Temple of the Blachernaia Icon of the Mother of God in Kuzminki (Moscow)

For the family of merchants Stroganov, once a simple Pomor peasants, 1716 was unusually troublesome. Was it a joke, the construction of the church, specially erected for the icon, which was once granted to them for services to the fatherland by the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich, was being completed? It was this icon, Vlakherna Mother of God, that gave the name to the churches where it was kept since then, and to the village, which became known as Vlakherna.

The origin of the icon

The name of the icon comes from the name of that part of Constantinople, where once there was a temple with this shrine. Under her protection was not only Constantinople, but all Byzantium. The chronicles of those years tell how in 626, according to the prayers lifted before the icon, the Most Holy Theotokos saved the city from the invasion of the invaders. Many centuries later, already in Russia, its miraculous power will be revealed during the cholera epidemic in 1830. She saved all the inhabitants of Kuzminki, where she was, and all the inhabitants of the surrounding villages from a terrible illness.

This icon was not ordinary. Her creation is attributed to Evangelist Luka, a contemporary and one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. The icon was embossed and executed in a unique wax-making technique. Its peculiarity was that the crushed particles of the relics of the saints were added to the wax. An image made in this way is called a relic.

The appearance of icons in Russia

It is known that in the fifth century it entered Constantinople, which at that time was the capital of the Christian world, and thence to Saint Athos. In 1654 the Athos monks brought her to Moscow and presented them to the pious prince Alexei Mikhailovich, and he, in turn, granted the shrine to Stroganov. For this icon, the wooden church of the Blakhern Mother of God was built.

But a rare wooden temple has a long life. This church stood only sixteen years and was burnt in the fire of a fire, but the Will of God saved the precious icon. In the same year, having asked for blessings from the ruling bishop, they began to erect a new church, also wooden, but the same fate awaited her as the former one. In 1758, as a result of the "fiery ignition", she perished. But this time the shrine was taken out of the fire.

The construction of the stone building of the temple

By the time of the fire the family estate of Stroganoff Kuzminki passed into the possession of Count Golitsyn's family. The descendants of the Lithuanian prince Gedimin, they have for centuries been the backbone of state power. This year marks the six hundredth anniversary of the day when they began their ministry.

A year later, the erection of a stone church began on the spot where the burnt church stood. The project was designed and conducted by the architect I. Zherebtsov, who was also engaged in redevelopment and reconstruction of the entire estate. He entered the history of architecture as a representative of the Baroque style. In addition, his name is associated with a direction that received the name of early Moscow classicism. For many years he supervised all the construction work on the estate.

Architectural features of the new church

In the basis of the project of a stone church, Zherebtsov put the traditional four-sided lower part of the building for the Russian churches and an overhead octagonal drum. This was how many Orthodox churches in Russia were built. Nearby was built a wooden octagonal bell tower. All the decorative design of the temple was made in the Baroque style. In 1762, construction work was generally completed, but the finishing continued for another twelve years.

The estate of Kuzminki was a subject of pride of Counts of Golitsyns, and they did not spare money for its arrangement. In 1784 they were invited to the famous Moscow architect RR R. Kazakov, a student of the famous V. I. Bazhenov, who worked with him on the project of the Great Kremlin Palace. He proceeded to renovate the temple, in accordance with the architectural requirements of the time.

Reconstruction of the church

RR Kazakov changed the four-sided layout of the main building to a round one, made in the form of a drum, and the superstructure was built on top. From the four sides of the building there were entrances with decorative steps and porticos. The general composition was complemented by a two-tiered stone belfry. Thus, the temple of the Blachernaia Icon of the Mother of God in Kuzminki acquired familiar shapes.

During the war of 1812, the temple suffered considerable destruction. Items of church utensils and icons were stolen. There are eyewitness accounts of numerous facts of sacrilege committed by French soldiers. At the invitation of the Golitsyns, the best architects worked on his restoration. In 1819, the fully reconstructed chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh was consecrated. However, work in the temple continued for several more years. Contemporaries wrote about the unusual marble iconostasis in this limit. The best stone cutters of the country worked on it. Were invited and famous Ural masters.

There is much evidence that the temple of the Blachernaia Icon of the Mother of God in Kuzminki was constantly in the sight of the person of the reigning family. So, for example, in 1828 Empress Maria Fyodorovna donated a precious brooch made of pearls and diamonds to decorate the icon. In 1858, the temple was visited by Emperor Alexander II. In addition, the estate of Kuzminki saw many other representatives of the House of Romanovs. Since 1859 the church has become the family grave of the Golitsyns. In the first years of the XX century it was again restored and consecrated.

The fate of the church after the revolution

After the revolution, the temple of the Blachernaia Icon of the Mother of God in Kuzminki shared the fate of many religious buildings in Russia. Literally in the early years, representatives of the God-seeking authorities seized all the valuables and objects of church utensils. When the temple was finally closed, the miraculous icon was transferred to the Assumption Church in Vishnyak, and when it ceased to act, the icon was transferred to the Tretyakov Gallery, in the funds of which it is kept to this day. In 1929, the domes were demolished, and the building itself was rebuilt beyond recognition, making it a holiday home. During the entire period of Soviet power, industrial premises, a transformer substation, and training classes were located here. Completely destroyed the painting of walls and stucco decorations. Pain is filled with heart when you see photos of the temple of those years.

Revival

In the years that followed the perestroika, many Russian Orthodox churches were returned to the believers. There came a period of historical insight. It was necessary to revive what had been mercilessly destroyed for decades. A great deal of help was rendered by the government bodies and various public organizations of the country. Restorers also came to the temple of the Blachernaia Icon of the Mother of God in Kuzminki. He was listed in the list of objects that are subject to recovery in the first place. The work was supervised by the architect EA Vorontsov. For three years, the builders and restorers have restored the temple its original appearance. In 1995, it was solemnly consecrated, like many Orthodox churches in Russia.

The life of the temple in our days

Today the temple is a major religious and cultural center. He has a Sunday school and a catechetical school for adults and children. In addition, there is a library, the doors of which are open to all comers. In a separate building there is a baptismal font with a font for adults. Like many churches in the Orthodox Church, it has become a place where everyone can get knowledge about the foundations of Orthodoxy, for many decades practically closed to the masses.