Sochi is known as the largest resort on the Black Sea coast of Russia and the capital of the 2014 Winter Olympics. But not everyone knows that over 180 years of the city’s existence more than 30 churches and temples, as well as 2 monasteries, were built in it. There are always a lot of tourists. For many vacationers in Sochi, temples are attractions. But there are people who come to the city for treatment. It is important for them to be able to light a candle for the health of loved ones or a safe return home and attach themselves to unique icons.
Where can I pray in Sochi
In preparation for the 2014 Olympics, active construction began, due to which the population of the city increased. It was also planned the arrival of a large number of athletes and guests of the Olympics from different countries. In this regard, the construction of religious buildings in Sochi began. Temples built during this period belong to different religious denominations.
The Orthodox community owns about 40 temples and chapels, the Trinity-St George’s Monastery for women and the Holy Cross Desert Monastery for men.
About 1.5 thousand inhabitants of the city are adherents of the Roman Catholic faith and conduct divine services in the church of the Apostles Simon and Fadey. Adherents of the Armenian Church also live in the city. At their disposal are 4 churches and the apostolic Armenian Church. In addition to these churches and cathedrals, the city has 10 houses of worship belonging to the Protestant community, and Muslim service takes place in a mosque in the mountain village of Thagapsh and a cathedral mosque in Bytkha.
Cathedral of Michael the Archangel - memory of the end of the Caucasian War
In 1838, the city of Sochi was founded. Temples in it began to be erected in 1874. The first of these was the Cathedral of Michael the Archangel, built by decree of Mikhail Romanov to mark the end of the war in the Caucasus. Construction continued until 1890, the consecration took place in 1891. The church is located in the center of Sochi and is very popular among Orthodox believers.
She acted until 1931, after which the services ceased and she was turned into a warehouse. During the war years, the cathedral was returned to the church, after which it was rebuilt, and in 1990 completed a complete reconstruction, giving it its original appearance. The temple, along with the bell tower, rises 34 meters, its length is 25.6 m. Next to the cathedral, the baptismal complex of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God and the Sunday School of Saints Cyril and Methodius were built.
Church of the Holy Prince Vladimir
On Vinogradnaya Street is the Temple of Prince Vladimir. Sochi is a city in which many cathedrals look very impressive. This can also be said about the Temple of Prince Vladimir, which was built in honor of the Baptist of Russia. Its almost mystical significance is very great for the city. In appearance, the temple is close to St. Basil's Cathedral. The walls of the building are decorated with bright decorative details of green, blue and red colors that convey the cheerful character of the church. The domes are helmet-shaped and decorated with gold, the facade is decorated with mosaic icons and color paintings.
The Temple of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir was built from 2005 to 2011. After the construction was completed, he was consecrated by the Metropolitan of Yekaterinodar and Kuban. Despite the fact that the church was built recently, its significance is very great for the Orthodox religion.
Miraculous Temple - Olympic Cathedral in Sochi
The miraculous temple (Sochi) is popularly called the Olympic, because it was built near the Olympic Park. In 2010, a road was built in the city leading to future sports facilities. During the excavation, the ruins of the Byzantine basilica of the 9th century were discovered, then it was decided to build a new church instead. The stone from the ruins of the basilica was consecrated in August 2012 and laid the foundation for the future temple. A year and a half later, a church was erected on a deserted place in accordance with Byzantine traditions. The consecration of the temple and the first worship took place in early February 2014.
The height of the Temple of the Miraculous Image is 43 meters, the domes are decorated with gold leaf, the walls inside are painted with frescoes in the style of the artist Vasnetsov. About 40 leading Russian artists participated in wall painting. In the center of the vault is the figure of the Savior, surrounded by seraphim. The temple has a large conference room, and a shelter for clerics has been built in the park.
Hostinsky Transfiguration Temple
Hosta is one of the districts of the city. Since the foundation of Sochi, temples in it have not been built. This caused inconvenience to the population of the village. At the beginning of the last century in this region was the summer residence of one of the ministers of tsarist Russia, I.G. Shcheglovitova. On the initiative of his wife in the village organized a board of trustees with the goal of building an Orthodox church. Maria Fedorovna was engaged in fundraising and received 4000 rubles in gold from the Emperor Nicholas II for the construction of the church. The project was entrusted to the local architect V.A. Jonah, who took as a basis the architecture of the Jerusalem Temple of the Holy Sepulcher.
Church of the Transfiguration (Sochi) was built and consecrated in 1914. Divine services were held there until 1917. After the October Revolution, the church was closed. She stood for so many years until in 1981 a telephone exchange was opened in the building. A little later, an Orthodox community was organized in Khost, which served in a small extension to the building. In 2001, the church was returned to the Orthodox Church. Now it contains fragments of the relics of the apostles Peter and Thomas, as well as the Moscow Patriarch Tikhon.
Despite the fact that among the population the anti-church mood is still strong, more and more residents of Sochi believe in the help of higher powers and visit the temples and cathedrals of the city.