Svyato-Ilyinskaya Church - the first Orthodox Church of Kievan Rus

The Capital city of Kiev can not but admire its historical relics and architectural monuments, some of which are already more than 1000 years. One of such shrines is St. Elijah's Church, built in honor of Elijah the prophet and subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate. It is difficult to imagine that it was this Orthodox Church appeared the first in Kievan Rus, before the adoption of Christianity. Nestor the Chronicler in "chronicle" pointed to the fact that it was built by Great Princes of Kiev Askold and dir.

St. Elijah Church, Kiev (photos)

In the chronicle States that in 860 the princes Askold and dir went to war against the Greek Constantinople. The Byzantine Emperor Michael at this time was in the campaign against the Hagarites, but when he received word from the diocese that the Russians will soon be in the capital immediately returned. By this time Constantinople was besieged by two hundred ships of the Rus, and many Christians died at their hands.

But the Emperor secretly entered the city and spent the night in prayer together with the Patriarch Photius at the Church of the Holy virgin in Blachernae. Then prayer singing they made the robe of the Holy virgin and lowered its floor to sea. The sea was calm, but then began a strong storm and storm. Pagan the court began to krushitsa because of the huge waves, a few of them survived and returned home.

Askold and dir were simply amazed at such wonders. And then they decided to be baptized in Constantinople. Vozvedenie home for them was built Elias Church. Kievan Rus gradually preparing for the adoption of Christianity.

Recommended

Berry prediction. What dreams blueberries?

Small berries in the dream – sign of tears. About this my grandmother said, and not to believe them impossible. They are also on their own experience has repeatedly convinced of the veracity of the interpretation. And what a dream blueberry? Wh...

What need for the baptism of girls? Find out!

In your family has a girl. Parents always a lot of questions. How she is a man? What name is she more fit? What need for the baptism of girls? Try to deal with several of them.Name at baptismcurrently shown on TV a lot of TV series and various movies...

Himself protection prayer from evil people

So it turns out that modern man, with all his technical knowledge, quite a broad Outlook and the ability to understand such things, about which a few generations ago people could only dream of, or does not think, is absolutely helpless before the for...

Prince Igor

But the story does not end there. Elias Church was again mentioned in Chronicles in 945, when the Grand Duke Igor I signed a peace Treaty with the Byzantine Emperor Roman. In honor of this event in Kiev, Il'inskaya Church service was conducted.

In ancient times it was customary to swear an oath of allegiance to the contract, in this case it happened between Christian Byzantium and the pagan Kievan Rus. First, the oath was given in Constantinople with the participation of the Emperor Romanus. And after the Greek ambassadors together with the Russians went to Kiev, and here were the oath of a bilateral non-aggression. The key was the word, the most sacred and valuable than man possesses.

At that time the most Holy and dear to Igor and his wife were idols, so the vows were spoken at the temple of Perun-the Slavic God of thunder. However, already at that time among the squads there were many Christians who could not participate in the pagan rites, and so took the oath in front of Honest Cross in the Church.

Princess Olga and the Baptism of Rus '

When they killed the Prince Igor, the throne of the Ancient Russian state had taken his wife - Princess Olga. Elias Church of Kyiv continued their Ministry among the Gentiles. It was here they came to pray baptized equal to the apostles Princess Olga.

In 988, the Church, which was located on the banks of the rivers Dnieper and Pochaina, performed the Baptism of Rus St. Prince Vladimir. On what was originally the Church is unknown, but according to assumptions of historians, it was wooden.

The Stone temple it was built later in 1692. It was small and not particularly bright décor. Funds for its construction were donated by well-known tradesman Peter Gudima.

Church Life

At the beginning of the XVIII century was otrona two-tiered bell tower under the guidance of the famous Kyiv architect Grigorovich-Barsky. At the Church there appeared a Baroque gate with openwork metal flaps, which is very skillfully executed the letter “SP” - Elijah the Prophet.

By the end of the XVIII century, thanks to the reconstruction, were built on a low altar in honor of St. John the Baptist. In 1909 Elias Church was renewed through three images of wall paintings. Today above the main entrance to the Church under the choir you can see a preserved image of the Holy virgin.

In the 30 years of the Church, the Bolshevik authorities closed and turned into a granary. When the Great Patriotic war in 1941 in German-occupied Kiev in the temple again vozobnovit worship. The doors of the Church was again open to all.

In 1957 it was discovered and restored the magnificent fragments of wall-painting of the XVIII century. Today the Church of St. Ilya executed by all the canons of the academic school: the wall - painting of forty Bible stories from the life of the prophet Elijah.

The Church of St. Ilya (Kiev): address

The Patronal feasts of the Church: the day of remembrance of the prophet Elijah - the main throne (July 20/August 2), and the beheading of St. John the Baptist - North chapel (29 August/11 September). The main Holy objects kept in the Church is the ark with the relics of several saints.

Worship in the evening held on Friday and Saturday 17.00, Sunday from akafista from 16-00. Morning Liturgy: on Saturday from 8: 00 and 10: 00, Sunday from 7: 30 and 10: 00.

Phones for communication: +38044 4252371; +38044 4252368

Admission is free, the visits on working days from 10-00 till 17-00, on weekends from 7-00 to 19-00.

The AbbotChurch: Archpriest Eugene Kosovo.