The Samara fortress was erected by the Cossacks at the confluence of the river of the same name and the Volga in the 16th century on the site of a hermit monastery. Its foundation is associated with the name of St. Alexis, who predicted two centuries earlier the construction of a city on this territory and that this city will never be ruined by anyone. For many years, this outpost defended the eastern borders from raids by nomads.
City of a thousand temples
For many centuries, the inhabitants of Samara lived under the invisible spiritual protection of church domes and crosses. Numerous merchants and merchants who came to the city were surprised at the abundance of monasteries and church buildings in Samara. The convenient position of Samara on the banks of two rivers over time has made it a major center of economic and diplomatic relations with eastern neighboring countries. For three hundred years, a large number of churches, temples, prayer houses and monasteries were built in the city, not only Orthodox, but also many other faiths, which testified to the tolerance of the local population. By this time, under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church, it had become the spiritual center of the Samara region. The Church of All Saints originates precisely in this period favorable for the city. The economic, political and cultural events of the life of this already large trade, industrial and administrative center at the end of the 19th century sharply raised the level of well-being of residents, which also had a beneficial effect on the spiritual life of the townspeople, on the volume of temple-building and assistance to the homeless and poor.
XIX century. Temple construction
Since the transfer to the outskirts of the city of a local cemetery in 1864, the question arose about the construction of a cemetery church. Samara merchants Emelyan and Mikhey Shikhobalov donated money and building materials for the construction. With the active assistance of Bishop Feofil Nadezhin, 1865 was the year of the construction of the new graceful stone oval church of All Saints with a bell tower.
Among the many other churches that Samara was famous for, the Church of All Saints was distinguished by an unusual layout for the city “under the bell”, an octal base, a tent and a high chapter with two pylons.
This view of the building was until 1881, when the question arose of its reconstruction and major reconstruction due to its small capacity. After the work, the church became two more chapels and acquired a 517-pound bell in memory of Mikhey Shikhobanov. In 1986, the right chapel was consecrated. With the money raised by the parishioners, a three-tier pine iconostasis with 72 unique images of saints was made. Eight years passed, finished work and consecrated the second chapel of the church.
In 1903, another reconstruction was carried out, many handmade icons were added, many unique frescoes were created. When, after a meeting, the cells of militant atheists in 1931 blew up the All Saints Church, Samara started.
New Temple Life
An attempt to revive the church was made only in 2000. The temporary location of the parish church was organized in railway cars. A collection of donations to the All Saints Church was announced. Samara, and especially its Zheleznodorozhny district, in a single rush in a short time collected not only the necessary amount for restoration, but the inhabitants still brought many icons and necessary things for the services. In 2001, an unexpected fire destroyed the temporary location of the church and all the collected icons. Despite all the difficulties experienced, the foundation was laid for new construction. When the church of
St. Tatiana was built in 2006
, Samara and its environs began to donate to restore the Church of All Saints. In October 2007, the construction of the temple was completed, and on the
feast of the Intercession of the Virgin, a three-ton dome and gilded crosses were raised to the top. Many believers and pilgrims, circling the temple, kissed the crosses before they were exalted and placed at the very top of the building.
XXI Century. Samara Church of All Saints
Today, the arrangement of this beautiful church continues. The work in the basement is completed, now there is the largest church shop, where you can purchase literature and everything necessary for church services. Since 2010, a Sunday school for children has been opened at the church; there are plans to build a kindergarten and college. The collection of donations for the arrangement of the iconostasis, altar, and throne continues. If you want to go to church, come to the address: Samara, Church of All Saints, Tukhachevsky Street. Here you will immediately see the glitter of the golden domes of this beautiful building.