In the vicinity of Gatchina is the historic district – Marienburg. Gatchina residents call it – “Madrid”. Here is located, not inferior in its beauty to the Intercession Cathedral – the Orthodox Church of the Protection of the Holy Mother of God. The rector of the church is Archpriest Anthony Antipov. The construction of the end of the XIX century is ranked as a cultural heritage of the Russian Federation.
The church was founded on May 25, 1886 in the Jaeger settlement and was built according to the project of the architect David Ivanovich Grimm. She served as the parish church of the Imperial Hunt of court rangers.
Here was a luxurious three-tier carved iconostasis made of dark oak at the Schroeder factory in St. Petersburg. The walls of the temple were painted by the painter P. Fisher: over the iconostasis he depicted the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, filling the remaining arches and walls with a Byzantine ornament. The bells for the belfry were cast at the A. S. Lavrov Copper Plant.
In the 1930s, all the values of the church were confiscated, and the interior was destroyed. During the occupation of Gatchina by the Nazi troops, from October 1941, services were resumed in the church.
The fate of the church is closely connected with the history of the old Jaeger settlement. The construction of the settlement near Gatchina began in 1857, during the reign of Emperor Alexander II, then the imperial court hunt was transferred to Gatchina from Peterhof. Near the Kolpanka River, more than sixty buildings were built with a large farm for various needs. The entrance to the settlement was through the Red Gate, and the main street was Jaegerskaya road. In it, in the Old Russian style, the same one-story residential huts were built for families of royal rangers and barracks for singles, the complex included a hunting management building, a bathhouse with a kitchen, an office, a school, a forge, a water pump, a widow’s house, a tea house, a greenhouse, stone stables, aviaries for dogs and menageries for predators, various workshops. Unfortunately, to this day little remains of the Jaeger settlement itself, but you can see some of the houses of the court rangers.
It is worth noting an interesting historical fact that the construction was carried out under the direct supervision of Emperor Alexander III, who made Gatchina his favorite residence. Approving the project in 1885, the emperor personally chose a place for the future church, paid for the construction. The consecration of the church was planned for the Feast of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, however, Alexander III, who visited the church shortly before this event, considered it cramped and ordered the temple to be expanded urgently. Therefore, the solemn consecration of the church took place only on November 20, 1888. The consecration of the church was attended by the entire imperial family.
In November 2018, 130 years have passed since the consecration of the church.
One of the main shrines is the icon of the Mother of God “Recovery of the lost.” It is installed in the temple to the left of the altar, and is especially revered by parishioners. On February 18, many believers and pilgrims come to celebrate the icon of the “Recovery of the Dead”.
Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a unique architecture of the 19th century. Having visited it, you will touch the ancient shrines, feel the peace and get acquainted with the history of the Jaeger settlement. You will be delighted and receive only positive emotions from visiting this remote place. We will always be happy to see you there! From year to year the number of parishioners of the Intercession Church is increasing, it is gratifying that there are many young people among them, so the church has a future.
Author: Zhang De Gwan
Location : St.Petersburg
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