Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow - the eighth wonder of the world

The Intercession Cathedral in Moscow is both a visiting card of the capital, and its traditional symbol. He is recognized all over the world. The main temple of Red Square is the only one of its kind, nowhere is there anything remotely resembling it. He is extraordinarily beautiful. And the assertion that the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow is the eighth wonder of the world is absolutely fair.

The famous Russian holy fool

Most of it is known to the people as St. Basil's Cathedral, and not only because the legendary holy fool is buried in one of the churches of the cathedral.

There is a legend that all the money donated to him, Basil the Blessed, was collected for the temple, which in the future will decorate the square. Before his death, he gave them, folded penny to heel, a penny to a penny, personally to Ivan the Terrible, who directed them specifically to erect a fairy cathedral. According to popular beliefs, even the thieves did not touch the money of the holy fool. It is interesting that the dates of life of many great people of medieval Russia are unknown, whereas every historian knows the year and place of birth, not to mention the exact time of the death of Blessed. Because Ivan Ivan the Terrible came with Ivan the Terrible to the bed of sick Anastasia, and he carried the coffin with the body of the holy fool. Ivan Vasilyevich repeatedly went out to the square to St. Basil the Blessed - ask him for advice. There is a legend that the future saint was the only person in the world who was afraid of Ivan the Terrible. Vasily Blessed, the hero of numerous works of Russian literature and art, is one of the symbols of Russia. Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow began to erect in 1555 on the place where the future saint was putting money to the wall of the wooden Trinity Church, and where he himself was buried nearby in 1552. The fool was canonized in 1588, after which his grave was commanded by Ivan the Terrible Ball built a church, which became an extension to the temple, which gradually became known as the name of Blessed.

Dedicated to a specific historical event

The Intercession Cathedral in Moscow has the full official name - the Moscow Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on the moat. Why on the ditch? Because this fortification, held between the Kremlin and the future church, lost its direct purpose and was buried. And the title remains. The history of the construction of this legendary temple is interesting in itself. The Intercession Cathedral in Moscow was built in honor of the capture of Kazan. This is a special page of Russian history. The strong Kazan Khanate sustained four previous sieges, undertaken by Russian troops - in 1487, 1524, 1530 and 1550. The fifth, carefully thought out, implemented with the application of all the latest achievements of military art, was crowned with success. Khanate, a splinter of the Golden Horde, ceased to exist as an independent state and became part of Russia.

Why Pokrovsky

The assault on Kazan began on October 1, the day of the Protection of the Holy Virgin. Hence the name of the temple, erected in honor of that significant event. The Intercession Cathedral in Moscow was not erected on an empty spot - there used to be a wooden Trinity church here. All eight churches located around the central church, named after the Intercession of the Mother of God, have their names. They were raised in a tree, in honor of alternating victories in the course of the siege and capture of the Kazan Khanate, which fell on certain church holidays. Four axial and four, smaller in size, intermediate churches are named after the Trinity and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Then follow the names in honor of the entrance to Jerusalem, in honor of Adrian and Natalia (originally Justina and Caprian). Then - John the Most Gracious, Alexander Svirsky, Varlaam Khutynsky and Grigory Armenian. Of course, over time, the original names for some reason could change. For example, the Church of St. John of Mstislavl before the XVIII century was dedicated to the Constantinople saints - John, Alexander and Paul.

Architectural masterpiece

On the advice of the then Metropolitan, Ivan the Terrible decided to immortalize in the stone the Intercession Cathedral. In Moscow, the eighth wonder of the world was erected from 1555 to 1561. The question arises: "Why is this cathedral the eighth wonder of the world, because there are many beautiful religious buildings in the world?" Yes, because no matter how unusual the churches and temples of Europe, they are mostly gloomy. The main temple of Red Square, erected next to the Spassky Tower - a cathedral-holiday. There is no church or temple in the world, so colorful, bright, fairy in the full sense of the word. An unusually original architecture of the legendary creation - the churches are at the same time a type of tent and military temples.

Unique in everything

Nine independent cylindrical buildings are located on a common foundation and are united by two circular galleries - internal and external. Previously, the galleries were called gulbischa. Initially, the outer bypass was open, the vaults were attached later. The inner gallery consists of vaulted transitions. The ensemble is complemented by two white-stone porches leading to the second floor, located on the west side of the temple. In addition, as mentioned above, St. Basil's Cathedral is attached to the north-eastern side, and in the 17th century the cathedral was supplemented by a tent-shaped bell tower. The central church of the church, named after the Intercession of Our Lady, is 60 meters high.

Alleged author

Before the construction of the bell tower "Ivan the Great" in the time of Boris Godunov's reign , which belongs to the church of St. John Climacus, which is on the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin and reaches a height of 81 meters, St. Basil's Cathedral was the highest in the capital. In Russian, not enough adjectives to describe the unique beauty, which is endowed with the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow. The photos taken in different angles give an opportunity to imagine what Russian architects and masters could do. True, the authorship of the Russian architect from Pskov - Postnik Yakovlev, who had the nickname Barma, is contested. He is gladly confirmed only by the fact that he was blinded by Ivan the Terrible, so that he could no longer build anything like this. Although the surname of this architect, as the author of other works, meets later.

Cathedral

In the Russian capital there is also the Intercession Cathedral. Moscow, Rogozhsky village, 29 - the address of this in its own interesting cult construction. It is the main on the territory of Russia the RSPC church, which until 1988 was called the "Drevlepravoslavnaya Church of Christ". The official Russian church attributes the RPSC to a denomination, that is, to something intermediate between the sect and the church. Nevertheless, the Old Believer church has its own Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, and the Intercession Cathedral in the Rogozhsky Cemetery is its cathedral. The laying of the first stone of this cult structure was made in 1791. The project was ordered from the great Russian architect MF Kazakov. The official church could not resist the existence of this church. In 1856 the altars were still sealed. It happened as a result of the denunciation of Metropolitan Philaret. They were printed only in 1905. This day is considered a great holiday for the Old Believers. Due to some circumstances, this church was not closed during the years of Soviet power. Two side-chapels, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Sergius of Radonezh, has this very beautiful building, built in a classical style.

Another Holy Intercession Cathedral in Moscow

There is in the capital near Pokrovskaya outpost (another name - Abelmanovskaya Zastava) with the same name stauropegial nunnery. It has its own glorious history, which began in 1635 under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. After several centuries, when metamorphosis took place with the monastery, in 1994 the Holy Synod decided to revive the monastery in it. The cloister became female, but became known to her in 1998, after she acquired the power of MD Nikonova.

In 2004 she was glorified in the face of the revered saints as "Blessed Matrona Moskovskaya". On the territory of the monastery there is the Intercession Cathedral consecrated in 1998. In Moscow, the Matrona, or rather her name, is most connected with this monastery, where thousands of metropolitan residents and visitors of the city are going to bow to her relics without interruption. According to some reports, on the days of the patronal feast Pokrovsky cathedral with the relics of Matronushka is visited by up to 50 thousand people, and about 3000 people come daily.