Znamenskaya Church (Dubrovitsy) - a unique architectural monument

The Russian land is rich in monuments of sacral architecture. One of the extraordinary religious buildings is the Znamenskaya church (Dubrovitsy). The temple was built in the late XVII - early XVIII century. Up to the present day, information about the designer and builders of the church has not been preserved. It is only known that domestic and foreign masters worked on the creation of the architectural masterpiece.

History of the temple

The Znamenskaya church in the village of Dubrovitsy was founded by the educator of Peter the Great Prince B.A. Golitsyn. On Boris Alekseevich raised a vain, and the king ordered him to return to the family estate. A year later, Peter I replaced anger at mercy, and as a sign of reconciliation with the Sovereign Prince decided to build a temple.

At that time on the site of the future monument of architecture stood the wooden church of the prophet Elijah. In 1690, she was transferred to the village of Lemeshevo.

A white stone was chosen for the construction of the new church. The material is easy to handle, but it is quite durable, suitable for threading, creating decorative details. The works were conducted for nine years, but with the consecration of the temple they were not in a hurry. The prince was very anxious to invite Peter I to the ceremony, but the tsar left Moscow for a long time. According to another version, the consecration of the church was prevented by Patriarch Adrian, who did not like the building in the Baroque style.

The Znamenskaya Church (Dubrovitsy) was consecrated only in 1704 by the Locum Tenens of the Moscow Patriarchal See by the Metropolitan of Ryazan and Murom Stefan.

In 1812 the village was occupied by the French. Conquerors did not take care of orthodox churches, but the church in Dubrovitsy remained untouched. Probably, the soldier of the Napoleonic army conquered the beauty of the cult structure.

In 1929 the church was closed, and in 1931 - blew up the bell tower. Divine services were resumed only in 1991.

Architecture

The Znamenskaya Church (Dubrovitsy) is designed in the form of an endless cross with rounded blades. Together with the dome, the temple towers over the ground for more than forty meters. The contour of the building repeats a narrow gallery of ten steps in height, enclosed by a parapet. On the base of the temple and the parapet there is an ornament.

Decorates the church and sculpture. At the western doors of parishioners are met the statues of St. John Chrysostom, Gregory the Theologian. Above one of the doors is a statue of Basil the Great.

From the socle to the laity the Evangelists look, and from the octagonal tower - the apostles. The facade is decorated with figures of angels. The church crowned with a metal gilded crown.

Interior

A significant part of the space inside the temple is occupied by relief compositions. Sculptures are made of stucco - artificial marble, which uses burnt gypsum, alum, glue, lime, chalk and other materials.

In the center of the temple is the composition "Crucifixion", to the right of which the sitting angels point to passages from the Holy Scripture. Initially, the inscriptions were created in Latin, but in the XIX century Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret ordered to decorate the wall with citations from the Gospel in the Church Slavonic language. In 2004, the Latin texts were returned to their original place.

At the top of the western ledge are the choirs. From the pylon to the lower tier there is a beautiful staircase made of stone. This part of the temple is decorated in the form of a balcony, repeating the outlines of the wall of the western vestibule.

With sculptures perfectly harmonize the image. The most revered icon is the Mother of God "The Sign".

Social activities

The arrival of the Znamensky Church renders charity to the disabled, sick, abandoned children, pensioners. Residents of Moscow and the region are invited to charity excursions, conversations with the priest, tea drinking. Podolsky city hospital receives diapers, diapers, children's clothes, medicines, medical equipment, purchased with the means of the parish budget.

Sunday school works at the church. Teachers introduce students to the Law of God, the history of Russia and the Church, Church Slavonic. Also pupils master church singing and are engaged in creativity.

Another area of the school's work is the organization of charity concerts and pilgrimages. Children and parents make walks to the temples of the Podolsky district , go on a boat to the holy spring, visit the monasteries. If someone wants to make a pilgrimage trip, but does not know where to start, then the Znamenska church (Dubrovitsy) will help to realize the conceived. How to get there? Before this or that holy place, organizers of trips at a temple know.

With the mothers and daughters of the disciples, the parishioners every Sunday, the priest of the church, Archpriest Andrei Gritsyshyn, speaks on the Gospel.

Schedule of services

The Znamenskaya Church (Dubrovitsy) is an active temple. On weekdays, Sundays and holidays, divine services are performed according to the established schedule. From 8.30 hours pass liturgy, requiems. At the same time, they take a confession.

Sacraments of baptism, weddings, anointing, and the funeral are performed by agreement with the priest. You can visit the church every day from 9.00 to 17.00. Evening services last till 20.00.

Znamenskaya Church (Dubrovitsy): how to reach

Before you get to the temple, you need to get to Podolsk. Prior to the district center, trains run, as well as bus number 417 (from the metro station "Yuzhnaya"), minibus number 65. It will not take long and drive your own car.

From Podolsk, take the bus to Dubrovitsy stop. Motorists are advised not to reach the exit from the city to turn to the right, and then again to the right, focusing on the signs. To get close to the temple, you have to drive the whole village. Address - Moscow region, Dubrovitsy, Znamenskaya church.

The best view of the church opens from the hill. Elevation allows you to carefully consider the neighborhood of the temple, admire the scenic landscapes, the Desna and Parkha Rivers. The village of Dubrovitsy was built in one of the most beautiful places of the Moscow region.