The beauty of Orthodox churches did not add upimmediately, they were erected for several years, and sometimes even decades. In most cases, they were wooden log houses, and only a long time later a stone church was constructed, withstood the vicissitudes of epochs and human imperfections, so is the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov).
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In 1636, Tambov was not yet a city, but onlya place on the border of Ancient Rus, where for the protection of borders began to erect a fortress and with it a church. The church and bell tower were laid on April 17 and built very quickly, in three months. The building was made of thick logs, had two floors, consecrated the church in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord on the day of this feast - on August 6 (old style) in 1636. The exact place where the wooden church was located, now can not be found, you can only guess where it was located. Most likely, according to the researchers, it stood on the bank of the river Tsna, in the east of the place where the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov) now rises. At the time of construction, the church was necessary for the defenders of the city, a small flock, and was quite able to cope with the tasks of spiritual support for its parishioners. But the city grew rapidly, and the time changed too, a small church on the outskirts became too small.
Cathedral
Через сорок лет, в 1677 году, Преображенская the church received the title of the cathedral. It became the center of church life, people were drawn to the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov). The schedule of divine services has not changed, although joint services of several city churches were held. Supervised the affairs of the archpriest, who needed to receive visitors and subordinate clergy, collect duties. The entire staff consisted of an archpriest, deacon, sexton, sexton and two priests. The ministers lived near the cathedral in their own homes. When the cathedral was built prosfryanya.
New life
When in 1682 was formed TambovDiocese, the cathedral was given the status of a cathedral and became the main temple of the city. The first bishop Leonty tried to bring the dilapidated building in order, but he managed only to equip the bell tower with a large bell weighing fifty poods. He did not have time to do anything else, since he was transferred to another duty station. A new life in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Tambov came with the second Bishop - Pitirim.
Некоторое время новый глава собора провел в Smolensk province, where to build temples of stone was already a tradition, and therefore St. Pitirim decided not to start the matter. Even before his arrival at the place of service in the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov), the new ruler made efforts to find funds for the maintenance and construction of the church. Having written several petitions of the reigning dynasty, he received additional parishes in subjection, a certain amount of land was settled by peasant families. By 1687, St. Pitirim ordered the inner life of the cathedral: everything necessary for a full-fledged bishopric was purchased, a sacristy appeared, and repairs were carried out. The Bishop built grandiose plans, which he embodied.
Stone temple of Bishop Pitirim
The construction of the stone church was conductednear the wooden church. In 1694 the works began. Over the warm summer months, the walls of the new structure rose to 14 meters. According to some evidence, a single-storeyed temple was originally conceived, but St. Pitirim changed his plan in favor of a two-story building after his illness in 1695. The necessary changes were made: additional windows were punched, vaults for the stairs were laid to the second floor, preparatory work was done to lay the heating of one of the floors. In the unfinished church, the Nikolsky side-chapel was consecrated. Unfortunately, Bishop Pitirim did not manage to complete the construction in full. He died on July 28, 1689 and was buried in the consecrated side-chapel of the cathedral.
Decline and end of construction
After the death of Bishop PitirimThe Savior's Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov) gradually declined. Completion of the second floor was only possible in 1738, but the material was a tree, not a stone. At the same time, the iconostasis was made of the simplest execution, without gilding, intended for the upper church. Appointed in 1758, Bishop Pachomius noted the deplorable state of the cathedral and even made an estimate for the restoration, but funds from the Synod were not allocated. The temple continued to deteriorate, by the 1980s the upper floor rested, threatening to collapse. Then it was decided to turn to the townspeople for help in rebuilding.
Local merchants allocated funds, they were enoughon partial restoration and cosmetic repair. In the future, the society repeatedly took part in the work on building the temple, finally the Transfiguration Cathedral in Tambov was completed in 1793.
Construction of the bell tower and restoration
While all the forces and attention were riveted to the cathedral,the bell tower of the temple was heavily worn out. Repair in it was not carried out from the moment of construction. It was possible to begin the erection of the stone structure in 1809. The foundation was laid in twenty meters from the cathedral, but the work was braked. There are no known reasons for the freezing of construction. The bell tower of the stone was completed only in 1817. Its main decoration was the bells, the largest weighed about 8 tons. According to the project it was supposed that the cathedral and bell tower would connect the covered gallery, but the lack of funds did not allow the idea to be realized.
During the same period in the cathedral on the second floordonations of parishioners was made and installed a new iconostasis, richly decorated with carvings and gilding. Over the next several decades, a church porch was added to the church, greatly altering the architecture of the building, the domes were installed, the gilding of dome crosses and stars adorned onions were made.
The Life of the Temple
In 1846, an active headman appeared in the temple,Gavriil Ivanovich Kazakov, who made a huge contribution to the improvement of the cathedral. Under his leadership, an obsolete and spoiled iconostasis was replaced in the upper church, the interior decoration of the temple underwent pleasant changes according to the then fashion. Also, plastering works were performed, murals with images of the Old and New Testaments appeared, window frames were replaced.
After this renaissance until 1914 in the cathedralno repair work was carried out, which sadly affected the state of construction. Local architects, inspecting the condition of the walls and the foundation, noted the presence of cracks, sometimes they were penetrating, because of which rain and snow fell into the interior. Drafts walked inside the cathedral, and the foundation stones sank due to antiquity. There was no opportunity to carry out a major overhaul, but the gaps were sealed, the foundation was strengthened by small forces, and the outer walls of the temple were plastered. The works were completed in the summer of 1914.
Soviet period and revival
With the advent of Soviet power in Tambov wereall the temples were destroyed, only the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov) remained. The schedule of worship was abolished, and the clergy was partially dissolved and partially repressed, the bell tower was destroyed. At the initiative of the staff of the museum in 1931, the temple was transferred to their jurisdiction. Changes took place in the walls of the ancient temple: the frescoes were painted over, the partitions were mounted and the museum expositions were exhibited. During the war, St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky) defended the restoration of the church for worship, but he was denied.
The situation has changed since 1989, when in the countrybegan restructuring. But the first liturgy was carried out only in 1993, the museum staff released the first floor of the temple. At the same time they began to restore the frescoes, domes, hoping to revive the Savior-Transfiguration Cathedral of Tambov in all its secular grandeur. The schedule of services took its place of honor, the parishioners were able to touch the shrines again.
Modernity
Today everyone can visitSavior Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov). A photo of the temple shows its majestic man-made beauty. The facade of the building is plastered and painted with light green paint, which favorably emphasizes its weightlessness in the surrounding space. Gilded domes rush up, gleaming sunshine. The whole appearance of the temple causes a joyful feeling of rebirth.
Join the historical and spiritual relicsit is possible at any time, one has only to go to the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov). Address: Cathedral Square, 4. If there is no possibility or desire to be present at the church service, then you should always admire the architecture of a nearly four-hundred-year-old church. During the day, it strikes with perfection of form, and the evening lighting gives the building a solemn look.
Always open for pilgrims, parishioners and believersthe way to the Transfiguration Cathedral (Tambov). The schedule of worship has been consistently for many years and corresponds to the Orthodox tradition. Church services are held daily. On weekdays, the morning service begins at 07:30, and in the evening - at 17:00. Sunday and holiday services are richer: early morning services begin at 07:00, late in the morning they are held at 09:00, and evening services begin at 17:00.
