Peter and Paul Cathedral in Simferopol: photos, how to get there, description

The Peter and Paul Cathedral in Simferopol - one of the oldest Orthodox churches in the capital of Crimea - is well known to many both on the peninsula and far beyond its borders. It is relatively small, especially for a cathedral parish, but it is quite beautiful and fits harmoniously into the surrounding landscape, literally attracting admiring glances. Although it can hardly be called a symbol of the city, its most striking attraction, rarely does a tourist pass by without visiting this beautiful building.

  • Where is the temple located in Crimea?
  • History: prerequisites for construction
  • The further fate of the Peter and Paul Church
  • What is interesting about the Cathedral of Peter and Paul?
  • How to get to the cathedral?

Peter and Paul Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Simferopol is the most valuable heritage of the peninsula, dating back to the end of the 17th century, when the reign was in the hands of Catherine the Great.

During its existence, it was built three times: either the clock left its mark, or the authorities began to destroy everything connected with religion. But with the help of caring residents who really need the Abode of the Heavenly Father, the building has been preserved to this day. This gives you a chance to come here and feel all the greatness that comes from this modest building.

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Revival of a church building

Residents of Simferopol decided to give new life to the Peter and Paul Cathedral in 1866. For this purpose, they created a special construction committee, the project of the new building was carried out by the architect K. Lazarev, who arrived from St. Petersburg. For the revival, it was necessary to collect the required amount of money, most of which was contributed by parishioners, the rest by the Holy Synod. Rich merchants involved in the church affairs of the city also took part in fundraising.

  • In the summer of 1866, the wooden building was dismantled and the first stone was laid. Parishioners took an active part in this pious act, professional engineers supervised the construction work, and prominent craftsmen were responsible for the installation of the iconostasis.
  • The construction of the cathedral frame was completed two months later, but finishing continued for four years. The new temple had a different shape - cruciform, extended from the west to the east.
  • The church gained significant space due to the larger number of windows placed in the dome drum. Inside, the room benefited from the inimitable iconostasis, made in the Byzantine style.
  • The finishing work was completed at the end of the summer of 1870, and the temple opened its gates to the Orthodox parishioners of Simferopol. There was a special guardianship under the church, as well as male and female schools.
  • At the end of the 19th century, the Peter and Paul Church was surrounded by an openwork metal fence, and strong trees and graceful shrubs were planted inside the courtyard. In front of the building there was a small space paved with stone. Over time, low houses began to appear nearby.

What is important to know about the Orthodox faith:

  • About the Ten Commandments
  • Fasting in Orthodoxy
  • About Orthodox symbols

On a note! In 2008, the discovery and transfer of the remains of St. Gury took place in the Peter and Paul Church in Simferopol. Soon celebrations took place and the date of the saint’s memory was set - March 17. After the Divine Liturgy, a prayer service was served before the remains of Guria, and the parishioners began to venerate this relic. The relics were transferred to the A. Nevsky Cathedral after it was restored.

Holy relics of St. Gury in the Peter and Paul Cathedral

You can view the book in PDF format here

Status:Cathedral (since 2003)
Shrines and relics:Relics of Saint Gury (Karpov)
Address:Simferopol, st. Oktyabrskaya, 16
Telephone:+380-652-297971
Abbot:Archpriest Alexander Yakushechkin

The Peter and Paul Cathedral was built at the beginning of the 19th century at the request and at the expense of the residents of Simferopol.
The Orthodox population of the growing city was in dire need of a spacious church: the first Orthodox church in the city, the small Church of Constantine and Helena, could no longer accommodate all the parishioners. The first wooden building of the Peter and Paul Church was consecrated in November 1806. After more than 20 years, the building became noticeably dilapidated, the church was closed, and the bells, church utensils, and sacristy were transferred to the newly built Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. In the 1860s, Simferopol residents began the revival of the Peter and Paul Church. And in August 1870, on the site of a dismantled old wooden church, a spacious, light-filled stone cathedral in the form of a cross, stretched from west to east, with 12 windows arranged in a drum, was consecrated, built according to the design of St. Petersburg architect K. Lazarev. Two years earlier, in 1868, a parish guardianship and two schools were opened at the church - men's and women's. It should be noted that the Peter and Paul Cathedral in all its grandeur and beauty, which we see today, after its restoration, was built under the Ruling Bishop of the Taurida Diocese, Archbishop Guria (Karpov), now glorified as a saint. Saint Gury, who ruled the Tauride See from 1867 to 1882, repeatedly performed divine services in this cathedral.

In 1937, the Peter and Paul Cathedral was closed and destroyed, and a warehouse was built in it.

Restoration of the temple began in the 1980s. Today it has two chapels: in honor of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt and the holy Venerable Seraphim of Sarov.

Since 2003, the Peter and Paul Cathedral has been given cathedral status.

In 2004, a miracle happened here - on the glass behind which stood the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, his miraculous face appeared. The icon is displayed for the veneration of believers.

On August 23, 2008, in the Peter and Paul Cathedral of Simferopol, celebrations took place on the occasion of the canonization of Archbishop of Tauride Gury (Karpov). The solemn canonization of Archbishop Guria was led by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir.

The celebrations opened on August 22 with an all-night vigil in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, where a large number of believers gathered and in the middle of the temple a shrine decorated with fresh flowers was installed containing the relics of the glorified Saint.

On August 23, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the cathedral, co-served by Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea, Metropolitan Irenaeus of Dnepropetrovsk and Pavlograd, Archbishops Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav, Sofroniy of Cherkassy and Kaniv, E of Krivoy Rog and Nikopol Frem, Kherson and Tauride John, Vyshgorodsky Pavel, Konotopsky and Glukhovsky Luke, bishops of Khotyn Meletius, Novokakhovsky and Berislavsky Joasaph, Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Alexander.

After the small entrance, His Beatitude served the last short funeral litany before the relics of the glorified ascetic of piety. Then, from the church pulpit, Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea and Archbishop Ephraim of Krivoy Rog and Nikopol read out the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the canonization of Archbishop Gury (Karpov) as a locally revered saint with the establishment of a day of remembrance on March 17 (30 in the new style) and the life of the newly glorified saint. The choir sang the troparion to St. Gurias for the first time. The clergy carried an iconographic image of the saint from the altar to the center of the cathedral. The bishops and everyone in the cathedral church sang glorification to Saint Gury and thereby glorified him among the saints.

The Primate of the UOC, and then the bishops and clergy who served him, venerated the holy relics and the icon of the saint.

After the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, a prayer service with an akathist was served for the first time at the shrine with holy relics and the icon for the newly glorified Saint Gury. The worship of believers began with the holy relics and the icon of another saint of God, who shone on the blessed land of Orthodox Taurida.

Currently, the holy relics of St. Gury reside in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. And when in the Crimean capital, with the help of God, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which was blown up in 1930, in which the episcopal see of Archbishop of Tauride Gury (Karpov) was located, is recreated, his holy relics will be transferred to this revived cathedral church.

Practical information

Address: Simferopol, st. Proletarskaya, 5. Website.

You can get there by bus or trolleybus going to the Lenin Square stop.

Services are held from Monday to Saturday at 7:30 and 16:00. On Sunday - at 6:30, 9:00 and 16:00.

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Other attractions nearby

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Simferopol and surroundings‏‎

  • Where to stay:
    the gateway to Crimea and the capital of the peninsula, Simferopol is an ideal accommodation option for those who do not crave sea entertainment, but are ready to devote their leisure time to getting to know a huge number of historical attractions. If you want to be closer to the sea, you can pay attention to Yalta, Sudak or Gurzuf. In the end, the Olympic beauty of Sochi, located across the bridge, awaits its guests.
  • What to see:
    in Simferopol, the first thing you should do is go to the historical center to see the cathedral, mosque and kenassa, mansions of the 18th-19th centuries and long-lived trees: 750-year-old oak, plane trees and chestnut. A little further to the outskirts there are ancient noble estates, Paleolithic monuments and ancient settlements. Well, after getting out of the city, it’s worth going to Lake Mars and the Jur-Jur waterfalls, see the cave city of Bakla and go down to the Marble and Emine-Bair-Khosar caves.
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An excerpt characterizing the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Simferopol)

“I must die before you.” Know that my notes are here, to be handed over to the Emperor after my death. Now here is a pawn ticket and a letter: this is a prize for the one who writes the history of Suvorov’s wars. Send to the academy. Here are my remarks, after me read for yourself, you will find benefit. Andrei did not tell his father that he would probably live for a long time. He understood that there was no need to say this. “I will do everything, father,” he said. - Well, now goodbye! “He let his son kiss his hand and hugged him. “Remember one thing, Prince Andrei: if they kill you, it will hurt my old man...” He suddenly fell silent and suddenly continued in a loud voice: “and if I find out that you did not behave like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will be ... ashamed!” – he squealed. “You don’t have to tell me this, father,” the son said, smiling. The old man fell silent. “I also wanted to ask you,” continued Prince Andrey, “if they kill me and if I have a son, do not let him go from you, as I told you yesterday, so that he can grow up with you... please.” - Shouldn’t I give it to my wife? - said the old man and laughed. They stood silently opposite each other. The old man's quick eyes were directly fixed on his son's eyes. Something trembled in the lower part of the old prince’s face. - Goodbye... go! - he suddenly said. - Go! - he shouted in an angry and loud voice, opening the office door. - What is it, what? - asked the princess and princess, seeing Prince Andrei and for a moment the figure of an old man in a white robe, without a wig and wearing old man’s glasses, leaning out for a moment, shouting in an angry voice. Prince Andrei sighed and did not answer. “Well,” he said, turning to his wife. And this “well” sounded like a cold mockery, as if he was saying: “Now do your tricks.” – Andre, deja! [Andrey, already!] - said the little princess, turning pale and looking at her husband with fear. He hugged her. She screamed and fell unconscious on his shoulder. He carefully moved away the shoulder on which she was lying, looked into her face and carefully sat her down on a chair. “Adieu, Marieie, [Goodbye, Masha,”] he said quietly to his sister, kissed her hand in hand and quickly walked out of the room. The princess was lying in a chair, M lle Burien was rubbing her temples. Princess Marya, supporting her daughter-in-law, with tear-stained beautiful eyes, still looked at the door through which Prince Andrei came out, and baptized him. From the office one could hear, like gunshots, the often repeated angry sounds of an old man blowing his nose. As soon as Prince Andrei left, the office door quickly opened and the stern figure of an old man in a white robe looked out. - Left? Well, good! - he said, looking angrily at the emotionless little princess, shook his head reproachfully and slammed the door. In October 1805, Russian troops occupied the villages and towns of the Archduchy of Austria, and more new regiments came from Russia and, burdening the residents with billeting, were stationed at the Braunau fortress. The main apartment of Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov was in Braunau. On October 11, 1805, one of the infantry regiments that had just arrived at Braunau, awaiting inspection by the commander-in-chief, stood half a mile from the city. Despite the non-Russian terrain and situation (orchards, stone fences, tiled roofs, mountains visible in the distance), despite the non-Russian people looking at the soldiers with curiosity, the regiment had exactly the same appearance as any Russian regiment had when preparing for a review somewhere in the middle of Russia. In the evening, on the last march, an order was received that the commander-in-chief would inspect the regiment on the march. Although the words of the order seemed unclear to the regimental commander, and the question arose how to understand the words of the order: in marching uniform or not? In the council of battalion commanders, it was decided to present the regiment in full dress uniform on the grounds that it is always better to bow than not to bow. And the soldiers, after a thirty-mile march, did not sleep a wink, they repaired and cleaned themselves all night; adjutants and company commanders counted and expelled; and by morning the regiment, instead of the sprawling, disorderly crowd that it had been the day before during the last march, represented an orderly mass of 2,000 people, each of whom knew his place, his job, and of whom, on each of them, every button and strap was in its place and sparkled with cleanliness . Not only was the outside in good order, but if the commander-in-chief had wanted to look under the uniforms, he would have seen an equally clean shirt on each one and in each knapsack he would have found the legal number of things, “sweat and soap,” as the soldiers say. There was only one circumstance about which no one could be calm. It was shoes. More than half the people's boots were broken. But this deficiency was not due to the fault of the regimental commander, since, despite repeated demands, the goods were not released to him from the Austrian department, and the regiment traveled a thousand miles. The regimental commander was an elderly, sanguine general with graying eyebrows and sideburns, thick-set and wider from chest to back than from one shoulder to the other. He was wearing a new, brand new uniform with wrinkled folds and thick golden epaulettes, which seemed to lift his fat shoulders upward rather than downwards. The regimental commander had the appearance of a man happily performing one of the most solemn affairs of life. He walked in front of the front and, as he walked, trembled at every step, slightly arching his back. It was clear that the regimental commander was admiring his regiment, happy with it, that all his mental strength was occupied only with the regiment; but, despite the fact that his trembling gait seemed to say that, in addition to military interests, the interests of social life and the female sex occupied a significant place in his soul. “Well, Father Mikhailo Mitrich,” he turned to one battalion commander (the battalion commander leaned forward smiling; it was clear that they were happy), “it was a lot of trouble this night.” However, it seems that nothing is wrong, the regiment is not bad... Eh? The battalion commander understood the funny irony and laughed. - And in Tsaritsyn Meadow they wouldn’t have driven you away from the field. - What? - said the commander. At this time, along the road from the city, along which the makhalnye were placed, two horsemen appeared. These were the adjutant and the Cossack riding behind. The adjutant was sent from the main headquarters to confirm to the regimental commander what was said unclearly in yesterday's order, namely, that the commander-in-chief wanted to see the regiment exactly in the position in which it was marching - in overcoats, in covers and without any preparations. A member of the Gofkriegsrat from Vienna arrived to Kutuzov the day before, with proposals and demands to join the army of Archduke Ferdinand and Mack as soon as possible, and Kutuzov, not considering this connection beneficial, among other evidence in favor of his opinion, intended to show the Austrian general that sad situation , in which troops came from Russia. For this purpose, he wanted to go out to meet the regiment, so the worse the situation of the regiment, the more pleasant it would be for the commander-in-chief. Although the adjutant did not know these details, he conveyed to the regimental commander the commander-in-chief’s indispensable requirement that the people wear overcoats and covers, and that otherwise the commander-in-chief would be dissatisfied. Having heard these words, the regimental commander lowered his head, silently raised his shoulders and spread his hands with a sanguine gesture. - We've done things! - he said. “I told you, Mikhailo Mitrich, that on a campaign, we wear greatcoats,” he turned reproachfully to the battalion commander. - Oh, my God! - he added and decisively stepped forward. - Gentlemen, company commanders! – he shouted in a voice familiar to the command. - Sergeants major!... Will they be here soon? - he turned to the arriving adjutant with an expression of respectful courtesy, apparently referring to the person about whom he was speaking. - In an hour, I think. - Will we have time to change clothes? - I don’t know, general... The regimental commander, himself approaching the ranks, ordered that they change into their overcoats again. The company commanders scattered to their companies, the sergeants began to fuss (the overcoats were not entirely in good working order) and at the same moment the previously regular, silent quadrangles swayed, stretched out, and hummed with conversation. Soldiers ran and ran up from all sides, threw them from behind with their shoulders, dragged backpacks over their heads, took off their greatcoats and, raising their arms high, pulled them into their sleeves. Half an hour later everything returned to its previous order, only the quadrangles turned gray from black. The regimental commander, again with a trembling gait, stepped forward of the regiment and looked at it from afar. - What else is this? What's this! – he shouted, stopping. - Commander of the 3rd company!.. - Commander of the 3rd company to the general! commander to the general, 3rd company to the commander!... - voices were heard along the ranks, and the adjutant ran to look for the hesitant officer. When the sounds of diligent voices, misinterpreting, shouting “general to the 3rd company”, reached their destination, the required officer appeared from behind the company and, although the man was already elderly and did not have the habit of running, awkwardly clinging to his toes, trotted towards the general. The captain's face expressed the anxiety of a schoolboy who is told to tell a lesson he has not learned. There were spots on his red (obviously from intemperance) nose, and his mouth could not find a position. The regimental commander examined the captain from head to toe as he approached breathlessly, slowing his pace as he approached. – You’ll soon dress people up in sundresses! What's this? - shouted the regimental commander, extending his lower jaw and pointing in the ranks of the 3rd company to a soldier in an overcoat the color of factory cloth, different from other overcoats. - Where were you? The commander-in-chief is expected, and you are moving away from your place? Eh?... I'll teach you how to dress people in Cossacks for a parade!... Eh?... The company commander, without taking his eyes off the commander, pressed his two fingers more and more to the visor, as if in this one pressing he now saw his salvation . - Well, why are you silent? Who's dressed up as a Hungarian? – the regimental commander joked sternly. – Your Excellency... – Well, what about “Your Excellency”? Your Excellency! Your Excellency! And what about Your Excellency, no one knows. “Your Excellency, this is Dolokhov, demoted...” the captain said quietly. – Was he demoted to field marshal or something, or to soldier? And a soldier must be dressed like everyone else, in uniform. “Your Excellency, you yourself allowed him to go.” - Allowed? Allowed? “You’re always like this, young people,” said the regimental commander, cooling down somewhat. - Allowed? I’ll tell you something, and you and...” The regimental commander paused. - I’ll tell you something, and you and... - What? - he said, getting irritated again. - If you please, dress the people decently... And the regimental commander, looking back at the adjutant, walked towards the regiment with his trembling gait. It was clear that he himself liked his irritation, and that, having walked around the regiment, he wanted to find another pretext for his anger. Having cut off one officer for not cleaning his badge, another for being out of line, he approached the 3rd company.

Relics

Lost Relic

According to the testimony of Bishop Hermogenes (Dobronravin), in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul there was preserved “a wonderful ancient icon of the Holy Trinity with part of the Lord’s robe in the reliquary and with particles of the relics of the holy saints depicted on the icon, in a silver-gilded cross, with the inscription 1693.” According to legend, during the Crimean War an unknown officer left the icon in the church with the condition that at the end of the war he would return for it, but if not, it would remain in the church. The war ended, but no one came for the icon.

Relics in the temple

  • Icon with the relics of St. Nicholas
  • Icon of the Mother of God “Iverskaya”
  • Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Three-Handed
  • Relics of Saint Gury (Karpov), Archbishop of Tauride
  • The revered icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the imprint on the glass of its icon case
  • Cross with a particle of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Simferopol

Description

Link to text source.

It was built at the beginning of the 19th century at the request and at the expense of the residents of Simferopol (the official founding date of the city is 1784), while the Tatars called this place Ak-Mosque (white mosque).

The writer, senator and member of the Russian Academy Pavel Ivanovich Sumarokov (not to be confused with the poet Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov), visiting Simferopol in 1803, wrote in “Leisures of the Crimean Judge” that he found “one Russian church (Konstantin-Eleninskaya - author’s note). ) in the poorest Tatar house, built for the Vladimir Bombardier Regiment that was stationed here, and one Greek one. And the population of the city consisted of 66 nobles, other Russian residents of various ranks, such as merchants, artisans, workers and others, a total of 360 souls; Greeks 42, Armenians 31, Germans 10, Moldovans 19, Jews 32, subjects of the Caesars 25 and Turkish subjects 50; only up to 1 thousand souls, not counting the quartering troops.”

The construction of a new church, for which Orthodox parishioners collected funds, began in 1805, and on November 8, 1806, the new church was consecrated. It was made of wood - within one's means, so to speak, without paintings; the main decoration was the iconostasis. The bells for the Peter and Paul Church were cast from copper left over after the closure of the Ak-Mosque mint.

More than twenty years later, the dilapidated temple was closed. A new cathedral, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, was erected in the city, where bells, church utensils, and a sacristy were transferred from the Peter and Paul Church.

In the second half of the 19th century, in Crimea, through the efforts of St. Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride (in the world Ivan Alekseevich Borisov), a new diocese of the Orthodox Church was opened. Activities of St. Innocent is widely known in the Orthodox world not only for her significant patriotic and spiritual activities during the Crimean War. Thanks to the saint, the borders of the diocese expanded, monasteries were revived, the position of Christianity on the peninsula was strengthened, and active construction of new churches and reconstruction of old churches began.

In 1865, the residents of Simferopol decided to revive the Peter and Paul Church, for which they created a construction committee, which included former church warden Afanasy Ivanovich Tisov, priests Rudnev and Lisnevsky, deacon Antip Shtenko, honorary citizens Kuzmin and Startsov.

It is symbolic: the project of the new temple was developed by the architect from St. Petersburg K. Lazarev. Of the 55 thousand rubles required to implement the project, 32 thousand were collected by parishioners, and 23 thousand were allocated by the Holy Synod. To complete the work, the merchant Tisov, who served as church warden of the Peter and Paul Cathedral for more than 20 years, donated 15 thousand rubles, and after his death he was buried in the left aisle of the temple.

The old wooden church was dismantled, and a new building was founded in its place on June 29, 1866. Contract work was supervised by K.K. Vorontsov, and provincial engineer Grachev supervised the work. In August 1866, construction of the church was completed, but finishing work continued for another 4 years. The temple, built in the shape of a cross, had 12 windows arranged in a drum. The interior decoration of the temple was particularly elegant. The iconostasis, made by master Zaitsev, with icons of the Byzantine style, delighted with its beauty.

Services in the Peter and Paul Church resumed on August 16, 1870, but already from 1868, parish guardianship, as well as men's and women's schools, operated at the church.

Thanks to the testimony of Bishop Hermogenes, we know that in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul there was preserved “a wonderful ancient icon of the Holy Trinity with part of the robe of the Lord in the reliquary and with particles of the relics of St. saints depicted on the icon, in a silver-gilded cross, with the inscription 1693.” A touching story is told about this shrine. During the Crimean War 1853-1856. an unknown officer left the icon in the Peter and Paul Church with the condition that at the end of the war he would return for it, and if not, he bequeathed to leave it in the temple. Most likely, the icon was a family shrine. The pious officer did not return from the war. And the icon was carefully preserved in the temple; on Thursdays, an akathist was read in front of it.

In 1890, the parishioners surrounded the church yard with an openwork metal fence, planting trees and ornamental shrubs in the yard itself. Military parades and folk festivals took place in a small square paved with cobblestones. The area around the Peter and Paul Church and the square was gradually built up with one- and two-story houses - since the buildings around the church should not be high for the cathedral to be clearly visible from all sides.

In 1902-1903 Young artists from the Academy of Arts, funded by the church warden S.I. Abrikosov, painted the dome of the cathedral. In the very center the Lord of Hosts was depicted surrounded by the Heavenly Powers, the walls between the windows were decorated with ornaments, and 12 medallions with images of the holy apostles were written along the belt of the drum. In the next two years, the painting of the walls was completed.

Divine services in the Peter and Paul Cathedral ceased in the godless year of 1937, terrible for our Fatherland. The Bolsheviks dismantled the dome and bell tower, set up a warehouse in the church, and next door there was a collection point for glass containers and a beer hall, for which, apparently, there was no better place.

Moving away from unconsciousness, embitterment and oblivion of faith, the authorities began restoring the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the late 1980s. Thanks to the extensive research work carried out by S. L. Belova in the archives of the Synod, it was possible to find projects according to which the bell tower and dome of the temple were restored. The author of the restoration project was the architect O. I. Sergeeva, and the work was carried out by Krymrestavratsiya CJSC.

The modern architectural appearance of the church combines elements of different styles: classical forms are organically combined with the forms of ancient Russian architecture. The tall windows are decorated with white stone frames. The upper part of the building is decorated with a stepped cornice and zakomari, in which round niches are arranged. The building is crowned with a light drum with an “onion-shaped” dome; at the entrance to the temple there is a porch; there is a stone staircase, above which rises a bell tower. The main entrance is framed by thin semi-columns; bright mosaic images of Jesus Christ, as well as the holy apostles Peter and Paul, look out at the parishioners from the façade.

The temple has two chapels - in honor of St. John of Kronstadt and St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Since 2003, the Peter and Paul Cathedral was given cathedral status.

Diocesan sources report that in 2004 a miracle occurred in the church - on the glass behind which stood the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, his miraculous face appeared. This glass is also now displayed next to the icon for the worship of believers.

Let us recall that a similar miracle with the imprint of the Image on the glass of the icon case occurred in 1993 in Kyiv, in the Holy Vvedensky Monastery with the Mother of God icon “Look at Humility.”

Speaking about the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Simferopol, one cannot help but remember that here lie the holy relics of the Crimean Saint Guriy Karpov, Archbishop of Tauride, glorified not only as a locally revered saint in the lands of Tavria, but also in China, where, having been a bishop for 18 years, he carried the light of the Orthodox faith. The glorification of Saint Gury as a saint took place in the same church in August 2008, the solemn glorification of Archbishop Gury as a saint was led by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine.

Now, next to the place at the altar where the holy relics of Archbishop Guria permanently reside, there is a festively decorated icon of the “Cathedral of the Holy Chinese Martyrs.” It is assumed that when the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which was blown up in 1930 and housed the episcopal see of Archbishop of Tauride Gury (Karpov), is recreated in the Crimean capital, his holy relics will be transferred to this revived cathedral church.

And now it is the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral that constantly receives testimonies of healings and miracles that are happening in our days through the prayers of St. Gury.

Sacred Relics

Having gone through several stages of devastation, desolation and restoration, the cathedral was a confirmation of the unbending spirit of the Orthodox people. Anyone can visit this divine place; you just need to follow the rules of behavior and dress appropriately. Staying in the cathedral will give you a feeling of relief from the daily hustle and bustle.

The Peter and Paul Church contains several sacred relics, in front of which it is worth saying sincere prayers in order to gain the correct vision of things.

  • Parishioners can touch the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is extremely revered throughout the Christian world.
  • The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God is kept in the church, comforting in sorrows and giving fertility.
  • In the same place you can see and sing prayers to the sacred image of the “Three Hands”, which bestows health and family well-being.
  • The iconostasis contains the “Transfiguration of Christ” icon, depicting the ministry of the Savior on Mount Tabor.

These relics are consecrated by the church and are the object of deep worship, because they introduce people to true religion and teach people to be more righteous.

Important! The clergy assure: particles of relics and icons are direct carriers of the blessed energy sent by God to the earth.

This is interesting: Peter and Paul Cathedral in Sevastopol: address, photo of the temple, reviews, description

Description

Interior of the temple

The architectural style of the temple combines elements of different styles: classics are combined with the forms of ancient Russian architecture. White stone frames frame the tall windows. The upper part of the building is decorated with a stepped cornice. The building is crowned with a drum with 12 windows. The dome has the shape of a black “onion”. At the entrance to the temple there is a porch, a stone staircase, above which rises a bell tower. The main entrance is framed by thin semi-columns, and on the façade you can see bright mosaics depicting Jesus Christ and the holy apostles Peter and Paul.

The temple has two side chapels: in the name of John of Kronstadt and Seraphim of Sarov.

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In Sevastopol, in the very center of the city, there is a very unusual architectural monument for Crimea - the Peter and Paul Church, or the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.


Ascent to the Peter and Paul Church from the eastern side The uniqueness of the Peter and Paul Church is in the absence of a familiar church-architectural image. This temple does not have the usual golden-domed domes. On all sides the temple is surrounded by a majestic Doric colonnade of 44 columns; they give the temple nobility and monumentality. It seems as if this ancient temple was magically transferred to us straight from Ancient Greece. Now the Peter and Paul Cathedral is hidden by overgrown trees and houses, and is only faintly visible from Lenin Street, above which its colonnade “floats”. To look closely at the building, you need to get very close to it. Therefore, getting to know him is a small discovery


The temple in the name of Saints Peter and Paul is the most significant monument of religious architecture in Sevastopol that has survived to this day. Built on the site of a wooden Greek church founded in 1792.


Sevastopol. November 1886. View of part of the Cathedral of St. App. Peter and Paul, destroyed during the Crimean War of 1854-1855. (was restored in 1888 at the expense of merchants Maksimov and Kundyshev-Volodin; consecrated on December 17, 1889) Along with the construction of the Alekseevsky dock, S.L. Kundyshev-Volodin was engaged in the restoration of the Peter and Paul Cathedral on the City Hill of Sevastopol, destroyed during the Crimean War war (1854-1855). He spent about 50 thousand rubles on this charitable cause. A.A. Maksimov provided great assistance to his authoritative relative in the restoration work of the church. At the same time, Alexey Andreevich studied with S.L. Kundyshev-Volodin the practice of performing contracting operations at a high state level, controlled by the emperor himself.


Sevastopol. November 1886. View of part of the Cathedral of St. App. Peter and Paul, destroyed during the Crimean War of 1854-1855. The Church of the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul (Peter and Paul Cathedral) is located in Sevastopol on the Central Hill at the address: Lunacharsky Street, 37. The temple was built from 1839 to December 1844. It was consecrated on September 5, 1843. Destroyed during the Crimean War. Restored to its original form in 1889. Engineer-second lieutenant V.A. worked on the temple project. Rulev. Inkerman stone and Sarmatian limestone were used in the construction of the Church of Peter and Paul. When designing it, V.A. Rulev took the techniques of ancient architecture as a basis. The temple is installed on a high stylobate with 44 fluted columns of the Doric order along the entire perimeter of the building.


On the Eastern pediment there is a sculptural relief in the form of an all-seeing eye. Crosses were installed on the main and western facades. In 1844, at the entrance to the temple, marble figures of Saints Peter and Paul were installed - copies of the works of the sculptor B. Thorvaldsen. The statues were sculpted for the Sevastopol temple by the Italian sculptor Ferdinand Pelicchio. When the defending troops left the southern part, during the sack of Sevastopol, the statues were taken to Constantinople by order of Marshal Pelissier. There they were installed in the chapel of the French embassy building. According to the clergy registers of 1794, the church's parish numbered 104 people (62 men and 42 women). During a storm that occurred on the night of September 5-6, 1837, the temple was completely destroyed. When planning the city hill in the 40s of the 19th century, Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev ordered the construction of a temple in the ancient Greek style on this site.


W. Simpson. Church of St. Peter and Paul. 1855


Peter and Paul Church during the First Defense of Sevastopol During the Crimean War, until the end of the defense, Archpriest Arseny Lebedintsev performed divine services in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul.


The cathedral during the First Defense of Sevastopol During the bombing, the temple was partially destroyed. Renewed with funds from the St. Petersburg merchant of the 1st guild S.L. Kundyshev-Volodin and his father-in-law, Sevastopol merchant of the 1st guild A.A. Maksimova.


Sevastopol. Peter and Paul Church. Photos of the early twentieth century


Church of Saints Peter and Paul The Peter and Paul Church was a large educational center - it housed a parochial school, several schools and gymnasiums. Divine services stopped in the Peter and Paul Church in 1931. Before the war, it housed the city archive. During the second defense of Sevastopol, the temple was also damaged, but only slightly. Work did not stop even during the bombing. Archival funds were located in the basement of the church.


1944


1944 After the end of the war, the temple was restored. It housed the club of the Sevastopolstroy trust. From 1946 to 1957, the premises were occupied by the Lunacharsky Theater, after which - the City House of Culture.


In July 2006, the Sevastopol City Council transferred the temple into the ownership of the Petro-Paul parish community of the Simferopol and Crimean diocese of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate. Currently the temple is in need of restoration. Divine services are held there.


In the park in front of the Peter and Paul Church, on the occasion of the 225th anniversary of Sevastopol on June 14, 2008, a monument to the holy brothers - the educators of the Slavs, Cyril and Methodius - was unveiled. The author of the monument is Kharkov sculptor Alexander Demchenko.


Monument to Cyril and Methodius in front of the Peter and Paul Church


Inside the Peter and Paul Church


Iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Church Divine services in the Church of Peter and Paul in Sevastopol are held on weekends and holidays. The Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, celebrated in the new style on July 12. Temple address: st. Lunacharsky, 37. Telephone. Directions: to the stop "Lenin Komsomol Square" https://spravka.sevas.com/org/hram_svyatyh_pervover...turnyy_pamyatnik_v_sevastopole https://humus.livejournal.com/4132351.html https://sevastopol-history.blogspot.com/2010 /09/blog-post_08.html https://pro-travel.net/xram-svyatyx-apostolov-petra-i-pavla-v-sevastopole/

Categories:Crimea /Sevastopol Crimea /Famous people in Crimea Crimea /History of Crimea Crimea /Crimea. Retro - photo History Painting Old photographs

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Maximova Dacha Crimea Sevastopol History History of Crimea Retro photos Old photographs Famous people in Crimea Crimean War 1853 - 1856 Lazarev Lunacharsky Theater

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History: prerequisites for construction

The appearance of the temple is due to the well-known journey of Empress Catherine II through the vastness of the peninsula. While passing through the then small and provincial Simferopol, the empress noticed that in the entire city there was only one parish -


the wooden Church of Constantine and Helena, which was in deplorable condition, more like a shack. The ruler made a caustic remark to Prince Potemkin, the then governor-general of the Novorossiysk region, and those close to the “most serene” took this as a guide to action.

Construction of the first church

Construction of the church named after Saints Peter and Paul began under Catherine’s grandson - in 1805, after the approval of the Holy Synod. The construction of the first temple lasted a little more than a year - by the autumn of 1806, the new building towered over the surrounding area. It had a rectangular shape with a pentagonal apse located on the eastern side and a high bell tower on the western side.

In the internal part, the complex was divided into three naves - with a high central one and two smaller ones on the sides. The decoration of the church was neither particularly splendid nor splendid - its only decoration was the stunningly beautiful iconostasis, which stood out especially against the general background. By 1825, it had become so dilapidated that, out of concern for the life and health of parishioners, it had to be closed that same year.

Construction of a new cathedral

40 years later, thanks to the care and efforts of the townspeople who decided to revive the Peter and Paul Church on this site, the construction of a new, this time stone, structure began. Concerned residents collected 32,000 rubles for this purpose, and another 23,000 were allocated by the Holy Synod. The construction was entrusted to Konstantin Lazarev, a little-known St. Petersburg architect at that time, who immediately seized on this opportunity and enthusiastically set to work in 1866.

Construction progressed quite quickly: by the end of summer the architect had completed the main work, although the exterior and interior decoration took another 4 years. In 1870, the new church was consecrated and opened to parishioners. Simferopol and its residents accepted the renovated Peter and Paul Cathedral with warm gratitude and appreciated the work of the St. Petersburg architect.

History of the cathedral

The Holy Synod issued permission for construction only in 1801, despite a special decree of Catherine II that had been issued earlier. The highest body of church government has been considering this issue for a long time. Members of the Synod carefully studied documents about the number of residents in Simferopol and the reasons that prompted the construction.

The Orthodox believers of Simferopol needed a spacious church, because the small cathedral in honor of Constantine and Helena was not able to accommodate everyone who wanted to take part in the services.

  • The foundation of the temple was laid in 1805, funds were collected exclusively by the local population. The consecration of the building took place the following year at the beginning of November.
  • The temple was a rectangular building made of wooden beams. On the eastern side there was a pentagonal apse (altar ledge), and on the western side there was a remarkable bell tower.
  • The interior was divided into three naves (elongated rooms) using eight pillars. There were no wall paintings in the new cathedral; the only decoration was an elegant iconostasis. The material for the bell was copper, which remained after the destruction of the Simferopol mint.
  • The Cathedral of Peter and Paul existed in its original form for two decades, but soon fell into disrepair and was closed. Another church was built in the city, consecrated in honor of Alexander Nevsky. The sacristy, bells and various church utensils from the Peter and Paul Church were moved here.

Interesting!
Bishop Hermogenes claimed that the sacred image of the Trinity was kept in the cathedral. The icon contained part of Christ's tunic and some remains of saints depicted on the canvas. The legend says: an unknown officer left this image in the church, and he himself went to defend his homeland during the Crimean (Eastern) War of 1853-1856. He promised to return for the icon, but did not keep his promise. At the moment, this sacred relic is considered lost.


Interior of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul

Shrines

  • Relics of Saint Gury, Archbishop of Tauride
  • Icon of the Holy Martyr Sergius
  • Cross with a particle of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
  • The revered icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the imprint on the glass of its icon case
  • Icon with the relics of St. Nicholas
  • Icon of the Mother of God “Iverskaya”
  • Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Three-Handed
  • Icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Reliquary:

  • Great Martyr George the Victorious
  • Venerable Euphrosyne of Suzdal
  • Venerable Gregory of Sinaite
  • Saint Basil, Bishop of Ryazan
  • Saint Ignatius, Bishop of Rostov
  • Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride
  • Saint John, Bishop of Suzdal
  • Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'
  • Saint Theodore, Archbishop of Rostov and Suzdal
  • Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky
  • Holy Blessed Prince Peter of Murom
  • Saints David and Constantine of Yaroslavl

Notes

  1. This geographical feature is located on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, most of which is the subject of territorial disputes between Russia, which controls the disputed territory, and Ukraine. According to the federal structure of Russia, on the disputed territory of Crimea there are constituent entities of the Russian Federation - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. According to the administrative division of Ukraine, on the disputed territory of Crimea there are regions of Ukraine - the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city with a special status of Sevastopol.
  2. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
    [cspp.prihod.ru/aboutcategory/view/id/5929 History of the Peter and Paul Cathedral] (Russian). Simferopol and Crimean diocese. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  3. [www.restcrimea.com/article/petro-pavlovskij-kafedralnij-sobor Peter and Paul Cathedral]. Restcrimea.
  4. [otdyhaem.com.ua/krym/simferopol/petro-pavlovskij-sobor.html Peter and Paul Cathedral]. Information and tourism portal otdyhaem.com.ua.
  5. [drevo-info.ru/articles/26845.html Cathedral in the name of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul in the city of Simferopol]. Tree. Open Orthodox Encyclopedia.
  6. [www.pravoslavie.ua/monasteries/diocese-simferopolskaya/287/ Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul]. Pravoslavie.ua.
  7. Belov A.V.
    [www.simfion.net/gla0703.htm Churches, cathedrals]. Simferopol: yesterday and today.
  8. Gazeta.ua
    .
    [gazeta.ua/ru/articles/life/_ryadu-ulic-simferopolya-vernuli-istoricheskie-nazvaniya/230020?mobile=true A number of streets in Simferopol have their historical names returned], Gazeta.ua
    (05/27/2008).
  9. 12
    [www.restcrimea.com/article/petro-pavlovskij-kafedralnij-sobor/ Peter and Paul Cathedral].
  10. [cspp.prihod.ru/aboutcategory/view/id/5929 History of the Peter and Paul Cathedral]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  11. [orthodox.org.ua/node/4244 Meeting of the Holy Synod of the UOC on April 18, 2008]. UOC (18.04.2008).
  12. Gazeta.ua
    . [gazeta.ua/ru/articles/life/_ryadu-ulic-simferopolya-vernuli-istoricheskie-nazvaniya/230020?mobile=true A number of streets in Simferopol have their historical names returned].
  13. VGORODE.UA.
    [crimea.vgorode.ua/news/sobytyia/102867/ A walk through the forgotten squares of Simferopol] (03/05/2012).
  14. 12
    [cspp.prihod.ru/aboutcategory/view/id/5929 History of the Peter and Paul Cathedral].
  15. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/1172700 Lost shrines. Icon of the Holy Trinity]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  16. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/1151551 Icon with the relics of St. Nicholas]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  17. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/12012 Icon of the Mother of God “Iverskaya”]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  18. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/11751 Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Three-Handed]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  19. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/14030 Saint Gury (Karpov), Archbishop of Tauride]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  20. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/1151556 The revered icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the imprint on the glass of its icon case]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
  21. [cspp.prihod.ru/svyatinicat/view/id/1153152 Cross with a particle of the Honest Life-Giving Cross of the Lord]. Petro-Paul Cathedral, Simferopol.
Crimea
Orthodoxy

A new page in history

When the decision was made to rebuild the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the wooden structure of the temple was dismantled to its foundations in 1866, and in its place, a new cathedral was erected in its place according to the design of the novice St. Petersburg architect K. Lazarev. The cost of construction was 55 thousand rubles, and 32 thousand of them were again donations from city residents.

The newly built cathedral had the shape of a cross and a light drum with twelve windows. The interior decoration of the cathedral was distinguished by its special elegance: the iconostasis in the Byzantine style was created by the hands of the famous master Zaitsev.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral opened its doors to parishioners again on August 16, 1870. Now it was a beautiful temple with rich decoration, it was especially loved by the residents of the city, and throughout its long history they were constantly engaged in its improvement. Paintings in the form of biblical scenes and the finest ornaments completely covered all the internal walls of the temple.

All this beauty was ruthlessly destroyed after the revolution by the new government. Unique frescoes were scraped off the church walls, the temple was neglected, dilapidated and turned into a vegetable warehouse. At this time, crosses and bells were removed, the fence and part of the decoration were lost, the cathedral was in terrible desolation.

Important: A new milestone in its history began in 1980, when its next restoration began.

The restoration returned the cathedral to its sublime architectural image, now it is again a brilliant creation of Russian architecture with traditional onion-shaped domes, pristine white platbands, and inserts of beautiful mosaics on the monumental walls. Classical architectural traditions are gracefully combined with the originality of Old Russian ornaments.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral received cathedral status in 2003.

Story

Wooden church

The first “Catherine Church” (the Church of Saints Helen and Constantine) in the fast-growing city of Simferopol could no longer accommodate all the parishioners. At the request of Simferopol residents, the question of building a new, more spacious temple was raised. The Holy Synod issued permission for construction in 1801, but the church itself began to be built in 1805. Construction of the wooden temple lasted about 1 year. In the fall, on November 8, 1806, the church was consecrated. The church was a wooden building in the shape of a rectangle. A bell tower rose above the western side. The main beauty of the wooden church was the iconostasis. There were no paintings in the temple. The copper bells were cast from the remains of the Ak-Mosque mint. The church existed for about 20 years. Over the years, the temple fell into disrepair and was closed. Soon a new Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in the city, to which bells, church utensils, and a sacristy were transferred.

Stone Temple

Recreation

In 1865, city residents decided to revive the Peter and Paul Church. The project of the new temple was developed by St. Petersburg architect Konstantin Lazarev. The old wooden church was dismantled, and on June 29, 1866, a new church building was laid in its place. Already in August 1866, the construction of the church was completed, but finishing work continued until 1870. On August 16, 1870, the first service was held in the cathedral. Since 1868, two schools have operated at the temple - men's and women's.

In 1890, the church yard was surrounded by an openwork metal fence. Mass events took place on the square in front of the temple. The area around the Peter and Paul Church and the square was gradually built up with low houses. This was a special condition: the buildings should not be higher than the temple.

In 1902-1903, artists, funded by the church warden, painted the dome of the cathedral. In the very center the Lord of hosts was depicted surrounded by the Heavenly Forces. The walls were painted with floral designs. Along the belt of the drum were 12 medallions with images of the holy apostles.

Ruin in Soviet times

In 1924, after the establishment of Soviet power, Petropavlovskaya Street leading to the temple was renamed Oktyabrskaya.

In 1937, the dome and bell tower were dismantled and a warehouse was built in the church. The cathedral had a pitiful appearance: without a dome, tattered, with a concrete ramp for trucks to enter the temple. There was a tree growing on the roof. A drinking establishment was opened near the temple.

Renaissance

More than 40 years later, in the 1980s, restoration of the Peter and Paul Cathedral began. The author of the project was the architect O. I. Sergeeva. In the archives of the Synod, S. L. Belova was able to find projects according to which the bell tower and dome of the temple were restored.

Temple in our time

In 2003, the Peter and Paul Cathedral was given cathedral status.

On August 23, 2008, in the Peter and Paul Cathedral of Simferopol, church celebrations took place on the occasion of the canonization of Archbishop of Tauride Gury (Karpov). The solemn canonization of Archbishop Guria was personally led by the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan).

In 2008, the city authorities of Simferopol restored the historical name of the square in front of the temple - Petropavlovskaya. The historical name of Petropavlovskaya Street was also returned.

The further fate of the Peter and Paul Church

The decoration and arrangement of the surrounding area continued even after the completion of construction; no expense or effort was spared. In 1890, the courtyard was surrounded by a forged openwork fence, and a small square was paved opposite the main entrance, where residents of Simferopol liked to gather on holidays. In 1902-1903 With funds collected by the church elder Abrikosov, several young artists, whose names are now unknown, covered the domes with beautiful paintings. After this, the young people, full of enthusiasm, spent almost 2 more years painting walls,


applying exquisitely designed ornaments and medallions to them, thereby turning the complex into a real pearl.

But all this, created over the years with love and care, was mercilessly eliminated by the atheist Bolsheviks, who systematically and purposefully destroyed the temple over the course of several years. In 1937, the new Crimean authorities prohibited holding services here, the church itself was closed and began to be barbarically destroyed. First, they dismantled the dome, demolished the bell tower, scraped off the paintings, and then completely turned it into a vegetable warehouse.

Only after almost half a century, which was in a pitiful and depressing state, they decided to revive the temple and return it to its original appearance. The promising female architect O.I. took up this task. Sergeeva. Together with S.L. Belova, they found copies of Lazarev’s project and other documents related to the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the Simferopol city archive. Based on them, the dome, bell tower and some elements of the interior decoration were accurately recreated. Of course, it was not possible to restore the original appearance of the building, but nevertheless after this the temple, which became a cathedral in 2004, returned to life.

Cathedral architecture

Today's appearance demonstrates the unity of elements inherent in different architectural styles. Classical architecture here is intertwined with forms of the Old Russian style. The windows are framed with white stone slats. At the top of the cathedral there is a stepped cornice and vaults with built-in round niches. The drum of the church is continued with an “onion” dome.

There is a porch at the entrance, and a stone staircase leads to the high and elongated bell tower. The main entrance is memorable with thin columns, the interior decoration is illuminated by mosaic images of the Messiah, as well as Peter and Paul, who gave the name to this temple.

The cathedral received cathedral status in 2003. The current rector is Father Alexander (Yakushechkin).

Service at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul

Cathedral in the 20th century

In 1903, student artists from the academy began to paint the bells of the church building: in the center was the image of God the Father of hosts, surrounded by the Heavenly army. The spaces between the window openings were decorated with elegant ornaments, and 12 medallions were placed along the drum (the base of the dome), according to the number of the great apostles - disciples of the Savior Christ. The painting was completed two years later. Significant expenses for this work were allocated by church ministers.

  • In 1937, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul ceased to function and hold services. The Bolsheviks dismantled the dome and copper bell, and built a storage room inside. A collection point for glass containers was installed next to the façade.
  • The next restoration of the church took place in the early 80s of the 20th century. The bell tower and dome were installed according to drawings that were preserved in the archives of the Holy Synod.
  • In July 1991, the Divine Liturgy was served here. Parishioners noted the extraordinary beauty of the restored structure.

What is interesting about the Cathedral of Peter and Paul?

The current cathedral is interesting, first of all, for its appearance - its architecture, embodied by Lazarev,


very subtly combines the classical style with elements of Old Russian delights inherent in the ancient churches of Suzdal, Pskov, Novgorod. Characteristic features of this are the platbands framing the window openings, made of snow-white stone, a stepped cornice, a porch at the entrance and an onion-shaped dome. Added to this are the semi-columns decorating the central entrance, completely alien to ancient Russian architecture, and especially bright, colored mosaic panels.

But most interesting are the relics stored here. Among them, a special place is occupied by the icon of the Most Holy Trinity of the late 17th century, with a particle of the Lord’s robe in a silver casket, left for safekeeping in a wooden church by an unknown Russian officer who died during the Crimean War. Among other shrines, it is worth highlighting the images: with the relics of St. Nicholas, the Iveron Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, with an imprint on the icon case. The residents of Simferopol especially honor the Cross with a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the relics of saints and righteous people, and much more.

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