for merchants Stroganoff family, were once simple Pomor peasants, 1716 turned out to be extremely troublesome.Joke, completed the construction of the church, specially erected for the icon, once granted them of Merit by the Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich!It is this icon of Our Lady of Blachernae, and gave its name to the church, where he kept ever since, and the village, which was called Vlakhernskoe.
Origin
icon Name of the icon comes from the name of that part of Constantinople, which was once a temple to this shrine.Under her patronage it was not only Constantinople, but the whole of Byzantium.Chronicles of that time tell of how, in 626, at the prayers ascended to icon, Holy Mother of God saved the city from the invasion of the invaders.After many centuries, is already in Russia, its miraculous power will be revealed during the cholera epidemic in 1830.She has kept all the inhabitants Kuzminok where he was, and all the inhabitants of the surrounding villages from the terrible disease.
This icon was not ordinary.She is credited with the creation of the evangelist Luke, contemporary and one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.The icon was a relief and executed in a unique technique voskomastiki.The peculiarity of it was the fact that the wax is added razmelchёnnye relics of saints.The image formed in this way is called a reliquary.
appearance of icons in Russia
known that in the V century it came to Constantinople, the then capital of the Christian world, and then - on the Holy Mount Athos.In 1654, the Athos monks brought it to Moscow and presented the pious emperor Alexis, and he, in turn, granted sanctuary Stroganov.For the icon and built a wooden church of Our Lady of Blachernae.
but rarely wooden church falls a long life.This church stood only sixteen and burned in a fire, but the Will of God the precious icon was saved.In the same year, having obtained the blessing of the ruling bishop, started construction of a new church, also of wood, and it was waiting for the same fate as the former.In 1758 as a result of "fire broken-winded," she died.But this time the sanctuary was carried out of the fire.
construction of stone buildings of the temple
the time of the fire, the family estate Stroganoff Kuzminki passed into the possession of the family of Count Galitzine.The descendants of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, for centuries they were the mainstay of the government.This year marks the hundred years since they began their ministry.
year later began the construction of the stone church on the site where the church was burned.Creating a project and maintenance work Earl commissioned architect IP Zherebtsov, who was also engaged in the redevelopment and reconstruction of the entire estate.He entered the history of architecture, as a representative of the Baroque style.In addition, his name is associated with the direction of Moscow dubbed the early classicism.For many years he supervised all construction work on the estate.
architectural features of the new church
The project is the stone church Stallions put traditional for Russian churches tetrahedral lower part of the building, and heightened the top octagonal drum.So many Orthodox churches were built in Russia.Nearby it was built a wooden octagonal bell tower.All the decoration of the church was made in the baroque style.In 1762, construction was completed on the whole, but continued to trim more for twelve years.
Manor Kuzminki was the pride of the Counts Golitsyn, and its improvement, they did not spare funds.In 1784 they were invited to the famous Moscow architect RR Kazakov, a disciple of the famous Vasily Bazhenov, who worked with him on the project of the Grand Kremlin Palace.He started the reconstruction of the temple, according to the architectural requirements of the time.Reconstruction of the temple
RR Kazakov changed the four-sided layout of the main building on the round, made in the form of a drum, and top overbuilt Glaucus.On the four sides of the building were inputs with decorative steps and porches.Complement the overall composition bunk stone bell tower.Thus the temple blachernitissa Holy Mother in Kuzminki acquired familiar shape.
During the War of 1812, the church has undergone considerable destruction.There were plundered church utensils and icons.Were eyewitnesses telling about numerous facts of sacrilege committed by the French soldiers.At the invitation of the Golitsyn on his restoration work of the best architects.In 1819 he was consecrated completely reconstructed chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh.However, working in the temple lasted several years.Contemporaries wrote about the unusual marble iconostasis in this limit.Above it worked best stone-cutters of the country.We were invited to the famous Ural masters.
There is much evidence that the temple blachernitissa Holy Mother in Kuzminki constantly in the field of view of the ruling family persons.For example, in 1828, Empress Maria Fedorovna donated to decorate the icons of precious brooch of pearls and diamonds.In 1858, the temple was visited by Emperor Alexander II.In addition, the estate Kuzminki seen many other representatives of the Romanov dynasty.From 1859, the church became a family tomb Golitsyn.In the early years of the XX century it was again restored and consecrated.
fate of the church after the revolution
After the revolution the church of Our Lady of blachernitissa in Kuzminki shared the fate of many places of worship in Russia.Literally in the first years of the representatives of the godless authorities seized all valuables and church utensils.When the temple finally closed, the miracle-working icon was transferred to the Church of the Dormition in Vishniac, and when it ceased to operate, the icon was transferred to the Tretyakov Gallery, the funds that it is kept to this day.In 1929, the dome was demolished and the building itself was rebuilt beyond recognition, making it into a holiday home.Over the entire Soviet period it housed and industrial premises, and a transformer substation, and classrooms.Completely destroyed painting walls and moldings.Pain fills my heart when you see pictures of the temple at the time.
Revival
In the years following the restructuring, many Russian Orthodox churches have been returned to believers.A period of historical insight.We had to revive something that decades ruthlessly destroyed.A great help in this and have governments and various public organizations in the country.They came to the temple and restorers blachernitissa Holy Mother in Kuzminki.He was listed in the list of objects to be restored first.He directs the work of the architect EA Vorontsov.In three years, builders and restorers returned the church to its original appearance.In 1995 he was solemnly consecrated, like many Russian Orthodox churches.
life of the church today
Today the temple is a major religious and cultural center.During his Sunday school and a school for catechesis of adults and children.In addition, there is a library, the doors are open to all comers.In a separate building is equipped with a baptistery font for adults.Like many churches of the Orthodox Church, it became a place where everyone can gain knowledge about the basics of Orthodoxy, for many decades, virtually closed for the masses.
