The Church of the Transfiguration on Sands is an Orthodox church that belongs to the Central Deanery of the Moscow City Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. The temple is located in Spasopeskovsky Lane, building 4.
| Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord on the Sands | |
| A country | Russia |
| City | Moscow |
| Year of foundation | 1711 |
| Website | https://spas-na-peskah.prihod.ru |
| Abbot | Archpriest Alexander Turikov |
The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Peski on Arbat was founded by archers who settled here during the reign of Emperor Mikhail Fedorovich. The archers settled into regiments, their settlements stretched in a ring along the fortifications of the earthen city.
Church of the Savior on the Sands is a beautiful work of Moscow architecture
Church of the Transfiguration on Sands in Moscow.
Photo: photopodium.com Since childhood, this place has been familiar to every Muscovite from Polenov’s painting “Moscow Courtyard”. At the beginning of the 17th century, the area was called Sands because of the sandy soil. In the center of Streletskaya Sloboda there was the area of the official hut, where the control and equipment of the entire regiment was located.
Behind the hut there was a guardhouse and a church with a cemetery, which was built in 1639. The name of the settlement and the name of the location of the temple were determined by the name of the head of the Streletsky order, that is, the entire regiment.
On Peski, the archers built a five-domed pillarless temple with three apses and a large refectory, as well as a bell tower and a facade with a chapel in honor of St. Nicholas.
Church architecture
The church is located at the main entrance to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. The austere facade of the building is decorated with elements of the Byzantine style, crosses, and small frescoes. In plan, the temple, located on the second floor of the hospital building, is a one-nave basilica. In order to comply with engineering standards during construction, due to the specifics of the soil, it was necessary to deviate from Orthodox canons and reorient the altar to the southeast.
A small belfry is attached to the entrance from the outside, reminiscent of examples of ancient Russian architecture in Pskov. In the summer of 1887, two bells were raised here. Until the 1917 revolution, a dome was installed on top of the bell tower. And the entire building is crowned with a small dome with an eight-pointed cross.
On the ground floor of the building there were hospital wards, and the priest's apartment was attached to the altar wall of the temple, in the form of a one-story ledge with a balcony.
The time of construction of the stone Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is unknown
The time of construction of the stone Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is unknown. In 1723, during the compilation of the census of Moscow churches, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord was listed as having been built “from ancient times,” that is, a very long time ago.
According to supposed data, this happened at the end of the 17th century, when the regiment was commanded by Grigory Ivanovich.
Painting by artist Polenov “Moscow courtyard”. Here you can see the Church of the Savior on the Sands. Photo: sochinyshka.ru
After the abolition of the Streltsy army, the suburban way of life also began to become a thing of the past. New owners began to appear at the Streltsy households - officers and merchants. Thanks to them, the Church of the Transfiguration was restored after the fire.
The parishioners built a new chapel in the refectory in the name of the Archangel Michael, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day.
Pilgrim[edit]
Schedule of services:
Divine services are held on Sundays and holidays, on the Twelfth and Great Holidays.
On days of celebration in honor of revered icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary and significant saints, once a week on weekdays.
Akathists are read in honor of revered icons of the Most Holy Theotokos and significant saints on the evening before the holiday.
Liturgy on holidays and Sun at 9-00, on weekdays at 8-00 All-night vigil at 17-00 in winter / 18-00 in summer.
Confession takes place after the All-Night Vigil and before the Liturgy at 8:30.
Memorial service, prayer service on Sat 10.00
Schedule of services for the month
The fire of 1812 became a tragic stage in the history of Moscow churches.
The fire in Moscow in 1812 did not escape the Church of the Transfiguration on Sands. The roof was burned, the thrones of the temple were desecrated and broken. Church utensils were lost.
The Church of the Transfiguration on Peski was damaged during the attack of Napoleon's troops in 1812. Photo: temples.ru
After the residents returned to the deserted capital after the fire, many temples were assigned to others that were better preserved at that time. The same thing happened with the Church of the Transfiguration on Sands. The temple was assigned to the neighboring church in honor of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity on Arbat.
Gradually, people began to return to the place where only recently there had been ashes. In 1814 the temple was restored. The merchant Grigory Evdokimov and other parishioners of the temple petitioned Archbishop Augustine to return independence to the Church of the Transfiguration.
Current state[edit]
Description[edit]
The iconostasis
of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior belongs to the tented churches, built of limestone, has a height of about 40 m. The cross-shaped base of the church bears an octagonal figure, completed by a smooth tent. The transition points from the base to the octagon and from the octagon to the tent are decorated with tiers of kokoshniks. The cross pillar is decorated with 12 domes. On the sides of the pillar there are two identical chapels in the Pskov style, covered with a system of stepped zakomars. From the north, west and south, the temple is surrounded by a covered gallery, built in the first third of the 19th century.
In 1830, a bell tower in pseudo-Gothic style was added to the church. In the late 1990s, a chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov was erected nearby, and in the summer of 1999, a second chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with a wooden sculpture of the saint (like St. Nicholas of Zaraisky, he holds a sword and a church in his hands, in this case the Ostrov Transfiguration).
Activities of the parish[edit]
Sunday school[edit]
The church has a Sunday group for adults. Everyone is welcome.
Classes take place in the parable house. While drinking tea there is a conversation with the priest.
Classes on Sundays
after the Liturgy:
- 12-00. Holy Bible. Teacher Priest Ilia Piesis.
- 13-00. Choral church singing. Classes are taught by nuns of the Stavropegial St. John the Baptist Convent.
Saturday classes
- Liturgical Charter. 13-00. Hierodeacon Kronid Malenkov.
- Church reading 14-00. Hierodeacon Kronid Malenkov.
Museum[edit]
On the patronal holiday of August 19, 2021, a local history museum was opened in our church, dedicated to the history of the construction and restoration of the temple, the rich history of the royal village of Ostrov. To the clergy of our temple, as well as to the residents of the village of Ostrov. Historical materials and archaeological rarities are presented here: Maps, coins, jewelry, tin soldiers, ancient books, photographs, ancient temple utensils and much more... We invite you to visit our temple and plunge into the ancient and rich history of our temple and the village of Ostrov. The exhibition will be expanded over time.
From 1815 to 1817 the thrones of the temple on Arbat were illuminated
From 1815 to 1817, the thrones of the temple were illuminated. All parish yards were finally rebuilt after the fire, and the number of people living in this area began to reach 430 people.
Subsequent ruins and revivals of the parish and the church took place under the rector, Father Vasily. He served here since 1805.
1815 — 1817
during this period all the altars of the temple were consecrated
In 1836, the again destroyed temple could no longer find funds for further repairs.
In 1849, under Abbot Fyodor, a stone fence was erected, and a front gate was built opposite the main entrance. Gradually the temple was repaired.
From 1815 to 1817, the thrones of the Church of the Savior on the Sands were illuminated. Photo: pastvu.com
At the beginning of the 1890s, the artist Varlamov finally painted the temple, and the famous icon painter Dikarev updated the temple images. Also at this time the walls were painted and oven heating was installed.
All work was carried out with donations from parishioners. These funds were used to renovate the main chapel and build a two-story stone building in which a church library was established.
After the October Revolution, a new era began for the temple on the Sands
After the October Revolution, a new era began for the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord on the Sands. Father Sergius became deputy chairman of the council of united parishes of Moscow and the province.
Father Sergius Uspensky is the last rector of the Church of the Transfiguration. Photo: ic.pics.livejournal.com
In 1919, after the Bolsheviks opened the holy relics and mocked them, a statement was drawn up on behalf of the parishioners of the temple about insulting the religious feelings of the Russian people.
That same year, Father Sergius was arrested and accused of organizing active resistance to the new government. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but was later given amnesty.
After the arrest of Father Sergius, Father Vladimir Bogdanov served in the church.
He was also arrested and exiled to the Zyryan region. Soon the famous preacher Father Sergius Shchukin became the rector - he was a close friend of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.
Moscow parishioners fell in love with Father Sergius. In 1935 he died. Within 3 days, the whole of Moscow came to say goodbye to him.
In 1921, St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, performed divine services in the church.
1921
this year the service in the temple was performed by Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Tikhon
Soon Father Sergei Uspensky, the nephew of the mitered archpriest, was transferred to the church, and he became the last rector of the temple.
Content
- 1 In Russia 1.1 Altai Territory
- 1.2 Arkhangelsk region
- 1.3 Belgorod region
- 1.4 Bryansk region
- 1.5 Buryatia
- 1.6 Vladimir region
- 1.7 Volgograd region
- 1.8 Vologda region
- 1.9 Voronezh region
- 1.10 Ivanovo region
- 1.11 Kaluga region
- 1.12 Karelia
- 1.13 Kemerovo region
- 1.14 Kostroma region
- 1.15 Krasnodar region
- 1.16 Crimea
- 1.17 Kurgan region
- 1.18 In the Leningrad region
- 1.19 Lipetsk region
- 1.20 Mari El
- 1.21 Moscow
- 1.22 Moscow region
- 1.23 Nizhny Novgorod region
- 1.24 Novgorod region
- 1.25 Novosibirsk region
- 1.26 Oryol region
- 1.27 Perm region
- 1.28 Samara region
- 1.29 St. Petersburg
- 1.30 Sverdlovsk region
- 1.31 Smolensk region
- 1.32 Tambov region
- 1.33 Tatarstan
- 1.34 Tver region
- 1.35 Tula region
- 1.36 Udmurtia
- 1.37 Khabarovsk Territory
- 1.38 Chelyabinsk region
- 1.39 Chuvashia
- 1.40 Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
- 1.41 Yaroslavl region
- 1.42 In the monasteries of Russia
- 2.1 Belarus
In 1933, the Church of the Transfiguration on Sands was closed
In 1933, the Church of the Transfiguration on Peski was closed, and the rector was arrested. He was then released, but after a short stay at large, he was sentenced to death. Soon, together with other prisoners, he accepted the crown of martyrdom.
Archpriest Sergius Uspensky was glorified among the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia. This decision was made by the Council of Bishops.
Interior decoration of the Church of the Transfiguration on Sands. Photo: sobory.ru
In the 1930s, other churches that were located on the Arbat were also destroyed. The Church of the Transfiguration survived, and for several decades it housed various Soviet organizations. Soon it was declared an architectural monument.
In the 1960s, an architectural restoration of the temple took place, during which the appearance was restored. But inside the building there was nothing to remind us that this was the House of God.
In 1991, the Moscow government decided to transfer the temple to the Patriarchate
Since 1956, a branch of the Soyuzmultfilm studio has been located in the temple building. The altar was turned into a carpentry workshop.
In 1991, the Moscow government decided to transfer the temple to the Patriarchate. Alexander Turikov was appointed rector of the temple.
The chapel in the name of St. Nicholas was cleared for worship.
In 1995, the temple was completely rid of tenants. When everything was dismantled, the original structure of the church was revealed to the eyes of believers.
The new restoration began with strengthening the foundations and walls. All repair and restoration work took place thanks to donations.
After restoration, the Tretyakov Gallery donated 100 icons to the temple
After restoration, the Tretyakov Gallery donated 100 icons to the temple. The rector of the temple, Archpriest Alexander Surikov, wanted the interior decoration of the temple to correspond to his style of construction - the end of the 17th century.
The carved iconostasis, floor coverings, wall paintings - all this was combined into a single ensemble.
The temple on Arbat at present. Photo: supersnimki.ru
Icon painters worked for almost 10 years to recreate the painting. By 2004, on the feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the painting of the temple was finally completed.
On April 30, 2005, on the eve of Holy Easter, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II arrived here. After inspecting the temple, he noted the good work of the rector and his flock.
In 2006, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II led the rite of the great consecration of the temple, and also performed the divine liturgy. His Holiness the Patriarch presented certificates to the participants in the revival of the temple.
Fresco paintings
A year after the consecration, in 1199 , the walls of the temple were completely painted with frescoes.
Fresco paintings of the Savior on Nereditsa occupied the entire surface of the walls, from the floor to the top of the vaults and dome. It was a fresco cycle that was holistic in its composition. The picturesque ensemble was carefully thought out to the smallest detail and executed with high professionalism.
Modern reconstruction of the frescoes of the Savior on Nereditsa, western wall. (Photo from the site novgorodmuseum.ru)
The temple was painted by a group of painters, and, with all the diversity of individual painting styles, the fresco ensemble had artistic unity and vivid originality, which indicates that all the masters belonged to the local Novgorod culture.
The frescoes were executed in a broad, sweeping manner, and the figurative structure is distinguished by an almost epic scale and vitality. The figures look strong, alive, and the faces are characterized by openness and spontaneity - these are traits that were probably characteristic of the Novgorodians themselves. The masters tried to embody in the Nereditsky frescoes their idea of the Kingdom of Heaven, where deep sincere feelings prevail, conveyed here straightforwardly and extremely expressively, where pure and bright colors dominate.
The painting was intended to capture the memory of the deceased princes and the feeling of deep faith in the general future resurrection and eternal life. This feeling illuminates the faces of both saints and ordinary people on the frescoes. This faith brought comfort to the prince and his wife grieving for their sons.
Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich offers the temple to Christ (ktitor's fresco). Copy of L. A. Durnovo. 1930
In the niche of the southwestern corner of the temple, a ktitor is depicted, that is, the customer of the construction, Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich, presenting the completed temple to Christ seated on the throne. On the prince's face there is sadness, humility and hope. The inscription on the fresco is the prince’s request for the gift of eternal life forever and ever.
The Ktitor fresco differs in technical and artistic techniques from the rest of the temple painting and was probably executed later; perhaps it appeared even after the death of the prince, and was made in honor of the founder of this temple.
Written sources do not inform about the creators of the Nereditsa painting. A fairly large team of painters took part in the work, which indicates the urgency of the order. There is only an assumption about who could paint the temple.
It is possible that Olisey Grechin Petrovich, an icon painter, Novgorod church and political figure, painted the temple and led the artel. It is known from the chronicle that in 1196 the gate church of the Deposition of the Robe and Belt of the Virgin Mary in the Kremlin was painted with frescoes, and the author of the painting is called Grechin Petrovich.
Based on chronicles and other documents, one can make some assumptions about the relatives, main occupations and fate of Olisey Petrovich. Grechin is a nickname, and most likely he was a Novgorodian by birth and knew Greek. This man had a busy life: he combined the priesthood with membership in the local court and classes in icon painting; was repeatedly one of the candidates in archbishop elections; in 1226 he was elected abbot of the Yuriev Monastery and Novgorod archimandrite. Died 15 March 1230
During archaeological excavations, the estate and workshop of a 12th century Novgorod artist were discovered. In the birch bark letters found there from the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the name of Olisey Grechin, who belonged to the high ranks of the clergy and was an icon painter, repeatedly appears.
The iconography of the Savior on Nereditsa, as some researchers suggest, contains evidence of the involvement of Olisey Grechin in the paintings of the temple.
The frescoes became widely known in the mid-19th century.
In 1862 , artist Nikolai Martynov made watercolor copies of the frescoes. This was an unusual enterprise for those times - copying ancient frescoes - and it played a huge role in the fate of the Savior on Nereditsa.
Painting of the altar apse. Pre-war photography
Watercolor copies of Nereditsky frescoes made by Martynov were shown in 1867 at the World Exhibition in Paris, where they received a diploma and a bronze medal.
Visitors to the exhibition were delighted by the power of faith and the spontaneity of its expression, contained in Neredit’s images and conveyed in simple but unusually convincing language.
All this aroused interest in an in-depth study of the fresco paintings of Spas-Nereditsa and saved them from renovation and painting over, a fate that befell many ancient Russian murals in the second half of the 19th century.
The frescoes were of high quality and well preserved. Only in some places there were minor losses. The frescoes were never recorded and were only slightly restored in the 18th century.
Exceptional artistic merit, unusual, in many ways unique iconography and excellent preservation made the Nereditsky fresco paintings the most valuable monument of Novgorod monumental painting of the 12th century and Ancient Rus'.
The ancient graffiti on the walls was also of historical value.
Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill visited the Church of the Savior on the Sands
In 2012, another significant event occurred. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' came to the Divine Liturgy.
The Church of the Transfiguration on the Sands, having survived its fires and wars, devastation and desecration, has now regained its original purpose, becoming a house of prayer for many people.
In 2012, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' came to the Divine Liturgy. Photo: p2.patriarchia.ru
On the territory of the temple there are such shrines as the revered image of the Mother of God of Unexpected Joy and Sign. Icons of the Transfiguration of the Lord, St. Nicholas in the Life and many others.
