The Church of Michael the Archangel (Yaroslavl): address, history, photos

On the banks of the Volga where it empties into the river Kotorosl, lies the ancient Russian city of Yaroslavl, anciently famous for its Holy places, one of which is the Church of Archangel Michael, standing near the walls of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery. Built in honour of the leader of the Heavenly host, it's tonight, as in previous years, as a place for the spiritual care of the defenders of Russia.

Church in the name of the patron Saint of warriors

About how, when and by whom was built the Church of the Archangel Michael (Yaroslavl), the history of which is inextricably linked with the military glory of Russia, narrate the ancient records and Church archives, which have reached us from the past. Among other documents there is a letter, drawn up in 1530. It tells the story of how the Prince of Novgorod Constantine ordered to build in Yaroslavl two temples, one of which was the Cathedral of the assumption, and the second he dedicated to the patron Saint of military men, which then (and now) depended not only the welfare but the very lives of the Russian people.

This information allows high accuracy to establish that the Church of Michael the Archangel (Yaroslavl') was built in 1215 as the exact date of construction of the assumption Cathedral, erected in the time known from the archives. From the same sources it is clear that after eighty years it is very old, having been built of wood – the material is known to be short-lived, and was rebuilt in stone by order of the Princess Anna – wife specific Yaroslavl Prince Theodore the Black.

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The Granddaughter of the Byzantine Emperor

It is Curious that this Yaroslavl Prince and his wife are mentioned in the Chronicles in connection with a highly romantic history. The fact that Black – is not the name of the Prince, and his nickname derived from Slavic word “red”, which means – “beautiful”. Indeed, there is evidence that he was a man of extraordinary beauty, which immediately noticed the wife of the Tatar Khan Nogai, to which the Prince came one day to visit.

Love from the first sight of a handsome Rusich, it is, nevertheless, understood that threatens them both if my husband is there the slightest reason to be jealous. So, not being able to give him love, she gave him his daughter, betrothed in Holy baptism, Anna, with whom the Prince forever found a piece of her heart. I should add that the wife of the Khan was a native daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaeologus and, no doubt, was by nature refined. Here her daughter, the granddaughter of the Byzantine Emperor, which became the handsome Prince of the faithful companion, and he commanded to rebuild the Church of Archangel Michael (Yaroslavl).

Memory of his father and sorrow for the stepson

The question about why the Princess, erecting a Church, dedicated it to Michael the Archangel, historians have different opinions. Some explain it by a desire to perpetuate the memory of his father, who bore the name of Michael, others tend to see the grief of the untimely deceased beloved stepson Michael – the son of Prince Fyodor by his first wife.

Since ancient times, we got a few icons which after a long break returned to the Church of Michael the Archangel (Yaroslavl). Photo of one of them – the Kazan icon of the Mother of God is presented in the article. In addition, the most revered shrines of the temple are: the image of the Archangel Michael, taken in the thirties and then placed in the Tretyakov gallery, and the icon of St. Anthony the Great, written by an unknown artist of the Novgorod school in the early fourteenth century.

Garrison Church

After ascending the throne in 1645, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich all the nearby area was given to the settlement of archers, and the Church of the Archangel Michael (Yaroslavl) became their garrison Church, as a Saint, in whose honour it was consecrated, was considered the original patron of military men. This status, remaining behind it for centuries, and came to our days. Then, once in the possession of the war Department, she was overhauled and partially rebuilt.

However, if you refer to documents, it is easy to see that the Governor of the Yaroslavl has turned into quite costive, and the sovereign's boyars, the fork was in no hurry. From the transfer of the Church to the military Department of honor were many, but money for repairs has not appeared. Had the Yaroslavl merchants to take care of the beauty of the Church garrison and ease a bit their tight purse.

For all the delays, the repair dragged on for many years and was only completed in the eighties of the XVII century, after the accession to the throne of Peter, in whose rule there were many wars, and the patronage of the Archangel Michael was true.

Military Appearance of the temple

Such a long repair period of the Church has left its mark on her appearance. Over the years, varied architectural fashion, along with tastes of the merchants, to pay for work and, consequently, dictate their demands to the architects. In the result of a captious sight can detect in her features the traces of several styles, who succeeded each other in that era.

The layout of the Church of the Archangel Mikhail (Yaroslavl), old photos which survived until our days and give a glimpse of how she looked before, not beyond the traditions that once existed in the Volga cities. At its core is unchanged bushel, ending in three apses – rounded protrusions of the building, which is located inside the altar space.

It is Traditional and high basement level – bottom floor of the building, intended for household needs, and large commercial cities, as has always been Yaroslavl, often used for storing goods – the benefit of the market was always there. Never God-loving merchants, taking care of the soul, did not forget about mammon.

Façade, bell tower and interior painting

The Church bell tower – an integral part of any temple complex - was performed in accordance with the tastes of the customers who paid for its construction. It's quite a heavy squat building with a marquee completion. Particularly pleasing to the eye decoration of the facade, richly decorated with carved window frames and so-called niches-rectangular grooves, which are placed in picturesque colored tiles. The Church of Michael the Archangel (Yaroslavl) with three altars. In addition to the main limit, there are two more, one of which is dedicated to the Solovetskie Holy Wonderworkers, crowned with a graceful cupola.

The Undoubted attraction of the Church are the frescoes, completed in 1731, team of Novgorod icon-painters, led by renowned master Fedor Fedorov. Their works have many highly characteristic features that distinguish them from the works of other artists. The main one is some simplification of image transfer, in some degree, make them akin to the Russian lubok. The works of these artists are full of life and colors, very harmoniously with the architecture of the Church and its inner decoration.

The Years of ruin and darkness

When in 1917 the power in the country was seized by the Bolsheviks, the Church of Michael the Archangel (Yaroslavl), like most Russian churches, was closed, and its premises used as a warehouse. With the exception of a small number of items of interior decoration, transferred to the museums of the country, all valuables were looted, and the fact that, according to the new masters of life, no interest – just destroyed. Bells, a few centuries calling to the prayer of the pious Yaroslavtsev, was removed and sent to the smelter.

Only in the sixties as a result of the hard work of representatives of the urban intelligentsia, managed to transfer the Church building to the local Museum, which greatly improved his position and allowed to proceed to the restoration of the facade. But for years among the urban temple buildings, used for purposes, far from religion, was the Church of the Archangel Michael (Yaroslavl). Worship here is not carried out until the beginning of the nineties of the last century became a milestone era of total atheism.

Waiting for God-loving supporters

Despite the fact that at the disposal of the Moscow Patriarchate, along with other urban churches transferred and the Church of the Archangel Mikhail (Yaroslavl), the schedule of services still can only be seen on the doors of the winter Church attached to the main building and is part of the overall complex. The main building is still awaiting voluntary donors willing to contribute financially to the revival of the Shrine. The Russian land in all ages been famous for their abundance. It is hoped that they are not extinct in our day, and one day will fully revive your religious life in the Church of Archangel Michael (Yaroslavl). Address for those who wish to see it with my own eyes: Yaroslavl, Pervomayskaya str., 67.