Temple of Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field: description, history and interesting facts

The temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field in recent years has often become the subject of controversy and even land scandals. But the affairs of the world have subsided, and at Christmas, 2017, the first liturgy was held in the church that had not yet completed its construction. The authorities promise that the church will be completely restored by the fall of this year. All this causes an increased interest in the church in the Khodynka Field. When was it built and why? When and why was it demolished? Does the present temple meet the original form? We will discuss this in our article. We will also give general information on how to get to the temple complex, and about the schedule of services. We will briefly touch upon the vicissitudes connected with the restoration of the church.

The Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field: History

In order to understand the purpose of the original church, it must be understood that chaplains were obligatory in the military units. Even in the open field, before the battle, they laid out before the assembled soldiers a marching altar and held a liturgy. In the nineteenth century the Khodynka field was located outside the city. In warm weather, soldiers were transferred there for the drill. There were built so-called summer barracks. What about soldiers without worship? Therefore, every summer a tent was erected, in which an altar was installed. Near this chapel, a column with bells was driven into the ground.

The need to build a full-fledged church appeared in the eighties of the century before last, when the number of soldiers reached thirty thousand. The tent could no longer accommodate everyone who wanted to listen to the liturgy. In May 1883, a parade took place on the Khodynka Field, which was accepted by the emperor. After that, the military command decided in honor of this event to erect a church, consecrating it in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The honor for the construction of the wooden church was made by the honorary citizen of Moscow - merchant Nikolai Kaverin. But the provincial government did not like the submitted draft of the structure, and it sent it for revision.

The beginning of the construction of the original temple

Funds for the construction of a more expensive project was not, and he was briefly forgotten. In 1891, Russian citizens were shocked by the event: the heir to the throne of Nikolai Alexandrovich in the Japanese city of Otsu was assassinated. The Tsarevich miraculously remained intact, and in honor of this memorable date, General A. Kostand, commander of the Moscow military garrison, gave the order to erect a temple of Sergius of Radonezh on the Khodynka field.

The construction was supported by all loyal subjects. Merchants and wealthy townspeople began to donate to the church. In the spring of 1892 the project of the building was finalized, which was completed by the architect Ivan Horodinov. In the summer, the ceremony of laying the foundation stone took place, attended by the Moscow Metropolitan Leonti, the archimandrites of Znamensky and Chudov Monasteries and another higher clergy.

In the future, construction was carried out at a very rapid pace to coincide with the opening of the church to the 500th anniversary of the death of St. Sergius of Radonezh, in honor of which the temple was named (September 25, 1892).

Description of the church building

By the specified date had time to complete the construction of the walls. But there were still finishing works, installation of bells and the erection of crosses. Thus, the temple of Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field was completely ready only in the following year, 1893. The consecration ceremony took place on May 23 and was conducted by the bishops of Dmitrovsky and Mozhaysky, as well as the governor of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

On the whole, the construction cost sixty thousand tsar's rubles. The temple, made in pseudo-Russian style, was designed for a capacity of 1000 people. In the first project, he was conceived as one-sided. Later, the architect laid two side-altars on the sides. The main throne is dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh. The chapels were named after St. Nicholas (in honor of the miraculous rescue of the prince) and Mary Magdalene and Alexander Nevsky (to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the marriage of the imperial couple - Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna).

In the winter, services were held in one of the naves, since in a wooden building only it was heated. Near the church were built houses for the priest, the deacon and the guardhouse. The whole complex was surrounded by a metal fence.

Revolutionary period

The irony was that even after the October Revolution the Khodynka Field was used as a location for military camps. Of course, there was no question of worship. The temple complex of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka was closed in 1919. Commandants of the camps thought how to adapt the church to new, revolutionary needs. It was supposed to organize in it a party school, a reading room and even a stage for concerts. But all this was in the notes.

In fact, the church was looted by the unknown. The inventory of 1921 shows, in what deplorable condition was then the temple. Broken icons, banners, broken glass, parts of the chandelier and candlesticks littered the floor. In the mid-1920s, what survived was transferred to the metochion of Ufa's Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk monastery and the parish church in the village of Belaya Tver province. But even the tattered walls without crosses and domes blamed the eyes of the new government. Since "the presence of the church has a detrimental effect on the political work with the Red Army men," the building was completely demolished.

What was on this place in the Soviet period

The temple of Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka field, together with the adjoining buildings, occupied an area of about a hectare and was located in the middle of the military camp. It was visible from the Petersburg Highway. But since then a lot of water has flowed, and the place where the temple complex once stood was built up. Firstly, the park "Birch Grove" was broken up. And secondly, the Central airfield named after Frunze was built. Houses and streets filled the once empty space of the field.

Therefore, when plans for the restoration of the church appeared in the 1990s, certain difficulties arose. The original drawings did not survive. But at the disposal of the Moscow authorities were many old photographs of the temple. The main difficulty was choosing a place to build a new church. Where it once stood, now there is a park fence (near Kuusinen Street, 6).

The construction of the church and the institution of the parish

The new history of the complex "The Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh" dates back to the year 2000. Then Patriarch of Moscow Alexy II blessed the creation of the parish of the same name. It is noteworthy that at that time not only did not exist any church, but even a plot of land for its construction was not allocated. Nevertheless, in 2012 Patriarch Cyril united the parish with the chapel of the Archangel Gabriel, which is now located at: Khodynsky Boulevard, 2.

Rector of the new complex was appointed clergyman from the Church of St. George in Koptev Basil Bixey. Then it was decided to build the temple of Sergius of Radonezh several hundred meters to the north-west of the old place. A site was chosen at the end of the runway of the aerodrome closed in 2003, at the corner of the boulevard, next to the passage of the Birch Grove Park. According to the visual data extracted from the archive, a design of the building was developed.

Land scandals

Cross in place, where it was decided to erect a new church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh, was installed in the summer of 2012. At the same time, the first divine service took place - while in the open air.

But the land on which the construction was conceived belonged to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. It challenged the erection of the temple in ship's order. There was a conflict. Against the construction were the residents of the surrounding houses.

In the end, the court recognized the right of the Ministry of Defense. The construction that was started was declared illegal.

Then in the spring of 2014 it was decided to seek a new place for the erection of the temple. He was conceived to build at the beginning of the former runway. Near it was almost erected a chapel in honor of the archangel Gabriel, dedicated to the dead test pilots. It was consecrated in October 2014. And in December all documents were drawn up for a small plot of 0.5 hectares for the construction of the temple of Sergius of Radonezh. It is located opposite the Sports Palace.

New project

The creators wanted the temple of Sergiy Radonezhsky on the Khodynka field to fit into the surrounding urban landscape. Neighborhood of the sports complex and skyscrapers did not allow the erection of a "wooden church in the fields". Therefore, a new project was developed by the architect, the professor MARHI Sergey Yakovlevich Kuznetsov, essentially different from the old, sustained in the pseudo-Russian style. For a basis in this building the Pskov architecture of XII-XIII centuries has been taken.

This is a large stone structure, topped with a five-headed and augmented belfry. The mixture of ancient Russian architecture and modern architecture ideally introduced the church into the surrounding landscape. It does not look like a dissonant stain, which would inevitably have happened if the temple were erected on old photographs.

What the church looks like now

Construction began in 2015. During this time, the walls were erected, the roof was laid, five domes were installed. Under one roof, all the services of the parish will be located: a children's art school, a refectory, sacristies, etc. Now the final finishing works are being carried out in the temple complex of Sergiy Radonezhsky on Khodynka. Divine services have been performed since Christmas this year. The first celebratory liturgy was attended by the rector of the church, who thanked all the gathered believers for their help and sacrifices to the church. He, among other things, assured that the interior murals will be completed by the fall of this year.

How to get to the church complex

The Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field and the Chapel of Archangel Gabriel are located at: Moscow, Khodynsky Boulevard, 2. The nearest metro station is Polezhaevskaya and Dinamo metro stations. But from them on foot to the temple will be far away. From two metro stations, a fixed-route taxi No. 18 runs. You need to go out on Kuusinen Street, near the D / S "Megasport". From the metro station "Polezhaevskaya" there is also a bus No. 48. It is necessary to leave at the stop of the "Sukhoi Aircraft Designer". Next, cross the street and go through the field a little diagonally. The temple will be on the right, it stands in front of the sports palace. You can get to the complex and take buses Nos. 12C and 207. They depart from the metro station "Dinamo". To leave the bus also follows at the stop of the Sukhoi Aircraft Designer.

Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field: service schedule

The church celebrates two patronal feasts. One (July 18) is dedicated to the miraculous recovery of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The second holiday falls on October 8. On this day the whole Orthodox Church honors the memory of the miracle-worker, hegumen of Radonezh and all Russia, the Monk Sergius. Since the chapel dedicated to the Archangel Gabriel is included in the temple complex, the holidays are celebrated on April 8 and July 26 according to the new style. But on an ordinary Sunday you can also go to the temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Khodynka Field. The abbot, Basil Bixey, in the dignity of the priest, serves at 15:30 a moleben with the reading of an akathist.