WorldWalk.info
ru ru en en de de  
Health Resorts, Hotels
Health Resorts, Hotels
Museums, Exhibitions
Museums, Exhibitions
Dolphinariums, Water Parks
Dolphinariums, Water Parks
Nature
Nature
Architecture, Monuments
Architecture, Monuments
Holy Places
Holy Places
Parks, Amusement Parks
Parks, Amusement Parks
Theatres, Cinemas
Theatres, Cinemas

Сайт и доменное имя продается.

С предложениями по цене пишите на почту top@ottocom.ru

Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian in Maroseyka Street (Moscow)

Bld. 3 14/2 Maroseyka Street, Moscow (tel.: +7 495 606-97-52, +7 495 606-90-03, +7 495 624-04-95), Metro stations: "Kitay-gorod".

http://www.hram-kosmadamian.ru

The now-existing SS. Cosmas and Damian Church in Maroseyka Street was built in 1793. However, a church had already existed at the same place before. Thus two churches are distinguished: the old and the new one.

It is not known for sure when and by whom the old SS. Cosmas and Damian Church was built. It is known for certainty though that the church existed there as early as the beginning of the 17th century. It was mentioned in the Patriarch Treasury Prikaz (Order) of 1625 and in the Book of Tsar's Payments to Moscow Churches. The same evidences confirm that it was a stone, one-storey church with two altars. The high altar was dedicated to St. Nicholas and the side chapel alter to SS. Cosmas and Damian. That was the reason why in old times the church was often recorded as St. Nicholas Church. However, at the same time it was also called by the alter of SS. Cosmas and Damian.

First, the old church of SS. Cosmas and Damian had neither a porch nor a bell tower. They were attached as late as 1651.

In the late 17th century, Princess Eudoxia Kurakina built on an additional storey and arranged a new church of Our Lady of Kazan there. Thus, another name of the church was Kazan Church. First, the church was supported by Princess Kurakina. She also kept a priest and a psalm reader. However, in 1771 and 1772, the church was handed over to SS. Cosmas and Damian clergy and merged with a parish.

It is important to mention that at this time, in the late 18th century, the church of SS. Cosmas and Damian became increasingly dilapidated. It was a difficult and crucial period... However, God the Father showed His grace and inspired kind people's hearts for zeal. Parishioners decided to not repair the building, but construct a new church and change its layout. In July 1790, they petitioned Metropolitan St. Platon of Moscow to demolish the upper church and construct a new one dedicated to the Saviour and the Healer of the Paralytic and featuring two side chapels: a side chapel of St. Nicholas and a side chapel of SS. Cosmas and Damian.

Thus, the high altar dedicated to St. Nicholas was moved from the old church to the southern side chapel of the new one. The upper circle with the altar of Our Lady of Kazan was demolished. The high altar was dedicated to the Saviour, the Healer of the Paralytic.

It is remarkable, that the church name of SS. Cosamas and Damian after the side chapel is still used. However, sometimes it is called the Church of the Saviour after the high altar. This is the now-existing church. Almost all the parishioners donated quite large sums to the church construction. However, the main benefactor and the life and soul of this holy deed was Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Khlebnikov. In January 1791, a charter to establish the church was issued in his name.

In December 1793, the rough draft of the new Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian was finished. Only the southern side chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas was completely adorned and consecrated on 18 December 1793. Since then church services have been begun there.

In two years, 21 October 1795, the northern side chapel dedicated to SS. Cosmas and Damian was consecrated. The high altar of the Saviour, the Healer of the Paralytic, the only church with such name in Moscow, was consecrated on 4 October 1803. So the new Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian had been actually being constructed for 12 years.

The new church designed by famous architect Matvey Kazakov is an outstanding and delicate combination of separate parts and lines. The church side chapels are arranged in a special way. They are placed in a perfect round space. The church is also round. The altar is partially round too.

During the Napoleon's invasion of 1812, the Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian shared the other Moscow churches' fate and lost most of its property and adornments. It took too long to recover from the devastation.

Until 1857, the church was divided in two: the winter and the summer parts. Being very small in its construction, the church became quite cramped in wintertime. The unheated part dedicated to the Saviour, the Healer of the Paralytic was closed for the winter, while the heated church consisted of a refectory and two side chapels only. In 1857, the basement was equipped with a stove to heat the summer church.

Since then and till 1893, no large-scale capital repairs were done in the church. In 1893, the Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian was renovated both from inside and outside. This splendid renovation of the church was doubly pleasant, because it concurred with construction and consecration of St. Nicholas side chapel solemnly celebrated on 18 December 1893. The religious procession circuited the church and many pilgrims attended the event.

The Church's Chronicle mentions several cases of blessed healing via the church's icon of the Saviour, the Healer of the Paralytics. This has been a specially honoured icon since the construction and consecration of the church and has attracted many devotional worshippers from different corners of Moscow. Usually it is made itself more felt on the third Sunday of the Easter, the only festival in Moscow on this day.

Since long ago, after the service of the Saturday vespers is finished, it has been the custom to pray before this holy icon. A special hymn, a special prokeimenon, a special gospel, and a special very affecting prayer are used at the service.

In the early 1930s, the church shared the fate of many Russian churches. It was disbanded, the icons and adornments were confiscated and have never been seen again. A resolution to explode the church was already signed, however God prevented it. Later, the church was used as an industrial warehouse, a motorcycling club, a record office, and an art school.

In the 1960s, three church houses were demolished. A huge office building appeared at their place, and the church was handed over to it as a record office. During the same period, the church was partially reconstructed, and the outer decorations were restored. The church was completely repaired from the outside, gilded crosses were erected. However, the church interior was disfigured. A storey floor and many partitions were constructed inside. The floor inclined because of numerous rearrangements.

On 22 June 1993, the Moscow Government issued a decree to hand over the church's building to the Russian Orthodox Church. Repair works were started. Church signings to the Saviour and SS. Cosmas and Damian were resumed. On 14 November 1993, the memorial day of SS. Cosmas and Damian, the first liturgy was held in the right side chapel. Some time later, church services were resumed in the central altar too.

Image Gallery Image Preview (2)

Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian in Maroseyka Street



info@worldwalk.infoinfo@worldwalk.info