Many tourists arriving from Europe and America are interested in the question of which Catholic churches in Moscow can be visited and where they are located. One of the oldest and most frequented Catholic churches in the capital of Russia is the church of St. Louis of France. But, of course, in Moscow there are other churches belonging to the western direction of Christianity. About which ones, and we will talk further.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
This Catholic Church in Moscow was built in the years 1899-1911. Initially, they wanted to build only a branch of the church of Peter and Paul. However, by this time in Moscow there were already more than 30 thousand Catholics. There were not enough churches, so it was decided to build a separate large temple. Funds for its construction came mainly from Poland and Belarus. Parishioners also made many donations.
This temple operated until 1938. During the time of the Stalinist repressions, it was closed, and the priest was shot. The catholic organ was broken, and the facade was disfigured. Several state institutions moved to the building. For the convenience of officials, the temple was rebuilt. It was divided into four floors, and the turrets and spiers, so that nothing reminded of the religious affiliation of the structure, were demolished.
With the advent of perestroika, the temple was returned to believers. His superior was Tadeusz Pikus. In 1990, he held the first Mass on the steps of the temple. However, the building was officially transferred to the Catholic parish only a year later. A photo of the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary is located below.
After the restoration, the temple was again consecrated. It happened in 1999. From that moment on, he was given the status of a cathedral. In 2005, a new organ was presented to the temple. They sent him from the Lutheran Cathedral of Basel. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is located on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street, at 27. How exactly are the Catholic churches of Moscow located on a map of Moscow, see the end of the page.
Temple of St. Louis of France
This temple was consecrated on 11/24/1835. Initially, a wooden Catholic church stood in its place. The vice-consul of France himself took the initiative on its construction. Immediately after the fall of the Bastille - July 15, 1789 - he turned to Catherine the Second with a request for permission to build a Catholic church in Moscow. The Empress gave permission for his erection. However, at first the construction of the church was supposed in the German settlement. But the petitioners managed to convince the queen and get permission to erect a temple near the Kuznetsk bridge. It was in this area at that time that a lot of French people lived.
The temple of Louis is notable for the fact that worship here did not stop even after the revolution. However, they were carried out, of course, under the supervision of the Cheka and then the KGB.
In 1950, the temple of Louis was solemnly transferred to the Catholic Church of the Baltic States. However, in 1991 he was returned to the French Church. After that, restoration work was carried out in the temple .
The Church of St. Louis is located on Malaya Lubyanka Street, 12.
The activities of the temple of Louis
This Catholic Church in Moscow has become a haven for several parishes and communities at once. In addition, tourists who come to the capital with their priest are allowed to perform church rituals. Services in this temple are held in different languages - English, French, Italian, Russian, Lithuanian, Polish, etc.
The parish of St. Louis is actively involved in charity work. For example, it helps African students who come to study in Moscow. At the temple, an aid station for the needy is open. People in difficult life situations can come here for warm clothes or food.
Catholic Church of Princess Olga
This is a new temple, consecrated recently. The decision to open it, since there were already not enough active Catholic churches, was made in 2000. In 2003, the parish allocated the old building of the House of Culture. At the moment, this is a working temple. Within its walls, among other things, there is a club of anonymous alcoholics, charity events are held. The rector of the temple at the moment is Pelyak Dariusz Stanislav. There is a church of Princess Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, at 6 Kirov Proezd.
Church of St. Andrew
This Catholic Church in Moscow has been operating since 1814. The building, in which services are held today, was rebuilt in 1882-1884. The project was made by the English architect R.K. Freeman. After the revolution, in 1920, this church was closed. At the moment, she is returned to believers. St. Andrew's Anglican Church can be visited at 8 Voznesensky Lane.
Lutheran Church of Peter and Paul
This evangelical Lutheran church in Moscow was built in 1664. Originally it was built of wood. The land under it was acquired by the artist Peter Inglis and General Bauman. In 1667, a larger temple was erected in its place, but also a wooden one. At the same time, the pastor's house and school were attached to him. However, the land passed into the official possession of the Catholic community, however, only in 1670. In 1685, the church of Saints Peter and Paul was lit.
This wooden Catholic church in Moscow burned three times and was finally destroyed in 1812. The community at that time had to move to a temporarily built house of worship.
In 1817, the Catholic community of Moscow bought the Lopukhins estate, located near the German Sloboda. The house under the church was rebuilt at the expense of the King of Prussia. In addition, the Russian emperor loaned money for the construction of the church. The new church was lit in 1819. In the mid-19th century, it was slightly expanded.
The building in which the parish operates today was built in 1903-1913. The author of the project was the English architect V.F. Walcott. The church was built by the Russian architect V.A. Kossov.
In 1924, this temple became the main Lutheran cathedral in the country. However, persecution of the church soon begins, and the activities of this parish are prohibited, and the building itself is transferred to secular institutions. At the same time, as in the case of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the spire was demolished. The church was again handed over to believers in 1988. Divine services in the church are held in Russian and German. The address of this church is Starosadsky lane, house 7. A photo of the church of Peter and Paul is located below.
Concerts in the temple of Peter and Paul
The first organ was acquired by this church in 1892 in Germany. For a long time he was the best concert instrument of the capital. However, during the Second World War, in 1941, this body was taken to Novosibirsk and disappeared. There is evidence that partly it was handed over for scrap, and partly used as decorations.
In 1996, a different organ was presented to the community. Shortly before this, the old Lutheran church in Moscow in the German settlement was destroyed, and they decided to transfer the instrument to the church of Peter and Paul. Thanks to this body, the church is currently not only a religious building, but also one of the cultural centers of the capital. The acoustics in the hall of this church are simply wonderful, therefore very often quite secular concerts are held here.
Chapel of the community of Spanish-Portuguese Catholics
Catholic tourists can visit not only the churches and temples of Moscow. In the capital there is also a chapel belonging to the community of this Christian movement. It is located near the Cathedral. Community members are mainly students from Africa and Latin America. The chapel was opened in the 90s. Services are held regularly. The community also organizes holiday gatherings, fundraising, clothing and food for the needy, country meetings for Muscovites, etc. Its members take an active part in the lives of foreign students, support single mothers, etc. Divine services are held in Portuguese and Spanish. . The chapel is located at Volkov pereulok, 7/9, building 2, apt. eleven.
German Community Chapel
This church is run by the German Embassy in Moscow. It is located on Vernadsky Avenue, in an ordinary apartment. Sometimes services are performed here, sometimes in the large hall of the embassy itself. Liturgies are held once a week. Like all other Catholic communities, the German is involved in charity work. The chapel also has a library of religious literature.
Chapel on Kutuzovsky
In 1982, the Catholic chapel, previously located on Sadovaya Samotechnaya in the diplomatic corps, on the territory of the diplomatic corps, was moved to Kutuzovsky Prospekt, in an ordinary apartment. There is no permanent priest in it. Services hold chaplains of specific communities.
The Catholic churches of Moscow (some of the photos you can see above on the page) experienced both flourishing and difficult times. Today, as before, they accept believers and are major centers of charity. People in difficult situations can come here and get help.
How the main Catholic churches of Moscow are located on a map of Moscow can be seen below.
It is around them that the life of the Catholic communities of the capital is concentrated mainly.