Cathedral of the Epiphany of the Epiphany Monastery on Nikolskaya. Church of the Epiphany of the former Epiphany Monastery Epiphany Cathedral Revolution Square worship services
Address: Bogoyavlensky lane, 2
The Epiphany Monastery is considered the second most ancient after Danilovsky, although a number of researchers consider the Epiphany monastery to be the first monastery in Moscow.
Epiphany was located in the very center of Moscow. But if you don’t know where exactly, then you’ll probably never find this dream. However, we will give you a hint: you exit the Ploshchad Revolyutsii metro station directly into Bogoyavlensky Lane. And across the road, opposite and a little to the left, you see the most wonderful - pink and white - temple in the style of the so-called “Naryshkin or Moscow baroque”. This is the Epiphany Cathedral - the main, and, in fact, the only surviving church of the monastery. But how beautiful he is!
By the way, another evidence that you came out correctly: in front of the cathedral there is a monument to two Greek monks - the Likhud brothers. It seemed - why suddenly? Yes, because it was they, and it was here, in the Epiphany Monastery, that founded the school, which later became the famous Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. And later it was transformed into the Moscow Theological Academy.
A lot can be said about the monastery and the people whose names are associated with it. This is Saint Alexy of Moscow, and Metropolitan Philip, and Abbot Stefan, brother Sergius of Radonezh...
But here's what I want to say. There is clearly some kind of secret connected with the monastery, something special that has not reached us. There was something that forced the Moscow sovereigns themselves to treat the monastery in a special way, with extraordinary respect.
After all the shocks, fires, and looting of Moscow, the Epiphany Monastery was restored almost first of all, and precisely by the will of the ruling sovereigns. Why?
The abbots of Epiphany played key roles in numerous coronation ceremonies of Moscow princes and kings. Why?
Not only kings, but also many noble persons donated money and estates to the monastery, so much so that in this sense, Epiphany clearly stood out among other, no less glorious monasteries. And again - why?
From the very first years of its existence - and the monastery was built more than seven hundred years ago - Epiphany was also the main boyar tomb. The Sheremetevs, Dolgorukies, Repnins, Yusupovs, Saltykovs, Menshikovs, Golitsyns died here... And again the questions...
Such a mystery monastery once existed where only the beautiful Epiphany Cathedral has now been preserved...
What is not a reason to worship this mysterious and holy place?
Contacts: Epiphany Monastery
Address: Bogoyavlensky lane, 2
How can I get to:
From the Ploshchad Revolutsii metro station:
There are two exits from the station. You need an exit marked with the following sign: “EXIT TO THE CITY: TO RED SQUARE, NIKOLSKAYA, ILYINKA STREETS, CHAMBER MUSICAL THEATER, STORES: GUM, “CHILDREN’S WORLD”, “GOSTINY Dvor”. You go up the escalator, get out of the metro - and right in front of you is a tall, beautiful temple.
From the Kitay-Gorod metro station:
Two different lines converge at this station. Regardless of which line you arrived on, you need to turn to the exit with the stairs (as opposed to the opposite exit with the escalator) under the sign: “EXIT TO THE CITY: TO NEW SQUARE, STREETS: ILYINKA, MAROSEYKA, POLYTECHNIC MUSEUM, GOSTINY Dvor” . Go up the stairs, turn left and go to the escalator. Having climbed the escalator and exited the station, you find yourself in a long passage - you need to turn left and walk to the end, then go up the right exit to the street. Ilyinka Street begins right next to the metro exit. You need to follow it to Bogoyavlensky Lane. He will be second on the right side. Landmarks: Exchange Square, Gostiny Dvor (corner large blue building), building of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Turning right into Bogoyavlensky Lane, you will immediately see the temple.
From the metro station "LUBYANKA":
Arriving at the station, go to the exit indicated by the sign: “EXIT TO THE CITY: ON THE SQUARE: LUBIANSKAYA, NOVAYA, TO THEATRAL PROJECT, TO THE STREETS: PUSHECHNAYA, ROZHDESTVENKA, NIKOLSKAYA, B. AND M. CHERKASSKY LANES, CHAMBER MUSICAL THEATER RU, HISTORY MUSEUM MOSCOW, POLYTECHNIC MUSEUM, AIRLINE CASSES, PHARMACY No. 1, DETSY MIR DEPARTMENT STORE.” After taking the escalator, turn left and walk until you exit to the street. When you go outside, you will see Lubyanka Square in front of you. Turn left again onto Nikolskaya Street, which starts right next to the metro station, and follow it to Bogoyavlensky Lane (second left turn). Soon you will see the Church of the Epiphany.
Driving directions:
The Church of the Epiphany is the only building that remains from the oldest monastery in Moscow, founded back in 1296. The temple, located in the center of the capital, still attracts many believers and tourists.
Story
The Epiphany Monastery was founded in Kitai-Gorod back in the 19th century. The youngest son of the faithful, having received Moscow into his possession, tried to decorate it with churches and monasteries, one of which was the Epiphany monastery.
Church of the Epiphany of the former Epiphany Monastery, Moscow
In this monastery, currently located on Revolution Square, the main thing was the Church of the Epiphany. Originally made of wood, after the fires of 1340 it was erected in stone and became one of the first stone structures erected outside the Kremlin.
According to legend, the first abbot of the monastery was brother Abbot Stefan. The name of St. Alexis of Moscow, very revered in Russia, who took monastic vows here and led a monastic life, is also associated with the temple.
The Temple of the Epiphany was severely damaged several times, but was restored:
- in 1451, during the invasion of the Tatar prince, Mazovsha was mostly burned out, but was soon restored;
- after the Great Moscow Fire of 1547 and the invasion of Devlet-Girey in 1571, the monastery and temple had to be rebuilt again;
- After the Time of Troubles, the entire monastery suffered greatly, and the central monastery of Moscow had to be rebuilt by the new Russian sovereigns.
After all the events, the Epiphany Church was built from scratch in 1624. Having become the main temple of Moscow and the tomb of representatives of the Romanov family, it underwent a complete restructuring in the “Naryshkin Baroque” style in the period from 1686 to 1694. It was then that he acquired the appearance that he has now.
Other Orthodox churches in honor of the Epiphany:
The monastery housed a large necropolis, where representatives of such noble families as the Sheremetyevs, Golitsyns, Menshikovs, and Repnins were buried. Among the burials was the grave of the father of St. Alexy of Moscow Feodor Byakont. Unfortunately, all the tombstones over these burials were lost during the Soviet period.
Current state
The closure of the temple in honor of the Epiphany of the Lord occurred in 1919. From that time on, its destruction began. In 1941, a downed German bomber fell near the temple. The blast wave destroyed the upper part of the temple. But in the 1980s, the restoration of the temple began; it dragged on for a long time.
Only after the transfer of the temple to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991, restoration work accelerated. Soon the Church of the Epiphany in Bogoyavlensky Lane was completely restored, including the Alekseevsky chapel in its original form.
Floor and hanging icon cases in the Church of the Epiphany of the former Epiphany Monastery
Currently, regular services are held in the temple.
Attention! The schedule of services of the Church of the Epiphany on Revolution Square is as follows:
- Matins and Liturgy are celebrated daily at 8.30 with the exception of Monday and Tuesday;
- Vespers or before the holidays begins at 17.00;
- on holidays and Sundays starts at 9.30.
Shrines
Each church has its own shrines, especially revered icons, relics or relics associated with one or another shrine.
More interesting articles about Orthodoxy:
In the Church of the Epiphany, the main shrine is the Iveron Chapel, where the revered church is located. This chapel is located within the former monastery.
Patronal holidays
In the life of each temple, a special place is occupied by holidays associated with altars consecrated in honor of certain saints, the Mother of God or the Lord's great holidays, of which there are only twelve during the year.
The Church of the Epiphany rises majestically above the buildings of Kitai-Gorod, attracting attention with its elegant architecture with columns, balusters and cornices. The central apse and octagon are decorated with large icons. The shrine was built as part of the former Epiphany Monastery.
The oldest monastery in Moscow was founded, according to monastic acts, in 1296. Then cells and the first temple made of logs were erected in honor of the Epiphany of the Lord with a chapel in honor of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. The first building of the monastery made of white stone was the Epiphany Cathedral, built in the 14th-15th centuries. In 1451, the horde of Tsarevich Mazovsha came to Moscow Posad and burned most of the buildings; the cathedral was also badly damaged.
Already restored under Vasily the Second, expanded under Ivan the Third, the monastery again suffered from the great Moscow fire in 1547. After the campaign of the Crimean Khan Davlet-Girey against Moscow, the monastery was rebuilt again by Ivan the Terrible. The monastery suffered especially great losses during the Time of Troubles, therefore, immediately with the ascension of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich to the throne, they began to restore and equip the monastery. In 1624, a new stone building of the Church of the Epiphany was built.
The fire that happened in 1686 again destroyed the monastery. And again she was completely restored. This time, the architectural ensemble of the monastery was built in the Russian Baroque style. After new cells were added, with the blessing of Bishop Adrian, the construction of a new church began in 1692. Among those who financed the restoration of the monastery complex and the temple are members of the families of princes Golitsyn and Dolgorukov, and Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna herself.
The lower church of the Epiphany Cathedral in the name of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was consecrated in the winter of 1693, the upper church - three years later in honor of the Epiphany of the Lord. The border was consecrated in 1697 in honor of the Bishop of Moscow Alexy. 40 years later, the monastery buildings were again damaged in a city fire.
The monastery was restored already under Abbot Gerasim, thanks to whom in the 40s of the 18th century, the Church of Boris and Gleb with a belfry was built above the gate. The monastery complex was also patronized by the princes Dolgorukov and Golitsyn.
Five years later, the temple received the northern border in the name of St. George the Victorious, and seven years later - the southern border in the name of the Companion of Jacob. In addition, a belfry was added. In 1782, the church interiors were restored and decorated with wall paintings, and new parts were decorated with stucco.
A special flourishing for the monastery began when the relics of the martyr Tryphon, Panteleimon and other saints, as well as the icon of the Mother of God, were brought from the Athos Monastery. A chest with relics was installed in the cathedral church.
In the period 1905-1906, the monastery authorities dismantled the gate church of John the Baptist from the seventeenth century in order to build an apartment building on that site. With the advent of Soviet power, the monastery complex was closed, the tomb of the nobles was looted, the tower of the seventeenth-century monastery fence, the bell tower, the Alekseevsky limit and other buildings were dismantled.
At one time, many organizations and associations used the premises of the temple for their own needs. For example, the state society “Soyuzkhleb”, a historical museum and the Moscow Book Chamber were located here. In the upper temple there was even a dormitory for students of the mining academy, and in the lower temple there were laboratory premises of the Research Institute.
None of them cared about the safety of the shrine; they changed and reconstructed the internal space at will - in the 30s they removed the dome and installed interfloor ceilings. During the Great Patriotic War, a German bomber fell next to the temple; the temple itself was not injured, but one of the monastery buildings was destroyed. In its place, the building of the Ministry of Security was erected, which occupied the cells and the corps of abbots. At this time, a boiler room was installed in the lower church.
In the 80s, the Epiphany Church was transferred to the academic Russian choir, led by A.V. Sveshnikov. The choir directorate turned to the masters of the architectural and restoration workshop, which was headed at that time by N.I. Danilenko, to prepare a project for the restoration of the temple. It is according to Danilenko’s project that the cathedral is being restored to this day.
In addition to architectural research, archaeologists worked in the temple, discovering unique layers starting from the 13th century. They contain perfectly preserved remains of the pillars and walls of the 14th century cathedral, as well as later extensions and burials from the 13th to 18th centuries.
Temple today
The temple itself, as well as a couple of buildings, have survived to this day. In the spring of 1991, the temple was handed over to the Moscow Patriarchate, and in the winter, services began to be held there again. After many years of restoration work, it was restored to its original appearance. The Alekseevsky limit, which in the 19th century was changed beyond recognition and then completely destroyed, was recreated in the form in which it was originally, according to experts.
Next to the Church of the Epiphany, a bronze sculptural complex was installed for the monks Likhud brothers, who founded a school in the monastery at the end of the seventeenth century. The production of the monument was financed by the Greek government.
How to get to the Church of the Epiphany
Cathedral of the Epiphany of the Epiphany Monastery on Nikolskaya. The street has always been one of the most popular among Moscow residents.
Back in the 12th century, roads to the Moscow Kremlin from Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir passed nearby.
It is not surprising that the place was chosen by merchants, and several monasteries and temple buildings appeared along the street, one of which is the Cathedral of the Epiphany at the Epiphany Monastery on Nikolskaya, popularly called the place “behind the Market.”
A brief history of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Moscow
The initial history of the shrine is mysterious.
What is known is that the monastery was first built of wood, and when the building burned down, in 1340 a structure (the first outside the Kremlin) made of stone appeared.
During the Time of Troubles, the Cathedral of the Epiphany and the monastery on Nikolskaya suffered greatly: it found itself in the very center of hostilities. Therefore, the Romanovs had to restore the structure from scratch.
The new monastery was of great importance.
Its abbots and archimandrites have always taken an active part in the life of the state and rulers. A higher school, the first in Russia, was also opened here.
Under the Romanovs, the monastery was not only revived, but was also supplemented with new buildings made in the Moscow Baroque style.
Under Tsar Peter, the Council of the Epiphany continued to flourish, but the first secularization also took place. And during the reign of Catherine II, the temple lived only because representatives of noble families of Russia rested here.
The shrine survived the War of 1812, although the monastery was also heavily damaged during the explosion in the Kremlin.
In general, fate was favorable to the Cathedral of the Epiphany on Nikolskaya.
Only in 1919 did truly difficult times begin for the temple: it was looted and closed (some of the relics were given to museums, others were destroyed and desecrated).
In 1941, the walls of the Cathedral of the Epiphany were damaged again: a German bomber fell not far from the structure and the upper part of the building was destroyed by the blast wave.
Restoration began only in the 80s. Gradually, even what was destroyed by the French was restored.
After the baptism of Prince Vladimir, a huge number of Orthodox monasteries were founded and opened on the territory of Rus'. Of course, monasteries also operated in such a significant city as Moscow. The Epiphany Monastery is one of the oldest in the capital. In terms of antiquity, it is second only to Danilovsky.
Founding history
Unfortunately, historians have not been able to find out exactly when this monastery was founded. Presumably, the monastery was founded in 1296, fourteen years after Danilovsky. The Prince of Moscow and Vladimir at that time was the youngest son of A. Nevsky, Daniil Alexandrovich. It is believed that the foundation of the Epiphany Monastery took place precisely on his initiative. History is silent about who was the first abbot of the monastery. It is only known that some time after its founding, the elder brother of Sergius of Radonezh, Stefan, became its abbot. The future Metropolitan of All Rus' Alexy was also appointed rector of this monastery.
Prince Daniil Alekseevich
The founder of the Epiphany monastery himself was born in 1261. In fact, Prince Daniil Alekseevich is the ancestor of the Moscow line of the Rurik family, that is, all subsequent kings. During his reign, Rus' was under the yoke of the Golden Horde. Like all other princes of that time, he took part in internecine wars. However, at the same time he showed himself to be one of the most peace-loving rulers. Among other things, he also cared about the faith of the people living on his territory. In addition to the Epiphany, he founded the Danilovsky Monastery, as well as the bishop's house on Krutitsy. Like many Russian princes, he was canonized by the church (in 1791). This saint is revered as the blessed Daniel.
It is conventionally believed that Epiphany was founded in 1296, because it was at this time that Daniil Alekseevich took the title of Prince of Moscow.
Convenient location
The place for the construction of the Epiphany Monastery “behind Torg” was not chosen by chance. Firstly, the main Moscow road to Vladimir and Suzdal passed nearby. And secondly, the Kremlin was located in close proximity. So it was very convenient for the Prince of Moscow and Vladimir Daniil to go to services. In addition, the Neglinka River flowed in the immediate vicinity, which made it much easier for the monks to carry out Jordan and organize a religious procession for the patronal feast.
Since mainly artisans and merchants lived around the monastery in the settlement at that time, it was originally called “what is behind Torg”. Later, the more precise expression “what’s behind the Vetoshny Row” was used, since in the immediate vicinity of the monastery there were stalls of fur traders.
Fires
At the time of the founding of the monastery, almost all of Moscow was made of wood. The Epiphany Monastery was also originally built from logs. And, of course, soon, during one of the township fires, the monastery burned down. When exactly this happened is unknown. The first years of the monastery’s life are generally shrouded in mystery for historians. However, there is information that in 1340 the son of Prince Daniel, Ivan Kalita, founded the first stone church on the territory of the monastery - the single-domed Church of the Epiphany on four pillars and a high foundation. Thus, this cathedral became the first stone structure erected outside the Kremlin.
The Epiphany Monastery suffered from a fire for the second time in 1547. This disaster happened six months after. During the reign of the latter, the monastery, like all of Rus', was going through hard times. Many disgraced boyars, princes and clergy were kept within the walls of the monastery. In particular, it was here that Metropolitan Philip was imprisoned, having publicly condemned the tsar for organizing the oprichnina.
There were fires in the monastery in subsequent years - in 1551, 1687, 1737. During the Time of Troubles, the monastery was completely plundered and burned by the Poles (1612). This time it was the kings from the Romanov dynasty who had to rebuild the monastery. Subsequently, Patriarch Filaret took great care of the Epiphany monastery.
Another fire that destroyed the monastery was in Moscow in 1686. The monastery was restored this time by the mother of Peter the Great. For the new Epiphany Cathedral, one of the then fashionable architectural styles of Baroque was chosen. Nowadays this style is called Naryshkin style.
Likhud Brothers School
In those distant times, very little attention was paid, of course, to the education of the common people. Only a few ascetic monks taught the children of artisans and peasants. Moscow was no exception in this regard. The Epiphany Monastery became one of the few in which a school was organized. It was taught by the Likhud brothers, who were very educated for that time and were invited from Greece. Later, their school was moved to Later it was transformed into the famous Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy.
Rich monastery
Thus, this monastery burned very often. However, like all of Moscow. Meanwhile, the Epiphany Monastery was almost always restored quickly. Throughout its history, this monastery was one of the richest in Russia. Immediately after its founding, the brethren of the monastery began to receive large donations from Moscow princes and boyars. Kings also favored this holy place. So, for example, in 1584, Ivan the Terrible donated a large sum of money to the Epiphany Monastery to commemorate the murdered and disgraced. In 1632, the monastery received the right to duty-free rafting of building materials and firewood.
On the territory of the monastery there were once stables and a blacksmith shop. The monks also received profit from renting out premises. In different years, noble people also donated lands to the Epiphany monastery. This is what Prince Vasily III, Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, the Sheremetyevs and others did. In 1672, noblewoman K. Repnina transferred the property on Nikolskaya Street to the monastery. This is how the second courtyard of the monastery was formed. It was separated from the first by residential stone chambers.
Cathedral of the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow: architectural features
The main temple of the monastery includes two churches - upper and lower. The first was once illuminated in the name of the Epiphany. Lower Church - Kazan In this temple during the time of the Romanovs there was a large necropolis with the tombs of the most noble families of Russia - the Sheremetyevs, Golitsyns, Saltykovs and others.
The Epiphany Church is oriented vertically - on a quadrangle there is an octagon, in turn, crowned with a chapter, which also has 8 faces. Even today, the tower of the Epiphany Church rises majestically above the modern buildings of Nikolskaya Street. The facades of the cathedral are richly decorated with carvings. Window trims with ridges and figured columns look especially impressive. A bell tower with a spire is built above the western entrance to the cathedral. Between the refectory and the quadrangle of the temple there is a gallery with additional chapels. In addition to icons, the interior is decorated with sculptural compositions “Nativity”, “Coronation of the Virgin Mary” and “Baptism”.
Other churches of the monastery
In addition to Epiphany, two more Orthodox churches once operated on the territory of the monastery. The first was consecrated in the name of the Nativity of John the Baptist. This gate church was dismantled in 1905 for the construction of an apartment building. The second gate church stood until the revolution. It was destroyed in the 20s.
The monastery was closed in the first years of Bolshevik rule. Services in the Epiphany Cathedral were stopped in 1929. The premises of the monastery were adapted into a dormitory for students of the Mining Academy, as well as an office of Metrostroy. Later, metalworking workshops operated on the territory of the monastery.
During the Second World War, the monastery was almost destroyed. A shot down German bomber fell right next to her. The houses on the neighboring street collapsed. While falling, the plane demolished the head of the cathedral. It was restored already in the 90s by the Moscow diocese.
In the 80s, historical research was carried out on the territory of the monastery and the monastery was transferred to believers in 1991.
Extant buildings
Unfortunately, the monastery was not restored even after the transfer to the Russian Orthodox Church. At the moment, on its territory, in addition to the Epiphany Cathedral, only monastic cells and abbot’s chambers of the 18th-19th centuries have been preserved. The monastery also has a modern building - an administrative building erected in the 50s of the last century. Today, the Moscow diocese is carrying out restoration work on the territory of the complex.
Address
Today, Christian believers have an excellent opportunity to visit the beautiful Epiphany Cathedral for prayer, and tourists have the opportunity to explore the territory of one of the most ancient monasteries in Rus'. The monastery is located at the address: Moscow, Bogoyavlensky Lane, 2. In close proximity to it is the entrance to the Ploshchad Revolyutsii metro station.
Today, as in the past, religious services are held in the monastery. As before, the Epiphany Monastery (Moscow) is visited by believers. Unction, baptism, wedding - all these rituals can be performed in its only church. Near the monastery there is another attraction, this time a modern one - a monument to the enlightenment brothers Likhud. This monument was erected in Bogoyavlensky Lane in 2007.
Epiphany Monastery (Moscow): schedule of services today
Of course, it is better to visit the territory of the monastery at a time when services are held in its temple. Their schedule may change depending on church holidays. On May 1, 2016 (Easter) it looked, for example, like this:
00:00 — Easter Matins.
2:00 — Early liturgy.
9:00 — Confession.
9:30 — Late liturgy.
10:45 — Procession of the Cross.
14:00 — Easter supper.
The exact schedule of services for a particular day can be found on the official website of the Church of the Epiphany in Moscow.