There are not many people in Russia today who have heard of the city of Kargopol, unless, of course, you live in Arkhangelsk or its environs. However, not so long ago (by historical standards) this city, located at the head of the Onega River, in the southwestern part of the region, was a center of commerce, as evidenced by numerous merchant houses, some of them are more than one hundred years old. The pride of Kargopol is the Nativity of Christ Cathedral, built under John IV (Grozny).
The departing nature of the Russian North
In the vastness of the Russian North today you can find unique monuments of wooden and stone architecture. In ancient villages and cities of the Arkhangelsk region, many of which have long been abandoned, while others barely warm, and the remains of ancient temples have survived to this day. Some of them can still be saved, and many are irretrievably lost, such as, for example, the Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin in the village of Lyadiny, Kargopol district.
In 2013, lightning struck the temple on Easter, and fire began to spread rapidly. A wooden architectural monument, the only analogue of which is Kizhi, was burned out by midnight. Is it necessary to delve into the symbolic meaning of what happened?
This church, like many wooden structures of the Russian North, needed urgent restoration. And the work seemed to be conducted, but the process was barely warm, and fire safety was at a "high" prehistoric level. Apparently, the Almighty's patience ran out ...
History of Kargopol
Located in the Arkhangelsk region, Kargopol is a city with an ancient history that began back in 1146. That is, he is 1 year older than Moscow. Under Ivan the Terrible, the city entered the oprichnina lands, and in the 12th or 13th century Daniil the Sharpener created his “Word” (or “Prayer”) here. Little is known about this man, but his name is mentioned in the Simeon Chronicle of 1387.
In Kargopol itself and its environs are many active and dilapidated temples of the XVI-XVIII centuries. They are unique and their architecture is different from the churches of central Russia.
For example, the Vvedensky church, located within the city, is known for the fact that its cellars became a repository for the property of the royal family during the invasion of Napoleon. Today, here is the central interposition hall of the Kargopol Museum-Reserve.
Surviving temples
The Temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, or rather, what is left of it, is located at the intersection of Sovetskaya and Akulova streets. The date of its construction is 1797. The famous shrine of the church was the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk. In the early 30s, the temple was converted for household needs, which was accompanied by the destruction of its five chapters. So now it can be called a monument to Soviet "realism."
Sretensko-Mikhailovsky Church is located in the village of Krasnaya Lyaga, Kargapolsky District. The location of this very ancient (1655) in the vicinity of Kargopol church is now abandoned. At the beginning of the last century, the last repair was carried out, during which the unique decorative casing of the temple was lost. The fate of the monument of wooden architecture is a big question. However, soon time will solve this problem, since the temple is self-destructing ...
In the northern part of the city at the end of the XVII year the Resurrection Church was built. It once housed the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas. Now she is in a deplorable state, since the restoration work begun in 2008 at the request of the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography has been suspended. In 2009, the funds ran out, and then the agency was gone. Meanwhile, the temple is a monument of federal significance.
White stone structures
In the XVII century, the three thousandth population of the city accounted for about 20 temples.
Among them, the Nativity of Christ Cathedral of Kargopol was especially distinguished. The construction began in 1552 and lasted about 10 years. Judging by the architectural solution, Novgorod masters took part in its construction. The white stone cathedral has 5 chapters and was originally a rectangle of two floors. The roof was tight, the benefit of the forest around was abundant.
After 100 years, the chapel of Saints Philip and Alexis was added to the northern part of the church. A little later, from the southern part, a chapel was built in the name of the All-Merciful Savior, and a gallery and a covered porch were added to the western wall. Due to the fact that it was already the 18th century, all the buildings were covered with ornate carvings.
Fire and recovery
In 1765, a fire broke out and a third of Kargopol burned out. The Nativity of Christ Cathedral was also affected. Its walls were covered with cracks. Catherine II allocated 10,000 rubles for the restoration of the city and the temple. In order to strengthen the walls, buttresses were erected, however, during the construction work (5 years) many of the temple's paintings were damaged or lost.
For more than two centuries (from 1714 to 1920), the Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Kargopol were the guardians of the miraculous Kazan icon of the Virgin. Today it is considered lost, but it is quite possible that the place of its storage is one of the private collections.
In 1923, the church was closed, worship was prohibited.
Historical heritage
The history of Kargopol and the Nativity of Christ Cathedral is associated with many events that took place in Russia. Its beginning coincided with the reign of John IV.
It was in those days, as historians say, the construction of dungeons began. The entrance to them was in the area of ​​the cathedral, but inside or outside it is unknown. They say that underground passages connected all the temples of Kargopol and two monasteries, as well as some private houses. The exit from the dungeon was in the area of ​​the cemetery and field.
In those days, Kargopol was a prosperous city, and therefore the importance of these dungeons was quite certain: keeping the treasury in case of attack. In the Time of Troubles and during the war of 1812, the dungeons were used for their intended purpose.
The NKVD also knew about secret passages, but used them in accordance with their needs: there was something like a prison here. Today, the secrets of the city dungeon are lost, as well as documents that can shed light on their discovery.
Over time, there was a shrinkage of the Nativity Cathedral of Kargopol by 1 meter. However, much has been preserved: a unique carved iconostasis of 5 tiers, a fresco element of the Middle Ages (but mainly on the western side), icons restored after a fire of the 18th century. These are the images “The Position of the Robe of the Virgin” and “The Nativity of Christ” dating back to the 16th century. However, the icon “The Nativity of Christ” is kept in the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg due to its great historical value.
Since 1936, the temple has been part of the historical, architectural and art museum-reserve of Kargopol. In special cases, services are performed in it. For example, in memory of the victims of the Kargopol-lag, Metropolitan of the Arkhangelsk and Kholmogorsk diocese, Daniel served a prayer service in the cathedral.