Peaceful Chamber

The area of ​​the hall is 280 square meters. It is blocked by a single closed arch without supports, which was a great innovation and achievement of Russian architectural practice of that time ^[2] .

Patriarch Nikon arranged this chamber on the model of the Faceted Chamber of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (where the meetings of the Zemsky Cathedrals were held), however, unlike it, there is no central support ^[3] . According to a researcher of ancient Russian art, describing the architecture of the Nikon period, this was a landmark innovation: “The Cross Chamber of the Patriarchal Palace became a much more fruitful innovation in the Nikon architecture - a hall measuring 14 × 20 m, first closed by a closed arch with formwork without intermediate supports. As a result, an integral vast space was formed that did not have an architecturally pronounced center. In previous single-pillar chambers, this center was marked by a pillar bearing arches. Since the living chamber, according to ancient tradition, embodied the image of the universe, the pillar occupied the place in it that God assigned to the universe - the center and support of everything. For a person in such an interior peripheral areas were allotted - benches and tables were placed along the walls, and carpet paths were laid along the walls ” ^[4] .

An iconostasis was erected near the eastern wall, near which a large cross was erected (hence the name “Cross”) - this is exactly how the cross chambers were traditionally arranged in Russian monasteries. The floor was covered with colored tiles, thin mica was inserted into the windows (the so-called “Russian glass”). Window lattices were decorated with flowers made of bright satin fabrics ^[3] .

Archdeacon Pavel Aleppsky , accompanying his father, the Patriarch of Antioch, Macarius III , left an enthusiastic description of the interior:

“This chamber has huge, with bars, windows protruding from the building and facing the royal chambers. From it you enter another large chamber, where they wait for those who come to the patriarch until he allows them to enter. From here you enter a huge chamber, which amazes with its extraordinary size, length and width; especially vast is the vast vault without backwater in the middle. Steps were made around the chamber, and the floor in it came out like a pool, which lacks only water. It is lined with wonderful colorful tiles. Its huge windows overlook the cathedral; windows were inserted in them from a wonderful mica, decorated with different colors, as if [105] real; on the other hand, the windows face the courtyard of the old patriarchal house. In it, near the door, a huge kaptur (oven) is made of excellent tiles. The entire structure is fastened with iron ties on both sides. Nikon called this chamber Christob , that is, the Christian ( Crusade - ed.) Chamber ” ^[5] .

As art critics note, “in the passage cited, mention should be made of mica windows and tiles. Both were used to enhance the color saturation of the interior. The painted mica windows, arranged so that “so that one could see through the choir and from the back to the mansions”, let in colored light, that is, they were a kind of stained glass window. But, unlike Western European medieval stained-glass windows, in Russia they were used mainly in secular buildings, painted with ornaments “from grass and from a bird” and brought a sense of intimacy and coziness into the interior ” ^[4] .

Pavel Aleppsky also describes Nikon's celebration of housewarming in this chamber:

This table stood in the corner of the chamber, near two windows facing one of the cathedral, the other of the Miracles Monastery . Near him, on the left, another table was set up for the patriarch, and beside him was a large table, which occupied the rest of the space on this side facing the cathedral; all the boyars and dignitaries of the state were put behind him. (...) Even before a wonderful, huge furnace of this chamber, a large table was set up, like high scaffolds, with steps covered with cloth, on which were placed large silver-gilded goblets and other magnificent vessels for drinks. Five wonderful polyeleevs (chandeliers) hung on the ceiling of this room; one, silver, hung near the royal table, and a clock with a battle was hidden inside his apple ^[6] .

It is known that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich came to the Cross Chamber on the day of his namesake with a birthday cake and treated Nikon. In addition, here in 1666/7, the patriarch first appeared before the ecclesiastical court of the Ecumenical Patriarchs (which will last 4 years and end with his eruption from the dignity in the Miracle Monastery). When Nikon arrived at the court and saw that his patriarchal seat was taken, he refused to sit on another and spent several hours standing ^[3] .

After the abolition of the patriarchate and the establishment of the Holy Synod in 1721, the architect Ivan Zarudny rebuilt the Cross Chamber for the needs of the institutions of the Synod. At the end of the XVIII century, it was rebuilt once again by Matvey Kazakov , becoming adapted for cooking the world.

This had to be done, because the Church of the Three Hierarchs collapsed in the 1760s, on the porch of which the order of making of the world was performed from ancient times. From 1763 to 1917, the ceremony took place in the Cross Chamber, which was renamed Mirovarnaya. (Currently, it is held in the Donskoy Monastery - in the Small Cathedral; in the synodal period for Ukraine and the Western dioceses, the world was cooked in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra).

In 1918, the Patriarchal Chambers as a rare monument of architecture of the XVII century were transferred to the museum. A long process of their scientific restoration has begun. In 1967, the first permanent exhibition was opened on the second floor of the Patriarchal Chambers ^[7] .

In the 1950s, Soviet restorers, trying to recreate the atmosphere of the interiors of the 17th century, painted the vaults of the chamber with floral ornaments ^[3] .

According to the decree of the church council in 1675, peacemaking took place only in Moscow (once in 2-3 years) during Holy Week of Great Lent. The sacred world was used for baptism, the consecration of new temples, weddings to the kingdom and coronation.

On Wednesday of Holy Cross week, after the service to the Life-giving Cross, the ceremony of consecration of the components of the world began. And the world ended at Holy Week. It was cooked from Great Monday to Great Wednesday in silver cauldrons with continuous reading of the Gospel. Then various ingredients with aromas were added to it and poured into 12 silver vessels-kungans (according to the number of 12 apostles). The consecration of the holy world took place on Maundy Thursday in the Assumption Cathedral. During it, from a small vessel - Alavastra - a few drops of a previously consecrated world poured into each of the 12 vessels. Taken from the Alavastra was replenished with a newly welded world, which symbolized the continuity of the sacraments in the Orthodox Church. The consecrated world was solemnly transferred from the Assumption Cathedral back to the Patriarchal Palace and stored in the altar of the Church of the Twelve Apostles in silver vessels. From here it was distributed through bishops to all the Orthodox churches of the country ^[3] .

Equipment

• An oven for the preparation of church oil, the world, was installed in the chamber in 1763 ^[3] . It is set against the right wall. “The kiln is made in the form of a cross, lined with natural and artificial marble. Inside are three cauldrons for preparing the world. In the XIX century, a wooden carved gilt canopy was installed over the stove on eight columns. In the kokoshniks of the canopy are placed the images of the Trinity of the New Testament, called “Fatherland”, and 12 apostles ” ^[8] . The furnace has a hood ^[3] . The total weight of silver boilers placed inside the furnace under the covers is about 320 kilograms; they are a donation from Catherine the Great ^[3] .
• Vessels . Since anointing is the main sacred function when the monarch is enthroned ( Anointing the kingdom ), Russian emperors were sometimes present at the very rite of peace. So, Paul I was present on Maundy Thursday 1797 on the eve of his coronation, scheduled for Easter. In memory of this event, 16 silver vessels were made at the command of the Twelve Apostles (adjacent to the palace) to store the consecrated world at the altar of the temple. Later, in 1900, another 18 of them were added to the memory of the similar presence of Nicholas II.
• Kady . “After the rite of peacemaking, the finished world was placed for cooling in a silver cad , donated in 1767 by Empress Catherine II. The cover of the qadi is crowned with cast gilded figures: the prophet Samuel pours oil on the head of King David ” ^[8] .
• Alavaster

•  

  "Kad" for the storage of the world (XVIII century.)
•  

  Holy vessel Alavaster

•  

  A vessel for peace, nested by Paul I (1798)

•  

  Vessel for Peace (1822)