Blagoveshchensk Cathedral. Blagoveshchensky cathedral

"Save me, God!". Thank you for visiting our website, before you start studying the information, please subscribe to our Orthodox community on Instagram Lord, Save and Preserve † - https://www.instagram.com/spasi.gospodi/. The community has more than 44,000 subscribers.

There are many of us like-minded people and we are growing quickly, we post prayers, sayings of saints, prayer requests, and timely post useful information about holidays and Orthodox events... Subscribe. Guardian Angel to you!

This temple has a double history of its existence. Initially, the first cathedral was built in Voronezh, which was called Blagoveshchensky. In 1682 it became a cathedral. A century and a half later, a monastery began to form around it, which began to bear the name Mitrofanovsky. The Annunciation Cathedral amazed with its beauty and decoration. But, unfortunately, I could not survive the revolutionary time. He was destroyed by the atheistic government. On the site of the destroyed cathedral and monastery is the main building of Voronezh State University. But already in 1998, the city government allocated a site for the construction of a new temple. This is how the second line of the history of the temple’s existence began.

The new history of the Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh began with the resolution of the city administration committee of 1998 No. 536. It stated the allocation of a plot of land in Pervomaisky Park on Revolution Avenue. Its construction was somewhat symbolic, because it was a memory of three destroyed temples. And he acts as a kind of sign of the repentance of the city residents for their sins.

The architecture of the new cathedral belongs to Russian-Byzantine architecture and has some similar features with the Vladimir Cathedral in Voronezh. It has nothing in common with the lost temple in terms of external similarity. Its construction began in 1998 on the territory of Pervomaisky Park, where city residents like to relax. The laying of the first stone was timed to coincide with the great church holiday of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its consecration in November was carried out by Patriarch Alexy 2 himself.

The new cathedral consists of two churches: upper and lower. In terms of capacity, it is designed for 6 thousand people. The height is about 85 meters. It is one of the tallest churches in Russia. At the beginning of the 21st century, improvements to the building continued: new crosses were erected and a bell was installed.

The consecration of the lower church took place in December 2003. And on April 7, 2004, the first Divine Liturgy was held. The first Divine Liturgy, an all-night vigil, was held in the upper church on November 3, 2003, the day before in honor of the celebration of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God. Starting from November 4, such services are held daily.

The official opening date of this cathedral is December 6, 2009. It was the day of remembrance of St. Mitrofan. The metropolitans celebrated the Divine Liturgy. In honor of this event, celebrations were held in the city on the 5th and 6th, in which the townspeople took part. Also on December 5, a religious procession took place from the Intercession Cathedral to the Annunciation Cathedral. Its purpose was to transfer the relics of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh. After this, a festive All-Night Vigil was held in the cathedral.

Relics and shrines of the cathedral

As already mentioned, the relics of St. Mitrofan were transferred to the Annunciation Cathedral. They are placed in a malachite reliquary, which was made by Ural craftsmen. But besides this, there are also other relics in the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh. For example:

• relics of the holy martyr Peter (Zverev),
• part of the relics of St. Tikhon,
• the relics of the Archbishop of Voronezh, who provides assistance and intercession to everyone.

In addition, the shrines of the Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh include:

• icon with part,
• ark with particles of the relics of the twelve apostles,
• icon with a piece of the relics of Blaise,
• a cross with a particle of the Life-Giving Tree of the Lord, as well as with a stone from Golgotha,
• ark with a particle of the relics of Natalia of Nicomedia,
• shoe with .

Cathedral services

Since 2009, services in the cathedral have been held daily. More detailed information about services can be obtained by phone or on the official website of the monastery. In addition, the schedule of services at the Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh may have some changes. So it is advisable to take care in advance to avoid getting into an unpleasant situation.

How to get to the temple

The address of the Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh is as follows: Voronezh, Revolution Avenue 14. More precisely, Pervomaisky Square.

The clergy of the temple constantly appeal to visitors that tourists have the opportunity to call the temple earlier and arrange a tour of the cathedral territory. In addition, it is possible to order hot lunches. The Voronezh Diocese also has a helpline where you can call and ask the priest any questions you may have.

Remember that our faith in the Lord should not be shown only by going to temples or standing for long services. This should be manifested in our deeds, actions, thoughts. After all, there is no point if you sin throughout the week and go to atone for your sins on Sunday, and then repeat it all over again.

God bless you!

Voronezh is an amazing city in which modern monuments harmoniously combine with historical ones. Walking through the streets of this center of the Russian Black Earth Region, tourists are surprised at how harmonious the newly erected buildings look against the backdrop of ancient estates.

Sights of Voronezh

For those who come to the city, local residents definitely advise taking a walk along Admiralty Square and visiting Peter the Great Island. This place is famous for the fact that the Russian fleet originates from here. Its area was once larger, but after the construction of a hydroelectric power station and the formation of a reservoir, the water level rose, which led to the flooding of the island. A little further is the Admiralty Church. It was built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Peter the Great himself attended services there.

Voronezh has many new attractions, but there are also symbols that are considered the hallmark of the city. The list of them could take quite a long time. But the most important of them is the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh), whose address, Revolution Avenue, 18A, is known to every local resident, young and old. It is famous for being considered one of the largest Orthodox holy monasteries in terms of height.

Every tourist who visits the city takes home a photo of this third largest Orthodox church. The holy monastery was built right in the center of the city, in a beautiful place - in Pervomaisky Park. Thousands of believers come every year not only from all over the country, but also from all over the world to admire it and pray to the holy relics. Once, His Holiness, who consecrated it, said that the Annunciation Cathedral, the decoration of the city of Voronezh, will become the place where everyone who comes will draw their spiritual strength and leave it with peace in their souls and love.

This temple is considered not only a historical landmark, but also a memory of three Orthodox cathedrals that once adorned Voronezh and were destroyed at the beginning of the last century. The Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh) is spoken of as a symbol of contemporaries’ repentance for the sins of their fathers or grandfathers who destroyed Russian shrines.

Story

Researchers give a variety of dates for when the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh) was founded. Some believe that it was built in 1620. Others call the date of its creation 1586 - the time of the founding of Voronezh itself. Initially, the temple was built of wood. It was rebuilt more than once due to frequent fires, and was even moved to other places several times.

In 1682, when the Voronezh diocese was opened, on the initiative of Bishop Mitrofan, the construction of a completely new church was undertaken. It was decided to build the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh) from stone to replace the old wooden one. At the request of the Saint, another place was allocated for construction.

On June 19, 1682, according to the royal charter, the construction of a new monastery and bishop’s courtyard was approved, and almost a third of the city was given over for development. Today this is the territory of University Square.

However, construction was delayed due to lack of funds. Saint Mitrofan had to limit himself to only repairing the old building. At the request of the bishop, the sovereign allocated two carpenters who were supposed to build the plows.

However, by that time the cathedral church had become very dilapidated. According to chroniclers, its roof even collapsed and the platform was destroyed. Therefore, it was practically impossible to perform divine services. Saint Mitrofan, turning to Patriarch Joachim with a petition, asked to consider the issue of erecting a stone church. The letter said that both brick and stone were nearby, and timber could be brought “from thirty miles away.” In April 1684, the Patriarch sent a blessed letter stating that he approved the construction of a new cathedral, which would be named in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Construction of the temple

By order of the sovereign, three hundred pounds of iron were allocated for this purpose. To create a new cathedral, Peter donated a mill that stood on the Yelets River. For the opening, he presented a bell that weighed one hundred and sixty pounds.

Already by 1692 the temple was consecrated. It was larger in scale than all existing buildings at that time. However, its architecture was quite simple. The cathedral had straight high walls with windows in two rows, a low roof made of wood with five domes. On each of them there were crosses. Adjoining the main building on the right was a chapel, which was named after Archangel Michael: the saint was baptized in the world in his honor.

Destruction

Very soon the Annunciation Cathedral turned into a favorite temple of residents and guests of Voronezh. However, fourteen years after the death of St. Mitrofan, it collapsed. This happened due to the proximity of water ditches and due to the instability of the foundation. It was decided to disassemble it in order to build a new one from the old material. Construction began in 1718 and ended in 1735. The body of St. Mitrofan, who died almost two decades ago, was transferred to the right wing of the cathedral. Surprisingly, during burial it was discovered that it was practically untouched by decay.

After the revolution

In the twentieth century, the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh), the photo of which testifies to the monumentality and grandeur of this structure, went through quite difficult, even sometimes tragic times. In 1919 it was closed, and its Archbishop Tikhon, the future martyr, was hanged by the Bolsheviks right on the entrance gate. One of the main relics for which the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh) is famous, the relics of St. Mitrofan, was transported to the local history museum.

During the Great Patriotic War, the temple building was damaged by bombing, and in the early fifties, everything that remained of it was completely demolished.

Modern building

From the late nineties of the twentieth century to the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, a new cathedral building was erected. Patriarch Alexy II himself consecrated the construction, and Kirill accepted the work.

Today, the Annunciation Cathedral amazes not only with its splendor, but also with its scope. It was built according to the design of the architect V. Shevelev and is considered one of the striking examples of a combination of Russian and Byzantine church styles.

The height of the temple is eighty-five, and its highest point is ninety-seven meters. The new building has no external resemblance to the destroyed one. It consists of two parts - the upper and lower temples. With its architectural design, it is reminiscent of the Vladimir Cathedral in Voronezh, located on Koltsovskaya Street. Today the new Holy Cathedral can accommodate up to six thousand people. Its official opening took place on December 6, 2009. On this occasion, large-scale ceremonial events were held in Voronezh.

The day before the opening, a religious procession took place, when the relics of Saints Mitrofan of Voronezh, Tikhon of Zadonsk, Archbishop of Voronezh and, of course, Hieromartyr Peter were transferred from the Intercession Cathedral to the Annunciation Cathedral.

Architecture of the new temple

According to experts, the combination of Russian and Byzantine church styles is clearly visible in the two main Orthodox forms present in the architect’s decisions. In the cross, oriented to the four cardinal directions, and in the circle, the symbol of which is considered to be the five gilded domes crowning the temple.

Decorative columns encircle the holy walls of the building, the base of the stepped colonnade - all this symbolizes the path of believers to achieve spiritual heights. The spire of the four-tier bell tower, built in the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh) on the western side, heralds church holidays. The temple consists of two chapels. In the upper one are the incorruptible relics of the holy righteous. And church services are held in the lower one.

Relics

In this treasury of Orthodox shrines throughout the Black Earth Region are the relics of St. Mitrofan - Bishop of Voronezh, Hieromartyr Peter (Zverev). These people did a lot to preserve the temple. Here are also particles of the relics of St. Tikhon, the wonderworker of all Russia and the Bishop of Zadonsk, as well as the saints and martyr Natalia. She gave her life for the Orthodox faith, and therefore the ark with her remains, located in the temple, is considered a relic to which thousands of believers go to pray. A cross with a particle of the Life-Giving Tree of the Lord and a stone brought from Golgotha ​​is also kept here.

The cathedral is no less rich in icons. This is an image of Blasius, Bishop of Sebastia. There is also a shoe from the honest relics of Spyridon of Trimifuntsky. All these shrines can be seen by anyone who comes to the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh).

Schedule of services

They happen daily. At eight in the morning the Divine Liturgy begins.

Believers come to the evening service at seventeen, and in winter - at sixteen o'clock. On Sundays and holidays, two Divine Liturgies are celebrated in the Annunciation Cathedral: at half past seven and at nine in the morning.

On Sunday evening, an akathist to St. Mitrofan is performed at the cathedral. The Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh), the schedule of services of which can be found out not only by visiting the temple, but also on its official website or from the newspaper “Annunciation” it publishes, belongs to the Voronezh-Borisoglebsk diocese.

Icons

The temple has a six-tiered iconostasis, which was made by craftsmen from the Holy Trinity Brotherhood. The royal doors, decorated with chased decorative frames, as well as the vestments of the holy throne, which are expertly embroidered with gold and silver threads, look amazingly beautiful. In the local row there are icons depicting the saints most revered in the Voronezh diocese. The bottom row of the iconostasis is crowned with images of the Lord (“Savior on the Throne”) and the Most Holy Theotokos. The stamps depict scenes of the celebration of the Annunciation, and the evangelists are located in pairs at the bottom. But there is one image, the icon of the Mother of God, called the “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” for which the Annunciation Cathedral (Voronezh) is especially famous. The Sunday school, which operates at the church completely free of charge, today has several dozen students.

Preparing the younger generation

There are several age groups in Sunday school. For example, preschool children are taught subjects that form their understanding of major biblical events. Training is carried out in a playful way. Children participate in concerts and theater productions.

The task of teaching in the younger group is to familiarize children with the Holy Scriptures and all the fundamental canons of church life, its basic concepts. Here classes are conducted as conversations, as well as in games, concerts and other forms. In the middle and senior groups, children are helped to deepen the knowledge that they previously acquired. In addition, they comprehend various areas of spiritual education. At the same age, students begin preparing for admission to religious educational institutions.

In middle and older teenage groups, disciplines such as New Testament and theology, church history, church and Slavic languages, etc. are taught.

In addition to religious disciplines, children are offered classes in additional education programs, which are implemented by Sunday school. These include choral singing and choreography, embroidery and beading, fine arts, etc. The duration of training in each group is from one to four years.

“EVERY GREAT CITY HAS A HEART. THIS IS THE TEMPLE. WHEN THE VORONEZH TEMPLES WERE DESTROYED, THE HEART OF THE CITY WAS TORN OUT.”

ARCHBISHOP OF VOLOKOLAMSK HILARION

The main decoration of Voronezh is the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the third largest Orthodox church in Russia and the first in the hearts of Voronezh residents. A lot of gratuitous donations were made to the construction of the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh, both from various organizations and from Orthodox citizens, which in itself is a serious moral barometer - the children prayed for the sins of their fathers and grandfathers, who destroyed the shrines of Russia in times of godlessness. History says that the construction of the cathedral was approved by a royal charter back in 1682, and in 1834, after the discovery of the holy relics of Bishop Mitrofan, the Mitrofan Monastery was erected next to the cathedral, which was mercilessly destroyed by the Bolsheviks and declared by them “a stronghold of counter-revolutionary forces.” Nowadays the Voronezh State University is located on this site, and the new Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary amazes with its grandeur in the Pervomaisky park of the city, located on Revolution Avenue.

The construction of the new cathedral began in 1998 and on August 28 of the same year, on the day of the great church holiday - the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this place was consecrated by Metropolitan Methodius of Voronezh, and Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', consecrated the first foundation stone of the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh. The special patronage of the Mother of God is seen in the fact that the most significant events in the construction of the temple always coincided with the dates of the feasts of the Mother of God. So, on the Feast of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary, the massive cross of the cathedral was consecrated, and in August 2003 the charitable “St. Mitrophania Foundation” was formed. And on the patronal feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, April 7, 2004, the sacrament of the first Divine Liturgy was performed in the cathedral, and the temple officially opened its doors to believers on December 6, 2009. From this significant moment, regular services began in the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh.

“On liberation from imprisonment” light a candle in front of the icon of the Mother of God “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

There is a deep meaning in lighting a church candle in front of the icon of the Mother of God “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and creating a prayer for liberation from imprisonment. The ways of the Lord are inscrutable - it happens that our loved ones are condemned to imprisonment (whether righteously or unjustly is not important) and need our help. But how can we help them if the harsh law has spoken its weighty word? You will not let a prisoner out of a cage like a bird of heaven... The icon “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” is a symbol of the liberation of all humanity from worldly filth on the path to salvation, written in memory of the good news brought by the Archangel Gabriel to the Holy Virgin, announcing that She was chosen to be the Mother Savior of the world. And we, in our grief and anxiety, humbly pray to the Mother of God for the release of the captive and light a candle in front of Her holy icon...

“On deliverance from suffering” light a candle in front of the icon of the Great Martyr Natalia of Nicomedia

With humble requests for deliverance from suffering, we turn to the holy saint of God, Natalia of Nicomedia, and light a candle in front of her holy image. The heavenly patroness of all those who suffer, Natalia, herself went through all the circles of martyrdom for the Orthodox faith. Lighting a candle before her holy face, let us humbly ask for a piece of her faith, love and trust in the Lord. During the years of persecution of Christians, the bloodless martyr strengthened her husband, Andrian, in the Christian faith, exhausted from mental burden and great horror, she herself asked the tormentors to kill him first, so that he would not succumb to cowardice and would not renounce God during torture. Her heart was bleeding, at the sight of her husband’s torment, she was ready many times to be executed herself in order to save her beloved. But the Lord ordered otherwise - giving her spiritual strength to strengthen Andrian’s spirit for the sake of his salvation in eternity: “Blessed are you, my husband, for believing in Jesus Christ, you have acquired spiritual treasure through this. Do not regret anything worldly: neither wealth, nor youth, nor beauty. All this is dust and decay. The Lord pleases only our faith and good deeds."

“For help in everyday affairs” light a candle in front of the icon of Mitrofan

For help in everyday affairs, we light candles in front of the image of the first throne of Voronezh - St. Mitrofan. Through the efforts of the holy carer, who prayerfully intercedes for us before the Lord, we receive miraculous help in our difficult affairs, and there are many examples of this. The spiritual fire of the church candle placed in front of the icon of St. Mitrofan, coupled with sincere prayer and requests for help, reaches Divine heights, and we receive the intercession of the righteous according to the power of our faith. The monastic life of Hieromonk Mitrofan coincided with the most difficult time of church schism for Rus', and God gave him the mission to lead the Russian people to the true faith, helping everyone who suffers in their righteous deeds. Saint Mitrofan left us a spiritual testament: “...use your work for good, eat little, and you will be healthy; do good, flee evil - you will be saved; keep moderation and you will be rich.” Remember these holy commandments - always light candles in front of the icon of St. Mitrofan and pray for help in everyday affairs.

The Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Voronezh is the personification of the unity of heaven and earth; it combines two main Orthodox forms - a cross oriented to the four cardinal directions and a circle, symbolized by the five gilded domes crowning the temple. Monolithic belts of decorative columns encircle the holy walls; the base of the colonnade has a stepped shape, symbolizing our difficult path to achieving spiritual heights. The spire of the four-tiered bell tower, attached to the cathedral on the western side, like a mighty guard, rises above this holy place. On church holidays, the church bell rings out a soul-cleansing ringing, and Orthodox people flock to the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh to perform prayers of thanks and participate in Orthodox sacraments. The temple consists of two chapels - the upper one, where the incorruptible relics of the righteous are kept, and the lower one, named in honor of the saints: Bishops of Voronezh, Tikhon and Mitrofan and Metropolitan of Rostov - Dmitry. All church services are held in the lower chapel, which can accommodate up to five thousand people at a time. This, truly, is one of the global buildings of the modern world, the holy monastery of our Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos and the pillar of the Orthodox faith. Here we pray, thank, repent, humbly ask for God’s mercy, here we have a spiritual conversation with the Lord, here, at the request of the founders of the project: “Always Remember,” church ministers perform prayers according to your Orthodox notes. You can submit a note for the performance of church sacraments in the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh on this project page: submit an Orthodox note.

The Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Voronezh is a great Holy House, where believers draw spiritual strength, where peace, harmony and human love reign, merging in unity with Divine love. The six-tiered iconostasis, made by craftsmen of the Holy Trinity Brotherhood, and the royal doors of the temple are decorated with decorative chased frames, the vestments of the holy throne are embroidered with gold and silver threads. In the local row of the iconostasis there are icons of the most revered saints in the Voronezh diocese; the lower row of the iconostasis is crowned with the image of the Lord: “The Savior on the Throne” and images of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The marks of the royal gates of the iconostasis depict a scene of the celebration of the Annunciation, and in the lower part of the gates there are evangelists in pairs. The holy relic of the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh is the icon of the Mother of God - “The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary”, the great twelfth feast in whose honor is celebrated annually on April 7.

In the upper chapel of the cathedral are kept the incorruptible relics of St. Mitrofan, the first bishop of Voronezh, and the saints: Tikhon of Zadonsk and Hieromartyr Peter Zverev. The holy relics of these righteous people were solemnly transferred to the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Voronezh the day before the consecration of the temple. Many people wept as they accompanied the sacred procession and offered prayers to the saints right on the streets of the city. The consecrated sculpture in honor of St. Mitrofan was erected by our contemporaries: the monument is cast in bronze, and the figure of the first Bishop of Voronezh is surrounded by four Angels of the Lord. In the temple, the incorruptible relics of the righteous Blasius, Bishop of Sevaistia, and the relics of the noble Silouan of Athos are kept with reverence. Here resides an ark with particles of the relics of Natalia of Nicomedia, the holy martyr for the Orthodox faith. Particularly revered in the Annunciation Cathedral of Voronezh are Orthodox relics that have great healing power - a particle of the Cross of the Lord and a holy stone taken from the forehead site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ - Mount Golgotha.

The Russian Orthodox Church has developed a special tradition of honoring the holiday. Without such an event, the miracle of Christmas or the incarnation of God himself on Earth would not have happened. Accordingly, there would be no salvation for the human race. Understanding the importance of such an event, Russian people try to perpetuate the memory of it. One example of veneration was the construction of the Annunciation Cathedral.

History of the temple

At the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century, a church was built in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church was made of wood and burned to the ground during the first serious fire. After the formation of the Voronezh diocese in 1684, Patriarch Joachim blessed the head of the diocese for the construction of a church from a durable and fire-resistant material - stone.

Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh

The cathedral was erected and very soon became the main Orthodox center of this region. After some time, the walls of the cathedral began to crack, since it was built on the edge of a moat. This became the reason for the construction of a new temple.

Other Voronezh Orthodox churches:

Starting from 1718, no more shocks occurred to the cathedral.

In the floor of the cathedral there was a tomb for the hierarchs of the region. The temple was closed after the Bolsheviks came to power, and the holy relics were confiscated. This happened in 1929. During the Second World War, the Germans used the temple as a shelter. After the shelling by Soviet troops, only ruins remained of the temple.

During the Soviet era, the main cathedral of the entire Voronezh diocese became the Intercession Church.

Revival of the temple

By the end of the 90s, control over church activities had noticeably faded, and a problem arose regarding the capacity of the temple. Already in a new place, namely in Pervomaisky Square, they decided to build a new Annunciation Cathedral.

The city administration agreed to secure a site for the future church building. Vladimir Petrovich Shevelev was appointed as the architect.

During his working visit to Voronezh, he consecrated the laying of the first stone in November 1998. In his sermon, the Patriarch expressed hope that an era of spiritual revival is beginning for the country. According to His Holiness, the laying of the foundation symbolizes this rebirth. On the same day, 3 years after the Patriarch’s visit, the dome was consecrated and raised, and on the Feast of the Intercession a 12-meter cross was installed.

Interior decoration of the Annunciation Cathedral

The first service took place on April 7, 2004, the patronal feast day. From that day on, services were held daily.

In October 2009, Archimandrite Andrei (Tarasov) became the rector of the temple. Father Andrei took part in the creation of the temple iconostasis.

More churches in Voronezh:

The iconostasis itself consists of three rows. The Royal Doors are decorated with carvings, and the altarpiece mosaic is a copy of the mosaic of Sophia, which is located in Constantinople. In agreement with the local authorities, the clergy of the temple decides to complete the construction of the cathedral.

On December 5, a religious procession took place. The relics of St. Mitrophan were reverently and with veneration transferred to the Annunciation Cathedral. On September 18, 2011, Patriarch Kirill visited Voronezh and consecrated the cathedral.

The temple accommodates more than five thousand people. On weekdays there are at least one and a half thousand parishioners in the temple.

Interesting! One significant feature that makes the Voronezh Cathedral stand out is its height. The temple is in 5th place in terms of size of Orthodox churches in Russia.

Temple shrines

The church contains the relics of St. Mitrofan, which were transferred to the cathedral, where they rest to this day in a special shrine. This shrine was made from malachite by Ural craftsmen on a special order.

It is noteworthy that pilgrims from all over the world come to the relics of the saint. Some call him a martyr after his death, since after the barbaric attitude of the Soviet authorities towards the shrine, the relics were significantly damaged. He, of course, became one of those who was able to do something for his own region with his life and work. The saint spent twenty years at the pulpit and did not succumb to the Old Believers’ urges to split.

Reliquary with the relics of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh

Today, a bronze monument to the saint has been erected on the territory of the temple. In addition, particles from the relics of St. Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh and Yelets and Hieromartyr Peter are reverently kept in the cathedral.

In addition to the relics of these saints, the cathedral has many icons and arks with particles of the relics of the same saints:

• Hieromartyr Blasius, Bishop of Sebastia;
• 12 apostles;
• Kiev-Pechersk Elders.
• Reverend Elders of Optina;
• Martyr Natalia of Nicomedia.

Current activities of the temple

The head of the clergy of the temple is the Most Reverend Bishop of Voronezh and Liskinsky Sergius (Fomin). The staff consists of 7 priests and 4 deacons.

Services are held in both the lower and upper churches. Every day at 8:00 there is an evening service, and at 17:00. On Sunday, two Liturgies are celebrated. The early one takes place in the lower temple (7:00), the late one in the upper one (9:00).

The cathedral operates in which groups of children learn church and musical literacy. The academic year begins on September 10 and ends on May 27.

Orthodox churches of the world. Construction took place from 2009 to 2009. The construction of the temple was blessed by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' during his visit to Voronezh.

Story

Construction progress

The construction of the new cathedral began in 1998 on the territory of the Pervomaisky Garden, a popular recreation area for citizens and guests of the city, youth and students, children.... The first stone in the foundation of the new cathedral was laid on August 28 - the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The service was led by Metropolitan Methodius (Nemtsov) of Voronezh and Lipetsk. The laying of the cathedral was attended by the leaders of the region and the city.

Opening of the cathedral

The official opening of the Annunciation Cathedral took place on December 6, 2009. On this occasion, on December 5 and 6, large-scale celebrations took place in Voronezh, in which a large number of citizens and guests of the city took part.

On the days of celebrations, next to the cathedral, a field kitchen was organized, where everyone was treated to buckwheat porridge with fish and hot tea.

According to various estimates, up to ten thousand people took part in the events dedicated to the opening of the cathedral.

On September 18, 2011, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' performed the rite of great consecration of the Annunciation Cathedral.