Church of the Assumption of Our Lady (Voronezh)
The Dormition Church ( Russian Успенская семинарская церковь ) is a Russian Orthodox church in Voronezh , Russia . It was built from 1847 to 1848 and is now located on the banks of the Voronezh reservoir.
history
The construction of a new church in a suburb of Voronezh was decided by the residents in the 1840s. The new church building should be financed by donations. Construction work began in 1848 after the necessary money for the new building had been collected. Also two chapels consecrated to the Apostle John and Saint Sergius of Radonezh . A cemetery was later laid out on the 34 hectare site . In 1851 the construction of houses around the church began.
Repairs to the church were carried out in 1873 through donations of 1,600 rubles . The parish financed itself mainly through donations from its members. In 1884 a window was broken open and some silver objects were stolen.
In March 1898 the construction of a new parish school began, which was inaugurated on September 6, 1899. In 1902 repairs began again on the building. During the work, another attempt was made to steal items from the church.
In 1930 attempts were made to close the church, like many other churches in the Soviet Union. In the summer of 1937 the Interior Ministry of the USSR tried to destroy the church. But this attempt failed. In 1939 the church was finally closed.
Efforts to reopen the church began in 1987. Voronezh citizens collected 2,500 signatures. To get permission to reopen, citizens had to travel to Moscow several times . The project was also supported by the Bishop of Voronezh. In July 1989 the church was finally reopened and handed over to the diocese in August . The first service was celebrated on September 26th of the same year . The restoration work was finished in 1994.
On November 16, 1998, the Patriarch of Moscow, Alexius II , visited the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary .
architecture
The church combines the predominant Russian cathedral model - a basic cubic shape with a central dome and four smaller accompanying towers. The five blue domes are decorated with gold stars and each bear a gold Russian cross . At the far end of the nave there is an apse .
Web links
- Information and pictures of the church on sobory.ru (Russian)
Coordinates: 51 ° 38 ′ 47.3 " N , 39 ° 14 ′ 13.7" E