In the middle of the XIX century, in the city of Pavlovsk, located near St. Petersburg and which included the architectural ensemble of the imperial residence, the Model Cavalry Regiment was quartered . Then, due to the lack of their own parish church, a house church was built in one of its premises. It was she who became the forerunner of the now widely known Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk. However, its foundation was preceded by considerable troubles.
Regimental Church of St. Nicholas
In 1868, the dashing cavalrymen were transferred to St. Petersburg, and their barracks were provided to no less valiant artillerymen, who, along with all other property, inherited the church. It should be noted that this temple of God in those days not only did not resemble the current cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pavlovsk), but also outwardly represented a very sad sight.
It was located in one of the barracks and differed from other state-owned rooms only in a small wooden cross, mounted above the door. He had the official status of a regimental church, and later even became a garrison church in Pavlovsk, but not only did he not have a permanent priest, but even there were no service books. During the Orthodox holidays, as well as the namesakes of the reigning persons, the regimental authorities invited someone from the parish priests to serve a prayer service. At the same time, the temple was not heated, and in winter services were not held at all.
The sorrows of father John
The situation only improved somewhat in 1894, when the diocesan leadership deemed it necessary to assign the church to St. Sergius Cathedral, located in St. Petersburg on Liteiny Prospekt, and to send a permanent priest ─ Father John (Zhemchuzhina) to it. This venerable shepherd later became the main initiator of the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
However, the enemy of the human race placed many obstacles in his way. It began with the fact that during the major reconstruction of all garrison buildings, completed in 1895, the building where the house church was located was demolished, but it was not included in the plan for new structures. Father John repeatedly submitted requests to various government bodies, but constantly received a negative answer, motivated by the fact that the former church was a freelance, and he himself was only a seconded priest in it.
Minister of War Resolution
Suddenly, help came from one very pious resident of Pavlovsk, who had wide connections in the upper circles of the capital's society. Thanks to the efforts of this influential lady, the request of Father John was submitted personally to Minister of War A.N. Kuropatkin, who imposed the desired resolution on him.
After that, the department subordinate to him showed very commendable quickness, and soon from his bowels the order No. 259 was announced to the world about the construction of the garrison of St. Nicholas Church, which had been destroyed by then. This "posthumous legalization" of the temple untied the hands of Father John and allowed him to continue the efforts to erect the new capital Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
Patronage of the Kronstadt saint
Nevertheless, the implementation of such a grandiose project required the patronage of some secular or religious person who was not only entering the palace, but also had influence on the sovereign. In search of such a patron, Father John turned to his namesake ─ the priest John of Kronstadt, who was highly revered in all walks of life. It was hardly possible in Russia in those years to find a more authoritative and respected shepherd.
Having listened very favorably to the request of his Pavlovsky colleague, Father John of Kronstadt not only gave him his blessing, but also acted as the first and most generous donor to such a charitable cause. In addition, he promised his assistance in the event of any administrative difficulties. Thus, the creation in Pavlovsk of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is connected with the name of this great shepherd, who in our days is now numbered by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Ambitions of the Grand Duke
Initially, the construction of a rather modest church intended for the needs of the local garrison was planned. But the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, who was the owner of the whole Pavlovsk, considered this to be an undermining of his own prestige and ordered to build on a grand scale. The future temple was to increase the glory of Pavlovsk with its architectural and artistic merits, and, consequently, contribute to the greatness of the reigning house.
Having rejected the two projects proposed for his consideration, the Grand Duke ordered that the church built at the Imperial Porcelain Factory that he liked very soon be used as a model. Its author, the architect A.I. von Gauguin, was entrusted with the creation of the project of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
Temple building
Flattered by such a flattering opinion about his previous work, the architect completed free sketches of the new building, and in 1899 another Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich created a working commission for the construction of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pavlovsk.
It included several members of the government, as well as the author of the project, A.I. von Gauguin, and Father John himself (Zhemchuzhin). Soon, construction began, and in 1904 the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker in Pavlovsk, whose photos are presented in the article, was completely completed, although its partial consecration took place long before that.
Under the rule of the victorious proletariat
After in October 1917 the “God-bearing people” (that is how Leo Tolstoy called it) took power into their own hands, he first of all took care to destroy, plunder or close as many churches as possible. In this situation, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pavlovsk, Leningrad Region) was able to hold out until the beginning of the 30s. In 1930, the authorities attempted to abolish it, but it was possible to close it only after 3 years.
They did not begin to destroy the temple, since its building, which was built quite thoroughly, was of economic interest. At first, a club was located in it, located near the motorized rifle brigade, and then repair shops were equipped. At the same time, military equipment freely entered the defiled vaults through a gap made in the wall.
Under the rule of the invaders
In September 1941, Pavlovsk was in the zone of German occupation, and services were resumed immediately in the cathedral. At the same time, the building itself received significant damage as a result of shelling and bombing. When the fascist invaders were expelled in January 1944, and Pavlovsk again became Soviet, church services were again banned, and the repair shop was again located in the cathedral. In addition, it was a substantial redevelopment.
The revival of the wounded shrine
In 1987, the Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker in Pavlovsk (address: St. Petersburg, Pavlovsk, Artilleriyskaya St., 2) was taken under state protection as an architectural monument of local significance. By this time, the repair shop in it was closed, and a military warehouse was equipped instead.
Regular church services were resumed in 1991. This time, fortunately, without the intervention of foreign invaders, but because of the restructuring announced in the country and changes in government policy regarding the church. After a long break, the first liturgy was served. Then the authorities went even further and included the cathedral among the monuments of historical and cultural heritage of federal significance. After that, for almost 10 years, his restoration and restoration work was carried out.
Temple ─ pearl of architecture
Today, the Pavlovsky Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in the Russian style, is one of the most beautiful temple complexes in the northern capital. Its walls, laid out of French red-brown brick, are skillfully decorated with stucco elements. The roof is crowned with a five-dome traditional for Russian architecture, ascended to a height of 32 meters and complemented by corner towers.
A semicircular apse (altar extension) and a bell tower adjoin the main building from the western and eastern sides. A characteristic feature of the building facades is the images of the three patron saints of artillery placed on them ─ Archangel Michael, George the Victorious and Nikolai the Miracle Worker. In addition, the walls of the cathedral are decorated with Russian double-headed eagles.
How to get to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker?
You can get to Pavlovsk from the Vitebsky railway station of St. Petersburg using the electric train making the final stop in it, or by minibus No. 286, which runs from Moskovskaya Square to the temple itself. Directly in Pavlovsk to the Cathedral goes bus number 379.