Grodno, Pokrovsky Cathedral: photo, address, schedule of services

In August 1905, the Russo-Turkish war ended ignominiously for Russia. She showed all the inconsistency of the organization of the Russian army, but at the same time she showed examples of the courage and steadfastness of her soldiers. To commemorate the memory of the soldiers and officers of the artillery regiment that fell in those days on the eastern borders of Russia, a cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin was erected in Grodno.

Cathedral in Grodno

The Intercession Cathedral, with all its significance as a monument to an important historical event, was not only a manifestation of the emotional impulse of Russians embraced by a patriotic feeling. At the heart of the decision of the authorities on his laying was a government decree adopted back in the late nineteenth century and in 1901, which became law after it was approved by the sovereign Nicholas II. It prescribed the erection of garrison and regimental churches in the territories of all military units, in whose staff the clergy were included.

Since in those years the territory of present-day Belarus was part of Russia, the city of Grodno also fell under the jurisdiction of Nicholas II. Pokrovsky Cathedral, thus, appeared as a purely authorized garrison attribute, although it was perceived in subsequent years as a monument to servicemen who died in the Russo-Japanese war.

Erection of the temple-museum

The development of the project of the future cathedral was entrusted to the Grodno architect M. M. Prozorov. In his work, the architect took as a basis the features of another garrison temple, which was in Peterhof - one of the palace suburbs of St. Petersburg. It was a church, with its artistic merit earned well-deserved fame. I led the same work on the implementation of the project IE Saveliev.

Construction and decoration works were completed in 1907, and on November 11, his solemn consecration in honor of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invisibly stretched and over the city of Grodno, took place. The Intercession Cathedral became not only a symbolic monument, but also a real museum. In one of its premises an exposition was opened, connected with the exploits of soldiers and officers during the years of the recent war. At the same time, they established an annual religious procession in their honor on Palm Sunday, that is, a week before Easter, the center of the celebration of which has since become the Intercession Cathedral (Grodno). The schedule of services on its doors for many years adjoins the schedule of the museum functioning within its walls.

Temple - school of patriotism

In those years, the clergy of the cathedral, together with the command of the Grodno garrison, did a great deal of work to educate patriotism and raise morale among the servicemen who took care of the church. It was attended by members of the city Church and Archaeological Committee, which provided the church regimental iconostases and a large collection of icons. Soon there was a solemn opening of a memorial plaque installed on the wall of the cathedral with the names of soldiers and officers who gave their lives in the Russo-Japanese War and who formerly served in Grodno. The Intercession Cathedral became their memorial.

Unique architectural composition

Despite the fact that the architect M. M. Prozorov was building a temple project on the basis of a finished model built in Peterhof, as a result of his creative rethinking the author managed to create a composition with unique features. A big role in this was played by the head of construction works, military engineer I. Ye. Saveliev.

Pokrovsky Cathedral (Grodno) is made in a retrospective Russian style, which in many respects distinguishes it from pseudo-Russian temple buildings. The building is based on an elongated basilica, on the east side, completed with a pentahedral apse - the protruding part of the wall behind which the altar is located. In the north-western part of the facade there is a tent belfry of ten-meter height, completed with a poppy-top mounted on a drum. On its sides there are two small tents, also decorated with poppies. Their appearance is complemented by semicircular windows with kokoshnikami.

The altar part of the temple is built on a low chetverik, crowned with five domes, placed on octagonal bases. Undoubted their adornment are false windows framed by decorative kokoshniks. Also noticeable and the windows are located on two levels of side facades and equipped with picturesque "tiered" platbands. The partitions between them are decorated with rich decorative finishing.

The uniqueness of the interior

The Intercession Cathedral in Grodno, whose photo is presented in the article, is remarkable for its interior. Twelve powerful columns with the arcades thrown through them divide the inner room into three naves (three separate parts). Old Russian textual ligature serves as an ornament for the design of the three ceiling plafonds, and the walls are covered with paintings representing scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

The sights of the cathedral, undoubtedly, are also its main and lateral iconostases. They are made of wood, which has a dark tint, richly decorated with carvings and gilding. The altar rooms are also decorated. Above the entrance to the cathedral are the choirs, decorated in Russian style and organically fitting into the interior.

Shrine of the Intercession Cathedral

However, despite all the artistic merits, the main content of any temple are its shrines - miraculous icons and the relics of God's saints stored in it. There are also in the Intercession Cathedral. These are, above all, especially revered images of the Kazan Mother of God, Our Lady of the Hodegetria and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, as well as the power of the Great Martyr Gabriel Zabludsky. The flow of pilgrims and parishioners never ceases to them.

The collection of the shrines of the temple was significantly enlarged during the perestroika period, after the restoration work was carried out in the cathedral. It included icons, written in honor of the many new martyrs and confessors of Russia, who glorified the Lord during the years of repression. Many of them were residents of Belarus.

The cathedral that survived the communist hard times

It should be noted that throughout the decades of communist rule, when thousands of churches were abolished, and sometimes even destroyed, one of the few that did not cease its activity was the Intercession Cathedral in Grodno. The service schedule never disappeared from his doors. Merit in this belongs mainly to members of his parish, who found the courage to stand up for the defense of their church.

In the XX century, the Intercession Cathedral survived many events that somewhat reduced its role as a temple-monument. These are revolutions, wars, and the incorporation of part of Belarus into Poland. After in 1921 the faithful lost the cathedral of St. Sophia Cathedral, its role was performed by the Intercession Cathedral in Grodno.

The hours of his work were filled in those days not only with services established by the Church Charter, but also with the treasures and continuous prayers of thousands of people who came here from all over the country. So it remains in our days. Today is located in the old part of the city Pokrovsky Cathedral (Grodno) - address: st. Eliza Ozheshko, 23 - is one of the most visited city churches. The entire surrounding area has become a monument of history and architecture, protected by the state.

Sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In 2008, the Grodno artist V. Panteleev initiated the installation of monumental Orthodox sculpture in the city, which was approved by both the civil authorities and the diocesan leadership. A year and a half later, near his Cathedral of the Intercession, his composition "The Protection of the Blessed Virgin" was established. It became a worthy decoration of the territory adjoining the temple.

The height of the cast bronze figure is three meters, and together with the granite pedestal is four meters twenty centimeters. Its solemn consecration was timed to celebrate the one hundred and tenth anniversary of the formation of the Grodno diocese and was held on the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, October 14.

Schedule of services in the Intercession Cathedral in Grodno

As mentioned above, the Grodno Pokrovsky church received the status of a cathedral during the dramatic events that unfolded during the first years of Soviet power and resulted from the anti-church policy of the new regime. Today its dominant position among other existing temples in the city was officially fixed by the decision of the leadership, the Grodno diocese, formed immediately after the Republic of Belarus gained independence. As a result, the schedule of divine services in the Intercession Cathedral in Grodno differs somewhat from the schedules of the work of other churches.

On weekdays morning services start at 8:30, and evening hours at 17:00. On Sundays and holidays, three services are held in the morning - the early liturgy at 6:30, then the Sunday morning service at 8:30 and the late Liturgy at 9:30. In the evening, the service starts at 17:00. In addition to the specified hours, the doors of the cathedral are open all day long for those who would like to bow to its shrines or just to view this unique monument of temple architecture.