Dukhovskaya Church (Staraya Russa)

Dukhovskaya church was erected in the territory of the Vvedensky side, on the square named after the church Dukhovskoy. The square was formed at the connection of Dukhovskaya Street (now Vosstaniya Street), Bychyatinskaya Street (Ustyuzhanin Street) and Transverse Street. Opposite the church were located the Green barracks (military settlements). Later in the southeast, on the site of a large park of merchant Ivan Somrov, in 1911, Luther's factory appeared, which was engaged in the production of plywood for export. And around the church there was a working village with private houses.
The church was built in 1797 . ^[1] But according to the church inventory , the year 1779 is listed. And according to the clearing lists, the years 1783 and 1793 are mentioned. ^[2] She was built by a rich old Russian merchant Epiphanius Bychatin ^[3] (according to other sources - Kuchkov ^[4] ), who settled in the district. A new parish was formed, including about 30 nearby villages.
In 1824, during the construction of military settlements, the parish Holy Dukhovskaya Church passed into the military department and became the headquarters of the 2nd Grenadier Division. Since 1832 , when military settlements were transformed into districts of arable soldiers, it became known as the headquarters church of arable soldiers of Starorussky district . In 1857 , after the destruction of settlements, it was first transferred to the department of the department of inheritance, and then transferred to the Diocesan Department and again received the status of the parish church. Together with these changes, the arrival has decreased. The villages were attributed to other churches. Only Dubovitsy, Muravyevo, Gushchino and Kröksha remained. In 1868, instead of two priests, both the deacon and the psalm reader, only one priest was left, the deacon and psalm reader. Only with the advent of the factory, another priest and psalm reader was sent to the church.

On March 19, 1922, a meeting of believers opposing the seizure of church values ​​by the authorities was held in the Church of the Holy Spirit. Soon, Father Vladimir, the abbot of the church, was arrested and accused of “campaigning against the decree on the seizure of church property.” In the case of the “Starorussky disorders (Staraya Russa (1922)”, he was sentenced to death, which was replaced by 5 years of arrest.

In the early 1930s, the church was closed and transformed into a comprehensive school. During the Great Patriotic War, the building of the former Church of the Holy Spirit was completely destroyed and not restored. At the moment on this place is the entrance of the plant "Himmash".

The church had the appearance of an oblong quadrilateral. The length of the church is 13 fathoms (27,7368 m), width is 11 1/2 fathoms (24.5364 m), the height with a cross is 12 fathoms (25.6032 m). The altar semicircle was attached on the southeast side, with east and west adjoined the chapels, and from the north - the bell tower with small stands. Above the walls, an octagonal dome is displayed, as well as over the marginal altars. Iron crosses are installed on the domes.
The bell tower was built in 3 tiers, it has 7 bells. The largest of these 201 pounds 10 pounds, was poured in 1909 . The bell tower itself was dismantled in 1884 and rebuilt due to disrepair.

The main part of the temple is dedicated to the Holy Spirit . There was a four-tier iconostasis , decorated with gilded carving on an oak field. In the porch gilded carving was on a pink field. In the northern chapel of the temple in honor of St. Epiphany of Cyprus in the iconostasis were oval-shaped Italian letters, and in the chapel of St. Mary of Egypt (from the south) - the usual form. At the entrance to the church was the image of the former iconostasis, which existed until 1897 .

• In Epifanievsky chapel was the revered image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in miracles.
• In the right side there was an image of prep. Mary of Egypt
• Behind the right choir of the chapel was the ancient image of the Tikhvin Mother of God .
• The image of the Passion of Christ (Old Russian letters, surrounded on the edges of the Basmoi), which was donated by the Somrov merchants.

Lieutenant-General von Friken donated marble candles to local icons. Major General Makarov and Nabokov resumed the sacristy, multiplied utensils and donated several carpets. Lieutenant-General Filippovich (according to other sources, Filippov) in 1824 donated the painting “Healing by the Apostle Peter the Lame” (Italian letter). There was also a silver dish in the church, on which the old Russian citizens brought bread and salt to Emperor Nicholas I. He donated it to the temple.

Next to the church was built a school with a garden, which was opened in 1882 . At first it was one-story, but in 1886, at the request of Prince Vasilchikov, a two-story building was built, which burned down in 1894 . Restored after 2 years for insurance payments.

• Polyansky M. "This city is undoubtedly the oldest in Russia." Illustrated historical and statistical essay on the city of Staraya Russa and Starorussky district (adapted edition). - SPb. : Alaborg, 2009. - 224 p., 70 ill. - ISBN 978-5-869-83009-7 .
• Pylaev V.A. Staraya Russa. - Sergiev Posad, 1916.
• Gorbanevsky M.V. , Emelyanova M.I. Streets of Staraya Russa: History in the names. - M .: Medea, 2004. - 384 p., Il. - ISBN 5-7254-005-15 .

• Polyansky M. Illustrated historical and statistical essay on the city of Staraya Russa and Starorussky district.