The main Orthodox attraction of the city of Omsk is considered the Assumption Cathedral, built in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Despite the complex history, the temple is still operating today and gathers thousands of parishioners within its walls.
How the Assumption Cathedral was built
Architect Ernest Wierrich, known for designing the main streets of St. Petersburg, laid the first stone in the foundation of the future church in the summer of 1891. Prior to this, preparatory work was carried out for a long 13 years. Initially, the Assumption Cathedral (Omsk) was built with money from donations and the fund of the municipal Orthodox Union. That is why the process dragged on for many years.
The construction project was based on the church of St. Petersburg - the famous Savior on Spilled Blood. Nevertheless, the Assumption Cathedral in Omsk did not become a simple copy, but received its own redesigned look. During the construction, more than 30 types of bricks were used, so the construction was largely unique.
The Assumption Cathedral (Omsk) was a combination of the best ideas of traditional folk and Byzantine styles. That is how the architects of that time saw the main prayer buildings of the country. From the Byzantine architecture, Wierrich took onion chapters, and from the Russian, tented porches, a frame of arches and architraves, melons, decorative kokoshnichki and so on.
The temple opened in 1898, and after a few years in the surrounding area there were numerous playgrounds, a parish school and two whole schools.
On the brink of extinction
After the revolution, the Assumption Cathedral in Omsk went through difficult times. In 1920, the temple, along with the entire territory, was given into the possession of the Renovationists, who could not support it. Gradually, parishioners began to turn away from the house of God.
By the mid-1920s, the Assumption Cathedral in Omsk was completely empty. For this reason, the local authorities decided to start the demolition of the structure. First of all, the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral suffered from the abduction. Following him were removed the heads and bells. By 1934, only walls and roof remained from the temple. After some time, the building was converted into an opera house for workers of the regional party committee.
In February 1935, the municipal executive committee decided to demolish the building for the benefit of the future Omsk people's commissar. The procedure did not take much time. By the end of the year, ruins had formed on the site of the temple, and the bishop’s garden for children of parishioners became a meeting place for pioneers. Only a part of the altar wall remained from the cathedral. In the mid-1990s, on the site of the ruins, the city authorities made a decorative fountain.
Resurrection from the Ashes
In the summer of 2005, by order of the regional government, the reconstruction of the temple began, resulting in the current Assumption Cathedral in Omsk. It is worth noting that during the excavations, whole graves were discovered. Archaeologists found in the foundation on which the Assumption Cathedral in Omsk was located, the relics of Archbishop Sylvester. Also in the tomb were found ancient icons and the vestibule of St. Nicholas.
The first stone in the foundation of the new church was laid by Metropolitan Theodosius. Also, the father of Omsk and Tarski placed the ark together with the relics of the holy martyr Sylvester in the foundation. In January 2006, the active erection of walls began, and by August, new recently cast bells (13 pieces) were consecrated in the cathedral.
A few months later, domes were raised, the total weight of which was 15 tons. A cross was erected in April 2007, and ceramic and painted work began in May. So by the middle of summer, July 15, the cathedral was completely erected from scratch and consecrated.
Architecture and interior
The area of the temple is more than 1,500 square meters. meters. The height of the bell tower with the cross is 47 m. The diameter of the main dome is 15 meters. Holy Assumption Cathedral (Omsk) is a magnificent five-domed structure. Domes are made in helmet form. At their base are powerful cylindrical towers with arched windows.
An 8-faced lantern with pilasters is installed above the main dome. A similar style was used in the construction of the bell tower with the upper interception. The crosses on the chapters are eight-pointed. It is worth noting that the bell tower is made of three tiers with elongated openings. Such an architectural move is rarely used, but architects pushed off Ernest Wierrich’s initial designs.
The interior of the cathedral consists of the main and middle halls, as well as a narthex with a bell tower and a refectory. Above the altar is a 5-sided concha. As for the refectory roof, it is a classic gable roof. In the basement of the temple, such a type of cladding as rustic is used. Each hall is decorated with amazing murals of warm colors, decorative niches, shovels and multi-tiered cornices. The windows of the cathedral are decorated with carved platbands.
Shrines and Icons
The most important component of the temple from the 19th century was the image of the holy princess, known to the townspeople as Anna Kashinskaya. At the base of the frame were particles of the missus relics.
The icons of the Assumption Cathedral of that time require special attention. In the early 1910s, Bishop Andronik brought with him a number of miraculous images from Novgorod. These were the icons of the Mother of God, the Monk Euphrosyne, the Great Martyr Barbara, and others. Each of them contained the relics of the saints.
Currently, the main shrine of the cathedral is cancer with particles of the body and clothing of Archbishop Sylvester. The relics in 2009 were transferred to the cave church (lower tier of the temple). The iconostasis of the cathedral also includes the image of the Mother of God of Kazan with a personal signature of Patriarch Alexei II.
Clergy of the temple
At the end of the 19th century, the staff of the Assumption Cathedral consisted of 11 people: a cathedral archpriest, 2 priests, a foreman, 2 psalmsmen and 5 deacons. The first leader of the temple was the abbot Nedosekov. It was he who at the beginning of the 20th century founded the Omsk Church School together with the keykeeper Skalsky. Since 1911, Archpriest was Abbot Soloviev, who for his faithful service received the Order of St. Anna of the highest degree.
Currently, the cathedral is led by Metropolitan Vladimir. In his submission are 6 priests and 5 deacons. The cleric Oleg is considered the main among the clergy. The archpriest of the church is Valery Zheltovsky.
Addresses and Services
The Holy Assumption Cathedral (Omsk) is located in building No. 12 on Internatsionalnaya Street. Its domes and bell tower are visible from afar, so finding a temple is not difficult. Also next to it runs public transport.
Today, the Assumption Cathedral, the service which takes place in the evenings on weekdays and weekends, is open daily until late at night for everyone. On holidays, parishioners have the opportunity to climb the bell tower.
The following cathedrals of Omsk are also assigned to the cathedral church: Voskresensky, Pavel Komelsky and Iverskaya.
Good to know
For the initial construction of the temple at the end of the 19th century, the necessary funds were collected not only by the city authorities and the Holy Synod, but also parishioners from all over the empire. The State Treasury took over the interior decoration, and the iconostasis was imported for personal money of Nicholas II. In total, construction and decoration took more than 125 thousand rubles.
In April 2005, a grandiose exhibition project was launched in the Omsk Region, dedicated to the Assumption Cathedral of the late 19th century. The exposition included the rarest exhibits of ancient Russian architecture, church vestments, books and the first photographs of the temple.
Today, various festive events of city and state significance are held annually on the square adjacent to the cathedral, for example, the May 9 parade. Also, with recent measures, the main road to the temple, by decree of the regional government, has become the main venue for sports.