temple in honor of St. Gregory of Neo-Caesarea, which is located in Moscow on Polyanka, has a very ancient history.It was originally made of wood felled on the orders of Prince Basil II, nicknamed the Dark.According to legend, it was done as a sign of gratitude to Heaven for deliverance from the Tatar captivity.
legend of the building of the temple today
of wooden structures was gone.In its place stands a majestic stone church.But even when this place was a wasteland, Prince Vasili, staying in the Horde, I swore to God that in the place from which you will see the Moscow Kremlin, to build the temple and sanctify it in honor of the saint, whose memory is celebrated on that day.To see the walls of the capital, he was destined to November 30, 1445.According to the Orthodox calendar, this day is celebrated in memory of St. Gregory the Miracle Worker of New Caesarea.This circumstance determined the fate of the future of the church, now known as the Temple of Polyanka Gregory of Neo-Caesarea.
New construction
wooden church stood until the XVII century.In the 1669-1679 years it grows beside a stone church.It happened on the initiative of the king's confessor, priest Andrey Savinov using sovereign donations.The church's blessing to build gave Patriarch Nikon, but to sanctify the temple Gregory finished Neokesariysky had been Patriarch Joachim.Construction led the best architects, some could find at the time.History has preserved for posterity their names: Carp Guba and John Grasshopper.
architecture and decor of the church
Architecturally the temple Gregory Neokesariysky reflected the standard for the practice of the time Moscow church building, assuming five domes and bell tower tent type.Decorating the church it was carried out with the help of tiles and floral ornament.Blame them belongs to the man whom we know by name.He was known at the time the potter Stjepan Polubes.
drafting temple against what is now called to design a hand himself Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.It was he who ordered to paint the temple Gregory Neokesariysky red brick beneath, and a tent covered with whitewash and turquoise.As a result, the church has turned out so beautiful that the people and it was called - Red Church.The iconostasis wrote the king's artists and painters, which led the notorious Simon Ushakov.His authorship in this project belongs to, for example, the image of the Mother of God "Eleousa-Kykkos."Of course, now it is not in the temple and among the exhibits of the Tretyakov Gallery.
Church and the royal family
In the same church Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich with Natalia Naryshkina married in 1671.It also baptized the baby, who was destined to later become Emperor Peter the Great.Even today, even in the temple Gregory Neokesariysky stored font where christened the future sovereign reformer.In principle, this attention to the temple of the royal family was quite understandable, since it has traditionally been the rector of the confessor of the king, and the temple had the status of a court.
Church in the War of 1812
During the events of 1812 the temple Polyanka Gregory of Neo-Caesarea also scored.If in relation to other French churches allowed themselves to acts of vandalism and burned many religious buildings on a par with conventional buildings, in this case, they behaved unprecedented.Namely, in the temple Gregory Neokesariysky duty soldiers, whose task is to protect the building from looting and fire.The French soldiers were in buckets water to protect it from being damaged by a fire that devastated the capital.On this occasion, Napoleon lamented, saying that if only it were possible, he would put his hand on this church and took him to Paris.
Revolution
But what is not done, the French invaders, it has successfully implemented the Russian Communists.For 22 years after the 1917 revolution in the temple Gregory Neokesariysky continued to conduct services.But in 1939 it was closed and half destroyed.The last abbot was killed at the Butovo firing range.
Return
faithful believers in the hands of the temple returned only in 1994.At the same time services were resumed.By 1996, the church was restored to a sufficient extent that it could be sanctified, as happened with the participation of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II.In the temple relics, according to official sources, the patron of the church - St. Gregory of Neo-Caesarea.They gave the community the arrival of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh in 1998.
Temple today
Currently, in addition to this shrine in the temple, there are many other relics of the saints, that is a certain value in the eyes of the faithful.Besides the main throne in honor of the father of this church are functioning two - in memory of St. Gregory the Theologian and the Mother of God "Bogoliubsk."Rector of the church at the moment is retired Bishop Jerome (Chernyshov).
Temple Gregory Neokesariysky Polyanka: timetable and address
easiest way to get to the temple from the metro station "Glade".Full address of the arrival of the following: Moscow, Bolshaya Polyanka, d. 29A.
As for the schedule, the worship in the temple are made on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Saturday:
- 09:00 - Matins, Liturgy.
- 17:00 - Vigil.
Sunday:
- 09:30 - Liturgy.
more detailed schedule of the temple Gregory Neokesariysky necessary to specify in the church, as it is updated monthly.
