Orthodox Church of Russia: Irkutsk, Kazan Church

The Theotokos-Irkutsk church is a testimony of the talent of the Zaural masters who created the real work of art. The church built in the Russian-Byzantine style is decorated with Irkutsk.

The Kazan church, like other cult buildings of the post-Soviet space, experienced many misfortunes, but was reborn. By its beauty and grandeur, it is not inferior to the leading cathedrals of the world. In the Irkutsk and Angarsk diocese, the church performs the function of a cathedral.

How the temple appeared

At the end of the XVII - beginning of the XVIII century the first settlements appeared on the Siberian land near the Ushakovka River. The visitors were Orthodox, they felt the need to communicate with God. Since 1803, parishioners visited the Boriso-Gleb church, but soon it became cramped for all who wished to pray and repent for their sins. Then the well-known goldsmith, honorary citizen of Irkutsk Alexander Sibiryakov donated money for the construction of a new church. Also necessary funds were allocated by Dmitry Demidov and Alexander Trapeznikov, who want to transform their native Irkutsk. The Kazan church was built on the donations of people who are not indifferent.

Building

Before the start of construction work, a special committee was established. Initially, it was planned to consecrate the church in honor of St. Nicholas, but later decided to build the church of Kazan Mother of God - intercession of the Russian people.

At that time the Irkutsk land was rich in skilled craftsmen: carvers, icon painters, gilders, etc. All of them with pleasure took part in the design of the temple. To our days came the name of Vladimir Fedorovich Karataev, who produced choirs and iconostases for the chapels of the church. The composition "Evangelists" was written by the graduate of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts Maxim Ivanovich Zyazin, who came to work in Irkutsk. The Kazan church was not the only place of work of the artist. M.I. Zyazin taught drawing at the Irkutsk Teachers' Seminary and the Technical School.

The early opening of the church was facilitated by parishioners, who brought money, candles, icons, books, covers, vestments for the priests.

The newly built church was consecrated in April 1892. So the Kazan Church appeared (Irkutsk).

History of the Kazan Church

After consecration, the church of Boris and Gleb was identified in the church. The first divine services were conducted by the priest Feodor Kholmovsky and deacon Alexander Blagobrazov. Starostoy appointed burgher Ivan Yakovlev.

The territory of the church was surrounded by a fence with iron bars and gates. The allotments of the land belonging to the temple were leased out, and the proceeds and money from donations went to the needs of the temple. In 1914, the parish constituted 1618 men and 1811 women. Among the parishioners there were burghers, guilds, peasants and officers of lower ranks.

The Church of Our Lady of Kazan (Irkutsk) remained operational until the revolution of 1917 and another 18 years. In 1936, the church was closed for worship, and the building of the church was placed in the base of the book department. Later here they taught the film-mechanics, made Siberian souvenirs. Each new owner sought to remodel the interior in his own way, thereby speeding up the destruction of the church. At the same time, the presence of people in the building allowed to preserve the temple.

In 1975 the building was recognized as a cultural monument of local importance, and thirteen years later it was transferred to the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments.

Funds for the restoration of the church were collected by selling lottery tickets, organizing subbotniks, attracting sponsors. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the temple in Irkutsk for the first time after the closure of the churches, a cross was held. Restoration work was led by the leading architect Larisa Ivanovna Gurova.

In 1994, the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (Irkutsk) returned the diocese.

Modern appearance and decoration of the church

From other religious buildings of the city, the building of the Kazan Church is characterized by a three-dimensional composition and symmetry of the centric structure. On the western side, the bell tower is in violation of symmetry.

The compact but capacious Kazan church is divided into subordinate volumes, grouped around the central pillar. On top are placed a twelve-sided drum and a dome. At low limits, the apse and the bell tower set octagonal drums, reminiscent of gazebos. Diagonally located nuclei of additional turrets are completed by tents. Crown the design of the dome. The facade of the building is decorated with modulons, kokoshnikami, paired columns and panels.

Through the efforts of the temple attendants in 2011, a new iconostasis with a height of 12 meters and weighing 70 tons was installed in the church, all Irkutsk is admired. The Kazan church, and formerly beautiful, was transformed. Chinese masters worked on the design of red-coffee granite, and an unusual material was brought from India. The authors of the project are icon painter Nikolai Natyaganov, architects Victoria Yakovleva and Denis Dresvyakin.

The Kazan church is famous for its bells, especially five-ton. The heaviest bell is famous for its loudest ringing.

Our Lady of Kazan

The icon of the Mother of God, in honor of which the Cathedral was consecrated, became famous for its miracles. The first miracle happened in Kazan. Once in the city there was a fire. The fire destroyed the Orthodox Church, which led the locals to doubt the faith. The Mother of God came to the rescue. The Virgin Mary dreamed of the daughter of the archer Matryona and ordered to get a miracle-working icon from under the earth. Parents did not believe his daughter, but the dream was repeated. When the Mother of God had a dream for the third time, the adults decided to check whether the girl really is telling the truth. It turned out that the image of Our Lady was really underground. Probably, the icon was kept there since the time of early Christianity.

The appearance of the image of the Mother of God of Kazan became a real miracle, people again believed in Christ. Later, an icon belonging to the type of the Hodigitria (Guide), more than once helped the Russian troops in military campaigns. The list of images stored in the temples of Russia also has miraculous power.

The Irkutsk-Kazan icon of the Mother of God is in the Epiphany Cathedral. The image helps to grow a good harvest.

The Kazan Church (Irkutsk): address

One of the most beautiful religious buildings in the world is in Irkutsk, on Barrikad Street, 34/1. You can reach the place by buses Nos. 42, 43, 67, 21,56, 480 and route taxis Nos. 99, 3, 20, 9, 377.