Peter and Paul Cathedral, Kazan. Peter and Paul Cathedral: history and photo

The millennial city of Kazan ... Beautiful, rich and tolerant ... The symbol of the latter is, perhaps, the Temple of all religions, which, for sure, could not appear in any other locality. Unique architectural monuments, which are the cathedrals of Kazan, a photo of many of which Russians know well enough, are built here mainly in the historical center of the city.

Orthodox Pearl

This is what the Peter and Paul Cathedral is called. Kazan, of course, has many symbols, but this architectural monument is its spiritual "visiting card". Built on a hill, majestic and in a particularly beautiful way, this temple is distinguished by its unique decoration.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral (Kazan) admires not only the specialists, but all the guests of the capital of Tatarstan. It was attended by almost all the emperors and empress of Russia, many state or public figures. In its walls there were A. Pushkin, A. Humboldt, even Alexander Dumas. During his life in this city, F. Shalyapin often sang at church services.

Few know that the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Kazan) was an ordinary parish church. And it was built on the site of the ancient church of the same name, the first mention of which occurs in 1565. The parishioner of the temple was one of the largest local merchants Ivan Afanasyevich Mikhlyaev. His house was right next to the cathedral. The building today, despite the fact that it was heavily rebuilt, was preserved and is in the courtyard of the spiritual cloister.

Description

Initially, the main approach to the temple was from the Spassky Tower. That is why the northern side was planned by the architect as the main portal: through him to the second floor, to the side-chapel of St. Peter and Paul, the front staircase rises. It was destroyed by a fire in 1815, but after eighty years in the late nineteenth century it was restored. To the left of the stairs is a chapel in the name of the Burning Bush, which until 1848 was considered dedicated to Christmas St.. John the Baptist. On the second floor is the "Life-giving Spring", complementing and emphasizing the height and volume of the temple. Above the cornice of the octagon in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, instead of the usual stone pommels, characteristic of the then Baroque, are light forged gratings.

From the north and west sides the cathedral is surrounded by an open gallery. It turns south in the direction of the lower temple - the Presentation of the Lord. At its level, multicolored stone ornaments are complemented by painted arshin tiles.

History

The annals of the Peter and Paul Cathedral are directly connected with the name of Peter I, who visited Kazan in 1722, when he was on a Persian expedition. The emperor stopped at the merchant and philanthropist Ivan Mihlyaev. During his stay in the city, Peter celebrated his fiftieth birthday. In memory of this and as a token of gratitude to the sovereign who gave him the property of losing state cloth manufactories, Mihlyaev decided to erect the Peter and Paul Cathedral, a photo of which shows his magnificence. The temple was built in the name of St. Peter and St. Paul and had unprecedented height and luxury for the entire Volga region.

Architect

Peter and Paul Cathedral is designed in the style of the so-called "Naryshkin", or Russian, Baroque, which was popular in the country in the late seventeenth - early eighteenth centuries. The uniqueness of the cathedral is given first and foremost by the abundance of facade details that have survived to this day, as well as their bright coloring. True, unfortunately, the names of the architect and builders of this spiritual temple are unknown.

At the same time, many specialists find similarity in its decoration with ornamental decoration of churches, which were built in the first half of the eighteenth century in Ukraine. Perhaps the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Kazan) was indeed built by the Little Russians, although in no way is it a copy of a certain style. Much in its architecture and design is unique, and is a product of addictions that do not have a definite orientation.

Reconstruction

The great merit in the fact that this cathedral in Kazan has survived until now belongs not only to the builders, but also to the local clergy and elders, who served here at a later time. The fact is that for its long history the structure was repeatedly subjected to partial destruction. And primarily the blame for this numerous fires, which were at least five.

Particularly damaged Peter and Paul Cathedral (Kazan) in 1815, when, due to the severe destruction of the building, the parish had to move to the nearby Gostinnnodvorskaya church for nine years. At this time, the largest reconstruction of the temple was made. It was implemented at the expense of the cathedral elder and local merchant - the grandfather of the outstanding chemist Alexander Zaitsev.

In the 1880s, the cathedral, much dilapidated, looked very deplorable. The main reason was the destruction of the foundation. As a result, even the belfry of the Peter and Paul Cathedral began to heel, lost its original appearance and decor elements. The elder and the rector of the cathedral organized another large-scale reconstruction, the project of which belonged to the architect Litvinov - the author of the Kazan University. He managed to restore the original appearance of the structure from drawings and detailed drawings. In the course of the reconstruction, the parks and chapels were dismantled and re-built, a unique stucco on the facades was restored. It was at this time that the bell tower of the Peter and Paul Cathedral was enriched with the clock of the famous master Klimov.

After the revolution

During the Soviet era, the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Kazan) continued to operate until 1939. And even after its closure, it was officially recognized as an architectural monument, state protected. Since 1950, thirty years in it housed a local planetarium. But thanks to the intercession and works of the Bishop of Kazan and the great activity of the faithful, the church returned to the church.

Despite the fact that for more than fifty years there were no divine services in the church, it perfectly preserved a seven-armed ancient iconostasis, richly decorated in the style of Russian baroque.

Shrines

One of the most revered are the relics of St. Nektarius and Iona of Kazan. They were a father and son. In the world of boyars, Nestor and John of Zastolsky were assistants to Archbishop Guria, the very first Kazan prelate. When he was sent to the newly established Kazan diocese, John Zastolsky went with him. Under the spiritual supervision of the saint, he began to lead a virtuous and very pious life. According to the laws of God he brought up his son Nestor. With the consent of his father, the young man took monastic vows. He died young.

Miraculous image

Peter and Paul Cathedral, photo of which everyone recognizes who came to Kazan, has a miraculous Sedmiosezna icon of the Mother of God, transferred to him by the Church of Yaroslavl miracle workers. It was there that she was kept for many years, rescued by Hieroschemonakh Seraphim.

This shrine brought from Ustyug to the city of Kazan on October 13, 1615, the monk Evfimiy - the founder of the Sedmiozernaya Bogoroditskaya desert. He also blessed the place for the future abode.

In the seventeenth century, the icon became famous for its great miracles. When in 1655 the plague that raged in the country reached Kazan, in a very short time it took the lives of most of the city's population. Almost fifty thousand people died.

And then one of the godly nuns in a dream came a vision: she saw a bright husband who told the people of Kazan to hold a seven-day fast and to bring the Icon of the Mother of God from the Sedmiozerny Desert to the city. When the image with honors was met by Kazan and installed in the temple, the plague began to recede.

All the Orthodox population of the city and the local eparchy deeply reveres this icon and until today receives from the Mother of God help in troubles and healing in diseases. Stedemiozernaya shrine is kept in the altar of the Peter and Paul Cathedral every week for the service of the prayer and that the believers can worship it.

Temple today

At present, the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Kazan), having the status of a cathedral, is deservedly considered one of the most significant centers of spiritual life in the Republic of Tatarstan. Here, not only the hierarchical services, but also the diocesan celebrations are performed. Twice during the period of modern history during his First-Hierarchal visits to the Kazan Diocese, and this was in 1997 and 2005, it was in the Peter and Paul Cathedral that the Patriarch of All Russia Alexy II performed divine services.