How the center of the Russian Old Believers lives in the 21st century, who is restoring the most ancient temples and whether anyone can get into the territory of Rogozhskaya Sloboda - in the report of the MIR 24 TV channel.
The words “Old Belief” and “Old Believers” for modern man sound mysterious and archaic. At best, someone remembers the schism of the Russian Church in the 1650s, the reform of Patriarch Nikon and the unification of liturgical books from the school history course. But as soon as you approach house 35 on Rogozhsky Village Street, you get the impression that all these events happened a long time ago days gone by- disappears completely.
For more than 300 years, in the Tagansky district of Moscow, on the left bank of the Yauza, a religious community of Russian Old Believers has lived separately. From 1771 to the present day, Rogozhskaya Sloboda has preserved the patriarchal way of life, which at all times has distinguished and distinguishes it from the rest of Moscow. These are two-story residential buildings on stone foundations, locked gates that do not open for everyone, ancient churches and monasteries that are carefully restored by the Old Believers themselves, as well as the unusual appearance of the inhabitants, who rarely leave the boundaries of their village.
The Old Believer schism arose in the Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century. In the 1650-60s, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Patriarch Nikon began a church reform, which proclaimed the unification of the liturgical order in the Russian Church with the Church of Constantinople (Greek).
The reforms met strong opposition from supporters of the old rituals, who called the tsar’s decision “new faith” or “Nikonian Orthodoxy”, and called themselves “true believers” and “old Orthodox”. They continued to make the sign of the cross with two fingers and did not accept the Greek scripture for the word “Jesus” ( they write it as "Jesus"), prayers on the knees and without arms crossed on the chest, maintained monodeic singing during services, performed procession according to the Sun, they considered baptism only strictly three times immersion in water and encouraged the wearing of ancient Russian prayer clothes: blouses, sundresses and shirts.
The most famous supporter of the old faith was the church and public figure 17th century archpriest Avvakum Petrov - for polemics with the tsar, he was exiled to the city of Pustozersk on Pechora, imprisoned and executed, like many other ideologists of the movement. But the performance of these rituals over time caused disagreements within the Old Believers - three “wings” gradually formed: priests (these include the modern Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church), bespopovtsy (a movement in which there are no clergy) and co-religionists (they retain the double-fingered faith and services according to old printed books , but recognize the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate).
From that moment on, adherents of the Old Believers Russian Empire were called “schismatics” and were persecuted by church and Soviet authorities. Before the 1897 census, there were more than 1 million 682 thousand Old Believers in the country, many of whom settled in the Russian north, in the Volga region and Transbaikalia. Legislative restrictions on Old Believers were lifted only in 1905 by the Highest Decree of Nicholas II “On strengthening the principles of religious tolerance.” In 1971, the Russian Orthodox Church at the Local Council lifted all restrictions of the mid-17th century, and today the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church exist without conflicts.
The Rogozhskaya Old Believer settlement flourished on this site in Moscow during the reign of Empress Catherine II. The territory of the village is an area of about 9 hectares, where unique works of Russian architecture have been preserved. The majority of the Moscow Old Believers at all times were merchants and manufacturers who spared no expense in decorating houses and churches and spent large sums on purchases. ancient icons and books.
On the territory of the Rogozhskaya settlement today there are several churches, the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church, children's and adult Sunday schools, the Rogozhskaya Cossack village, a church refectory, a community library, a Rogozhskaya folk costume atelier and even a cinema in the Theological School.
Temple-bell tower in the name of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Uspensky)
The temple was built in 1908 - 1913 according to the design of the architect Fyodor Gornostaev, who has Old Believer roots. Painted inside in Novgorod XVI style century. According to the established Moscow tradition, the bell tower was erected one meter lower than the Kremlin bell tower of Ivan the Great - its height is 80 meters.
The bell tower provided premises for the sacristy, archive and book depository, which were located here from 1912 to 1924, before their confiscation by the Bolsheviks. Then they were transported from here to the Lenin Library, and the bells were sent for melting down. The temple was reconsecrated only in 1949, and in 1988 the bell ringing was resumed.
Rogozhskoe Old Believers cemetery and necropolis, where before the revolution only Old Believers were buried
In December 1770, an epidemic of pestilence (plague) began in Moscow, brought to the city by soldiers returning from Russian-Turkish war. By order of March 1771, all cemeteries within Moscow were closed in order to prevent the epidemic, and in return the Old Believers were allocated a special territory near the Rogozhsky almshouse. Count Grigory Orlov, who arrived in Moscow to fight the plague, allowed the Old Believers to bury all those who died from the plague in a field near the Vladimirsky tract ( Highway Entuziastov).
A quarantine, monastic cells, nunneries, a hospital named after S. Morozov, hospitals and a small Nikolskaya chapel for funeral services. Gradually, an Old Believer village formed around the cemetery, which by the end of the 18th century occupied an area of more than 22 acres (24.5 hectares) with a population of more than 1,600 people.
The October Revolution put an end to the so-called “golden age” of the Moscow Old Believers. Many graves and monuments were destroyed in the 1930s: the tombstones were cut up and used to line the embankments of the Moscow River and metro stations in the capital. There is an opinion that in the 1940s, it was at the Rogozhskoye cemetery that victims of political repression were secretly buried.
Church and interior decoration
The wooden chapel in the name of St. Nicholas is one of the most ancient buildings in Rogozhskaya Sloboda. It was built in 1771, and five years later the temple was repeated in stone by representatives of the Moscow merchant Old Believer society.
In the middle of the 19th century, the temple was rebuilt again and reconsecrated into a Edinoverie church - at the same time it acquired modern look in the “Russian style”: five large blue domes with faceted white drums and high arches. IN Soviet time The church was not closed, and it still has a Sunday school and library.
Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary (Pokrovsky)
Built in 1790 in classic style designed by architect Matvey Kazakov as a summer unheated temple. Before the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, this cathedral in Rogozhskaya Sloboda was larger in size than all other Moscow churches, including the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. And therefore, by the decision of Empress Catherine II, it was decided to “break off the inlets for the altar”, “lower the temple”, and instead of five chapters make “one chapter and a cross”.
In 1922, like all Old Believer churches, it was subject to confiscation of church valuables - more than a ton was removed from the territory of the temple and the Rogozhskoe cemetery silver products and pearls. Today this is the main cathedral church of the Old Believer community in Russia: here the walls and vaults are still painted in the Old Russian style, the cathedral is decorated with large candlesticks, lamps and chandeliers, and inside there is a collection of ancient Russian icons from the 13th – 17th centuries.
Park gazebo-Jordan
Nativity of Christ Cathedral
The temple was built in 1804 according to the design of the architect Ilya Zhukov as a winter heated temple. Two independent boundaries were built in it in the name of St. Nicholas and the Archangel Michael, the interior decoration included paintings and many icons. During Patriotic War In 1812, the temple was robbed by the French (there are still traces of saber strikes on the icons).
In 1922, it was subjected to a new - this time Bolshevik - looting, and a workers' canteen with a beer hall was organized in the church building, and a porch was built in its place toilet rooms. In the 1970s, the premises were occupied by Soyuzattraktsion, which placed a slot machine base in the temple. The building was returned to the Old Believers only in 1990, and internal restoration is still ongoing.
Cathedral Square of Rogozhskaya Sloboda
Old Believer Metropolis
Worship cross in memory of the Cossack ataman, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 Matvey Platov
The most amazing thing that you can discover today while walking around Rogozhskaya Sloboda is that the Old Believers are alive and developing according to their own laws. Here you can see rare icons (the Main Savior of the 14th century), ancient temples, an ancient necropolis and hospitals built with the money of the merchants Mamontovs, Ryabushinskys, Morozovs. But the main thing is to feel the atmosphere of the settlement, which seems frozen in time.
Nadya Serezhkina
Total 40 photos
Rogozhskaya Sloboda - historic district Moscow, which arose at the end of the 16th century, traditional place settlements of Old Believer merchant families, which became the spiritual center of the Moscow Old Believers. This is the center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, the spiritual center of one of the branches of the Old Believers - the priesthood of the Belokrinitsky consent.
The Rogozhskaya Old Believer settlement flourished on this site in Moscow during the reign of Empress Catherine II. The territory of the village is an area of about 9 hectares, where unique works of Russian architecture have been preserved. The majority of the Moscow Old Believers at all times were merchants and manufacturers who spared no expense in decorating houses and churches and spent large sums on the purchase of ancient icons and books.
On the territory of Rogozhskaya Sloboda today there are several churches, the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church, children's and adult Sunday schools, the Rogozhskaya Cossack village, a church refectory, a community library, even a cinema in the Theological School.
02 Rogozhsky village of the early 18th century (engraving) With fire and the whip... This is exactly how they dealt with schismatics in Russia three and a half centuries ago. In May 1666, Archpriest Avvakum, the main opponent of Nikon’s reforms, was cursed and sent into exile. It is this event that many historians consider the beginning of the schism of the Russian Church. The Old Believers had to fight for centuries for their freedom. Temple-bell tower in the name of the Resurrection of Christ Truly a gem architectural ensemble Rogozhskaya Sloboda is a church-bell tower in the name of the Resurrection of Christ. The bell tower of Rogozhskaya Sloboda is an undoubted masterpiece of religious architecture. The temple was built in 1908 - 1913 according to the design of the architect Fyodor Gornostaev (1867-1915), who has Old Believer roots. The inside is painted in the Novgorod style of the 16th century. According to the established Moscow tradition, the bell tower was erected one meter lower than the Kremlin bell tower of Ivan the Great - its height is 80 meters. The bell tower provided premises for the sacristy, archive and book depository, which were located here from 1912 to 1924, before their confiscation by the Bolsheviks. Then the books and manuscripts from here were transported to the Lenin Library, and the bells were sent for melting down. The temple was reconsecrated only in 1949, and in 1988 the bell ringing was resumed. In 1990, an Old Believer bell weighing more than four tons was returned from the Moscow Art Theater, which was then raised to the belfry.
The bell tower is memorable for its elegant carvings
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The belfry arch is decorated with relief images of a pelican. Previously, it was believed that the pelican fed its chicks with its blood, so it served as a symbol of parental love.
The split in the church occurred during difficult times for the country. The consequences of the turmoil were still making themselves felt. It was necessary to strengthen power. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich decided to do this with the help of the church. And in this he found a comrade-in-arms - Patriarch Nikon."It was strong man, a heroic build, and he fought for what he saw as a better future for the church. He saw this better future in a church that would have power, including economic power.”
The essence of Nikon's reform is a change in church rituals. People were now supposed to be baptized with three fingers instead of two, and services became shorter. It was necessary to do as in Greece and in most Orthodox countries. By getting closer to them, Russia was supposed to strengthen its position.
09 Rogozhskoe cemetery. 1912-1920
Rogozhskoe Old Believers cemetery and necropolis, where before the revolution only Old Believers were buried
In December 1770, an epidemic of pestilence (plague) began in Moscow, brought to the city by soldiers returning from the Russian-Turkish war. By order of Empress Catherine II of March 1771, all cemeteries within Moscow were closed, including two Old Believers. INIn their place, the Old Believers were allocated land for burying those who died from the plague three miles from the Rogozhskaya outpost. Count Grigory Orlov, who arrived in Moscow to fight the plague, allowed the Old Believers to bury all those who died from the plague in a field near the Vladimirsky tract (Enthuziastov Highway). After the epidemic, Catherine II, in gratitude to the Old Believers-merchants who did a lot to fight the plague, allowed the construction of two stone churches near the cemetery - a summer one and a winter one.
Near the cemetery there was a quarantine, monastic cells, convents, a clinic, hospitals and a small St. Nicholas Chapel for funeral services. Gradually, an Old Believer village formed around the cemetery, which by the end of the 18th century occupied an area of more than 22 acres (24.5 hectares) with a population of more than 1,600 people.
After the revolution, many graves and monuments were destroyed in the 1930s: the tombstones were cut up and used to line the embankments of the Moscow River and metro stations in the capital. At the same time, not only Old Believers, but everyone without distinction, began to be buried in the cemetery. There is an opinion that in the 1930s and 1940s, victims of political repression were secretly buried at the Rogozhskoe cemetery. In 1970, inside a columbarium was built along the walls of the cemetery. Despite all this, the Rogozhskoe cemetery has not lost its Old Believer features.
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The old rules were cursed, and at the same time those who did not agree with the innovations. The Raskolnikovs began to be persecuted: public floggings, deprivation of property, mass executions. Despite the fact that even in the tsar’s immediate circle many did not agree with the reforms. The most ardent opponent is Archpriest Avvakum.
Coming from the village of Grigorovo near Nizhny Novgorod, Avvakum became the main symbol of resistance to Nikon’s reforms. They tried to persuade him, sent him into exile several times, but even there he felt free and wrote angry messages to the king. In the end, the disgraced archpriest was burned in prison, and then the Old Believers were executed en masse in exactly the same way. In search of freedom, the outcasts went into the forests and settled in remote places - Pomorie, the Urals, Siberia.
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Near the Rogozhskoe cemetery there is a temple in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nicholas of Myra at the Rogozhskoe cemetery). The wooden chapel in the name of St. Nicholas is one of the most ancient buildings in Rogozhskaya Sloboda. It was built in 1771, and five years later the temple was repeated in stone by representatives of the Moscow merchant Old Believer society.
In 1854, it was taken away from the Old Believers and handed over to fellow believers. In 1863-1866 the temple was rebuilt again
designed by the architect Vasily Nikolaevich Karneev (1831-1895). The temple acquired a modern look in the “Russian style”: five large domes with faceted white drums and high arches. During Soviet times, the church was not closed, and it still has a Sunday school and library. Currently, the church is administered by the Edinoverie Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
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The restored temple can be viewed as a painted toy.
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However, some did not run that far. For example, a large community settled in Borovsk, 100 kilometers from Moscow. Just 100 years ago, of all the townspeople there, two-thirds were Old Believers. Borovsk became one of the main centers of Russian Old Believers after the split, when noblewoman Morozova was exiled here. Here she suffered martyrdom, and here she was buried.
Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary (Pokrovsky)
Initially, after the permission of Catherine II, a temple in the name of the Intercession was erected in Rogozhskaya Sloboda Holy Mother of God or Intercession Cathedral. This is the main cathedral church of the Rogozhsky community.The temple was built in 1790 in the classical style according to the design of the architect Matvey Kazakov as a summer (unheated) temple. Before the construction of the New Believer Cathedral of Christ the Savior, this cathedral in Rogozhskaya Sloboda was larger in size than all other Moscow churches, including the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin.
But the Moscow Old Believers were not allowed to complete its construction according to the planned plan. The St. Petersburg Metropolitan Gabriel reported to the Empress about the construction of the temple. He argued that the Old Believers were humiliating the dominant church with their construction. An investigation began, and as a result, the temple was completed in a stripped down and shrunken form: instead of five chapters, only one, the central one, was left, the projections for the altars were broken off, and the building itself was lowered. Temple with outside began to look simple house.
For two centuries the Intercession Cathedral was the largest Orthodox church Moscow, accommodating up to seven thousand believers at a time. Only the construction and reconstruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior twice relegated it to second place among Christian churches by area. However, we must admit that in terms of spiritual value and prayer, this is certainly one of the most significant churches in the capital and the country as a whole.
During Napoleon's invasion, the French also visited the Rogozhskoye cemetery. But the Rogozhan residents managed to leave their homes in advance and hide the main shrines of the temples. After Napoleon was expelled from Moscow, the capital was occupied by the Don Cossacks, at that time mostly Old Believers. The famous hero of the Patriotic War, Ataman Platov (from the Don Cossacks) was also an Old Believer. He donated his camp church to the Rogozhsky cemetery.
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In 1922, the Intercession Cathedral, like all Old Believer churches, was subject to confiscation of church valuables - more than a ton of silver items and pearls were removed from the territory of the temple and the Rogozhskoye cemetery. Today this is the main cathedral church of the Old Believer community in Russia: here the walls and vaults are still painted in the Old Russian style, the cathedral is decorated with large candlesticks, lamps and chandeliers, and inside there is a collection of ancient Russian icons from the 13th - 17th centuries.
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Realizing that the Old Belief could not be eradicated, the state gradually made concessions. The first relaxations were introduced already in 1716 under Peter the Great: punishments were replaced with a double tax. And at the end of the 18th century, Catherine II allowed schismatics to build their churches in Moscow, in Rogozhskaya Sloboda, next to the plague cemetery
In the 19th century, the two-fingered people were actually given equal rights with the new believers. But officially this happened only under Nicholas II. In 1905, he issued the highest “Decree on Tolerance.” Russian Orthodox Church recognized the Old Believers only in 1929. Then the Provisional Patriarchal Synod lifted the curse from the pre-Nikonian rites.
Just like 3.5 centuries ago, today Old Believers feel that they are unique and oppose themselves to the majority. Whether the split will ever be completely overcome or not is no longer so important for them.
Jordan.
Jordan was erected on the north bridge in the form of a park gazebo
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Nativity of Christ Cathedral
Next to the summer Intercession Cathedral is the winter Church of the Nativity of Christ.The temple was built in 1804 according to the design of the architect Ilya Zhukov (1763-1837) as a winter (heated) temple. It was equipped with two independent chapels in the name of St. Nicholas and the Archangel Michael; the interior decoration consisted of paintings in the ancient style and many icons. During the Patriotic War of 1812, the temple was robbed by the French (there are still traces of saber strikes on the icons).
In 1922, it was subjected to a new - this time Bolshevik - looting, and a workers' canteen with a beer hall was organized in the church building, and toilet rooms were built in place of the porch. In the 1970s, the premises were occupied by Soyuzattraktsion, which placed a slot machine base in the temple. The building was returned to the Old Believers only in 1990, and internal restoration is still ongoing.
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Worship cross.
Matvey Ivanovich Platov (1751-1818), Old Believer, ataman of the Don Cossack Army, cavalry general, count, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812
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Water Chapel.
To the east beyond the Jordan, a tented water-sanctuary chapel was erected above the well.
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New chambers (House of Pricht).
The office building, hotel and cemetery were built in 1863-1866. The cemetery office was located in one of the rooms on the first floor. Other rooms housed the office of the cemetery trustees, a kitchen, and a warehouse for church and household supplies. On the top floor there were two huge halls for organizing funerals, as well as a room for visitors.
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In Soviet times, the building was first used as a school; in the late 1920s, a student dormitory was placed here, then a residential building and again a dormitory. After a fire, it was returned in ruins to the Old Believer Metropolis in 1997. Currently, the building has been completely restored and is ready for the residence of the Metropolitan, various services of the Rogozh community and the Metropolis.
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Several common views
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Ponds
In the eastern vasti of Rogozhsky there are two ponds connected by a narrow strait. Three bridges connect the banks of the ponds. Previously, the ponds were filled with water from the abundance of springs and were flowing. During the Soviet era, the ponds were filled up and completely destroyed. In their place, a landfill was first built, and then a stadium, a shooting range, garages, and a hippodrome were organized, which existed until the mid-2000s
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On March 16, 2017, in the Kremlin, the President met with the Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Cornelius. And on May 31, 2017, Vladimir Putin visited the Rogozh spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. The monopoly on faith has been completely lost...
Where they settled, monasteries and monasteries were created in that area, which became a source of spiritual life. The leadership of the church came from here, priests were sent from monasteries to parishes. It was from here that St. Myrrh, all kinds of messages to Christians were compiled here, essays were written in defense of the Old Believers, and the very defenders and preachers of the Old Orthodox faith were educated. In some places, many hermitages and monasteries arose - several dozen each, with many hundreds of monastic ascetics. They united under the leadership of the largest and most authoritative monastery. There were several such spiritual centers in the Old Believers. The following centers became most famous for their church activities: Kerzhenets, Starodubye, Vetka, Irgiz and the Rogozhskoye cemetery in Moscow.
Kerzhenets is the name of a river flowing in the Semenovsky district Nizhny Novgorod region and flowing into the Volga. The name of the river is used to call the entire area covered by its flow. In the 17th century here there was a dense, almost impenetrable forest, which gave persecuted Christians the opportunity to hide from merciless enemies. By the end of the 17th century. on Kerzhenets there already existed up to a hundred monasteries, male and female. Under Peter I, their ruin began. The main persecutor of the Old Believers in this area and throughout the Nizhny Novgorod province was Nizhny Novgorod Archbishop Pitirim. He also incited the Tsar against the Old Believers. Many Kerzhen Old Believers at this time were sent to hard labor, tortured, and others were executed. IN Nizhny Novgorod The nationally famous Kerzhen deacon Alexander, who compiled a wonderful book of answers to Pitirim’s questions, was executed. They cut off his head, burned his body, and threw his ashes into the Volga. As a result of such persecution, many Old Believers fled from here to the Perm region, to Siberia, to Starodubye, to Vetka and other places.
Starodubye is an area located around the city of Starodube, which in the past united several counties in the northern part Chernigov province(Starodubsky, Novozybkovsky, Surazhsky). And now there are cities and villages where numerous descendants of the Old Believers live: Klintsy, Svyatsk, Klimove; Mitkovka, Voronok, Luzhki, Novozybkov (currently belong to the Bryansk region). Local natural conditions allowed to hide from persecution and persecution, and local authorities They treated foreign Christians with toleration and condescension. However, the tsarist authorities did not leave the Old Believers alone here either. When persecution began in these places, the priests who were there along with their flock went to Poland to Vetka.
Branch. In Poland, the Old Believers enjoyed freedom; no one persecuted them here. Old Believers fled here not only from Starodubye, but also from other places in Russia. Soon, in the vicinity of the first settlement of Old Believers in Poland, about twenty new settlements grew up, each with its own name. But the entire area inhabited by Old Believers began to be called by one common name - Vetka. For a long time it served as the guiding center of the spiritual life of the Old Believers. The tsarist government paid attention to this spiritual nursery of the Old Believers, but could not do anything with it, since it was located abroad. But as soon as the Polish kingdom weakened, the Russian government hastened to ruin Vetka. This happened in 1735, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. By order of this queen, Russian troops suddenly surrounded all Vetkovo settlements. The Old Believers were taken by surprise; no one could escape. A general search of monasteries, monasteries, houses, and cells was carried out. Everything that was found was selected. All buildings were burned to the ground. More than 15 thousand people - men, women and children - were captured from the residents of Vetka. More than a thousand people in the monasteries were captured - monks and nuns, who were sent to numerous Russian monasteries under strict supervision. All worldly residents were resettled in different cities and villages Russian state. This destruction of Vetka is known as “dispossession.” Soon settlers appeared in the incinerated place again, settlements and monasteries arose again. Under Catherine II, a second “forcing” of Vetka followed, and later there was a third. But the Branch was reborn every time.
The Irgiz is a large tributary of the Volga, flowing in the southeastern half of the Saratov and Samara regions. During the reign of Catherine II, Old Believers settled here in large quantities and founded many hermitages and monasteries, which united under the common name Irgiz. Both the monasteries and their surroundings were inhabited by Old Believers invited by the queen from abroad. During the brutal persecution of the Old Believers, many people fled beyond the borders of their native fatherland: to Poland, Sweden, Romania, Turkey, Prussia, China and even Japan. Having ascended the throne, Catherine II issued a manifesto in which she called on foreign Old Believers to return to Russia and promised them quiet life. The Old Believers joyfully responded to this call and rushed to their homeland in large numbers. The government allocated them a place within Irgiz a. Irgiz monasteries quickly acquired enormous importance in the church and social life of the Old Believers. But during the reign of Nicholas I, the Irgiz monasteries were completely destroyed.
The Rogozhskoe cemetery in Moscow was founded under Catherine II. In 1771, a terrible plague raged in Moscow. The Moscow Old Believers were given a place behind the Rogozhskaya outpost for the burial of the plague dead. A large spiritual refuge with cells, almshouses and churches gradually arose here. First, a temple was built in the name of St. Nicholas. Then the construction of a huge summer church in the name of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos began. In terms of vastness, there was no equal to it in Moscow, but the Moscow Old Believers were not allowed to complete its construction according to the planned plan. The St. Petersburg Metropolitan Gabriel reported to the Empress about the construction of the temple. He claimed in his denunciation that the Old Believers were a dangerous people and that by building a large temple they were humiliating the ruling church. An investigation began, and as a result, the temple was completed in a stripped down and restructured form: instead of five chapters, only one - a small one - was left; the projections for the altars were broken off, and the building itself was lowered. From the outside the temple began to look like a huge, simple house. But inside the temple amazes with the splendor of wall paintings and icons of rare antiquity.
During Napoleon's invasion, the French also visited the Rogozhskoye cemetery. But the residents of Rogozhdenie managed to leave the cemetery in advance and hide the main shrines of the temples. After Napoleon was expelled from Moscow, the capital was occupied by the Don Cossacks, at that time mostly Old Believers. The famous hero of the Patriotic War, Ataman Platov (from the Don Cossacks) was also an Old Believer. He donated his camp church to the Rogozhsky cemetery.
Rogozh churches were often attacked by spiritual and secular authorities. Under Alexander I, all the churches of the Rogozhsky cemetery were closed, but were soon opened again. In 1854, the St. Nicholas Church was taken away from the Old Believers and handed over to fellow believers, and two years later the altars in the Intercession Church were sealed. The unsealing of the altars followed only 49 years later (in 1905).
Throughout its existence, the Rogozhskoe cemetery has been the leading center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. It remains so today.
The other day I had the opportunity to visit the Rogozhskaya outpost on personal business. Having dealt with the paperwork created by the local government, I walked on foot towards Taganskaya Square. Jumping over railway I went to the side of the gilded domes that were visible not far away, to see what kind of temple there was. So I went to the spiritual center “Rogozhskaya Sloboda”, which has been the main stronghold of the Old Believers in the capital for more than three centuries, while remaining practically unknown to the majority of the townspeople.
The spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church greets every visitor with a panorama of four churches, including the Intercession Cathedral - the pearl of the ensemble and a symbol of the piety preserved by our ancestors. The Intercession Cathedral, built in 1792, has a rich and complex history. It is distinguished from most other churches by its modest and strict appearance, contrasting with the richest interior decoration. Inside, frescoes and icons, silver chandeliers from Catherine's times, not converted into electric lighting, as well as wooden floors that create extraordinary comfort. Of particular spiritual value are hundreds of authentic Orthodox shrines and relics collected and preserved during the years of persecution. Reliquaries are opened for veneration by parishioners on the days of remembrance of the corresponding saints, as well as on Easter Week.
Next door is an equally majestic winter church in the name of the Nativity of Christ, built in 1804. Currently, services in the temple are held infrequently, since its altar has not yet been consecrated after reconstruction. Periodically, prayer services and blessings of water are held there, as well as small exhibitions on the history of the Old Believers, and a new Baptismal Church is being equipped. Before the revolution, services in this temple were held only in winter time, since it was equipped with steam heating.
The main dominant feature of the village is the Assumption Church-bell tower, founded in 1908 in honor of the granting of religious freedoms to the Old Believers by decree of Nicholas II. Its height is only one brick lower than the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in the Kremlin, which is due to the specific restrictions of those times. Despite the significant loss of the main bells, its ringing is unique and remains in the memory of those who hear it for a long time.
The fourth church, in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, was historically the first Old Believer chapel at the cemetery. In the second half of the 19th century - when the altars of the Rogozh churches were sealed by the authorities - according to the statement of a dozen parishioners, the temple converted to the Edinoverie heresy. In Soviet times, it turned into an ordinary New Believer parish of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, which it still is today.
On May 31, 2017, the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Rogozhskaya Sloboda, was visited by the President Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The purpose of this visit is to get acquainted with the Old Believer spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church, to inspect its churches and territory. During the meeting, the head of state visited the exhibition “,” which tells about the contribution of the Old Believers to the preservation cultural heritage. The exhibition presents unique monuments XVI-XX centuries, kept in the metropolis of the Old Believer Church and .
At approximately noon, 70 journalists from central media arrived at Rogozhskoye. They toured the exhibition Strength of spirit and loyalty to tradition", which opened behind closed doors for representatives of the press in . Then the press representatives proceeded to the House of the Clergy, where exhibitions opened on the eve of the Week of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women are being held at the same time. Dmitry Gusev « Reserved Land», Alena Bokareva « My quiet homeland" And Evgenia Datsko « Russian Alaska».
At 14:20, to the sound of bells, V.V. arrived at Rogozhskoye. Putin.
During the meeting, Vladimir Vladimirovich asked Metropolitan Cornelius whether the ataman was really M.I. Platov was an Old Believer. Let us recall that the monument dedicated to the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, the ataman of the Great Don Army, the general from the cavalry, Count Matvey Ivanovich Platov, was opened in the South-Eastern Administrative District on December 7, 2013. Also V.V. Putin became interested in ancient icons of the Intercession Cathedral and marching liturgical accessories.
Vladimir Putin became the first head of Russian state to visit the Rogozh Old Believer Center.
For the Old Believers this historical event: For the first time in history, the head of state visits the Old Believers' temple. For 350 years, the Old Believers preserved the original Orthodox foundations that came to us from Byzantium and carried them through persecution and thorns to the present day. Therefore, Old Believers are living carriers of the original Christian culture. And of course, all the Old Believers, the Old Believer Church are pleased that they turned their faces to us, that the head of state honored us with his attention. We must not forget that from ancient times Orthodox Christians were patriots of their country and bearers of the spiritual and moral values of the family and the state,” said the head of the press service of the Metropolis of Moscow and All Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Church Roman Atorin.
Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the visit of V.V. Putin to Metropolitan Cornelius, said:
This is not the first meeting, and they communicated with Cornelius at various ceremonies and events, that is, this is multiple communication. Even in my memory this is not the first meeting.
In Pokrovsky cathedral The Russian Orthodox Church Rogozhsky choir sang many years to the President of Russia.
Old Believer Metropolitan (Titov) has been gradually building his relationship with state power. At different levels, in small steps, the Metropolitan asserts his authority in society, and, accordingly, the authority of the entire Old Believers. This is especially important because before Metropolitan Cornelius there was a certain period in the Russian Orthodox Church when relations with the authorities and society were not a priority for the Old Believers. However, the ministry of Metropolitan Cornelius coincided with the readiness of the Old Believers to build new relations with the state and to express themselves in society in a new way. In addition, Metropolitan Cornelius turned out to be the only representative of the Old Believers who was able to communicate with the authorities.
So, on February 22, 2013, for the first time in 350 years head of Russian state Primate of the Old Believer Church. In the Catherine Hall of the Kremlin, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin awarded Metropolitan Cornelius of Moscow and All Rus' with a state award - Order of Friendship. This high state award is awarded for special services in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between peoples; fruitful activities to bring closer and mutually enrich the cultures of nations and nationalities; active work to preserve, enhance and popularize the cultural and historical heritage of Russia.
Let us also recall that on February 26, 2013 Vfirst in Russian history head . President V.V. Putin received Metropolitan Cornelius at his residence. At this meeting, Metropolitan Korniliy invited the President to visit the Spiritual Center of the Old Believers in Rogozhskaya Sloboda in Moscow. To which Putin agreed and proposed to agree on the format of this visit. This is the first time such attention to the Old Believers has been expressed at such a high level.
On March 16, 2017, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Metropolitan Korniliy (Titov), with the head of state. During the meeting, issues of the existence and development of modern and the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church in particular.
The President confirmed his support for the project of anniversary events dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the birth of the archpriest , revered by the Old Believers as a holy martyr, and in secular culture recognized as one of the first Russian writers. At the end of the conversation, Metropolitan Korniliy invited the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin to visit the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church on Rogozhsky. All these events as a whole indicate a change domestic policy states to the Old Believers.
