Elokhovo Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Epiphany Cathedral at Yelokhovo, Moscow
, is the vicar
ial church of the Moscow Patriarchs. The surviving building was designed and built by Yevgraph Tyurin
in 1837–1845.
The original church in the village of Yelokhovo near Moscow was built in 1722-31 for Tsarevna Praskovia Ivanovna. It was there that Alexander Pushkin was baptised in 1799. In 1790 a refectory with a four-tier belfry was built
The present structure was erected in 1837-1845 to a Neoclassical
design by Yevgraph Tyurin
. The architecture is typical for the late Empire style, with some elements of European eclectics. The riotous opulence of the interior decoration is due to a restoration undertaken in 1912.
Upon closing the Kremlin Cathedrals
(1918), the destruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (1931) and the Dorogomilovo Cathedral (1938), the chair of Russian Orthodox Church
was moved to Yelokhovo, the largest open church in Moscow. The enthronements of Patriarchs Sergius I (1943), Alexius I (1945), Pimen
(1970), and Alexius II
(1990) took place there.
The church has been well-maintained, even in the Soviet era, and is known to have a 1970 air conditioning system using deep subterranean water from a 250 meter deep artesian aquifer
.
The Christmas
and Easter
night services, which featured President Boris Yeltsin
and Patriarch Alexy II, were aired on national television until the consecration of the rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2000.
The main altar is devoted to Holy Epiphany, the Baptism of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The cathedral has two side-chapels: the left one of St. Nicolas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Miracle Worker, and the right one of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin.
Patronal feasts are celebrated respectively on January 6/19 and May 9/12, March 25/April 7.
Most venerated shrines of the cathedral are the relics of St. Aleksiy of Moscow
, the great intercessor for the Russian land (fast days, February 12/25 and May 20/ June 2, October 5/18) ; the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
(fast days, July 8/21 and October 22/November 4).
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, is the vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
ial church of the Moscow Patriarchs. The surviving building was designed and built by Yevgraph Tyurin
Yevgraph Tyurin
Yefgraph Dmitrievich Tyurin was a Russian architect and art collector, famous as the builder of Elokhovo Cathedral in Moscow, the main cathedral of Russian Orthodox Church in 1945–2000, and Moscow State University expansion in 1830. Tyurin’s life and work, especially in his later years, was poorly...
in 1837–1845.
The original church in the village of Yelokhovo near Moscow was built in 1722-31 for Tsarevna Praskovia Ivanovna. It was there that Alexander Pushkin was baptised in 1799. In 1790 a refectory with a four-tier belfry was built
The present structure was erected in 1837-1845 to a Neoclassical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
design by Yevgraph Tyurin
Yevgraph Tyurin
Yefgraph Dmitrievich Tyurin was a Russian architect and art collector, famous as the builder of Elokhovo Cathedral in Moscow, the main cathedral of Russian Orthodox Church in 1945–2000, and Moscow State University expansion in 1830. Tyurin’s life and work, especially in his later years, was poorly...
. The architecture is typical for the late Empire style, with some elements of European eclectics. The riotous opulence of the interior decoration is due to a restoration undertaken in 1912.
Upon closing the Kremlin Cathedrals
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
(1918), the destruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (1931) and the Dorogomilovo Cathedral (1938), the chair of Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
was moved to Yelokhovo, the largest open church in Moscow. The enthronements of Patriarchs Sergius I (1943), Alexius I (1945), Pimen
Patriarch Pimen I
Patriarch Pimen , was the 14th Patriarch of Moscow and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church from 1971 to 1990. He was born in the town of Bogorodsk near Moscow....
(1970), and Alexius II
Patriarch Alexius II
Patriarch Alexy II was the 15th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church....
(1990) took place there.
The church has been well-maintained, even in the Soviet era, and is known to have a 1970 air conditioning system using deep subterranean water from a 250 meter deep artesian aquifer
Artesian aquifer
An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. This causes the water level in a well to rise to a point where hydrostatic equilibrium has been reached. This type of well is called an artesian well...
.
The Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
night services, which featured President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
and Patriarch Alexy II, were aired on national television until the consecration of the rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2000.
The main altar is devoted to Holy Epiphany, the Baptism of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The cathedral has two side-chapels: the left one of St. Nicolas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Miracle Worker, and the right one of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin.
Patronal feasts are celebrated respectively on January 6/19 and May 9/12, March 25/April 7.
Most venerated shrines of the cathedral are the relics of St. Aleksiy of Moscow
Alexius, Metropolitan of Moscow
Saint Alexius was Metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia , and presided over the Moscow government during Dmitrii Donskoi's minority....
, the great intercessor for the Russian land (fast days, February 12/25 and May 20/ June 2, October 5/18) ; the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
Our Lady of Kazan
Our Lady of Kazan, also called Theotokos of Kazan , was a holy icon of the highest stature within the Russian Orthodox Church, representing the Virgin Mary as the protector and patroness of the city of Kazan. Copies of the image are also venerated in the Catholic Church...
(fast days, July 8/21 and October 22/November 4).
Burials
- May 1944 - Patriarch Sergius I of MoscowPatriarch Sergius I of MoscowPatriarch Sergius I , – May 15, 1944) was the 12th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, from September 8, 1943 until his death. He was also the de facto head of the Russian Orthodox Church as Patriarchal locum tenens in 1925-1943.-Early life:...
; the granite tomb is by Alexey ShchusevAlexey ShchusevAlexey Viktorovich Shchusev ), 1873, Chişinău—24 May 1949, Moscow) was an acclaimed Russian and Soviet architect whose works may be regarded as a bridge connecting Revivalist architecture of Imperial Russia with Stalin's Empire Style.... - 9 December 2008 - Patriarch Alexy II of Russia.
External links
- An amateur site devoted to the cathedral
- Map and photographs: www.pravoslavie.ru
- Epiphany Cathedrals in Moscow www.pravoslavie.ru