In the central part of Russia, 200 km from Moscow, in the city of Tula, there are two remarkable temples named after St. Seraphim of Sarov. One of them, one might say, is terrestrial, and the other is underground. About them below and will be discussed.
Let's start with the first temple of Seraphim of Sarov (Tula). It was built in 1905 at the expense of the wealthy landowners Ermolaev-Zverev - Alexander, Nikolai and Sergei Stefanovich.
Hospice
Once upon a time there was a kind of nursing home at the church and a shelter for street children. In 1914, documentary information indicated that there were more than 130 people in the shelter.
Only two people served in the church - a priest and a psalm-reader. At the temple there was a small chapel named in the name of St. Theodosius of Chernigov. It was located on the newly built Shopping arcade.
At that time, the popular local edition called Tula Diocesan Vedomosti had a large circulation. This newspaper repeatedly described the church of Seraphim of Sarov in Tula and reported that this church, despite its small size and inconspicuous appearance, was always especially clean and comfortable. This suggests that the parishioners loved their church and cared for it.
New time
With the advent of new power, the temple gradually became impoverished and ruined, and then completely stood for a long time closed. Closer to 1976, it was organized repository of the city executive committee.
In 2002, the church of Seraphim of Sarov in Tula was transferred to Orthodox believers. And in the same year the first Divine Liturgy was held. Today it is performed every day.
There are two thrones in the church: one in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov (celebrated on August 1, January 15), and the second in honor of St. Seraphim of Vyritsky (celebrated on April 3).
Holy Relics
The most important shrine of the temple is a particle of light relics stored in a special reliquary on the belt icon of the holy elder.
And another shrine - a particle of rags - is stored on the growth icon of St. Seraphim.
The great value of the temple is the relics of the Diveevsky wives - Helena, Alexandra and Martha (the holy particles are stored on their own icons).
In 2004, a Sunday school for children was established here. To this day, restoration work is gradually being carried out in the temple.
Every Sunday at 5 pm Akathist is read. Seraphim of Sarov with the distribution of consecrated crackers. Anyone can come.
The address of the church of Seraphim of Sarov in Tula: Sovestky district, F. Engels St. 32 a.
It works daily from 7.30 to 18.30.
Now consider the second underground temple of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov in Tula. Do you know about this? When you first hear about another, some kind of underground church in honor of St. Seraphim, beloved by all Orthodox believers, thoughts immediately come to mind that this place looks like something similar to the Vatican catacomb churches, consecrated by torches and full of mysteries.
This temple is located in Tula in the Zarechensky district, but if you ask passers-by where it is, confusion will begin again and they will point you to a completely different church with a different name. It turns out that this unique underground temple is located in the basement of the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
These two churches are located in the same building, we will learn more about how this happened.
Temple of Seraphim of Sarov. Tula. Story
The stories of the formation of these two churches are tied into a single whole. It all started from the moment when in 1891 Archbishop Sergius filed an appeal with the Tula Duma, where he asked him to cede a certain plot of land on which Vladyka wanted to build a church, a parish school, an orphanage and a craft school first.
He asked to give him only land, the priest did not speak about financial assistance, because he wanted to cope on his own and by means.
The Duma could not help but become interested in this issue, and she agreed to give the land to the priest, but the matter stalled, as the priest died suddenly.
Start of construction
The successor of the archbishop Archpriest Michael (Rozhdestvensky) undertook to continue such a charitable work.
In 1891 the territory was fenced, they began to collect building material and funds. Exactly a year later, two floors were built on this site, a year later they were repaired inside.
Gradually, the plan of the late Archbishop Sergius came to fruition, and soon a parish school, living quarters for teachers, a craft workshop and living quarters for orphans were placed on the floors.
Children mastered metalwork and turning skills, their products went on sale. The funds received from this were spent on the maintenance of the complex.
Then a parish school for girls and a hospital for the poor were opened.
Chapels
In 1898 the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh was built, in which Father Michael became the first rector. The chapel of Seraphim of Sarov at that time was not yet and could not be, because its canonization took place only in 1903, initiated by the royal family of the Romanovs.
In the temple there were several aisles: St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Panteleimon the Healer, Kazan Mother of God, St. Nicholas the Pleaser.
The basement in the church has long existed, but it had nothing to do with St. Seraphim of Sarov.
This church initially operated without a parish; it was attended by orphaned boys from the school.
Desolation
In 1915, abbot Michael died, then the October Revolution of the 17th began. The temple was used as a utility room, at first there was a tobacco warehouse for some time in it, then a transit prison and a utility room for the military. In 1929, the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh was completely closed.
In 1991, the temple was returned to believers in the Tula diocese, and its lower throne was consecrated in honor of Seraphim of Sarov.
The sanctuary was restored right from scratch. There were many options, but it was decided to choose a name in honor of the monk being studied.
Description of the temple of Seraphim of Sarov in Tula
This building is nondescript and ascetic, which is quite consistent with the nature of the wretched old man, as he called himself. There are no wall paintings. However, this place is able to charge with spiritual energy, strengthen in faith and tune in a positive way.
In all this, God's providence is visible. Two elders - two main lamps of the Orthodox faith in Russia.
No one knows how the underground premises of the temple of Seraphim of Sarov in Tula used to look like. In Soviet times, a stoker was organized here with a coal warehouse for heating the building.
To equip the temple, it was necessary to deepen it, and in height it turned out to be 4 meters. Many years of destruction and restoration have passed. Now it serves as rector Vyacheslav Kovalevsky.
If the upper temple is striking with a magnificent and solemn, like Orthodox worship, painting, then the lower one is very quiet and laconic, like a spirit filled with spirit, without any extra thoughts. A striking difference.
The address of the temple of Seraphim of Sarov in Tula: Zarechensky district, st. Oktyabrskaya 76. Working hours from 7.30 to 18.30.