Assumption in newspaper lane. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Assumption Enemy
In the old days, between the modern streets of Tverskaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya there was a deep ravine through which water flowed into the Neglinnaya River. Near the ravine, from the first half of the 16th century, there was the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God. According to it, the entire area received the name Uspensky Vrazhek. Moscow expert S.K. Romanyuk in his book “From the History of Moscow Lanes” writes: “The large area between these two streets is dissected by a cleverly intertwined network of lanes. One of them followed the direction of the inflow of the Neglinnaya River and was called the same as it - the Uspensky Enemy. This small river still passes under the old university building, under the arch in its center.”
The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Assumption Vrazhek is unique in its own way. The history of this temple is inextricably linked with the area in which it is located. The toponymic clarification “on the Uspensky enemy” was preserved in the name of another Moscow church - the Resurrection of the Word in Bryusov Lane. And more than two hundred years ago, there were at least twice as many churches on the Assumption Enemy: the churches of Leonty Bishop of Rostov on the territory of Moscow University and the Prophet Elisha in the same Bryusov Lane are known. The first was abolished at the end of the 18th century, and the second several decades later.
It is quite difficult to determine the exact time of the appearance of the first settlements here, but it is known for certain that in the 14th century two roads were built from the Kremlin to Veliky Novgorod. One went through Tver and was called Tverskaya, and the other went through Volokolamsk and was called Volotskaya. Sections of these roads, established at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, turned into Tverskaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya streets, respectively. The first courtyards and settlements arose along these important Moscow highways, and then the territory between the Tverskaya and Volotsk roads began to be populated. The area of the Assumption Enemy is mentioned in the Resurrection Chronicle under 1531:
“And on the same heel, at this hour, a cannon potion suddenly caught fire in Moscow, on the Usplensky enemy, in the Alevizovsky courtyard; because the city's people were doing it in that courtyard and those workers were burning from that potion in one hour, more than two hundred people; but fire will not touch this court or any other court of God.” In the 16th century, a gunpowder factory was established here. The explosion in 1531 was so powerful that it was even recorded in the chronicle. The chronicler reports that the fire occurred “in the Alevizovsky yard.” There is a version that the tsar granted the architect Aleviz Fryazin a courtyard where, after the death of the architect, they began to produce the “cannon potion” - gunpowder.
Mentions of the Assumption Enemy are also found in many documents of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, a government agency in Moscow in charge of relations with foreign states. The records of 1536, 1555 and 1556 say that “beyond Neglimnaya, on the Usplensky enemy” Lithuanian ambassadors stopped at the embassy courtyard. According to these documents, even earlier, on the site of the Lithuanian court, there was a “court of the Tsar’s ambassadors,” where the ambassadors of the Holy Roman Emperor lived. By the middle of the 16th century, the area of the Uspensky Vrazhek was densely populated, and after the construction of a powerful wall around Moscow, the Uspensky Vrazhek entered the White City.
The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared as the center of one of the ancient settlements. Moscow local historian V.B. Muravyov notes: “This area was called Ravine or On the Ravine. Therefore, it is not known when, but earlier than the 16th century, the wooden church built here was called the Church of the Assumption on Vrazhka (or on Vraga). Then the toponymic roles changed: the local ravine, unlike other Moscow ravines, began to be called Uspensky after the church located on it. The current name of the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God on Uspensky Vrazhek combines both toponyms. The first, wooden, Church of the Assumption burned down in a fire on April 10, 1629.”
In 1647, a new stone Assumption Church was built on the site of the burnt temple. The builder of the temple was the noble Moscow nobleman Grigory Gorikhvostov. The founder of this famous family is the Vladimir boyar Fyodor Vasilyevich Gorikhvostov, nicknamed the Head. The Gorikhvostov family is included in the genealogical books of the Moscow and St. Petersburg provinces. Grigory Ivanovich decided to build a porch and two chapels in the church - Nikolsky and John the Baptist. In the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Uspensky Vrazhek there was a family tomb of the Gorikhvostovs: in the so-called “bell tent” - a special room under the bell tower.
In 1728, the property adjacent to the Assumption Church was acquired by Daniil Ivanovich Yankov. His father Ivan Vasilyevich Yankovsky fled Macedonia due to Turkish oppression and was forced to settle in Poland. Soon he moved to Russia and entered military service. Daniil Ivanovich Yankovsky (he began to call himself Yankov) followed in his father’s footsteps and at the court of Empress Anna Ioannovna he rose to the rank of assistant to the intendant - an official who was in charge of all the palace households. After participating in the construction of the Annenhof Palace in the Kremlin, he was awarded the rank of major, and after some time Daniil Ivanovich became a quartermaster.
In the 1730s, in the depths of the courtyard of his estate, Yankov built a two-story mansion, richly decorated with pilasters, white stone capitals and patterned platbands. Two outbuildings were built closer to the red line of the lane. The Church of the Assumption on the Assumption Enemy turned out to be surrounded on both sides by estate buildings. At his own expense, Daniil Ivanovich built the chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Due to his duty, Yankov was constantly in the capital and rarely visited his Moscow estate. He died in St. Petersburg in 1738 and was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The estate was inherited by the son of Daniil Ivanovich, Alexander Daniilovich Yankov.
Memoirist E.P. Yankova, a distant relative of the Moscow Yankovas, writes in her book of memoirs: “Alexander Daniilovich spoke excellent French and German, studied various sciences: history, mathematics and astronomy. He was very handsome, smart, and besides, he received a large fortune from his father, and by all accounts was accepted in the best circle... He got married in 1745. The wedding took place in Moscow, in the parish of the Assumption on Ovrazhka, in Gazetny Lane, where they had their own house. He lived very well and openly; when he got married, he had a golden carriage, upholstered inside with red velvet, and a black train of horses in blinkers with feathers.”
The Yankovs remained the owners of the estate until the end of the 18th century. All this time they were the main donors to the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God on the Assumption Vrazhek. In the 1760s, Alexander Danilovich, instead of the chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built a separate St. Nicholas Church on church land. In 1766, Yankov died and was buried in the St. Nicholas Church next to his children, who died at a young age. In 1790, the Church of the Assumption was renovated for the last time at the expense of the Yankov family. In 1802, Prime Major Yakov Mikhailovich Maslov, who was P.V.’s successor, became the owner of the estate. Nashchokin - a close friend of A.S. Pushkin.
After the Moscow fire of 1812, the restored estate changed several owners, and in 1832 it was acquired by the wealthy merchant Sergei Afanasyevich Zhivago. Sergei Afanasyevich is a representative of an ancient Ryazan merchant family, known in business and public circles since the 18th century. He was a major entrepreneur, a member of the Moscow City Duma, and was repeatedly elected to various positions in city government bodies. In the early 1860s, Zhivago initiated the creation of the Moscow Credit Society. Zhivago donated twenty thousand rubles to create the Ryazan City Public Bank.
Sergei Afanasyevich developed a system of charitable activities of the bank in order to “raise the level of education among the masses of the poor class of people, improve morality, save homeless children from poverty and death and serve the health of those who, according to the monastery charter, exhaust their bodily strength in physical and spiritual labor.” Until the end of his life, Zhivago remained the headman of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Assumption Enemy. By order of Sergei Afanasyevich, academician of architecture, future builder of Warm shopping arcades on Ilyinka, A.S. Nikitin developed a project for rebuilding the temple. In 1860, the construction of the new church was completed.
The Assumption Church with its bell tower was almost adjacent to the St. Nicholas Church. Three thrones were built in the new church: the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, the Beheading of John the Baptist and Sergius of Radonezh, the heavenly patron of the temple builder. The single-light hall of the church was divided into three naves by rows of columns. Nikitin built a squat, single-tier bell tower in which six bells rang. Inside, the church was a square chamber with a stone floor and was decorated with white, black and blue marble. A choir was built above the western entrance, passing under which the parishioners entered the spacious premises of the temple.
The southern façade facing the street was decorated with relief images. The sculptural decoration of the main facade is unique for Moscow, although it is quite often found in churches in St. Petersburg. At the same time, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was being built in the Mother See of Moscow. The innovative techniques of that grandiose construction project were also applied in the modest Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Assumption Vrazhek. The sculptures were made by the famous sculptor N.A. Ramazanov, who decorated the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and made the death mask of N.V. Gogol. English Portland cement was used for the first time in the sculptures of the Assumption Church.
The temple was consecrated in 1860 by Metropolitan Philaret, who noted the “particular strength, beauty of construction and elegance of decoration” of the church and said that it “belongs among the best and most visited churches in Moscow.” The Metropolitan expressed gratitude to Sergei Afanasyevich for everything he did for the temple. The priest and parishioners asked to be nominated for a well-deserved award, but Zhivago refused the high award. Instead, his brother Joseph Afanasyevich, who for many years was also a donor to the temple, received the gold medal. After the death of Sergei Afanasyevich, Joseph Afanasyevich became the head of the church.
After the October Revolution of 1917, services in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Assumption Vrazhek continued only until 1924. After its closure, the State Historical Archive of the Moscow Region was located in the temple building. For some time, the first floor of the Assumption Church was occupied by metro construction workshops and a residential apartment. In 1955, the side church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was completely destroyed, and nothing was built in its place. In the 1960s, on the ground floor of the Assumption Church there was a Moscow sewing factory, and on the second floor there was the Historical Archive of the Archival Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In the book by P.G. Palamarchuk “Forty Sorokov” reports: “Since 1979, the historical archive was evicted from the building, renovations were carried out inside and a telephone exchange was opened for international negotiations. There is a window for changing coins in the royal doors. The heads of the temple and the bell tower with crosses were broken, the kokoshnik with bas-reliefs that was placed above the southern facade was knocked down, the windows of the bell tower were blocked.” In 1992, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Assumption Vrazhek was returned to the believers. However, the community, led by rector Father Vladimir Lapshin, had to fight for a long time for their temple. Only in 1996 were the parishioners given the first basement floor.
In this room with rats and cockroaches, there had never been a consecrated church until that moment, and before the revolution there were wood warehouses and all kinds of utility rooms there. Father Vladimir consecrated a new church in honor of St. Nicholas - in memory of the side church destroyed during the Soviet years. Two years later, the upper Assumption Church was returned to the community, and in 1999, on the Feast of the Giving of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the main altar was consecrated. Today, the parish group “Mercy” operates at the church, which provides spiritual and material assistance to the homeless, poor, sick and orphans.
The Church of the Assumption has preserved for us the memory of a unique ancient area. It’s hard to believe that several centuries ago, during spring floods, getting from Tverskaya to Nikitskaya was only possible by boat: the water in the Uspensky ravine rose very high. During the years of Soviet power, the church lost its original appearance. Fortunately, today the temple has been restored and is once again pleasing to the eye. By the way, the sculptor A.P. worked on recreating the sculptural decoration. Semynin, who also worked on the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Mystically, our contemporary repeated the fate of his predecessor N.A. Ramazanova.
Denis Drozdov
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Uspensky Vrazhek. Description.
Many Moscow churches that survived during the Soviet era were now returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and in the period 1991-1992. most of them were filled with believers, and regular services resumed. One of these churches is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Uspensky Vrazhek.
Uspensky Vrazhek is an ancient Moscow tract between Tverskaya and Nikitskaya streets, mentioned in chronicles from the 16th century. Here were the courts of the ambassadors - the Lithuanian court and the "court of the Tsar's ambassadors", i.e. Roman Empire. The courtyard of Aleviz the New, a famous architect, is also mentioned here.
1601 - the first written mention of the temple.
1629 - the wooden Church of the Assumption burned down in a big fire.
1634 - rebuilt.
1647 - the first stone church was built at the expense of G.I. Gorikhvostova.
1707 - wooden chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the churchyard.
The history of the temple is closely connected with the owners of the neighboring estate, the Yankovs, who took care of the welfare of the church.
1735 - D.I. Yankov added the side church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to the building of the Church of the Assumption itself. The temple became the tomb of the Yankovs.
1781 - St. Nicholas side church was rebuilt “due to dilapidation.”
1812 - the church burned down.
The Assumption Church was a summer church; in winter they served in the warm chapel church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In the mid-50s, the Moscow merchant S.A. was elected head of the temple. Zhivago, who had previously bought the Yankov estate for himself. By order of S.A. Zhivago academician of architecture A.S. Nikitin drew up a design for an extensive three-altar church with a bell tower, adjacent to the St. Nicholas Church.
May 30, 1857 - The design of the Church of the Assumption on Vrazhka was approved by the highest order.
1860 - construction of the current church building was completed. The new church has three altars: the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Beheading of John the Baptist and Sergius of Radonezh - the heavenly patron of the temple builder.
September 20, 1860 - the temple was consecrated by Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret (Drozdov).
Finishing work continued until the 1890s. Only in 1870, at the expense of the elder Joseph Zhivago (brother of S.A. Zhivago), the temple was plastered and painted, the domes were gilded.
1910 - the 50th anniversary of the temple was solemnly celebrated.
1920 - an agreement was concluded between the parish and the Moscow Council of Workers and Red Army Men on the transfer of “liturgical buildings” for indefinite and free use.
1924 - By resolution of the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet, the agreement with the community was terminated.
The temple was transferred to the State Historical Archive of the Moscow Region. In Soviet times, the heads of the temple and bell tower, the sculptural decoration of the temple, decor, not to mention the interior decoration and church property were lost. The side-chapel St. Nicholas Church was dismantled during the construction of the House of Composers.
1979 - a long-distance telephone center was opened in the church.
1992 - Decree of the Moscow Government on the return of the church to the Russian Orthodox Church.
1996 - The basement was given to the community for use. At the same time, on the Resurrection of Fomino, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the returned church. In memory of the lost side church, the throne is dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
1998 - the upper church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was returned.
1999 - on the Feast of the Giving of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the throne was consecrated in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Review of free feeding in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Located at Moscow Gazetny Lane, building 15. I personally attended this feeding and I will say this: terrible nonsense. Pigs in villages are fed better. In January 2013, I personally visited this feeding area. A group of 15 of us were taken to the basement. There are no tables, no chairs either. Everyone was seated on benches. Then some old schizophrenic women brought porridge and tea. Pieces of black bread were distributed. Everything is of very poor quality. It's impossible to eat. And in the photo of those advertising...
This is a very old Orthodox church located in the center of the capital. The original architecture is striking in its beauty, although it may seem drab to some. Of course, there are no bright colors in it, but the style itself is interesting.
This Moscow church seemed lost among the huge buildings that surrounded it on all sides. Neat domes and white walls look noble. There is also an atmosphere of calm and tranquility inside.
Just a fabulous place, at the same time small in size, but fabulously beautiful. In this temple you can listen to the church choir, whose performance simply touches the soul, light candles, pray, and simply touch and visit the place where the great people of our country once prayed.
I am always attracted to ancient churches, because even if you think like this, great people prayed here, they walked on these floors, touched these icons, and now you are standing here, an ordinary person, who has not yet done anything like that for the world. It’s very beautiful there, although the church is small, it’s somehow warm, cozy, there are a lot of icons and a very beautiful iconostasis.
There is a pleasant atmosphere here, not about many places in Moscow, I could say this, and certainly not about many churches, but here, despite the noisy center, thanks to the nice surroundings or perhaps a good priest, it’s really good
| 2012-09-17 |
Very bright, soulful. It’s always nice when you come to church and see the parishioners singing along with the choir. And there are no glamorous girls or personalities who came to atone for sins “for show.” In general, of course, everyone chooses the temple in which they feel comfortable and really feel closer to God.
Working hours
The temple is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, on days of worship - from 8:30.
Driving directions
Okhotny Ryad metro station.
Divine services
Services are held on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On ordinary days, Matins and Liturgy are at 8:30. On Sundays and holidays, liturgy at 9:00, the day before all-night vigil at 18:00.
Thrones
1. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
2. St. Sergius of Radonezh;
3. Beheading of John the Baptist;
4. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Patronal holidays
August 28 – Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (main altar);
July 18, October 8 – the day of remembrance of St. Sergius of Radonezh;
September 11 is the day of remembrance of the Beheading of John the Baptist;
May 22, December 19 – days of memory of St. Nicholas, World of Lycian Wonderworker.
Story
Many Moscow churches that survived during Soviet times have now been returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and in the period 1991-1992. most of them were filled with believers. Regular services have resumed. One of these churches is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Uspensky Vrazhek.
Uspensky Vrazhek is an ancient Moscow tract between Tverskaya and Nikitskaya streets, mentioned in chronicles from the 16th century. Here were the courtyards of the ambassadors - the Lithuanian courtyard and the “court of the Tsar's ambassadors”, i.e. Roman Empire. The courtyard of Aleviz the New, a famous architect, is also mentioned here.
1601 - the first written mention of the temple.
1629 - the wooden Church of the Assumption burned down in a big fire.
1634 - rebuilt.
1647 - the first stone church was built at the expense of G.I. Gorikhvostov
1707 - wooden chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the churchyard.
The history of the temple is closely connected with the owners of the neighboring estate, the Yankovs, who took care of the welfare of the church.
1735 - D.I. Yankov added the side church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to the building of the Church of the Assumption itself. The temple became the tomb of the Yankovs.
1781 - St. Nicholas side church was rebuilt due to its dilapidation.
1812 - the church burned down.
The Assumption Church was a summer church; in winter they served in the warm chapel church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In the mid-50s, the Moscow merchant S. A. Zhivago, who had previously bought the Yankov estate for himself, was elected head of the temple. Commissioned by Zhivago, academician of architecture A.S. Nikitin drew up a design for a vast three-altar church with a bell tower adjacent to the St. Nicholas Church.
1860 - construction of the current church building was completed. The new church has three altars: the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Beheading of John the Baptist and Sergius of Radonezh - the heavenly patron of the temple builder.
Finishing work continued until the 1890s. Only in 1870, at the expense of the elder Joseph Zhivago (brother of S.A. Zhivago), the temple was plastered and painted, the domes were gilded.
1910 - the 50th anniversary of the temple was solemnly celebrated.
1920 - an agreement was concluded between the parish and the Moscow Council of Workers and Red Army Men on the transfer of “religious buildings” for indefinite and free use.
1924 - by resolution of the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet, the agreement with the community was terminated. The temple was transferred to the State Historical Archive of Moscow. areas. In Soviet times, the heads of the temple and bell tower, the sculptural decoration of the temple, decor, not to mention the interior decoration and church property were lost. The side-chapel St. Nicholas Church was dismantled during the construction of the House of Composers.
1979 - a long-distance telephone center was opened in the church.
1992 - Moscow Government decree on the return of the church to the Russian Orthodox Church.
1996 - the basement was given to the community for use. At the same time, on the Resurrection of Fomino, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the returned church.
In memory of the lost side church, the throne is dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
1998 - the upper church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was returned.
1999 - on the Feast of the Giving of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the throne was consecrated in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Shrines
Icon of the Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth with particles of the relics of St. mcc. Elizabeth and nun Varvara
