Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow is both a visiting card of the capital and its traditional symbol. It is recognizable all over the world. The main temple of Red Square is one of a kind, nowhere is there anything remotely similar to it. He is unusually beautiful. And the statement that the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow is the eighth wonder of the world is absolutely true.
The famous Russian holy fool
For the most part, he is popularly known as St. Basil’s Church, and not only because the legendary holy fool is buried in one of the churches of the cathedral.
There is a legend that Vasily the Blessed collected all the money donated to him at the temple, which in the future will decorate the square. Before his death, he gave them, folded a penny to a heel, a penny to a penny, personally to Ivan the Terrible, who directed them specifically to the construction of a fabulous cathedral. According to legend, even the thieves did not touch the holy fool. It is interesting that the dates of life of many great people of medieval Russia are unknown, while every historian knows the year and place of birth, not to mention the exact time of the death of the Blessed. Because Ivan the Terrible came to the bed of the sick Vasily with Queen Anastasia, and he also carried the coffin with the body of the holy fool. Ivan Vasilievich repeatedly went to the square to St. Basil the Blessed - ask him for advice. There is a legend that the future saint was the only person in the world whom Ivan the Terrible was afraid of. St. Basil himself, the hero of numerous works of Russian literature and art, is one of the symbols of Russia. The Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow began to be erected in 1555 at the place where the future saint put money - to the wall of the wooden Trinity Church, and where not far away he was buried in 1552. The holy fool was canonized in 1588, after which he was ordered by Ivan the Terrible over his grave The church was erected, which became an extension to the temple, which gradually became known as the Blessed.
Dedicated to a specific historical event
Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow has the full official name - Moscow Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, on the Moat. Why on the moat? Because this fortification, which was held between the Kremlin and the future temple, lost its direct purpose and was bombarded. And in the name is left. The history of the construction of this legendary temple is interesting in itself. Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow was built in honor of the capture of Kazan. This is a special page of Russian history. The strong Kazan Khanate withstood the four previous sieges undertaken by the Russian troops in 1487, 1524, 1530 and 1550. The fifth, carefully thought out, implemented using all the latest achievements of military art, was successful. The khanate, a fragment of the Golden Horde, ceased to exist as an independent state and became part of Russia.
Why Pokrovsky
The assault on Kazan began on October 1, on the day of the Protection of the Holy Virgin. Hence the name of the temple, erected in honor of that significant event. Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow was not erected from scratch - earlier there was a wooden Trinity Church. All eight churches located around the central one, named after the Protection of the Mother of God, have their own names.
They were erected in a tree, in honor of successively won victories during the siege and capture of the Kazan Khanate, which occurred on certain church holidays. Four axial and four smaller, intermediate churches are named after the Trinity and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The following are the names in honor of the entrance to Jerusalem, in honor of Hadrian and Natalia (originally Justina and Capriana). Then - John the Gracious, Alexander Svirsky, Varlaam Khutinsky and Gregory of Armenia. Of course, over time, the original names for some reason could change. For example, the Church of John of Mstislavsky until the 18th century was dedicated to the saints of Constantinople - John, Alexander and Paul.
Architectural masterpiece
On the advice of the then Metropolitan, Ivan the Terrible decided to immortalize Pokrovsky Cathedral in stone. In Moscow, the
eighth wonder of the world was erected from 1555 to 1561. The question arises: "Why is this cathedral the eighth wonder of the world, because there are many beautiful places of worship in the world?" Yes, because no matter how unusual the churches and temples of Europe are, they are mostly gloomy. The main temple of Red Square, erected next to the Spasskaya Tower is a holiday cathedral. There is no church or temple in the world, so colorful, bright, and fabulous in the full sense of the word. The architecture of the legendary creation is unusually original - the churches are both a type of tent and military temples.
Unique throughout
Nine independently standing cylindrical structures are located on a common foundation and are joined by two circular galleries - internal and external. Galleries used to be called gulbishchi. Initially, the external detour was open, the arches were added later. The internal gallery consists of vaulted passages. The ensemble is complemented by two white-stone porches leading to the second floor, located on the western side of the temple. In addition, as mentioned above, the Church of St. Basil the Blessed is attached from the north-eastern side, and in the XVII century the cathedral was supplemented by a bell tower in the form of a tent. The central church of the temple, named after the Intercession of the Mother of God, is 60 meters high.
Alleged author
Before the construction of the reign of Boris Godunov , the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, belonging to the Church of St. John Climacus, which is located on the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin and reaches a height of 81 meters, the St. Basil's Cathedral was the highest in the capital. In Russian, there are not enough adjectives to describe the unique beauty that the Pokrovsky Cathedral in Moscow is endowed with. Photos taken from various angles provide an opportunity to imagine what Russian architects and masters were capable of. True, the authorship of the Russian architect from Pskov - Postnik Yakovlev, who had the nickname Barma, is disputed. Willingly confirmed only that he was blinded by Ivan the Terrible, so that he could no longer build anything like that. Although the name of this architect, as the author of other works, is found later.
Cathedral
In the capital of Russia there is also the Intercession Cathedral. Moscow, Rogozhsky village, 29 - the address of this in its own way interesting religious building. It is the main church of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia, which until 1988 was called the "Old Orthodox Church of Christ." The official Russian church attributes the ROCC to denomination, that is, to something in between the sect and the church. Nevertheless, the Old Believer church has its own Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, and the Intercession Cathedral at the Rogozhsky cemetery is its cathedral. The foundation stone of this cult structure was laid in 1791.
The project was commissioned by the great Russian architect M.F. Kazakov. The official church was struggling with the existence of this temple. In 1856, the altars were still sealed. This happened as a result of the denunciation of Metropolitan Filaret. They were printed only in 1905. This day is considered among the Old Believers a great holiday. Due to some circumstances, this church was not closed during the years of Soviet rule. Two aisles, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Sergius of Radonezh, has this very beautiful building, built in the classical style.
Another Pokrovsky temple in Moscow
There is in the capital near Pokrovskaya Zastava (another name - Abelmanovskaya Zastava) the eponymous stavropegial nunnery. It has its glorious history, which began in 1635 under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. After several centuries, when various metamorphoses occurred with the monastery, in 1994 the Holy Synod decided to revive the monastery in it. The monastery became feminine, but fame came to her in 1998, after she gained the relics of M.D. Nikonova.
In 2004, she was glorified in the face of venerable saints as the "Blessed Matron of Moscow". On the territory of the monastery there is the Intercession Cathedral consecrated in 1998. In Moscow, Matron, or rather her name, is most of all connected with this monastery, where thousands of metropolitan residents and guests of the city go to an endless series of bowing to her relics. According to some reports, up to 50 thousand people visit the Intercession Cathedral with the relics of Matronushka during the feast days, and about 3,000 come daily.