooden gallery with a porch along the outer walls (except the east).
In 1861, the gallery was dismantled. The eastern side of the church (apse) was surrounded with iron hoops. Such an architectural solution turned out to be very successful: the temple survived during the earthquake of 1861-1862, which hit Irkutsk. The Savior Church was not destroyed as a result of a fire (1879), which was extinguished for two days.
In 1866, Archbishop Parthenius proposed to demolish the temple, and to build a cathedral in its place. But the city council decided to save the Spasskaya Church as a monument of Russian antiquity and the first stone building in the city .
After the revolution of 1917, the building miraculously survived. In 1931 the temple was closed. At different times, a shoe repair shop, apartment, organization was located here.
In the 60s of the XX century, the church was reconstructed, but not for the resumption of worship. After an architect from Moscow Galina Oranskaya visited Irkutsk, the Spasskaya Church was restored and recognized as a monument of republican significance. Twenty-two years later, the temple building was given to the Regional Museum of Local Lore.
Divine services in the Spassky Church resumed only in 2006, when it was transferred to the Irkutsk diocese.
The architectural appearance and murals of the temple
Spasskaya Church (Irkutsk) is a typical early Posad temple. The two-story building with a high pillarless cube-shaped four-piece is associated with a refectory. The bell tower is crowned with a golden spire. Portals of the upper floor seemed to hang in the air. Previously, there was a porch and gallery-cemetery, encircling the second tier. The head is crowned by a forged gilded cross.
Tiers and facades decorated with ornaments. Decor elements vary from tier to tier, and in the upper window the fours add up in a whimsical pattern. The columns intercepted by the shelves, crushed, turned into special threads resemble a necklace. Masterfully sculpted reliefs give a unique look to the building. Thanks to the dense arrangement of windows on a clean smooth surface of the wall, the decor becomes full-bodied and elegant.
The Spasskaya Church in Irkutsk (Russia) is the only temple in the region where murals from the 19th century are preserved, not only inside, but also outside the building. Unfortunately, during the restoration, only the exterior design was restored, the interior decoration was lost.
The eastern facade is decorated with three compositions. The left figure depicts the sacrament of baptism (presumably the Buryat people), in the center is the entrance of Jesus Christ into the Jordan River, and to the right is the ceremony of reckoning the Orthodox to the list of saints. There is reason to believe that the first bishop of Irkutsk Innokenty (Kulchitsky) was honored.
The south wall is decorated with the faces of the saints. Under the eaves of the quadruple, Nikolay Mirlikisky is depicted, just below - Mitrofan of Voronezh, and on the apse - Spas.
Shrines
There are three icons revered by the Irkutsk people in the church: Nikola the Warrior, Holy Righteous Theodore of Tomsk and Mother of God of Yaroslavl. St. Nicholas was chosen as the temple, since the miraculous icon with a sword and hail in his hands helped the Russian people during the wars.
Righteous Theodore of Tomsk is prayed for healing. A capsule with a particle of the relics of the saint is mounted in the icon. The image was brought to Irkutsk from Tomsk at the request of church attendants.
The identity of the saint is not exactly established, but some researchers believe that Theodore of Tomsk is Tsar Alexander I the Blessed, who defeated Napoleon Bonaparte.
Icon of the Mother of God of Yaroslavl - a record restored at the beginning of the 20th century by Svetlana Turchaninova. The icon shows the unity of Christ and the church. The Mother of God symbolizing the church bows to the Son of God, asks him for mercy for people, and the baby Christ, touching his face to his mother, blesses her and the world. Irkutsk, Spasskaya Church - a place where parishioners pray to the Virgin for the birth of children.
Interesting Facts
The Spasskaya Church is the only building on the territory of the Irkutsk Kremlin that has survived to this day. In the temple there is a large collection of bells, including Gilevsky, there is a school of bell ringers.
In 2003, the church suffered from a strong wind: the crown of the dome cross shifted, and the architectural detail had to be removed. Specialists worked for five hours. So, thanks to the work of people, the Spasskaya Church (Irkutsk) was restored.
In the city of Irkutsk in 2007, near the temple, archaeological excavations were carried out. Scientists have discovered the remains of the Kremlin and ancient burial sites.
The last reconstruction of the building was carried out in 2010 on the anniversary of the city.
Temple location
The Spasskaya Church (Irkutsk, Irkutsk Region, Russia) is located in the historical center of the city at the address: ul. Suche-Bator, 2. The nearest streets are Lenin and Polish. Near the church is Lower Embankment.
Schedule of Divine Services
Services in the temple are performed daily. The morning liturgy begins at 8.00 (on Sundays - at 8.30). Divine services in the evening begin at 17.00. Baptism is performed on Saturdays from 11.00.