In the Moscow region, in the city of Zvenigorod, on a high hill, the majestic Church of the Ascension of the Lord is located. The cathedral has great historical significance in the spiritual life of both ancient and modern Zvenigorod and is the Orthodox shrine of Russia.
History of the Ascension Cathedral in Zvenigorod
It is known that in the XVI century a small wooden church was located on the site of the current church, the exact date of construction of which is unknown.
Particular attention was paid to the church, since it was located along the route of the Russian sovereigns to the Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery, which for several centuries was the unwritten Orthodox residence of Russian rulers.
In the XVIII century, when drawing up the city plan, Zvenigorod was divided into quarters. As a result of this distribution, the Ascension Cathedral was in the very center, surrounded by densely populated streets. This gave the cathedral an even greater number of parishioners and the attention of the authorities.
At the end of the XVIII century Zvenigorod received the status of a county town. According to the then existing rules, there should have been a large stone temple in such a city. So in 1792, on the site of a wooden church, a new stone church appeared in honor of the Ascension of the Lord.
Ascension Cathedral in Zvenigorod was erected in the style of classicism. It was a one-headed quadruple with a refectory and a four-tier bell tower. The temple had three chapels, the main of which was consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, and the other two - in the name of the Tolga Icon of Our Lady and Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Nearby, behind the fence, wooden houses were built overlooking the temple with facades. They were the property of ward employees. In one there was a church school and prosphora, in the second there lived the clergy of the temple, while others were rented out. The houses were located in one flat line and separated the church building from the retail square.
The rest of the hill near the temple was intended for open worship, religious processions and festive events.
Soviet time
After the revolution of 1917, the property of the temple was seized and nationalized. In 1922, the Ascension Cathedral of Zvenigorod was closed and converted into a room for harvesting grain. For the convenience of delivering carts with grain to the building, the temple wall from the river was broken.
In 1939, a garage for buses was located in the premises of the Ascension Church. There was also a viewing pit and a locksmith's workshop.
Before the war itself, in the spring of 1941, the authorities decided to break the temple building, and use the bricks to build new city buildings.
At the site of the Ascension Church, a monument to I.V. Stalin was erected, which was later demolished. The hill on which the cathedral was located was never built up, although local authorities were considering several options for using this territory.
Wooden houses belonging to the temple are still preserved. Over the years, they housed a kindergarten, residential buildings and an ambulance station.
Recovery
In 1998, the spiritual revival of Zvenigorod began. A small chapel was built on the site of the Ascension Cathedral, in which was the icon of the Ascension of the Lord.
In 2003, the laying of the new Ascension Cathedral in Zvenigorod was completed. By decision of the authorities, the temple had to be erected in its historical place.
In the summer of 2007, the consecration of the newly rebuilt cathedral in honor of the Ascension of the Lord took place. On the same day, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated.
The new temple has the same three chapels as its predecessor. But in architectural design, he is completely different. The current building of the cathedral is a four-pillar five-domed, made in the Neo-Byzantine style.
Before the construction of the temple during the inspection of the hill, numerous ancient burials with remains were discovered. And in 2007, during the water supply to the temple, the remains of a priest were found, presumably Archpriest Nikolai of Thebes, who from 1853 to 1886 was the rector of this cathedral.
All the remains were buried on the eastern side of the temple during the memorial service.
Temple activities
Since 2015, a Sunday school has been opened at the Ascension Cathedral of Zvenigorod, which helps children get Orthodox education.
The temple organized the children's and youth choir "Lik", which performs at many concert venues in the Moscow region.
For those who are older, since 2008 a youth club “Shield of Faith” was created at the church. Every Sunday, its participants gather for spiritual fellowship. An Orthodox psychologist works with the group, with whom you can talk on exciting topics.
At the cathedral there is a missionary department conducting Orthodox educational activities.
The parishioners received favorable reviews about the Ascension Cathedral of Zvenigorod and its clergy. This place is considered fertile and has great historical and Orthodox significance.
Schedule of services in the Ascension Cathedral of Zvenigorod
The doors of the cathedral are open for parishioners daily from 7:30 until the end of evening services. A more detailed schedule is as follows:
- Sacrament of Confession (weekdays) - 7:45.
- The daily morning Divine Liturgy (on weekdays) is 8:00.
- Evening service (on weekdays) - 17:00.
- Sunday morning liturgy - 9:00.
- Announcement of conversation (on Saturdays) - 14:00.
Baptism, wedding, funeral services for the deceased and other requirements are performed daily as necessary.
Address
The address of the Ascension Cathedral in Zvenigorod: st. Moscow, house 2a.
The current phone number can be found on the official website of the Church of the Ascension.
From Moscow from the Belorussky railway station to Zvenigorod, you can take an electric train. Then transfer to bus number 11, 23, 25. You need to get off at the Perets stop.
You can also get from the Kuntsevo metro station by bus number 452 to the same stop.