The Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medvedkovo, Yasenevo and Saratov

In Russia, more than 100 ancient shrines are preserved, which are called "the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin." This name was given to them in honor of the Orthodox holiday of the same name.

By pages of historical chronicles

One of the earliest surviving temples near Moscow was built in 1807, then in the village of Akulovo, now called Odintsovo (Moscow region). Before that, there was a wooden church and a refectory, which, judging by the mentions in the annals, was built in 1676 by the owner of the village of Akulovo, Alexander Khitrovo.

In 1692, a girlish monastery was placed in it, where Natalya Naryshkina became the benefactress of Peter the Great 's mother.

In 1719 the church was attributed to the Moscow Spiritual Consistory.

In 1791, he got to Varvara Razumovskaya (Sheremetyevo), who bought it together with the village. Razumovskaya actively participated in the arrangement of many churches, and thanks to her in the temple began a daily service.

In 1812, the Sharkovsky temple was almost completely destroyed in the battles with Napoleon: from it survived only the church utensils, which Razumovskaya preserved at home.

The temple in the Medvedkovo district (the former village of Medvedkovo)

Another surviving church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin is located in Medvedkovo. In the nineteenth century, a bell tower was built on its territory, and later a Sunday school building for children.

The Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medvedkovo is a unique architectural monument. The present children are very pleased to attend Sunday school at this school under the guidance of the friendly Valentina Kopasova, who personally meets every child and communicates with her parents.

Schools and mugs for children at the temple in Medvedkovo

Children are studying iconography, God's law, the history of the church. And for their creative development at the school there are circles in which they can learn how to weave lace, make crafts from straw and sew clothes for babies to be baptized.

At the place where the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos now stands in Medvedkovo, there used to be a wooden church. By order of Dmitry Pozharsky, she was demolished, and in her place Dmitri ordered the construction of a pilgrimage to perpetuate the victory over the Polish invasion of Moscow and his own name.

The Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medvedkovo is also unique in that it is the only surviving one-stall structure. In 1652, Patriarch Nikon forbade the construction of such churches as violating the church order.

The Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medvedkovo was built in 1634 on the banks of the Yauza River. April 20, 1642 died Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, and exactly ten years after the death of the church issued a charter for the consecration of the throne in the name of the nine martyrs of the Kizic, the veneration of which was a rare phenomenon in Russia.

In Medvedkovo is located far from the only Moscow church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin. Moscow is rich in historical churches dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, and they are located in many areas.

New temple in the area of Yasenevo, Moscow

With the blessing of His Holiness Moscow Patriarch Alexy II in Yasenevo, the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos was built with the money of the parishioners for five years. Unlike the previous one-shot, this one differs in that it is built according to the cross-dome type. Light in the building penetrates through the narrow high windows, which are located around the perimeter of the cross-shaped structure.

The fact that this church is dedicated to the Theotokos is spoken by the stars on four domes of blue color. Inside the temple is beautifully decorated with mosaic. Its capacity is 800 people (total area - 1420 square meters). Decorating with mosaics is a time-consuming and expensive process, so the Yasenevo temple is considered a rare cultural monument, of which there are not many in the country. On its territory a chapel is built in honor of praying for the cup.

On the ground floor there is a Sunday school and a church shop. One of the features of the temple is that it has space for a collection of copies of the greatest Christian shrines. Anyone who does not have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem Istrian Monastery will be able to come to Yasenevo and bow to the great Christian shrines. The temple is located on Aivazovsky Street, right behind the Hanoi cinema.

The temple in Saratov, which has survived to this day

In Russia there is another with an interesting history of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin. Saratov, in this beautiful city on the Volga there is a unique temple, built in 1883. After 12 years, a bell tower was built next to it.

In 1912, the church budget was about 6,000 rubles, besides, she also had her own farm in the Saratov region, which she had to keep, but she did not have enough money for everything.

What happened to the temple in Saratov

After 1917, the maintenance of the Saratov church completely fell on the shoulders of ordinary believers - church members. Unfortunately, their money did not save the temple: the Saratov authorities decided to close it, and use the building as a hostel for students. In the bell tower there is a kindergarten.

In the 1930s, the building of the bell tower was destroyed, and the temple was handed over to the artists for workshops, which worked there until 1992, until the churches were returned to it.

Archpriest Vasily Strelkov and parishioners rebuilt the Saratov church, and in April 1992 the first service was held there.

Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary (photo from the USA)

The Orthodox parish church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin is not only in Russia and the CIS, but also in Catholic New York.

Prayer is very small, built of wood, and looks like a Russian village church.