Church of the Ascension in Novonikolskoye. Church of the Ascension in Novonikolsk Photo and description

Moscow region. The village of Novonikolskoye, Taldomsky district. A few kilometers from Verbilki. Once upon a time, it was Novonikolskoye, and not Verbilki, that was the main settlement in the district, and the “main” temple was this one - in honor of the Ascension of the Lord.

Now everyone only knows about Verbilki and admires the cozy, beautiful building that was recently restored there. After all, Verbilki for everyone is a porcelain factory, and the villages and villages around are, as it were, “nearby” and something small. Like Novoguslevo, for example, where it has been standing for a long time

Or, here, the village of Novonikolskoye - where the Church of the Ascension of the Lord was also destroyed, but was recently completely restored.

Meanwhile, in the 19th century it was Novonikolskoye that was “more important”. The church, luxurious even by city standards, is direct evidence of this. For example, on the territory of the temple there is also a chapel - you rarely see this in villages: so that both the temple and a large stone chapel with it:

True, we could not find out in honor of what saint or holiday this chapel was consecrated. Yes, and it looks inactive...

As, by the way, the territory of the Znamenskaya Church itself in Novonikolskoye turned out to be closed. Apparently it only opens on Sundays and Public Holidays.

What a contrast with Verbilki, where services are also not every day, but the temple is always open! In general, everything seems to indicate that now Novonikolskoye is just a small village in which a couple of hundred people live...

In the 19th century, no more lived, but in the village of Novonikolskoye there was a house of the heirs of Gardner - the one who founded the Verbilovsky Porcelain Factory, famous throughout the country. That is, it was not a workers’ village, like Verbilki, but a master’s village. Perhaps that is why a large stone temple was erected here. And according to the chronicle, the parish before the revolution consisted of almost 1000 people - that is, people from all over the area converged on it. (And also with Verbilok - because the workers received their church only in 1911, although several years before that Liturgy was served there too - but in the building of a vocational school)

The Church of the Ascension of the Lord with columns is a slightly Latinized style, classicism. Columns. Have you seen many temples in villages with columns?

1923 - the church in Novonikolskoye is closed, the bell tower is demolished, everything is destroyed, only the walls are left:

1992 - life in the parish resumes, and now the temple in Novonikolsky again appears before us in all its glory. Even in such slushy early December weather :)

The village of Novonikolskoye can be reached by train or car.

By car: from Moscow along Dmitrovskoye Highway, about 100 kilometers from Moscow, a little further than Verbilok (or a little closer to them, if you come from Zaprudnya).

By train: to the Verbilki platform in the Savelovsky direction. A little over an hour and a half. Next - 10 minutes by taxi or several stops by bus to the village of Zaprudnya.

The manor church in the Empire style was built in 1818-1827. financed by E.M. Savelova. In Soviet times it was closed, the light drum and the upper tiers of the bell tower were lost. In 1991 it was returned to believers and is being restored. The main altar is the Ascension of the Lord, the right one is St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the left one is Peter and Paul. According to the right throne, the church is often called Nikolskaya.

In 1627, in the village of Novy, on the Dubna River, there stood a wooden church with a tent up, without singing. In 1715, at the Nicholas (wooden) church there were: priest Fokiy Artemonov with his son, sexton Vasily. The village of Novo-Nikolskoye at that time was called the village of Novy. And one half of the village was for Prince Nikita Leontyev’s son Shekhovsky, and the other was for Prince Thomas Ivanov’s son Kvashnin. Then the village was owned by Grigory Afanasyevich Zagryazhsky, steward Prince Ivan Mikhailovich son of Korcordin, Artemon Sergeevich Matveev, solicitor Pyotr Artemyev son of Volynsky, steward Afanasy Mikhailovich Dmitriev-Mamonov. Since 1744, the village was owned by the wife of Prince Alexander Borisovich Golitsyn, Alexandra Ivanovna, born Gendrikova: and in 1790 the village was sold to Praskovya Ivanovna, born Princess Trubetskoy.

In 1827, a stone church was built on the site of a wooden church. In 1831, it was listed as the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In 1836 it was already listed as Voznesenskaya, having two thrones. And from 1853 there is information about the Church of the Ascension of the Lord with the chapels of St. Nicholas and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

According to data from 1836, it is known that there is no registered church. The nearest Church of the Transfiguration is located in the village of Garyakh (now called Zaprudnya) 4 versts away. There are 815 male parishioners, 6 villages, the farthest of them is located 7 versts, there are no obstacles in communication with them. The following people serve at the church: priest, deacon, sexton, sexton. There are 33 acres of land, which is listed in common ownership with the landowner Elisavsta Mikhailovna Savelova. The clergyman receives maintenance from the said landowner. There is no capital allocated for perpetual circulation in the church, and there are no redundant articles, nor are there any sources containing the clergy.

Church clergy in 1831: priest Emelian Kosmin - 51 years old, sexton Pavel Ivanov - 33 years old, sexton Alexander Ivanov - 28 years old. Church clergy in 1836: priest Emelian Kosmin Korennov, deacon Feodor Ivanov, sexton Ivan Alekseev Voronov, sexton Konstantin Mikhailov Suvorov. Vvedensky priest Konstantin Belyaev holds the position of Dean.

There is a legend among local residents that members of the family of the founder of the Verbilkov porcelain factory, Gardner, were buried near the church.

In 1931, a decision was made to close the temple, after which its premises were used as a warehouse. By the end of the 80s, only the walls of the church remained.

The newly opened parish was formed in 1991. At this time, services were held in a wooden house next to the church and the church building was being restored. In the temple there is the revered Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, painted at the end of the last century on Mount Athos, and a particle of the holy relics of St. Innocent of Moscow.

Information provided by the rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in the city of Taldom, Moscow region, priest I. Shugaev. http://hram-tver.ru/kalyazinrn/nikolavselzahklz.html

The parish church at the estate was built in 1818-1827. in the southern part of the village, on the bank of a stream, in the Empire style, funded by E.M. Savelova. Brick, plastered. The composition is centric with a bell tower. The cubic volume of the four-pillar temple under the cornice ended with a light drum, now lost and replaced by a decorative wooden one. The narthex connects the church with a bell tower of three cubic tiers. Four-column porticos are placed in the center of the side facades of the church, and the walls of the temple in the lower part are rusticated. The main altar of the Ascension, the chapels of St. Nicholas (right) and Peter and Paul (left). The interior decoration is new. It was returned to believers in 1991 in very poor condition and is being repaired. The village of Novonikolskoye

Story. In 1627 in the village. New, which is on the river. Dubna, there was a wooden church “without singing”. The village at that time was called New and belonged to Prince. Nikita Leontiev and Prince. Foma Ivanov. Then the village was owned by: Zagryazhskys, Volynskys, Dmitrievs-Mamonovs, Golitsyns, Trubetskoys and others.

In 1827, a stone church was erected in the village, and first consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas, and in 1836 it was reconsecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord.

Two chapels were built in the church: in the name of St. Nicholas and in the name of St. App. Peter and Paul.

In 1931 the church was closed and used as a warehouse.

In 1991, the parish of the Ascension Church was formed. The temple has been almost completely restored. Divine services are held regularly.

Shrines. In the temple there is the revered Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, painted at the end of the 19th century. on Holy Mount Athos, and a particle of St. relics of St. Innocent of Moscow.

Address: 141900, Moscow region, Taldomsky district, village. Novonikolskoe.

Directions: from Moscow from Savelovsky station to the station. Verbilki (89 km), then by bus (3 km).

Photo: Ascension Church in Novonikolskoye

Photo and description

A wooden church in Novonikolskoye existed already at the beginning of the 17th century. More precisely, then the village was called Novy, and the church was Nikolskaya. At that time, the village belonged to two princes - Nikita Leontyev and Foma Ivanov.

The stone temple was erected in the village at the beginning of the 19th century. It was also Nikolsky, but in the mid-30s the building was reconsecrated (the reasons for this are unknown), the church became Voznesenskaya.

The building stood on the bank of a stream, in the southern part of the village. It was erected thanks to the landowner Elizaveta Savelova - construction work was carried out at her expense. There were two thrones in the temple. In the middle of the 19th century, new chapels were built. Over eight hundred parishioners visited the temple, and only males were taken into account in the count.

In the 30s of the 20th century, the doors of the church were closed to believers, the temple became a warehouse.

Until the 50s, there was a unique alley near the church, which was bordered by trees planted more than two centuries ago. All these trees were cut down in connection with the construction of the highway.

The temple building was gradually destroyed. In the 80s, it actually ceased to exist, only the walls remained. In this form, it was returned to the parishioners in the 90s. Restoration work has begun. Divine services at this time took place in a wooden house located near the temple. The restoration of the church was completed only a few years ago.

The church contains shrines that are highly revered by believers - for example, the image of the Mother of God, created more than a century ago on Mount Athos.

Orthodox churches in Russia are of special cultural value. Beneath the majestic architecture and clean and inspiring atmosphere are often hidden stories full of mysteries, disputes and bloody struggles for faith. A clear confirmation of this is St. Nicholas Cathedral (Mozhaisk). Despite natural vagaries and historical unrest, it has stood for centuries and still sanctifies the Russian land. What's its story? And what secrets and shrines does the temple keep within its walls?

Location

The city where St. Nicholas Cathedral is located is Mozhaisk. It occupies the western part of the Moscow region and is one of the ancient cities of Russia. The first mentions of it in chronicles date back to the 13th-14th centuries. During archaeological excavations, finds dating back to the 3rd millennium BC were discovered. e. Settlements and fortifications were based on a hill (now Sobornaya Gora) in the area of ​​the lower reaches of the Mozhaika River. A little later, the Mozhaisk Kremlin was built here. At first it was made of wood. However, at the beginning of the 16th century there was a fire. According to some sources, the reason for it could have been robberies and riots during the period After this, all that remained of the fortress were earthen ramparts and a burnt stone tower. Later, by order of Ivan the Terrible, the Mozhaisk Kremlin was rebuilt.

History of the temple

According to chronicles, St. Nicholas Cathedral was founded at approximately the same time as the fortress, in the 12th century, and was located at the St. Nicholas Gate. Originally made of wood, it did not survive the fire, so a white stone temple was erected in the 15th century. At this time it was called the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. During the Polish-Lithuanian invasion, the temple was looted, but the building survived. At the end of the 17th century the cathedral was rebuilt. The gate (upper) church with the St. Nicholas Gates formed the New St. Nicholas Cathedral, and below, accordingly, the Old St. Nicholas Cathedral was located. The second, after several rebuildings and reconstructions, became known as the Peter and Paul Church.

Description

Externally, the Novo-Nikolsky Cathedral is only partly similar to a traditional Orthodox building. It is made in a pseudo-Gothic style, which is called Russian Gothic. This can be easily guessed by the whimsical architectural forms and the Star of David on the pediment. Inside the temple is decorated with two carved columns and wooden (!) statues of saints. The strangeness of the style in relation to the usual (Orthodox) is reinforced by the sharp contrast with the Old St. Nicholas Cathedral (now the Peter and Paul Church).

The Novo-Nikolsky Church stands at the Nikolsky Gate on a hill and is clearly visible at the entrance to the city. Archival data and construction drawings have not been preserved. However, some sources claim that the author of the cathedral project was the Russian architect and artist Alexei Bakarev.

It is believed that the construction of the temple began in 1779 and was completed only in 1814. It went on with interruptions and periodic changes of customers and performers, with additions and restructuring. There are unusual symbols on its walls. It is this that gives historians the basis to claim a “Masonic” version of construction. This is also indicated by the Masonic influence that was present in Russia in those years. In addition, some scientists associate the date of completion of construction with the 500th anniversary of the death of the last Master of the Templar Order, Jacques de Molay. In 1314 he was burned at the stake.

The temple also includes the 11-meter wall of the Mozhaisk Kremlin, which Polish cannons were never able to destroy. And as the foundation, ancient masonry was used, which is particularly strong and reliable.

Closing of the cathedral

From 1933 to 1994 was a rather vague and uncertain period in the religious life of the city. For unknown reasons, St. Nicholas Cathedral was closed. Mozhaisk suffered greatly during the Great Patriotic War. And although the temple was restored (without the central domed rotunda), in the 60s a knitting factory was located here. And twenty years later, the cathedral and several other buildings were transferred to the department of the Borodino Military History Museum. Only in 1994 did services begin to take place in the church again.

Landslide

In 2013, a strong landslide occurred in Mozhaisk. The soil collapsed from the hill where the Novo-Nikolsky Cathedral is located. Amazing but true. The building was saved from serious damage by the fact that the landslide stopped some 17 meters from the temple. According to other sources, minor damage was caused to its western wall. There the stucco collapsed and bricks fell out. Residents of the city always knew about the natural danger and vulnerability of the cathedral, but continued to attend services. And soon they wrote a letter to the Russian Ministry of Culture, explaining the precarious situation in which the Orthodox church in Mozhaisk was located, and with a request to strengthen it. In 2014, all restoration work was completed.

Mysterious disappearance

It is known that St. Nicholas Cathedral, until the revolutionary period, kept the relics of saints (Sergius of Radonezh, Prince Vladimir, Lawrence the Prisoner, Hieromartyrs Macarius and Barbara, St. Michael of Stadsky and Nikon Sukhoi). However, in 1919 they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

Another thing happened in the spring of 1922. This time the loss turned out to be more significant both spiritually and materially. Two obruses with the image of the Virgin Mary, two stars, a chalice with images of saints, golden crosses and a token of Peter I were seized. All items were decorated with diamonds and precious stones. The miter and chasuble also disappeared from the image of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk. It is unknown who seized the shrines. They disappeared without a trace.

However, despite numerous evidence, in 1925, local historian N.I. Vlasyev, representing the Mozhaisky district, described in detail the robe of Nikola Mozhaisky in his notebooks with a note that it was kept in the Kremlin Armory.

Icon

The icon of Nicholas of Mozhaisk, the patron saint of its inhabitants, has always been of particular value for the city of Mozhaisk. The first mentions of him are found in the epics “Sadko” and “Mikhailo Potyk”. There is also an ancient legend. According to him, the city was once besieged by enemies. Feeling danger, the residents of Mozhaisk began to fervently pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Soon a majestic image of the saint appeared above the fortress. The sparkling sword and menacing appearance frightened the enemies. This is how Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of the city of Mozhai. After this, a wooden statue was created. The image depicts a saint with a sword in his right hand and the Mozhaisk fortress in his left.

The sculpture was decorated with a chased silver chasuble and a miter with large pearls, a gold cross and precious stones. The cross on the chest and the crown were made of and the wooden sword and Mozhai hail were gilded.

The image of St. Nicholas was placed in St. Nicholas Cathedral. During the War of 1812, the temple (still unfinished) was significantly damaged, but the sculpture and other precious church utensils survived, as they were hidden in the basements. Today the relic is kept in Moscow, in the Tretyakov Gallery. And in the St. Nicholas Cathedral there is an icon of the Saint.

• The miraculous image of St. Nicholas, installed on the Nikolsky Gate, protected Mozhaisk from enemies. Coincidence or divine providence, but when the icon was taken from the city, it was immediately captured by the enemy. This is an urban legend, but the exact dates and events are not indicated.
• It is known that there are more than a dozen St. Nicholas churches in Russia. One of the largest is located in St. Petersburg, and one of the most visited is in Orenburg. And St. Nicholas Cathedral (Mozhaisk) is perhaps the oldest among its “brothers” and unusual in architectural style.
• At the end of the 19th century, during fair festivities in Mozhaisk, a miraculous phenomenon occurred. A bright glow was seen over St. Nicholas Cathedral for several nights in a row. The townspeople at first mistook it for a fire, but after figuring it out, they considered it a miracle and a blessing from the Lord.

Today

Currently famous for more than a dozen attractions. Among them, Orthodox churches are of particular importance. The first place on this list is occupied by St. Nicholas Cathedral. Mozhaisk preserves its rich and foggy history. Until now, scientists are arguing whether it is a truly Russian cultural value or another Masonic symbol. But for Orthodox parishioners this does not matter. Believers come here from all over Russia to venerate holy images and relics and feel the pure and spiritual atmosphere. St. Nicholas Cathedral is a real historical monument, which, along with other ancient churches, reminds of the power of the Orthodox faith, thereby inspiring and uniting the Russian people.