Back in 1738, the foundation was laid for the construction of a wooden church, which became the sixth monastery in the city of Irkutsk. Historical information suggests that in earlier periods the following temples were erected:
- in 1703 - the church named after St. Procopius and John of Ustyuzh Miracle Workers;
- in 1706 - Tikhvin Church;
- in 1717 - the Holy Cross Exaltation Church;
- in 1718 - the incredibly beautiful Trinity and St. Vladimir churches.
Sacred abode of seafarers
The main sponsor for the construction of shrines was a certain Emelian Yugov. This man took a place in history as a noble mariner, an avid traveler, a merchant who several times visited Kamchatka and brought back really gorgeous loot from there. He managed to amass his capital in the marine business, making a variety of purchases in other countries. On one of the distant shores he had to find his death. Yugov was overcome by a serious illness shortly before returning to his native land.
But the consecration of the temple took place during his lifetime. The monastery was erected in honor of the holy martyr Harlampius. The date of this momentous event is January 24, 1739. The consecration of the second floor took place a little later, in July 1746 and was carried out in the name of Archangel Michael. Where is the Kharlampievsky temple in Irkutsk? This will be written below.
The construction of a new temple
The wooden church lasted more than 20 years. In 1764, parishioners themselves decided to open a fundraiser for the erection of a stone building from quality material. A good financial foundation for the construction was the funds of Yugov, which survived after the construction of the wooden church was completed. The remaining money was donated by other philanthropists, as well as collected by concerned parishioners.
Already in 1777, they began to lay the foundation of a new church, and after 3 years the process of erecting walls and other works began. First of all, in 1782 the lower throne was named after Archangel Michael. And later, in 1784, the left chapel was consecrated in the name of the holy martyr Harlampius. A month earlier, the construction of the bell tower was completed and a spire was installed on it.
Consecration of the new temple
After the consecration of the lower churches, active divine services began here, a large parish has already appeared at the monastery. Moreover, the construction was not yet completed, and the construction of the lower floors of the structure continued. In 1787, the northern aisle of the upper floor was consecrated in the name of the holy myrrh-bearing women.
In parallel with the construction of new floors on the lower wooden flooring was replaced by special stone slabs. In 1790, another upper chapel was consecrated - the Assumption of the Mother of God. Later, in 1806, the throne was completed in one line in the name of St. Innocent. Already in 1809, all restoration work came to its logical conclusion. The church turned out to be really very beautiful and well-groomed.
Architectural ensemble
A separate entrance was made to each floor of the church. The first level of the temple is completely lined with stone slabs, the adobe stove and other ancient objects are located in the same room. The second floor of the building is made in a more modern style. Here you can already see glass windows, incredibly beautiful paintings of walls and ceilings, reflecting biblical scenes that very organically emphasized the majesty of the temple.
In the chapel of the Assumption of the Mother of God, special places were arranged for choirs, who accompanied their chants with all the service, adding special mystery and grandeur to the atmosphere. In 1824, as the Irkutsk annals testify, a new stone porch was laid for the church with a wooden superstructure. It was erected by 1825.
Natural disasters
Irkutsk really can be called a sufferer, because this city is incredibly often plagued by natural disasters. Fires and earthquakes continue today, which probably has become a feature of this city. The Kharlampievsky Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Church in Irkutsk also suffered from natural disasters.
In 1839, an earthquake overtook the city. Grand damage to the northern part of the building took place. As a result, it was necessary to carry out repairs, which required serious time costs and, of course, financial resources. After 2 years, the restoration of the building was successfully completed.
In 1848, large-scale repair work began again in the walls of the temple. The bell tower, which was also indirectly damaged by the earthquake, required serious reconstruction. During the repair work, a new staircase, floor and ceiling were installed, and other improvements were carried out. At the same time, the roof was replaced, as well as its green color. A small redecoration was started inside the building. It is known that all these works cost about 700 rubles in silver, which in those days was considered a fairly large amount.
Recovery work
In 1849, the improvement of the interior of the entire temple began. So, gilding was replaced, the columns were painted, the decoration for some icons was updated. A wooden fence was installed on the south side of the church, which fit perfectly into the exterior.
In 1851, restoration work was continued, but already in the lower church. The floors and windows were completely replaced, the walls were painted. The frames for the icons have been updated. In 1853, the Kharlampievsky temple in Irkutsk (address: 59th Army Street, 59) was led by a new headman, who received the blessing of a major renovation and subsequent redevelopment.
For 4 years, work continued on the upper floors of the temple. Large-scale improvements were made, the floor and ceiling were changed. After the repair was completed, the temple was again consecrated, and services were again regularly held. The construction of porches for storing documentation began.
A few years after an incredibly large-scale and expensive repair was carried out, another earthquake occurred, which is still considered one of the strongest in the region. This natural disaster caused damage to the tallest buildings. This sad event was reflected even in the annals, which described rather strong blows, lasting for several minutes. All buildings were shaken, and people fell from their feet. Such short-lived strikes continued throughout the day, which caused serious concern. In the church, arches showered, bricks began to fall, ceilings burst.
In a word, the Kharlampievsky temple in Irkutsk, whose history is already full of sad events, was waiting for new repair work. For them, of course, forces and means were needed. Reconstruction of this level really required a huge amount of time. Only in 1868, the repair was finally completed. All final work was carried out, and the temple again took on a neat and well-groomed appearance. At the same time, the restoration of the Innokentyevsky side chapel was carried out the longest, because it was this part of the building that suffered most. During the reconstruction, some changes were made to the monastery, the thrones were connected. In this incident, all the suffering did not end.
Fire in the cloister
A year after the repair, a fire occurred in the temple, which caused the destruction of the interior. He really did serious harm. But with the help of numerous parishioners, everything was restored in an incredibly short time, and the temple began to live its usual life. In subsequent years, they decided not to carry out large-scale repairs, limiting themselves to regular cosmetic renovations.
Harlampie Church in time of war
In 1917, during the fighting, the shell hit directly on the upper floor of the monastery. Repair of this kind is quite an expensive pleasure, it required financial injections. A few years later, believers collected the necessary amount for restoration.
However, already in 1920, all church attendants were arrested. The property of the church was requisitioned. A huge number of famous people are associated with the building of this temple, and the monastery itself experienced many troubles in Soviet times. Despite this, photos of the Kharlampievsky church in Irkutsk indicate that the monastery has survived and lives its Orthodox life.
Abode today
Today, the temple is completely restored, has a magnificent decoration, receives parishioners and conducts services. To visit such a place is incredibly informative for both residents and tourists. With the leaders of the group, you can go on a religious procession around Lake Baikal, which offers everyone the Harlampievsky temple in Irkutsk. Rector Archpriest Evgeny Startsev is the organizer of this pilgrimage.