Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (Cathedral) in Minsk, Belarus: history, description, photo

Minsk Cathedral in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
, cathedral of the Belarusian Orthodox Church

• Throne: The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (main), the Great Martyr Barbara (northern), the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (southern), Saints Equal to the Apostles Methodius and Cyril (crypt)
• Address: 220030, Republic of Belarus, Minsk, st. Cyril and Methodius, 3.
• Tel.: (+375 17) 227-62-70, 227-66-09 (on duty)
• Official sites: ,
• Directions: st. Nemiga metro station
• On the map: Yandex.Map, Google map

Bernardine monastery temple

The cathedral building was built in 1633-1642 as the main church of the Catholic Bernardine convent, and a U-shaped monastery building was built on the north side. The main entrance to the monastery was originally located on the side opposite the temple. The builders erected it on the site where, until the beginning of the 17th century, there was an Orthodox monastery in the name of Saints Cosmas and Damian. During the 18th-19th centuries, the temple and the adjacent monastery building were rebuilt several times before taking on its current architectural appearance.

Parish Cyril and Methodius Church

In 1852, the Catholic monastery was closed, and its nuns were transferred to Nesvizh. In 1860, the former monastery church was converted into an Orthodox church, which was consecrated in honor of Saints Methodius and Cyril. The church was intended for students of the Minsk Theological Seminary, who were temporarily, after moving from Slutsk, located in the cells of the former monastery.

Temple of the Holy Spiritual Monastery

In 1869, at the request of the Archbishop of Minsk and Bobruisk Alexander (Dobrynin), the necessary funds were allocated from the treasury to bring the temple and the adjacent building into proper order in order to open a male Orthodox monastery here. An amount of 13 thousand rubles was allocated, half of which was used to repair the temple and install a new iconostasis in it. The opening of the monastery took place on January 4, 1870, and in May there was an order from the Synod to call it the Holy Spiritual Monastery. The brethren were made up of monks of the ancient Slutsk Holy Trinity Monastery. Its library, sacristy and much other monastic property were transferred to Minsk. The consecration of the main altar of the monastery church in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place on October 22, 1870, and on November 1 of the same year the right aisle of the church was consecrated in honor of Saints Methodius and Cyril.

The cathedral contained many shrines, among which was the icon of St. Nikita, Bishop of Novgorod, with a particle of his relics; a lifetime portrait of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, four silver-plated crosses that served as reliquaries for relics. The inscription on one of the crosses testified that the crosses contained particles of the holy relics of many saints of God. On the main altar of the temple there was an ancient Gospel, personally rewritten in 1582 by Slutsk Prince Yuri Olelko and transferred by him to the Slutsk Holy Trinity Monastery.

However, in general the monastery was characterized by poverty. In 1905, the number of its inhabitants did not exceed ten. Among them there was one archimandrite, one abbot, four hieromonks, two hierodeacons and two monks.

Post-revolutionary devastation

In 1918, the monastery was closed, and soon services in the Holy Spirit Church ceased. After this, much of the church utensils disappeared without a trace. In the temple itself, the new authorities ordered the construction of a gym for the fire brigade, and then an archive. According to some evidence, the crypt part of the temple in the late 1920s - early 1930s was adapted into a transit prison in which “dispossessed” peasants were kept. As Minsk guards testify, the new owners of the temple removed the crosses from the cathedral towers and hoisted red flags in their place. However, gusts of wind tore them off and threw them down.

Revival of the temple and monastery

In 1943, after the consecration of the cathedral, which was performed by Archbishop Philotheus (Narco), services there were resumed. The day before, a newly made three-tiered iconostasis was installed in the church and icons were brought in. One city resident became a donor to the cathedral, who provided funds for the repair of the cathedral, which he received from the sale of two of his own houses. Simultaneously with the temple, the Holy Spirit Monastery was revived, in which three monks lived. The abbots of the cathedral and the monastery were the same clergy from among the monastics. One of them, Archimandrite Seraphim (Shakhmut), was widely known because he took part in the opening of many churches. In 1944, with the arrival of the Red Army, he was arrested and died in 1946 while imprisoned in a Minsk prison. Now he is canonized as one of the holy new martyrs and confessors of Russia in the 20th century. The next rector of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Archpriest Seraphim Batorevich, was also arrested in 1951 and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

But the revival of the temple continued. In 1945, an ancient shrine - the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God - was brought from the closed Peter and Paul Cathedral to the Holy Spirit Church. In 1947, crosses were erected over the cathedral. In the first half of the 1950s, a major overhaul of the interior of the temple was carried out, for which a significant sum of 500 thousand rubles at that time was spent. In 1953, on the northern side of the temple, a chapel was built in honor of the Great Martyr Barbara, in which a particle of the holy relics of this saint was placed. In 1968, a throne in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was established in the southern aisle of the cathedral. At the northern wall of the temple there is a shrine with the relics of the righteous Sophia, Princess of Slutsk, and in the crypt part of the cathedral there is a chapel in honor of the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, which acts as a baptismal church.

Cathedral of the Minsk Diocese and the Belarusian Exarchate

Major renovations, which gave the temple an increasingly splendid appearance, were also carried out in the late 1970s and early 1980s, in 1996 and 2000. During the last renovation, the chapel in honor of the Great Martyr Barbara was reconstructed, its altar was moved to a new location, and the iconostasis was completely updated. Improvement of the building adjacent to the cathedral began, and even earlier a store of spiritual literature and church utensils “Spiritual Heritage” was set up in it.

View the Holy Spirit Cathedral on the map

Address: Cyril and Methodius street, building 3 Telephone: +375 (17) 327-66-09, +375 (29) 305-05-98, +375 (17) 327-62-70 Opening hours: Monday 07:00 to 22:00 Tuesday 07:00 to 22:00 Wednesday 07:00 to 22:00 Thursday 07:00 to 22:00 Friday 07:00 to 22:00 Saturday 07:00 to 22:00 Sunday 06:00 to 20 :00 Website: sabor.by

The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, located in Minsk, delights with its magnificent beauty and unprecedented grandeur. The construction of the temple lasted from 1633 to 1642. At the very beginning, the building was part of the Catholic monastery complex, but in 1852 there was a terrible fire, as a result of which the monastery building was almost completely destroyed. And already in 1852 it was completely closed, and seven years later the former church turned into a luxurious Orthodox church. A few years later, the cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Holy Spirit and a monastery was opened with it, which was later liquidated.

Today the Church of the Holy Spirit is the Cathedral of the city of Minsk. The relics of St. Sophia of Slutsk and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God are carefully preserved here.

Inside, the temple is divided into three naves by six pillars. The architectural appearance of the religious building is made in the Baroque style.

Be sure to visit the Holy Spirit Cathedral with a tour!

Only a professional guide will be happy to introduce you to the secrets of the construction and history of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Minsk. Together with him you will see all the sights of Minsk and walk along its streets, learning a lot about the capital of Belarus. Our sightseeing tours of Minsk will allow you to see the city in a different light:

• an evening tour of Minsk will introduce you to the beauty of the city in the pre-sunset hour,
• An individual excursion with a private guide will allow you to enjoy the beauty of Minsk without depending on a group of other tourists.

Today, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit serves as a kind of spiritual pearl of the central part of Minsk. Walking around Nemiga, you willy-nilly admire the perfectly preserved building, which has such an amazing history and has absorbed so many shrines. And it is definitely worth visiting the cathedral at least once during regular services.

Russian Orthodox Church

The cathedral building was built in 1633-1642 as the main church of the Catholic Bernardine convent. In 1852, the Catholic monastery was closed, and its nuns were transferred to the city of Nesvizh. In 1860, the Catholic cathedral was converted into an Orthodox church, which was consecrated in honor of Saints Methodius and Cyril.

In 1869, at the request of the Archbishop of Minsk and Bobruisk Alexander (Dobrynin), the necessary funds were allocated from the treasury to bring the temple and the adjacent building into proper order with the aim of opening a male Orthodox monastery. The monastic brethren were made up of monks of the ancient Slutsk Holy Trinity Monastery. In May 1870, the Synod ordered that the monastery founded in Minsk be called the Holy Spiritual Monastery. The consecration of the main altar of the monastery church in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place on October 22, 1870.

The cathedral contained many shrines, among which was the icon of St. Nikita, Bishop of Novgorod with a particle of his relics; a lifetime portrait of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, as well as four silver-plated crosses that served as reliquaries for the relics of many saints of God.

In 1918 the monastery was closed. Soon, services were stopped in the Holy Spirit Church. After that, many of the church utensils disappeared without a trace, and the church first housed a gym for the fire brigade, then an archive. Part of the temple was converted into a transit prison in the late 1920s and early 1930s

In 1943, after the consecration of the cathedral, which was performed by the acting exarch of the Belarusian Metropolis, Archbishop Philotheus (Narko), services there were resumed. The revival of the Holy Spiritual Monastery began. One of the rectors of the cathedral at that time, Archimandrite Seraphim (Shakhmut), enjoyed wide fame. In 1944, with the arrival of the Red Army, he was arrested and died in 1946 while imprisoned in a Minsk prison. Now he is canonized among the holy new martyrs and confessors of Russia.

The next rector of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Archpriest Seraphim Batorevich, was also arrested in 1951 and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

In 1945, an ancient shrine - the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God - was moved from the closed Peter and Paul Cathedral to the Holy Spirit Church. In 1947, a cross was erected over the dome of the cathedral.

In 1991, on the eve of the celebration of the Council of Belarusian Saints, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, during his Primate visit to Belarus, held an all-night vigil in the cathedral. During his subsequent visits to the Belarusian Exarchate, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy repeatedly performed festive services in the Holy Spirit Cathedral.

On December 12, 1999, in the Holy Spirit Cathedral, the glorification of the 23 new martyrs of the Minsk diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church was glorified - clergy who died in the 1930s–50s for the confession of the Orthodox faith.

Currently, the rector of the parish is Archpriest Gennady Dzichkovsky.

Current state

Currently, the Holy Spirit in Minsk is a cathedral. Architecture - classic Catholic church, Baroque style. On the main facade there are two high towers with several tiers, niches and arches. The towers are decorated with characteristic elements of the Baroque style.

Interior decoration of the Holy Spirit Cathedral

Between the towers there is a shield with a curved contour. The whole room is divided into 3 naves. This was achieved not by blank walls, but by six massive columns.

In the 90s, a religious procession took place, which had not been held for many decades. The starting point of the procession was the Holy Spirit Cathedral.

What to see

The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit is a classical baroque basilica, reminiscent of Catholic churches in Vilnius and northwestern Belarus. The main facade of the temple is crowned with 2 high towers with niches and arches. The church contains a large number of shrines, in particular, pilgrims come here to venerate the incorruptible relics of St. Sophia of Slutsk and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Minsk (1500)

According to legend, this icon was painted by the Apostle Luke himself. For several centuries it was in Byzantium, and before the Baptism of Rus', Vladimir brought it to Kyiv. The icon was transferred to the Church of the Tithes, where it was kept for 500 years. In the 15th century, during the Tatar-Mongol invasion, the invaders threw it into the Dnieper. On August 31, 1500, she washed up on the shore of the Svisloch. Since then, she has never left Minsk, being in different churches at different times.

Today, the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit is considered one of the most beautiful churches in the capital of Belarus. A pleasant addition - the square in front of the entrance - allows you to appreciate both the grandeur of this beautiful architectural monument and the picturesque panorama of Svisloch.

Website of the Holy Spirit Cathedral

Detailed information about this temple is provided on the website https://sabor.by/. Here you can find information about the history of the cathedral, especially revered relics, the priesthood and parish, the activities of the brotherhood and sisterhood, work schedule and services.

Opening hours of the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk

The temple is open daily, on weekdays and Saturdays from 7.00 to 22.00, on Sundays from 6.00 to 22.00. The priest on duty is in the cathedral from 11.00 to 17.00. You can find out the current schedule of services by calling the church or on the website.

Reliquary with the relics of the Belarusian saint

Church historians note that almost immediately after her death, Sophia began to be revered by the people as the patron saint of sick women preparing to become mothers. The relics turned out to be incorrupt, and miracles happened at the tomb. In 1848, a religious procession with the relics of the saint saved the city from cholera. “Ordinary Orthodox people have been keeping for centuries the legends about the intercession of the blessed Sofia Sluchina. So, according to her prophecy in Slutsk, not a single fire happened on Yuryevskaya Street. When the incorruptible relics of the saint were discovered, the religious procession with them more than once saved the city from epidemics and other disasters. The teacher of the Slutsk Theological Seminary, Hieromonk Markian, in the 18th century, compiled a book: “Miracles of the Blessed Slutsk Princess Sophia Olelkovna, who rests incorruptibly with her relics in the Slutsk Holy Trinity Monastery.” After the war of 1941-1945, on April 3, 1984, the Orthodox Church officially canonized Princess Sophia, canonizing her.

Activities of the parish

The cathedral has:

1. Sunday school for children and adults. Children begin learning at the age of 5. Curriculum: Old and New Testaments, Catechism, church history, structure of the Orthodox church and the liturgical process. Subjects of study in Sunday school for adults include: Old and New Testaments, church history, Christian doctrine, Church Slavonic, basic worship.
2. Library. The fund consists of 3 thousand publications, including books and periodicals. Parishioners, clergy, and students of religious universities can visit.
3. Sisterhood.

The main missionary project is the Orthodox Brotherhood in honor of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian. Areas of work:

• charity;
• working with disabled children, orphans, children from disadvantaged families;
• assistance to lonely and socially vulnerable people;
• volunteering at social facilities;
• missionary work in boarding schools;
• spiritual conversations;
• unity of Orthodox youth and churching;
• seminars, lectures, trainings, conversations on church topics.

Divine service in the Holy Spirit Cathedral

In addition, the youth Orthodox Brotherhood of the unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian of Rome was founded, which operates in the following directions:

• ministry of education;
• publication of the information booklet “Quiet Light”;
• organizing and conducting cathedral events.

Story

The history of the temple dates back to 1633-1642 - the time when the church at the Bernardine monastery was built here. In 1741, it was severely destroyed by fire, which is why large-scale reconstruction was carried out.

In 1852, the novices of the monastery moved to Nesvizh, and in 1860 the Catholic church was reconsecrated into an Orthodox church. 10 years later, a men's monastery of the Holy Spirit was organized under her, in which monks from the Holy Trinity Monastery of Slutsk settled. They lived there until 1918, and in general the monastery existed until 1922.

Soon after the revolution, the cathedral was closed. It did not receive parishioners until the Great Patriotic War, when the German administration allowed religious services to be held here. After liberation from the Nazis, the Soviet authorities decided to convert the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the main Orthodox church in Minsk at that time, into an archive. As a result of such upheavals, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit became a cathedral.

How to get to the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk

Detailed information on how to get to the Holy Spirit Cathedral is presented below.

By public transport:

from Art. Nemiga metro station, walk 400 meters to the cathedral.

By car:

• From Oktyabrskaya Square along Avenue. Independence towards GUM, after 160 m to the right, onto the street. Engelsa, then left, onto the street. International and to the right, to the Holy Spirit Cathedral.
• From the Moscow Ring Road (0th kilometer) to Ave. Independence, after 8.7 km to the right, on the street. Engels, at the first intersection turn left, onto the street. International and to the right, towards the cathedral.