The parish was formed in the city as a church at the Russian embassy. In the city he moved to the church of St. Philip, Buckingham Palace Road and then, in the city, to the present premises (the former parish church of All Saints of the Church of England). Thanks to the support of numerous friends of the parish, the parish was able to acquire ownership of the church building in the city.
Built in the city according to the design of Lewis Vulliamy, the temple repeats the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore in Verona (c.). The west façade was rebuilt in the city by Harrison Townsend. Particularly noteworthy is the painting above the high arches, carried out by Heywood Sumner using the sgraffito technique, the principle of which is that when special tools are scratched into the top thin layer of plaster, layers of other colors are exposed. Above the arch in the eastern part of the cathedral is a Crucifix with symbols of the evangelists. In the western part, six round images represent the six days of Creation. The frescoes at the top of the nave walls depict biblical scenes and saints.
The building was easily adapted for Orthodox worship. The royal doors of the iconostasis were rescued from the church at the Russian Embassy in London after the October Revolution. The icons of the iconostasis were painted at different times by three students of the outstanding Russian icon painter Leonid Uspensky. Many other icons were donated to the temple by private individuals.
Now the parish community consists of people of various national origins, mainly Orthodox Russians and British. Services are conducted in Church Slavonic and English.
Used materials
- Article from the website of the Diocese of Sourozh (removed from the website)
The history of Verkhovazh churches goes back to ancient times. In Verkhovazhsky Posad, wooden churches were built, but with some regularity they were destroyed by fires. Therefore, the idea arose among the locals about their fragility and the need to build a stone temple in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
Its history of the Temple of the Assumption of the Mother of God. Verkhovazhya begins in 1755. This year, with the blessing of Archbishop Barsanuphius of Arkhengologorod and Kholmogory, the foundation stone for a stone church is being laid. Its construction continued for 10 years, and in 1765, on September 24, the summer church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God was consecrated.
But since this church was not very spacious for the crowded Verkhovazhsky parish, in 1773 the residents of Verkhovazhsky Posad asked for a blessing to build a warm church with two limits and a stone bell tower. On July 15, 1773, a decree was received from His Grace Anthony, Bishop of Arkhengologorod and Kholmogory, with the following content: “To the cold stone Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the western side, attach a refectory with a porch, and above the porch a stone bell tower, and for the celebration of the Divine priestly service in the meal in winter, create two borders: the first on the right side in the name of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, and the second on on the left side in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra. And besides those, in the bell foot, there is a chapel in the name of the Three Saints. But near the shown Assumption Church on the western side there is a wooden church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra, which is very dilapidated and there is an obstacle to the construction of the above-described meal, having broken it, use it wherever the rules command.” In September 1773 the temple was founded. Construction continued until 1785. On January 13, 1779, the Right Reverend Veniamin, Bishop of Arkhangelogorod and Kholmogory, consecrated the chapel in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, and on February 6, 1781, according to a charter from the same archpastor, the consecration of the chapel was carried out in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra.
1798 is the year the construction of the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God was completed. This year, through the diligence of the Verkhovazh merchant Maxim Mikhailov Burtsev, pediments, four octagons and domes were attached to the cold church. In the bell tower, instead of a limit in honor of the Three Saints, a limit was built in the name of the holy prophet Elijah, whose consecration took place on September 16, 1813. The interior decoration of the temple was constantly improved and decorated. Archpriest Alexei Belyaev, former rector of the Assumption Cathedral, wrote the following in his article dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the start of construction of the stone church about the interior decoration: “Highly artistic painting, the abundance and shine of gilding, beautifully executed ornaments with delicate colors and gilding - all this attracts the eye and leaves a strong impression.” And the appearance of the cathedral amazed with its grandeur and its beauty.
When the persecution of the church began, the Soviet government did not spare the beauty and splendor of the Assumption Cathedral. The interior of the temple was destroyed, the bell tower collapsed, and the temple was turned into a house of Soviet culture. In 1991, the parish in the village was recreated. Verkhovazhye, and services resumed in the desecrated and dilapidated temple. With the care of the first rector of the recreated parish, Archpriest Georgy Osipov, and the parishioners, the interior decoration of the warm church and the exterior of the church were put in order. But it is still far from its former greatness and former beauty. There is no bell tower. The Cold Temple is still desolate. A lot of work still needs to be done so that the Verkhovazh Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God takes on its original appearance.
The destroyed Annunciation Church in the village of Verkhovazhye.
At the end of the 18th century, the huge stone Assumption Cathedral was already completed in Verkhovazhye. And immediately, with donations from parishioners, mainly merchants and peasants of the surrounding villages, the construction of a new church begins. In 1813, construction was completed, and now a stone temple with majestic columns and a bell tower rises on the hill above the village. The first floor was heated, there was a throne in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the second, cold floor there was a throne in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
The utensils of the new church were transferred from the Assumption Cathedral and were listed in its register. There was a cemetery around the temple, where many famous people of the village were buried, for example, Archpriest Alexander Shaitanov, who died in May 1879. He was a truly talented person: rector of the cathedral, teacher of the law at the parish school, representative of the board of trustees, employee of the Russian Geographical Society. He was born into the family of a priest of the Velsk district of the Vologda province in 1811, received an excellent education at the Vologda Theological Seminary, was ordained in 1834 and sent as a priest to Verkhovazhye, where he served until his death. Also buried in the cemetery were the explorer of the Verkhovazhsky region Matvey Nikolaevich Myasnikov, the last priests of the Assumption Cathedral: Archpriests Alexander Yakubov, who died in 1922, and Alexy Belyaev, who died in the Lord in 1937. He wrote to the Council of Peasant Deputies and tried to explain that the Assumption Cathedral of Verkhovazhye is not only a religious building, but also a unique architectural monument, a rich collection of ancient church handwritten books, utensils and icons worthy of any museum. But his arguments were not heeded, and a decision was made to destroy the cathedral and establish a cinema club in its building. Everything happened in 1937. To demolish the bell tower, activists threw a lot of ropes over it, tied to a team of horses, of which there were about ten. At the command, the horses were whipped, but contrary to the assumption that the bell tower would fall onto the road, it fell in the other direction - the ropes rubbed the bricks, and the bell tower collapsed onto the roof of the temple, breaking through it. After this, a fire was made from temple utensils and icons. The priest’s heart could not stand such blasphemy, and he suffered a heart attack, from which he could no longer recover and soon died. Burials in the cemetery ended before the Great Patriotic War.
According to the recollections of old-timers, there was a special attraction in the temple. The main iron gates of the cemetery, when they were opened, made a beautiful, pleasant sound, as if they were “singing.”
The name of the last rector of the Annunciation Church has been preserved. Nikolai Konstantinovich Zemlyanitsyn was born in 1891. And in 1937 he was repressed and sentenced to exile for 10 years, from which he never returned.
For a long time the temple stood untouched; there was no club in it, like in the Assumption Cathedral. And at the end of the sixties of the 20th century, petitions from the believing residents of the village began for the restoration of the temple and church life. And then the district executive committee decided to dismantle the church. Its stone was used for the foundations of some buildings being built at that time, and the granite of the tombstones also went there.
In the mid-seventies, a monument to those killed in the Great Patriotic War was erected on the territory of the cemetery, but it did not last long. Subsequently, on the site of the destroyed temple, first a wooden and then an iron worship cross was installed.
Deacon Evgeny Korotin,cleric of the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, village of Verkhovazhye
Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
THE HOLY SPIRIT, ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOR, Abides in the CHURCH AND WILL REMAIN THERE UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE
Father Peter Smirnov
Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir... the soul trembles and rises when you look at this white-stone man-made miracle on the cathedral square of the city of Vladimir - the ancient capital of North-Eastern Rus'. This magnificent temple is an outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture, dedicated to the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. The miraculous power of the Mother of God more than once protected the people of Vladimir from enemy invasions, and there is reliable historical evidence of this. The white stone Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was founded by the noble Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky as a monument to the true Orthodox faith. Here, in ancient times, reigning weddings were held, warriors going to battle were blessed, ordinary parishioners and passing people prayed.
Disasters, barbaric plunders and fires struck this holy place more than once, but the temple was always revived to life by the grace of God and the worldly efforts of people. So the great cathedral was burned by the Mongol-Tatars in 1238, many Orthodox Christians and their families died, preferring death to shameful captivity. The entire interior splendor of the temple suffered from the fire, but the miraculous image of the Mother of God was preserved, and the tomb of the blessed Prince George was not damaged by fire, which is a true miracle of God. Even in its destroyed state, the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir for a long time served as the unifying spiritual center of North-Eastern Rus' captured by the Tatar-Mongols. Subsequently, it was restored and again shone with the power of grace, which showed its sign in the incorruption of the holy relics stored in the temple: the relics of Andrei Bogolyubsky and his son, the holy Prince Gleb. The holy remains of the Vladimir princes who died as martyrs in a fire, but did not betray their homeland, the relics of great bishops and godly bishops. Thousands of pilgrims flocked from different parts of the country to worship these incorruptible holy relics. The newly built five-domed Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was consecrated in the name of the Holy Blessed Prince George on October 15, 1860.
“On softening evil hearts” light a candle in front of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God
In front of the image of the Vladimir Mother of God, it is customary to light candles with a prayer for the pacification of all enmity, from family discord and unrest. This image of the saint belongs to the icons of Eleus (Tenderness) and helps believers when making vital decisions, especially before entering into the sacrament of marriage, for marriage, according to Orthodox canons, is considered a small state in a big power, where there is no place for unrest and discord. Pray to the Mother of God for happiness and light candles in front of the holy image. They also offer prayers and light candles in front of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God for help in healing various diseases, especially cardiological and eye diseases. The very essence of the image of the saint symbolizes insight, both physical and spiritual.
“For the repose” put a candle in front of the icon “Assumption of the Virgin Mary”
The image of the saint - "The Dormition of the Virgin Mary" is part of the festive row of the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. Light a candle “for the repose” with a prayer for a person close to you who has died untimely and may the flame of your candle bless his soul and fill it with joy. After all, the flame of a church candle lit in an Orthodox church is a reflection of the Divine light that illuminates human souls. We cannot comprehend this miracle with the human mind, we can only rely on the Divine with great faith in rebirth in eternal life.
“On protection from crime” light a candle in front of the icon and relics of the Blessed Prince, Andrei Bogolyubsky
The Most Holy Theotokos herself noted with her goodness the great prince, Andrei Bogolyubsky, revealing her bright appearance before him and commanding the construction of a temple in Her honor. Thus, through the efforts of the now canonized Andrei Bogolyubsky, who was famous for his holiness during his lifetime, the spiritual revival of the city of Vladimir began. The Orthodox prince died a martyr's death at the hands of his close friends, whom he trusted immensely. And we, honoring the memory of the great righteous man, light candles with a sincere prayer in front of his image and incorruptible relics, asking for protection from all villainy and from the machinations of our crafty enemies. In addition, his incorruptible relics have great healing power, before which believers prostrate themselves and light candles in humble prayer.
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladimir, in addition to its divine purpose, has great historical value. This is a temple - a museum, where priceless treasures are located: magnificent icons and paintings by famous icon painters: St. Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny, fragments of compositions from the Last Judgment, the upper part of the scene of the Entry of the Holy Mother of God into the Temple, fragments of scenes from the lives of saints: “ Baptism”, “Procession of the Righteous to Paradise”, “Descent of the Holy Spirit” and many other frescoes and paintings that have been preserved in this holy place since ancient times. The Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir holds grandiose holy services dedicated to great church holidays. On days other than services, the temple hosts organized excursion groups to display unique church relics and works of ancient Russian art. But (!) the holy necropolis of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladimir has a special spiritual and historical value, where great princes, archbishops and bishops rest in peace, and in the silver-encrusted crayfish of the spacious galleries of the temple their incorruptible relics are reverently kept, next to which they repeatedly take place miracles. Here, the founder of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the grandson of Vladimir Monomakh and the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, found his resting place, by the providence of God more than once saved from death in battles and after his martyrdom at the hands of traitors, he was canonized as a Saint. Sincere prayer in a church, surrounded by the grace of the Mother of God, has the greatest miraculous power. All the futility of worldly vanity fades before this great power and the Motherly Grace of the Holy Virgin descends upon the praying person. The ministers of the project: “Remember Always” are reverent about the miracles that have been inherent in this holy place since ancient times and accept requests for prayer and the performance of church sacraments in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. They pray with you and offer thanks to the Mother of God of Vladimir for the opportunity to provide you with this small service.
A great sign preceded the creation of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir; the blessing of the Mother of God herself descended on this holy work. According to the legends of distant antiquity, when the great icon of the Mother of God, painted on a board from the table on which the holy family had a meal: Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the righteous Joseph, was being transported to the north, the horses transporting the holy relic suddenly stood up. It was impossible to move them by any force; replacing the horses with others also did not help. Then Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky began to pray earnestly and the Mother of God appeared to him, commanding him to leave the miraculous icon in Vladimir and to build a great temple and a nunnery in Her honor in that place. “I don’t want My image to be carried to Rostov, but place it in Vladimir, and in this place, in the name of My Nativity, erect a stone church and a monastery,” - this is how the words of the Mother of God were stated by the confessor of Prince Andrei. To the general rejoicing of the people of Vladimir, the prince returned to the city with a miraculous icon, later called the Vladimir Mother of God, and in her honor he erected the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, where we pray with reverence, believing in divine miracles and in God's providence. According to the behest of the Holy Mother of God, the Holy Dormition Convent was created in Vladimir, which has entered the history of the Orthodox Church in a grace-filled chronicle. This miracle, which broke out from the spark of Christian faith, brought many people from various regions of Russia to monastic life. Now within the walls of the monastery, in addition to nuns, there is a shelter and a regency school.
The cathedrals of many Russian cities are dedicated to the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The main churches in Vladimir, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Ryazan, Murom, Astrakhan, not to mention the main cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, are called Assumption. Does this mean that the feast of the Assumption itself was somehow especially revered in Rus'?
Interesting
Dormition of the Virgin Mary. What do we celebrate on this day?
What do we know about the Mother of God?
How the service of the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is organized
Theotokos hymns: combining the incompatible
How the Assumption is celebrated: traditions
The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the sayings of the holy elders
“And if some think that we are mistaken, then let them search the Scriptures, and they will find no information about the death of Mary, or whether she died, or that she did not die, or whether she was buried, or that she is not buried. And when John undertook a journey through Asia, it is also not said anywhere that he took the holy Virgin with him, but Scripture simply kept silent about this due to the extreme nature of the miracle, so as not to amaze the human mind... For Scripture stands above the human mind and left it unknown , since the Virgin was an honest and most excellent vessel, so that no one would remain in the assumption of anything carnal about her.”
“The wondrous Mother of God was wondrous in Her conception, wondrous in Her life, wondrous in Her repose: truly all of Her is one wondrous miracle! Conceived by the gospel of an Angel, She was born from barren, elderly parents; being a pure Virgin, She became at the same time a Mother; being a Mother, She remained a Virgin; died, but with a grave, like a ladder, she ascended to Heaven; truly a marvelous miracle! At Christmas, the Virgin is alive even after death, and the coffin, like Jacob’s ladder, remaining on earth, becomes for Her a ladder ascending to Heaven: “... and the coffin is a ladder to Heaven...”.
Let us stand, beloved, at this wondrous tomb of the Mother of God, let us stand with our minds, and with our mental eyes let us take a closer look at what steps are on this wondrous staircase? What are the steps by which the Mother of God, at the hour of Her repose, ascended to heaven? Can a human coffin, three arshins long, placed straight, reach the sky? It is clear that the word “coffin” here means death itself. Death is called here the coffin and the ladder, because just as the coffin is measured by three arshins, so the death of the saints of God raises their souls to heaven with three Theological virtues: faith, hope and love. Faith leads them to the sight of God, hope - to receive those benefits that no eye has seen or ear has heard (1 Cor. 2:9), and love unites them with God Himself, Who is love. But who can count all the virtues of the bright soul of the Mother of God? Who is able to tell how and with what good deeds the Most Pure Virgin from Her youth until her death pleased God, Her Creator? You would rather count flowers in spring, ears of corn in summer, fruits in autumn, snowflakes in winter, you would rather count drops in the sea, stars in the sky, than the good deeds and advantages of the Mother of God.”
“Departing for the heavenly Church, She miraculously gathers to Herself the supreme representatives of the Church scattered throughout the earth: and thereby gives a sign that Her union with the believers on earth is not only not interrupted by Her departure, but from now on becomes stronger, more extensive and more active, and that The grace living in Her, hidden for so long by humility, must be revealed from Her tomb and fill the Universal Church with Her glory, according to Her early, once incredible, but completely true prediction: “All my generations will bless Me.”
“When the Mother of God prayed on the Mount of Olives, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her,” the legend says, bringing a date branch, and informed her of Her death three days later. The Most Pure One was incredibly happy to hear such news and began to prepare. On the day of Her repose, at the command of God, all the apostles, scattered to preach throughout the world, miraculously appeared in Jerusalem, except for the Apostle Thomas. They witnessed Her peaceful, quiet, holy and blessed death. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in heavenly glory, surrounded by a countless multitude of Angels and righteous spirits, appeared to receive the soul of His Most Pure Mother and carried Her into heaven with glory.”
Working hours
The temple is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, on days of worship - from 8:30.
Driving directions
Okhotny Ryad metro station.
Divine services
Services are held on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On ordinary days, Matins and Liturgy are at 8:30. On Sundays and holidays, liturgy is at 9:00, the day before all-night vigil at 18:00.
Thrones
1. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
2. St. Sergius of Radonezh;
3. Beheading of John the Baptist;
4. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Patronal holidays
August 28 – Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (main altar);
July 18, October 8 – the day of remembrance of St. Sergius of Radonezh;
September 11 is the day of remembrance of the Beheading of John the Baptist;
May 22, December 19 are the days of memory of St. Nicholas, the World of Lycian Wonderworker.
Story
Many Moscow churches that survived during Soviet times have now been returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and in the period 1991-1992. most of them were filled with believers. Regular services have resumed. One of these churches is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Uspensky Vrazhek.
Uspensky Vrazhek is an ancient Moscow tract between Tverskaya and Nikitskaya streets, mentioned in chronicles from the 16th century. Here were the courtyards of the ambassadors - the Lithuanian courtyard and the “court of the Tsar's ambassadors”, i.e. Roman Empire. The courtyard of Aleviz the New, a famous architect, is also mentioned here.
1601 - the first written mention of the temple.
1629 - the wooden Church of the Assumption burned down in a big fire.
1634 - rebuilt.
1647 - the first stone church was built at the expense of G.I. Gorikhvostov
1707 - wooden chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the churchyard.
The history of the temple is closely connected with the owners of the neighboring estate, the Yankovs, who took care of the welfare of the church.
1735 - D.I. Yankov added the side church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to the building of the Church of the Assumption itself. The temple became the tomb of the Yankovs.
1781 - St. Nicholas side church was rebuilt due to its dilapidation.
1812 - the church burned down.
The Assumption Church was a summer church; in winter they served in the warm chapel church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In the mid-50s, the Moscow merchant S. A. Zhivago, who had previously bought the Yankov estate for himself, was elected head of the temple. Commissioned by Zhivago, academician of architecture A.S. Nikitin drew up a design for a vast three-altar church with a bell tower adjacent to the St. Nicholas Church.
1860 - construction of the current temple building was completed. The new church has three altars: the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Beheading of John the Baptist and Sergius of Radonezh - the heavenly patron of the temple builder.
Finishing work continued until the 1890s. Only in 1870, at the expense of the elder Joseph Zhivago (brother of S.A. Zhivago), the temple was plastered and painted, the domes were gilded.
1910 - the 50th anniversary of the temple was solemnly celebrated.
1920 - an agreement was concluded between the parish and the Moscow Council of Workers and Red Army Men on the transfer of “religious buildings” for indefinite and free use.
1924 - by resolution of the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet, the agreement with the community was terminated. The temple was transferred to the State Historical Archive of Moscow. areas. In Soviet times, the heads of the temple and bell tower, the sculptural decoration of the temple, decor, not to mention the interior decoration and church property were lost. The side-chapel St. Nicholas Church was dismantled during the construction of the House of Composers.
1979 - a long-distance telephone center was opened in the church.
1992 - Moscow Government decree on the return of the church to the Russian Orthodox Church.
1996 - the basement was given to the community for use. At the same time, on the Resurrection of Fomino, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the returned church.
In memory of the lost side church, the throne is dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
1998 - the upper church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was returned.
1999 - on the feast of the Giving of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the throne was consecrated in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Shrines
Icon of the Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth with particles of the relics of St. mcc. Elizabeth and nun Varvara
