Assumption Cathedral (Ryazan)

The construction of a new summer temple near the ancient Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ was due to the small size and decay of the latter, the crampedness and stuffiness in it, especially during the winter services. Metropolitan Joseph of Ryazan in 1677 appealed to Tsar Fedor III Alekseevich with a request for permission to build a new cathedral church more quickly nearby, in the place where the “green” (powder) chamber stood then. In 1679, by order of the Sovereign, the green chamber was dismantled.

In March 1684, “the apprentice of stone affairs Fyodor Charitin and his comrades” agreed with Metropolitan Pavel (Moravsky) to build a new cathedral church: “the masons at the high office and at the orders for the work of 1250 rubles, and any stock of 300 quarters, 140 pounds of ham and other. And to become one of them on that matter on the 15th day and make it for three years. ”

In 1692, Metropolitan Abraham joyfully informed the Patriarch and the Sovereigns John and Peter Alekseevich that “the cathedral church was completed with construction, the vaults were reduced and the necks where the chapters were to be made ...”.

However, on the night of April 18, 1692, a slightly unfinished cathedral church collapsed due to incorrect calculations or the weakness of the soil under the foundation. The collapsed cathedral also destroyed the gate church of St. Varlaam Khutynsky in the Spassky monastery.

The same Metropolitan Abraham in January 1693 arranged new contract tenders for the construction of the cathedral church, and the foundation was laid for the now existing summer Assumption Cathedral. This time the contract was received by the master of stone affairs Yakov Grigoriev Bukhvostov . Work began on May 18, 1693, and at the end of 1699 the cathedral was brought under the roof and then found its 5 chapters.

The artel of carvers Sergey Khristoforov made a huge seven- tier iconostasis for the cathedral. In 1701, the iconostasis was gilded by Moscow goldsmiths. Icons for the iconostasis were written by the icon painter Nikolai Solomonov with assistants. The magnificence of the ornaments of white stone carvings on the walls of the cathedral — portals , columns, platbands — was decorated according to the design of Yakov Bukhvostov by masters: Nikita Justinov, Gerasim Ivanov, Ivan Parfyonov.

On August 15, 1702, Metropolitan Stefan (Yavorsky) consecrated the new Assumption Cathedral.

As early as 1800, the inhabitants of Ryazan learned from Bishop Simon (Lagov) that the Holy Synod ordered that the cathedral be dismantled because of the appearance of “dangerous dilapidations” in it and a new one was built. But the fact is that, due to its height and open location, the chapters and the roof were torn off at the temple, cracks appeared in the arches and walls, the mica inserted in the upper windows was knocked out by the winds. Snow poured into the holes in wintertime in holes in the temple; in the summer, jackdaws and sparrows flew and made nests in the iconostasis and spoiled it. Behind the bird's roar, cry and flutter, church services were barely audible. Archbishop Simon announced a decree of the Synod to the Ryazan Duma and asked citizens to consult with each other and let him know how they would “judge the allowance for the cathedral,” dismantle the cathedral or repair it. Then the Ryazan merchants G.V. Ryumin and P.A. Malshin invited the architect and stone makers from Moscow to inspect the cathedral. It turned out that the cathedral can be fixed. Famous merchants pledged to donate part of the money to this and set to work: they contracted masons, masters of stone work, and a painter. By 1804, the Assumption Cathedral was renewed, and on August 15 of that year it was consecrated again. From all citizens donations amounted to 69.100 rubles.

The main Ryazan shrine was considered the miraculous Theodotiev Icon of the Mother of God , which appeared in 1487 in a field near the village of Feodotievo, near Spassk . In honor of this icon, annually celebrations were held on July 2.

Another miraculous icon of the Mother of God - Murom - is more ancient. It was previously mentioned that this icon was blessed by Prince. Konstantin of Murom (Yaroslav before St. Baptism) his father Svyatoslav , Grand Duke of Kiev , grandson led. Prince Vladimir to reign and spread Christianity in the Murom-Ryazan region. St. was praying in front of this icon. Basil, Bishop of Ryazan, when in 1288 he sailed from Ryazan (old) to Pereyaslavl-Ryazan (Ryazan) . In ancient inventories, the icon is called “the prayer of St. Vasily. "

There was also a very revered ancient image of St. John the Baptist .

• Sovereign Emperor Alexander I (May 30, 1819, July 20, 1820, August 24, 1824);
• Sovereign Emperor Nicholas I (September 19, 1832 and September 12, 1836);
• Sovereign Emperor Alexander II , being Cesarevich (August 16, 1837);
• Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II (May 8, 1904 and December 8, 1914).

After 1917, church services in the temple were discontinued. The internal paintings on the columns and walls are spoiled by whitewashes. Icons and all church property requisitioned by the new government. For some time, a planetarium was operating in the temple. Museum exhibitions were later held.

In 1992, the cathedral was returned to the Ryazan diocese and consecrated again on June 13, 1992. On that day, His Grace Simon (Novikov) , Archbishop of Ryazan and Kasimovsky, made an all-night vigil . The next day, June 14, on the feast of the Holy Trinity , the Divine Liturgy is performed in the church. To the 900th anniversary of Ryazan in 1995, the restoration of the ancient iconostasis was completed in the church.

• “Ryazan - the historical center” - N. Agramakov, edited by TSRK “Provincial Ryazan” 2007 - 400 pp., Ill.