Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross in Altufev: history and modernity

The Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufiev is located in an extremely picturesque area on the outskirts of Moscow. This shrine has a rich history, which will be discussed in the article.

Occurrence

The first mention of the village of Altufievo, situated near Moscow, dates back to the time of the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, or rather, by 1585. At that time, this settlement belonged to Neupokoy Dmitrievich Myakishev, who served as a key to the Khlebenniy Palace. The village was located on the bank of a small river of the Samotyshka.

Altufievo flourished until the Time of Troubles came. By the XVII century, the village gradually fell into decay, and soon it completely emptied. At that time the owners of the village were two brothers - Ivan and Arkhip Akinfov. It is with this family that the further life of the settlement will be related in the next hundred years.

In 1687 the descendant of the brothers Akinfov, Nikita Ivanovich, who was a nobleman, began the construction of a stone church. The Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufiev was built as soon as possible. After its erection, the village began to be called first the Cross, and then Vozdvizhensky.

New Temple

At the beginning of the 18th century, a fire broke out in the church, after which it became known as the Sophia. In 1759 the Akinfovs sold the village. The new owner was Lieutenant Ivan Velyaminov. He immediately engaged in the erection of a new church, since the former came to an absolute worthlessness. After 4 years the church was rebuilt. It had a beautiful exterior finish in the style of Russian late Baroque. A little later she was returned to her former name, and she again became Krestovozdvizhenskaya. The Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufiev had at that time its bell tower, which was above the western annex, but it was not a refectory.

In 1766, Ivan Velyaminov sold his estate. During the following years it changed its owners several times. They in different years became Count Apraksin, Andrei Ridner and Countess Bruce. Finally, in 1786 the village of Altufievo acquired the descendant of the famous ancient princely family, the rich landowner Stepan Kurakin. At the end of the 18th century, the church of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufiev was rebuilt several times: a new bell tower was erected above the church and a refectory was built.

The Soviet period

The Holy Cross Church was closed only once during the war with the German invaders, and even for a short time. By its size, the temple was considered small, and until the 60s of the last century it was listed as a rural parish, which was part of the Moscow diocese.

Then the village of Altufievo entered the capital. At the same time, an intensive development of the northern part of the city began, and next to the church and an old estate grew a new residential district Lianozovo. Despite this, the Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufev (Moscow, Altufevskoye Sh., D. 147), the garden, the farmstead and the pond have not disappeared, but on the contrary, they have been considered monuments of antiquity protected by the state. As you can see, the new microdistrict did not stop to save this page of its history for posterity.

In connection with the significant expansion of the parish in 1986, when Father Mikhail Oleinikov served in the church, an extension was made to the church, but it was not able to accommodate all the parishioners. Three years later, a two-story house was built, which had a baptismal temple.

Until 1980, the parish was single-entry, and since 1987 - already three-time. Now the honorary rector of the Holy Cross Church is Archbishop Yenotaevsky and Astrakhan Iona. At the moment there are six priests in the staff of the church.

Regular conversions

It can be said with certainty that literally from the first days of his ministry in the church Archimandrite Iona began to take care of her condition. The first thing was a new makowitz with a gilded cross and a drum on the dome of the church, decorated with four sides inserted into it icons with images of the saints of Moscow.

In 1992, Archimandrite Iona decided to expand the Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufiev (photo). To this end, the project was drafted. Three years later, all work to expand the central altar and the church itself was completed. In addition, a bell tower was built and new bells were purchased.

At the end of the same year, Archimandrite Ion was called to the episcopal ministry, but the post of honorary rector of the Holy Cross Church remained behind him. Until now, the archbishop of Jonah does not forget about his home church: he often comes here to perform the bishops' services. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in Altufiev (address: Altufevskoe shosse, 147) is waiting for its parishioners for the daily Liturgy, which starts at 9 o'clock in the morning. Throughout the day, the doors of the church are open to believers. In the temple there is always a priest on duty who is ready to answer all the questions of the parishioners.