The Transfiguration Cathedral of Vyborg: interesting facts

Before we begin the story of how the Transfiguration Cathedral of Vyborg was created Deanery, we will talk about his predecessor - the Lutheran Cathedral, which later became known as the Church of the Nativity of Christ. The destinies of these two churches are closely interrelated. Local history tells that originally the first Orthodox church in the once Swedish, and later the Finnish city of Vyborg appeared after in 1710 it was won by the Russian troops of Peter the Great.

Lutheran Cathedral

In 1350 a wooden Lutheran church was built in the city. Because of the constant wars of conquest, its walls were often destroyed, and eventually the building quickly fell into disrepair. But in 1494 a magnificent Lutheran Cathedral was built on this place, which during the siege of the city by the military detachments of Peter I because of the artillery fire was also severely damaged and practically not subject to restoration.

Residents of the city of Vyborg at the end of hostilities filed a document with the Russian military administration, where they presented a list of city buildings destroyed during the fighting, which they would like to repair and use later. But Tsar Peter I was surprised that he did not see in this list the main shrine of the city - the cathedral, and then he decided to take it in his charge and build an Orthodox church there.

Church of the Nativity of Christ

In 1720 he issued a decree for the Holy Synod to restore the former Lutheran Cathedral, in which the Church of the Nativity of Christ was to be opened. Outwardly, the building was not changed, only inside its eastern part was an iconostasis and an altar for worship services. Former greatness and wealth, as before, was no longer in the church, since the parishioners at first were few. In the inheritance from the old cathedral, she received two bowls for the sacrament of 1651, the ancient work of the ark, the silver dish on which Jesus Christ was depicted, and the Gospel of 1703. Later, in 1746, there appeared small sizes of nine chandeliers, which for the commemoration of his soul brought to the church the Russian officer Nikita Rusinov.

Many years after the next fire, the church was transferred to the military garrison warehouse, by that time it was already decided to build the Transfiguration Cathedral near it.

Prehistory

But the appearance of the Transfiguration Cathedral was preceded by one event. In the summer of 1783, Empress Catherine II was on an official visit to the Swedish king Gustav III. The suite of the Russian ruler consisted of important statesmen - E. R. Dashkova (president of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences) and A. A. Bezborodko (chairman of the board of foreign affairs). In the carriage with Bezborodko there was a certain NA Lvov, who had nothing to do with the royal suite. He was a versatile, very talented Petersburg architect, engraver, draftsman and musician.

He also created a draft project, which later built the Transfiguration Cathedral. The city of Vyborg, I must say, was mentioned in his reports to Catherine II by Governor VK Engelgardt. In them he testified that in this settlement it is necessary to build a new Russian Orthodox church.

In the drawing, an analogue of the dome-apsidal layout of the temple of the times of ancient Rome was originally reproduced. NA Lvov visited Italy in the early 1780s, and later became the translator of the scientific work of architectural solutions of the architect of the Renaissance, A. Palladio. This greatly influenced a number of buildings of NA Lvov, who was not a certified architect.

The Transfiguration Cathedral: Vyborg

In December 1786, the decree of the Russian Empress issued a decree on the construction of an Orthodox cathedral church in Vyborg. In the same year Johann Brockman, appointed by the provincial architect, came to the construction department of the vicegerency. He took advantage of the draft design of NA Lvov, without changing anything in the architectural design of the church, just reduced its size. By the way, these drawings are still kept in the Finnish State Archive.

Beginning of construction: Savior Transfiguration Cathedral (Vyborg)

So, the construction of the temple began. In its original form, the Transfiguration Cathedral (Vyborg) - the photograph presented below indicates it - had a dome-apse part of the structure, which had a cuboidal shape with a hemispherical covering and side vestibules. Entrance doors were located on the north and south side of the building.

Archpriest Feodor

The first archpriest of the cathedral was Vasily Fedorov. And already in 1804 a new archpriest of the church Feodor Loginovsky filed a report on the repair of the temple. At the beginning of the summer of 1806, the edict of the Spiritual Consistory permitted the correction of the dilapidated building. In 1811, the need arose to buy a dwelling for the clergy. But the funds were constantly in short supply, but the perseverance of the priest brought its results, and in 1816 the Transfiguration Cathedral of Vyborg received a good amount from the Commission of theological schools. The cathedral was completely renovated for this money.

Improvement and reconstruction of the temple

After the repair, he retained his old form in the form of an elongated cross. In 1817, on September 14, the cathedral was consecrated in a solemn atmosphere with a large number of parishioners. Above him was planted a gilded copper cross of St. Petersburg master S. D. Gusev. Archpriest F. Loginovsky received great gratitude for the effective care of the church.

In 1838 a new bell was cast - the gift of merchant FN Nabilkin. Artistic works were performed by the painter S. V. Postemsky, painter of the Imperial Academy of Arts.

A few years later, when the reconstruction of the Savior's Transfiguration Cathedral was carried out in 1889, a lodge was attached to the bell tower. In 1892, the Vyborg Diocese was established and the cathedral was given the status of a cathedral. The last time it was altered according to the drawings of the ten's manager A. Isakson.

In 1937, the Transfiguration Cathedral celebrated its 150th anniversary, and in 1987 - the 200th anniversary. In 2017, the temple will be 230 years old.

Address

You can always visit such spiritual and cultural heritage of our ancestors as the Transfiguration Cathedral (Vyborg). Temple address: st. The Cathedral 1.

The temple is located in the central part of the Old Town between the street of the Serf and the Watchtower. From the historic building, called the Round Tower, it can be reached in a few minutes. The temple works daily, all the ceremonial rituals are performed in it. Any believer who, through the power of his sincere prayer and faith, can receive his repentance and confession in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Vyborg will receive an invisible saving Divine grace.