St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bobruisk is the oldest Orthodox shrine of the city and the center of its spiritual life. Not only faithful parishioners flock to this place - newlyweds take pictures in the square around the church on the wedding day, mothers with strollers walk along quiet alleys, and young people and elderly people sit on the benches.
Story
The first wooden church in the name of Nikolai Ugodnik was built in Bobruisk in 1600. Initially, it was related to the Uniate Church, but in 1798 it was returned to Orthodoxy and received the status of a cathedral.
In 1812, the construction of the Bobruisk fortress began, and the local population was relocated to the Parisian forstadt. The temple was also moved there. In 1829, another resettlement of residents followed, already to the Minsk Forstadt. There, in 1835, a new wooden St. Nicholas Church was built.
In 1880, the entire population of Bobruisk, along with the neighboring farms and villages, belonged to the Nikolsky parish. The total number of parishioners was 4124 people.
Stone temple
In 1892-1894, at the expense of state funds and donations of residents in the city center, a new stone cathedral was erected, consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In addition to Bobruisk itself, 11 villages adjacent to the city were attributed to the parish. By the beginning of the XIX century, the number of parishioners was about 7000 people.
In addition, St. Nicholas Cathedral also owned church land - 2 acres of garden, 37 acres of arable land and 33 acres of hayfields. The parable also included a church on the Luke farm, a church on a local churchyard and a church on the Berezinsky forstadt, for the construction of which the material of the former wooden Nikolskaya church was used. There were several Sunday schools, including a cathedral.
With the coming to power of the Communists, St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bobruisk was closed. In 1922, by order of the authorities, all church values were seized. The temple resumed its activities only in 1941 with the outbreak of war.
During the occupation, a German military hospital was located near the temple. A necropolis was organized to bury the soldiers and officers who died there. In 2014, the remains of German troops were exhumed and buried in another graveyard.
In 1964, St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bobruisk was closed. All religious objects were transferred to the St. Nicholas Church. The parish community also went there. The building of St. Nicholas Cathedral was converted into a youth swimming pool.
Shrine revival
In 2003, the authorities returned the building of the cathedral of the Orthodox Church. Then the restoration of St. Nicholas Cathedral (Bobruisk) began. In 2007, the restored and restored temple was re-consecrated.
The six-domed building has two thrones and is made in the pseudo-Russian style. The height of the bell tower reaches 32 meters. The walls of the cathedral are plastered. In the external decoration, traditional elements of architectural decor were used: notched friezes and arched window openings. Initially, the walls of the cathedral were pink.
There is a Sunday school, library, and treasury at the temple. Assistance is provided to people with disabilities and single pensioners.
Address and Schedule
St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bobruisk is open daily. Services are held as follows:
- 8:00 - morning service;
- 17:00 - Vespers.
The sacrament of baptism takes place every Saturday and Sunday at 8:00 in the morning. Other requirements are fulfilled as necessary.
On holidays and weekends, church services schedule is subject to change.
The cathedral is located at: Republic of Belarus, Mogilev region, Bobruisk, st. Sovetskaya, d. 76.
The current phone number of St. Nicholas Cathedral (Bobruisk) can be found on the official website of the organization. There you can ask a question to the priest.