In the Tver region, on the banks of the Volga, is the ancient Russian city of Kimry. One of its attractions is the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, built to commemorate the victory of Russian weapons in the war of 1812 and which has become a unique monument to this important event. Let us dwell on its history.
The village on the Volga coast
In ancient times, on the site of the current city of Kimry, there was a village that got its name from the nearby Volga tributary - the small river Kimrka. The first mention of it is contained in a letter of 1635, according to which Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich granted it to his boyar F.M. Lvov, who distinguished himself in the diplomatic service.
The same document also refers to the Ascension Church located in the village of Kimry. There is no description of it, but from subsequent documents dated 1677, we can conclude that it was an ancient and extremely dilapidated building.
The pious undertaking of the villagers
Over the next decades, the village changed its owners many times. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, located in Kimry, was rebuilt, but eventually dilapidated, and in 1808, his parishioners, together with the clergy, petitioned the Holy Synod to allow them to build a new stone church in their village at their own expense.
Since the initiative of the villagers was not only charitable, but also not requiring financial costs from the authorities, permission was given without delay, however, organizational difficulties and the war with the French that began in 1812 prevented the early start of work. Nevertheless, the initiative was made, and the construction of the temple was a matter of time. It only remained to find the necessary funds.
Generous brothers
As often happens, there were volunteers from among wealthy people. In this case, they turned out to be local merchants, the Bashilov brothers, who wished to build thanksgiving in Kimry to give thanks to God for their victory over the French. With their funds, in the spring of 1813, work began on a large scale.
Soon, on the site of the old wooden building, the brick, plastered walls of the new church rose, to the bell tower of which 10 bells were raised, cast by special order by the Ural craftsmen. The brothers did not spare the money for the construction of a stone fence that covered not only the temple, but also the territory of the nearby parish cemetery. Its decoration was openwork forged gates located on the western and eastern sides of the complex.
Subsequent reconstruction of the temple
Another no less generous contributor, or, as it is customary to say in church circles, a “temple creator," was another representative of the local merchants, Alexander Moshkin. He made a significant amount for the reconstruction and decoration of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Kimras. History has informed us that in the 30s of the XIX century, he fully funded a number of large-scale and very costly works on its reconstruction.
So, at the expense of A. Moshkin, the refectory was rebuilt, the former premises of which were dismantled, and the new one was erected much larger. In addition, in the place of the old, also dismantled, bell tower, a multi-tiered belfry was erected, to which several more bells were raised. He did not ignore the interior of the temple.
By order of Moshkin, they were painted and dressed in silver robes of the image that adorned the bottom row of the temple iconostasis. Remained documentary evidence and the conduct of other, less significant work. To complete the good deeds, the generous merchant handed over the rector a document according to which, after his death, he left a significant part of the fortune to the church and members of its clergy.
On the eve of the revolution
The final stage of construction work related to the Church of the Ascension of the Lord (Kimra) was the construction of his chapel, located on the spot where the streets of Ordzhonikidze and Shchedrin intersect today. Subsequently, it was demolished, as it did not fit into the urban construction project. In the first decade of the 20th century, it was even supposed to devote a part of the adjacent territory to the parish cemetery, but the events that followed soon impeded the implementation of these plans.
Trampled shrine
The religious persecution that followed shortly after the Bolsheviks came to power did not pass by the Volga city of Kimry. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord, like many other domestic shrines, was taken from the faithful and declared state property. However, the services in it continued until the end of the 30s, but only on the basis of a temporary agreement concluded between the city authorities and the local religious community, which was under their vigilant control.
This continued until January 1941, when newspapers reported that city workers allegedly turned to the Soviet authorities with a request to destroy, finally, this "hotbed of religious obscurantism." In the USSR, as you know, religious freedom was declared, but since the people are asking, it is somehow inconvenient to refuse. The result was that the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Kimry, whose history is closely connected with the victory of Russia over Napoleon, was closed, and its premises were transferred to the disposal of the oil mill.
In the days of total atheism
In the post-war years, oil production was considered unprofitable, the plant was closed, and the building, which was once the temple of God, went hand in hand, transferred from balance to balance by various economic organizations. So, at one time it housed a trading warehouse, then a transformer substation, a car repair shop, as well as a number of offices that have nothing to do with religion.
Given the fact that over all these years, the authorities have never bothered to make repairs, it becomes clear why the building of the former Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Kimry met with perestroika, being in disrepair, ready to collapse at any time.
On the wave of perestroika
But fortunately, as Ecclesiastes testified, over time to scatter stones it always comes time to collect them. So in the early 90s, the city media suddenly became full of reports that all the same workers, at whose request the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, which had once been closed in Kimry, were resolutely demanding that it be returned to the local community.
Since this time it was impossible to refuse the workers, very soon the last economic organization, which lodged in the holy place - "Kimrtorg" - was ordered to vacate the premises. Nevertheless, the first service, held in May 1991, was performed on the porch of the church, at the doors locked by the bargain management on the barn castle - their resistance was so stubborn.
Current temple life
Today, the temple of the Ascension of the Lord operating in the city of Kimry (address: Kalyaevsky Lane, 2) has again taken its place among the leading spiritual centers not only of the Volga region, but also of the whole country. The religious life of his parishioners is led by the rector - Archpriest Father Andrei (Lazarev). Together with him, the priests Valery Lapotko and Oleg Maskinsky are busy feeding the flock.
Due to the unique features of its architecture, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord (Kimra) is listed as a cultural monument of federal significance. Its main volume, which is a two-light (two levels of windows) four, is crowned with five gilded domes. On the east side of the building there is a far apse protruding from the wall - a semicircular altar extension.
The pink walls of the temple are richly decorated with white decorative elements that create a festive look. Particular attention of the audience is attracted by a slender multi-tiered bell tower, crowned with a small cupola. Its lower part is associated with the refectory and serves as a porch - the first room located at the entrance to the temple.