Description of the Temple of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers at the Arskoe cemetery in Kazan

Temple of the Holy Blessed Princes Theodore, David and Constantine, Yaroslavl Wonderworkers - the full name of the church.

The Temple of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, highly revered in Kazan, is an amazing page in the history of Orthodoxy in the city of Kazan and Tatarstan. At one time, the small church in the ancient Arsk cemetery was essentially the cathedral of the entire city, and the only one of the open churches. Moreover, it was not named after locally revered saints, but in honor of princes from a completely different city.

Construction of the Temple of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers

The year 1796 in Kazan was marked by the completion of the construction of a new temple - in the name of the Yaroslavl miracle workers, the holy noble princes Theodore, David and Constantine. It is believed that the name of the church is directly related to the builders who erected it. Apparently, the builders of the temple considered the noble Yaroslavl princes Theodore and his children, David and Constantine, as their patrons; This is where the name of the church comes from.

Information about the predecessors of the current Yaroslavl Wonderworkers Church in Kazan is very fragmentary. It is believed that before its construction, a chapel already existed at the Arsk cemetery, which is quite natural for such a large necropolis. According to some sources, in the city, where the circus building stands today, from 1737 to 1796 there was a church with the same name, and the Cemetery Church, as the Temple of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers is often called in Kazan, became the successor to its name.

The structure of the temple is two-altar, another chapel, in the name of, was built in 1801 with money from benefactors. Until about 1819, the church, which did not have a parish, was assigned to the city Varvara Church, and subsequently to. It urgently needed to expand the area and its own belfry, so by 1844 the left side aisle was completed and the right side was reconstructed. By this time, the new church bell tower was also completed.

The final journey of many prominent people of the Church ended in the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers of the Arsk Cemetery. Their burials are still preserved behind the altar today.

The February Revolution of 1917 initially did not bring fundamental changes to the life of Kazan. There was relative calm in the city, the authorities and the police were still working. Services continued in churches.

With the advent of Soviet power, the situation changed dramatically, and persecution of the church began. In Kazan, the closure of churches was especially active since 1928. So the Matthew Church was gradually closed, and their communities at the beginning of 1931 were annexed to the parish of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers.

Since the mid-30s, the temple was given to the renovationists, but in 1938 it was returned to the Orthodox community. According to some reports, during all these dramatic unrest, the doors of the temple were closed to parishioners for only three days.

The church at the Arskoe cemetery practically did not close during the days of the Great Patriotic War. There was an endless stream of “funerals” from the front. Relatives received them and commemorated the dead. The Temple of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, as a small and lonely island of Orthodoxy, remained the only support and support for the believing citizens in difficult times.

Inside the Temple of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers

When you get inside the church at the Arsk cemetery, you immediately feel an amazing atmosphere of silence, peace and detachment from everything worldly. This amazing property is largely due to the fact that the temple was never closed or desecrated. That is why the ancient interiors have been preserved here and the church decoration has survived. The beautiful temple iconostasis of 1869, made by the hereditary carver and gilder Tyufilin, has survived.

The constant work of the temple over a long period of time objectively complicates the possibility of repairing and updating the interior, although everything possible is being done. Inexorable time leaves its mark on everything. The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, to whom miraculous assistance is attributed during the capture of Kazan in 1552, has long been darkened over the years. It is very symbolic that in this temple it is located above the ancient shrine, which contains the relics of the first Archbishop of Kazan and Sviyazhsk, Gury. His bishop's staff, which, according to legend, the saint himself carved from wood, is still preserved near the tomb.

In 1843, the left chapel was built in the name of St. Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople (Constantinople), and in 1844, the left chapel was rebuilt, dedicated anew in the name of three saints: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Leo Pope and St. righteous Martha. During these same years, a bell tower was built according to the design of the architect Foma Ivanovich Petondi.

The construction and reconstruction of the temple was carried out at the expense of the city society. The temple itself, being a cemetery and originally built for the funeral of Orthodox Christians, did not have its own parish, and was assigned to the Cathedral of the Annunciation. This continued until 1925, when, after the closure of the Annunciation Cathedral, the cemetery church became a parish church. In 1934, despite the protests of believers and clergy, the temple was transferred to the renovationist diocesan administration.

It was at this time that the tomb with the relics of St. Gury of Kazan, illegally appropriated by the renovationists, ended up here. However, the Orthodox soon managed to defend their temple, and it was returned to the Orthodox community. By the end of the 30s, all the monasteries and most of the city churches were closed, so all the shrines were moved to the cemetery church.

The miraculous icons were kept here: - the Smolensk-Sedmiozernaya icon of the Mother of God (from the Sedmiozernaya Hermitage), - the Raifa icon of the Mother of God (from the Raifa Hermitage), - the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh (from the Sviyazhsk St. John the Baptist Monastery), - the icon of the Great Martyr Varvara (from the Varvara Church Kazan), - the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God (from the Tikhvin Church in Kazan), etc. The significance of the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers (little famous in previous years) in the history of the Kazan diocese of the 20th century is extremely great.

From 1938 to 1946, the cemetery church was the only one in all of Kazan and therefore had the first status of a cathedral. During the war, Archbishop Andrei (Komarov) served here, known for blessing the collection of funds and clothing to help the Soviet army. The cemetery church in Kazan is the only one that did not close during the Soviet years. In the minds of believers, this is one of the most sacred places in the ancient city.

To this day, the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, despite its modest size and relatively short history, is one of the most revered places in Orthodox Kazan. Particularly revered shrines of the temple: the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, the relics of St. Gurias. The church stands on the old city cemetery, which probably dates back to the 17th century.

Arskoe cemetery

Many prominent Kazan citizens who lived in the 19th-20th centuries are buried in this cemetery. Thus, the most famous graves are: the brilliant Russian geometer, author of non-Euclidean geometry, rector of Kazan University Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky (1792-1856); architect Mikhail Petrovich Korinfsky (1788-1851); Rector of the Kazan Theological Academy, Archpriest Alexander Vladimirsky; the famous Kazan philanthropist, guild merchant and Old Believer Yakov Filippovich Shamov (1833-1908) (his burial is located in the Old Believer part of the Arskoye cemetery); Mordovian educator, ethnographer and folklorist Makar Evseevich Evseviev (1864-1931), etc.

On March 17, 2018, on the eve of the 4th Week of Great Lent, the Venerable John Climacus, the feast of the discovery of the relics of the blessed princes Theodore of Smolensk and his children David and Konstantin, Yaroslavl miracle workers (1463), Metropolitan Theophan of Kazan and Tatarstan celebrated an all-night vigil in the Yaroslavl Church miracle workers at the Arsk cemetery in Kazan.

His Eminence was served by the honorary rector of the church, Archpriest Vitaly Marfushkin, the secretary of the Kazan diocesan administration, Archpriest Vladimir Samoilenko, the dean of the 1st Kazan district, the rector of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers Church, Archpriest Alexy Chubakov, the rector of the Vvedensky Kizichesky Monastery in the city of Kazan, hegumen Pimen (Iventyev), and the clergy of the parish.

The liturgical hymns were performed by a mixed parish choir under the direction of Alexander Fedotov.

After the reading of the first hour, the head of the Tatarstan Metropolis congratulated the clergy and laity on Sunday and the patronal feast of the cemetery church. Bishop Theophan also reminded parishioners that during the upcoming week on Wednesday evening a special service will be performed in all churches, called the “Standing of Mary of Egypt,” during which the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete will be read in full

On the day of the holiday itself, the Divine Liturgy was led by the rector of the church, Archpriest Alexy Chubakov, who was co-served by the clergy of the parish. During the service, numerous parishioners of Kazan churches prayed, who had come to prayerfully honor the saints of God, as well as students of the parish Sunday school.

Concluding the service, the clergy performed glorification to the holy noble princes of Yaroslavl, after which Archpriest Alexei Chubakov addressed the worshipers with a sermon. The rector congratulated everyone on the patronal holiday and recalled the feat of the saints whose name this ancient temple, the heart of the Kazan diocese, bears.

100 years later, the holy relics of the princes were found in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. Describing this event, the chronicler said that the relics were in one coffin, and the sons lay under their father’s armpits. And now the relics rest in one shrine in Yaroslavl, and the holy princes Theodore, David and Constantine are revered as the heavenly patrons of this glorious city. In our church there is an icon with particles of the relics of saints. At one time, Bishop Micah of Yaroslavl and Rostov blessed them to hand them over to us.

Remembering the memory of these saints today, when our state is under various attacks, we must ask for their help and intercession. Thinking about the future of Russia, it is important to turn with all your heart and mind to the faithful princes and ask them to make our rulers wiser, and to teach us to pray for them and to be faithful children of the Orthodox Church, reliable citizens of the earthly Fatherland. As Saint Philaret (Drozdov) said, “a poor citizen of an earthly Fatherland is not worthy of a Heavenly Fatherland,” and therefore let us love the Earthly Fatherland with all our hearts and strive for the Heavenly Fatherland.

Photo: Church of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers

I have lived almost my entire adult life near the ancient capital of Tatarstan, but this was the first time I came to the Arskoe cemetery, where the temple in the name of the holy princes Theodore, David and Constantine is located... Still in the blue winter snows, but already in the bright, almost spring, sun The domes of the temple sparkled and attracted so much that I couldn’t help but think: “Why haven’t I come here yet? After all, even our shrine - the image of the Mother of God “Georgian” was kept here throughout the war... How many times have I heard about this... "

Nearby is the tomb of St. Gurias and the staff on which he leaned in the last years of his earthly life...

The image of the Savior on a large dark tree - there is a version that Orthodox Christians brought it to Kazan along with the army of Ivan the Terrible...

Based on materials from A. ZHURAVSKY AND E. LIPAKOV:

"The temple itself, being a cemetery, initially served only for funeral services of Orthodox Christians and was assigned to the Cathedral of the Annunciation ("RV" No. 2 - ed.). It was built in 1796 as a two-altar church (the chapel was consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker In 1843, the left chapel was built in the name of St. Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, and in 1844, the left chapel was rebuilt, consecrated in the name of three saints: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Leo the Pope and St. In the same years, the bell tower was built according to the design of the architect Foma Ivanovich Petondi. The construction and reconstruction of the temple was carried out at the expense of the city society. In 1925, after the closure of the Annunciation Cathedral, the cemetery church became a parish church in 1934, despite the protests of believers. and clergy, the temple was transferred to the renovationist diocesan administration. It was at this time that the tomb with the relics of St. Gury of Kazan, illegally appropriated by the renovationists, ended up here. However, the Orthodox soon managed to defend their temple, and it was returned to the Orthodox community.

By the end of the 30s, all the monasteries and most of the city churches were closed, so all the shrines were moved to the cemetery church. The miraculous icons were kept here: the Smolensk-Sedmiozernaya Icon of the Mother of God (from the Sedmiozernaya Hermitage), the Raifa Icon of the Mother of God (from the Raifa Hermitage), the Icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh (from the Sviyazhsk St. John the Baptist Monastery), the Icon of the Great Martyr Barbara (from the Varvarinskaya Church in Kazan ), Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God (from the Tikhvin Church in Kazan) and others.

The significance of the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers (which was little famous in previous years) in the history of the Kazan diocese of the 20th century is extremely great. During the war, Archbishop Andrei (Komarov) served here, known for blessing the collection of funds and clothing to help the Soviet army. The cemetery church in Kazan is the only one that did not close during the Soviet years. In the minds of believers, this is one of the most sacred places in the ancient city.

Even before the revolution, the Arskoe cemetery was not exclusively Orthodox. It had a Catholic, Lutheran and Jewish section. After the revolution, such orderliness was disrupted. Meanwhile, even after 80 years of constant and targeted destruction, the Orthodox necropolis of the Arsk cemetery remains very representative.

Part of the Orthodox necropolis of the Arsk cemetery is located directly next to the cemetery church. Thus, behind the altar there are burials of prominent church figures of the Kazan region: Archbishop of Kazan and Chistopol Sergius (Koroleva) (died 12/18/1952), the former Bishop of Prague, who was revered as a saint during his lifetime both abroad and in Russia; Bishop of Kazan and Chistopol Justin (Maltsev), who arrived at the Kazan See after a concentration camp with completely disturbed health and soon died; Hieroschema-nakh Seraphim (Koshurin), the last of the brethren of the Sedmiozernaya Hermitage, it was he who saved the relics of the venerable elder Gabriel (Zyryanov) and the miraculous Smolensk-Sedmiozernaya Icon of the Mother of God from desecration. At the Nikolsky chapel of the cemetery church there is a cross over the grave of the famous missionary, educator and scientist, director of the Kazan Teachers' Seminary Nikolai Ivanovich Ilminsky (1822-1891), who did a lot to translate the Holy Scriptures into the languages ​​of the peoples inhabiting the Russian Empire. During his lifetime, N.I. Ilminsky was called “the apostle of Kazan foreigners.”

To the left of the church, at the northern side entrance, there is a tombstone in the form of a lectern with a gospel. This is the grave of the rector of the Kazan Theological Academy, Archimandrite Innocent (Novgorodtsev) (1823-1968). Around the temple there are many graves of the Kazan clergy. The tradition of burying deceased clergy near the church has been preserved until recently. Among other famous graves of the Orthodox necropolis are the graves of professors of the Kazan Theological Academy. Thus, on the alley, formerly called “academic” (since the deceased teachers of the Kazan Theological Academy were buried there), the famous professor, doctor of theology, historian and Orthodox publicist Alexander Fedorovich Gusev (d. 1914), author of the essay “The Basic Religious Principles of Count Leo” is buried Tolstoy."

Not far from the grave of A.F. Gusev there is a monument over the grave of the famous philologist, researcher of the history of Russian literature, professor of the Kazan Theological Academy Ivan Yakovlevich Porfiryev (1823-1899), one of the most active participants in the scientific description of the library of the Solovetsky Monastery. Porfiryev is the author of works that have not lost their relevance to this day - “History of Russian Literature”, “Apocryphal Tales of Old Testament Persons and Events from Manuscripts of the Solovetsky Library”... Nearby is the grave of the scientist-historian, theologian Ivan Petrovich Gvozdev (d. 1875). In another part of the Arskoye cemetery is the grave of the outstanding Kazan philosopher and theologian, professor of the academy and university Viktor Ivanovich Nesmelov (1863-1937), author of the famous study “The Science of Man,” dedicated to Christian anthropology.

It is surprising, after all, that in the very center of Kazan, in the very center of modern Kazan, with its bustle and movement, it is quiet and peaceful here... Gradually, more and more believers come to the cemetery church. They come not only to the Divine Liturgy (yes, now services are performed in the temple every day - the temple has moved away from its original purpose), they come not only to the graves of their loved ones, but also to venerate ancient Russian shrines.

A young woman with a child stopped at the large icon of “Sergius of Radonezh,” brought here during the years of atheism. By placing a candle in front of the holy image, she disguised herself and helped her baby. Next to the Kazan icon of the Mother of God they stopped again. The woman raised the baby in her arms, and he was able to gently touch the bright image of the Mother of God - and from the side, the faces of the holy princes Theodore and his sons David and Constantine, whose military exploits were destined to become glorified by God, looked at them with love...