This temple is known far beyond the borders of Russia, because it stands on Red Square. The initial appearance of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin on the Moat, historians know only from the records of foreigners who visited Moscow from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. In Russian chronicles there is practically no mention of an architectural masterpiece.
The capture of Kazan
In 1552, Tsar John III the Terrible embarked on the third and last campaign against the Kazan Khanate. Before the performance, the sovereign prayed for a long time and made a vow to God - in case of a successful outcome, build a temple of unprecedented beauty. As a result of the offensive, Kazan became part of the Russian state, and in 1555, the construction of the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat began on Red Square.
The king urged architects to build the promised temple. Metropolitan Macarius proposed devoting the Cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin to the Cathedral, which is being built on a moat, for the campaign to Kazan began on October 1, when the Orthodox celebrate this holiday. The emperor liked the idea, and he set the builders a difficult task: to build a temple that would symbolize heaven on earth.
The Church of the Intercession on the Moat, it was decided to build in the form of a holiday symbol - the star of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For this, the architects erected an ensemble of nine separate temples on a single foundation. Together, the churches form the figure of the Star of Bethlehem. This is especially evident in photographs from above.
The top view resembles a star on the icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
St. Basil
The mother of the future saint prayed on the porch of the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhov when the fights began. The birth was so swift that the baby was born right on the steps of the temple. The baby was named Basil.
Growing up the boy, it was decided to teach shoe craftsmanship, as his parents considered this craft quite profitable. The boy Vasily studied diligently, and once surprised his boss so much that he realized that the young man was not an ordinary person. A merchant turned to the workshop with a request to sew such boots, which "will not be demolished." Basil, ahead of the master, blurted out: "There will be those that you can’t take down forever!"
The astonished shoemaker wanted to scold the apprentice for such liberties, but Vasily explained that the merchant would die before trying on the item. When the prophecy came true, the master realized that his disciple was endowed with a gift from the Lord.
As an adult, Vasily left his teacher in Moscow, where he voluntarily took upon himself one of the hardest ways to save the soul - the feat of foolishness. In the capital city, the saint went naked at any time of the year, scaring passers-by.
At first they made fun of the blessed, sometimes even beaten, but soon recognized him as perspicacious and even feared. Respected Vasily and Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
Once a crowd of people attacked the holy fool. Enraged citizens beat Vasily for breaking the gate icon of the Mother of God at the Varvarinsky entrance to the Kremlin. The Lord saved his faithful son from slaughter, and the crowd suddenly calmed down.
Then Vasily asked to remove the top coat of paint from the broken icon and people saw a devilish face under the Holy image of the Mother of God. This was the cunning plan of the Satanists. Unsuspecting people, passing through the gates, were baptized and bowed to the image of the devil.
The blessed one repeatedly exposed the dishonest merchants, forcing them to confess to cunning. Healed the sick and helped those who did not ask for help, but really needed it. He scared away demons from the homes of righteous people and prayed for the conversion of sinners to the true faith.
Once Vasily, invited to a feast by the emperor, thrice spilled wine on the floor. The tsar asked him in perplexity about the reasons for this behavior, and the saint replied that he was putting out the fire in Novgorod. After some time, messengers arrived to Ivan the Terrible with the news of the fire, which was put out by an unknown old man.
Ensemble architecture
Church of the Intercession on the Moat:
- St. Basil's Cathedral;
- Alexander Svirsky;
- Varlaam Khutynsky;
- The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem;
- Gregory of Armenia;
- Cyprian and Justina;
- Nikola Velikoretsky;
- Holy Trinity;
- Three Patriarchs;
- Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary (central);
- St. John the Blessed.
Church of the Holy Trinity
St. Basil the Blessed had no housing and other property in Moscow. Most often, people found him in the church of the Holy Trinity, on the site of which today stands the Cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin on the Moat. In 1557, the saint fell ill and died. He was 88 years old. St. Basil was buried in the fence of the Holy Trinity Church, which had already been demolished by that time. In its place, the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat was just being built. In memory of the holy fool, Ivan the Terrible in 1588 ordered the addition of another, tenth church.
She worked around the clock, received pilgrims and wanderers, gave them shelter and warmth. St. Basil’s Church on the basement of the Church of the Intercession on the Moat was the only heated ensemble building. The Divine Liturgy was held in the church every day. Over time, the whole ensemble of the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat began to be named after St. Basil the Blessed.
Church of St. Alexander Svirsky
The southeastern church received the name of the saint in honor of the battle during a campaign in Kazan. At the end of the summer of 1553, the cavalry of Tsarevich Yapanchi was defeated on the Arsk Field. Thanks to this, the siege of Kazan ended successfully, because the prince’s army was marching to the khan.
The Temple of Alexander Svirsky is one of the small churches in the ensemble of the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat. Its height is about fifteen meters. The walls of the church are painted with imitation of brickwork, and the dome is decorated with a "brick spiral", symbolizing eternity. The interior of the temple was repeatedly restored, the last time - in the eighties of the last century.
Church of Barlaam of Hutyn
This part of the ensemble is also dedicated to the important date of the Kazan campaign. In November 1552, on the day of memory of St. Varlaam (the founder of the Khutynsky monastery), Ivan the Terrible triumphantly returned to Moscow with a victory. The king loved this saint, his father, Basil the Third, before his death took monastic tonsure with the name of Barlaam. The abbot is revered as the patron saint of kings.
Like the temple of Alexander Svirsky, the church rises fifteen meters. The structure has a twist - an irregularly shaped aspid. This flaw is explained by the presence of a passage to the central temple of the ensemble. The Church of Varlaam of Khutynsky illuminates the chandelier of the fifteenth century, the oldest of those available in the cathedral.
In the temple there is an interesting icon “Vision of the Sexton of Tarasia”. The plot of the icon depicts a scene from the life of St. Barlaam. The sexton of the Khutynsky monastery survived a vision of numerous troubles threatening Novgorod. In addition to the main plot, the icon contains scenes of everyday life of the ancient inhabitants of the city and a very accurate map of that time.
Church of the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem
The western temple of the ensemble, one of four large ones. It was in it that the Divine Liturgy was held on Palm Sunday. The temple is really very big and solemn. The iconostasis was borrowed in the church of Alexander Nevsky, which was now dismantled. The icon of the blessed prince was transferred from the same cathedral.
Church of St. Gregory of Armenia
Another small building named after the enlightener of Armenia. The memory of the saint takes place on October 13, just on that day in Kazan, the Arskaya tower was taken. The church is broken symmetry due to the passage to the central part. The interior is fully preserved, even antique lamps.
Church of Cyprian and Justina
Like other temples of the ensemble, named after the day of celebration. October 15, on the day of remembrance of Christian martyrs, Kazan was stormed. In the late eighteenth century, oil paintings appeared on the walls of the church.
Architectural ensemble today
After the revolution, a museum was made out of the cathedral. But Moscow scholars say that even during the years of Soviet power, services continued in the church until the 1930s. After a sixty-year break in 1991, an Orthodox choir sounded in the cathedral again. Today, an architectural monument is in joint use of the museum and the church. The Liturgy is there weekly on Sundays and on patronal holidays.
St. Basil's Cathedral is available for visiting from ten in the morning.