The origins of the very idea of building the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God in Irkutsk appeared more than 200 years ago.
The first mention of the Catholic Church in Siberia dates back to the reign of Catherine II. The exiled Poles and Lithuanians created diasporas and adhered to Catholicism in order not to dissolve in the local population and preserve their cultural national values. They were brought to Siberia by attempts to overthrow the power of the Russian crown. And then prisoners from the fields of the First World War were sent here. They were followed by those who were not granted during the period of repression, and the ethnic composition of the exiles greatly increased.
Since the beginning of the 19th century, Catholic missionaries have become actively interested in Siberian open spaces. It was they who began to erect and consecrate the first chapels.
Official recognition
They were officially recognized, and the Russian treasury contained nominally Roman Catholic priests for the Irkutsk and Tomsk provinces.
Built at the beginning of the XIIIV century, the first Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God was wooden, therefore, unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1879. But the pastor, Father Krzysztof Shvermitsky, immediately set about collecting donations for the erection of a stone church building. A new temple was erected at the end of 1884.
This building has served its parishioners for a long time. Even in the years of destruction and repression, when thousands of not only Orthodox churches were destroyed, the building was preserved and continued to serve people.
In memory of ancestors
In the early 80s of the XX century, the Polish community of Irkutsk in memory of their ancestors created the national-cultural society "Flint". A Polish priest, Father Tadeusz Pikus, was invited to conduct Catholic services. At the same time, the question of building a new building for the temple began to arise, since the Hall of Organ Music was created in the building of the old church.
And in the 90s, land was allocated for the construction of the new Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God. In the same period, the Apostolic administration of the East Siberian region was established in Irkutsk.
Modern Cathedral
Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mother of God, built in the modern style of constructivism, in April 2000 it was consecrated and a cross was erected on it.
During the construction of the building, the architects had to work hard. Indeed, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God in Irkutsk is the erection of a beautiful majestic building in a seismic Baikal rift on the left bank of the Angara River.
Interior decoration
The building is unique not only in architecture, it is also beautiful inside in its decoration.
The spacious room is filled with light and tranquility. In the central part there is a crucifix and an altar.
To create the altar, Baikal jade was used - a gem that, according to popular beliefs, is able to protect from the influence of negative dark forces.
To the right of the altar is the figure of the Fatima Mother of God. She personifies the call to live in peace and harmony.
On the left side is St. Joseph the Betrothed. This is the earthly husband of the Virgin Mary, who raised and raised Jesus Christ as his own son. He personifies fidelity and love.
Faith Carrying Peace
Despite the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church considered the penetration of the Roman Catholic Church into Siberia through the construction of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady for the Polish diaspora of Catholics in Irkutsk, it’s worth trying to consider this event from a different perspective
Catholics who did not want to leave with their second homeland, whose ancestors were forcibly resettled here, retained their identity and their national characteristics. This has made the culture of Russian Siberia wider, more beautiful, multinational and more interesting. In order to learn about another people, another faith, one must look for books, information on the Internet. It is enough to drive to the address Irkutsk, st. Griboedova, d. 110 and mingle with the bearers of this culture and faith.
Respect for culture, and in particular, for the faith of other peoples and nationalities, will help to cultivate generations of intelligent people who are peaceful and striving for peaceful coexistence.
Therefore, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God, together with a synagogue, mosque and, of course, Orthodox churches symbolize the unity of the population of any city, country, continent for life in faith, goodness, peace and harmony.