Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross. The temple in Pure Vrazhek: photo, history, schedule of services

In the years of perestroika, the building of the temple, once consecrated in honor of the great event of Christian history - the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, was returned to the believers. By the end of the 2000s, he was finally returned to his original form, and it is difficult to convey the feeling that the parishioners experienced when they heard for the first time in many years the evangelism that had come from its restored belfry.

Between the ravine and the road

The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord on Pure Vrachke came to us from the complete confusion and unrest of the XVII century (however, what centuries in Russia were calm?). In the middle of the 17th century, near the Moscow River, between the famous Smolensk road and the ravine, to which manure was brought from nearby royal stables, the construction of a stone church began. This ravine gave the name to the later formed Vrazhsky lanes. After he was cleaned, he was called Pure Vrazhkom.

The new building of the church, erected on the site of the former, which had by that time become unfit for wooden construction, was built eighteen years and was completed in 1658. At the same time, he was consecrated in honor of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. The temple on Pure Vrazhka is not accidentally dedicated to this great event.

Human memory still stored the horrors of the Time of Troubles, to which the bitterness caused by the church schism was added , so their eyes turned to the Cross - the symbol of love and sacrifice of the Lord - with inexhaustible hope. Having inherited it from Ancient Byzantium, Moscow accepted with it the honorary status of the "Third Rome".

Construction work in the 18th century

Newly built and consecrated in honor of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the church on Pure Vrazhka kept its appearance for a relatively short time. In 1701, the prince Vasily Sheremetev, a favorite of Tsar Peter I, desiring to serve God not only with his soul, but with capitals, thoroughly rebuilt it, and seven years later an additional chapel was added to the main building, crowned with the command post with a cross.

But before parting with the XVIII century, the temple managed to once again change its appearance. In the period from 1761 to 1782, with the funds of voluntary donors, and they were always famous for Moscow, significant works were made in it. As a result, the altar, the refectory and the chapel erected at the beginning of the century, were rebuilt and enlarged. We must give credit to the builders. Raising new walls, they carefully preserved the brickwork of the XVII century - this is evidenced by recent research.

New century and new works

During the terrible fire that occurred in the year of Napoleon's invasion, the Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord suffered. The temple on Pure Vrazhke shared the fate of many Moscow churches and cathedrals. But again the God-loving inhabitants of the Mother See came to the rescue - the whole world rebuilt the burnt shrine anew. Helped anyone than they could. At the Last Judgment, everything will be counted - you see, and there will be an easing of the sinful soul. A year later the restored church was consecrated.

In 1846, the rich parishioner, the merchant of the first guild, GI Blokhin, departed to the Lord. Not offending any of his relatives in the will, he left a great sum to the church of God. Another pious man added his donations to it - the local manufacturer Ganeshin. Their joint capital was enough to build a bell tower, though not high, but crowned with a spire, and also for building another chapel dedicated to the archangel Gabriel after the work was completed.

The ravine that threatened the temple

In addition to all the other worries, parishioners had to solve a very important task, which had long been talked about. The fact is that the temple was built next to the ravine. Over time, the sheer slope began to crumble, and its edge loomed dangerously toward the foundation of the building, thus creating a danger of collapse. It was urgently necessary to strengthen the slope, and for this, funds were needed.

As always, a voluntary donor came to the rescue. This time he was a merchant Ivan Stepanovich Vinogradov. At his own expense, he built a supporting stone wall, which prevented further expansion of the ravine and eliminated any danger threatening the building. This pretty impressive structure has survived to this day.

Already at the end of the century the temple underwent the last pre-revolutionary rebuilding. He was once again expanded, in a different way, the northern and southern side-chapels were arranged. In this form, he entered the new century. By this time, he operated an almshouse designed for sixteen people.

"Star" wedding

A significant event in the history of the church was the wedding of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov and well-known actress Olga Knipper, held on May 25, 1901. Despite the fact that the wedding was, as we now said, "star", the whole ceremony was very modest. Not wishing to advertise this event and invite strangers, the newlyweds were limited only to the presence of four witnesses necessary for the performance of the sacrament.

After the Revolution, the Temple of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The temple on Pure Vrazhka, always loved by the parishioners and had sufficient means for its arrangement, was famous for its beauty and richness. It is for this reason that in the first years that followed the October Revolution, he became the object of the most lawless looting. In the beginning, everything that, in the opinion of the new authorities, was of value was withdrawn from it, and in 1930 it was completely closed. The rector of the church of Father Nikolai (Saryevsky) was exiled, and the building was disfigured, having broken the bell tower and the dome. The poorhouse and the house of the clergy were demolished as unnecessary.

Throughout the whole period of Soviet power, the building of the church was used for economic purposes and, for lack of repairs, it fell into disrepair. Only in the beginning of the nineties the Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord on the Pure Vrazhka, whose photo of those years is presented in the article, was transferred to the church authorities. In 1993 it was again consecrated, and in it since that time divine services have been renewed. As in the old days, there were people who, with their donations, helped in its restoration and restoration.

The Temple of Our Days

After almost seven decades of desecration and desolation, the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord on the Pure Vrachke again meets its parishioners. The schedule of services on Sundays and holidays is as follows: the prayer is at 7:45, the Divine Liturgy at 9:00. On other days: confession at 8:00, Divine Liturgy at 9:00 and all-night vigil at 17:00. The temple is open daily from 7:30 to 19:00.

The Temple of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord on the Pure Vrazhka, whose history has entered its new stage today, is step by step approaching the level of spiritual life that it was famous for in the pre-revolutionary years. Around him formed a large community, the basis of which are deeply religious people, able to inculcate this quality to those who are just looking for their way to God.