Address: Russia, Yaroslavl region, Pereslavl-Zalessky, st. Trubezhnaya, 7a
Coordinates: 56 ° 44'08.0 "N 38 ° 50'37.2" E
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Not far from the historical center of Pereslavl-Zalessky, from the west, almost immediately behind the earthen ramparts of the ancient city, a new temple rises. And although it was built recently, its predecessor - the Church of the Sign had a long history. This temple was associated with many royal persons - the wife of Dmitry Donskoy Evdokia and Peter I. And now a side-altar has been created in it, consecrated in memory of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.
History of the Church of the Sign
According to legend, it was here that there was a wooden church founded by Princess Evdokia, wife of Dmitry Donskoy. With its construction, she wanted to celebrate her miraculous salvation during the invasion of Pereslavl by the troops of the Crimean Khan Tokhtamysh in 1382. This event took place on the day when the church celebrated the birth of John the Baptist - July 7 in a new style. And a new wooden church was consecrated in honor of this holiday.
The first written mention of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist appears in the life of the Monk Daniel and refers to the beginning of the 16th century. Numerous restorations and rebuildings led to the fact that this temple became the Znamensky, with a chapel in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist.
In Peter's times, when the sovereign's "amusing" fleet began to be built at a nearby shipyard, they began to add "on ships" to the name of the church. After all, it was here, on the left bank of the Trubezh, that Peter's yachts and galleys were later kept.
In 1788, a stone church was erected instead of an aging and dilapidated wooden church. The money for the construction was given by Anna Ivanovna Maslova, the widow of the Pereslavl major. The temple was made in the style of the local baroque - an octagon on a quadrangle. A small refectory and a bell tower were added to it. In the cold part of this church the Znamensky throne was located, and in the warm part - the throne in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist.
At this church in 1863, the first parish school in the city began its work. It was founded by Deacon Voskresensky, who later taught Pereslavl residents to write and count for more than four decades. Years passed, and the parish school became female. And when a large school was opened in the nearby Nikolsky Monastery, in the Znamensky Church they continued only teaching the basics of reading and writing.
In the 30s of the last century, during the years of the struggle of the Soviet regime with religion, the Znamensky Church suffered the fate of many Orthodox churches. In 1929 it was closed, and six years later it was completely destroyed. Later, a liquor store was built on the remains of the foundation, which existed here until 1998. The new church was built with money from Pereslavl businessman Alexander Grigorievich Gromyko and other benefactors since 1999. And this construction went on for more than 10 years. The consecration of the Znamensky Church, which was not yet fully completed at that time, took place in 2004.
Architecture and interior decoration of the Church of the Sign
The project of the new church was commissioned to the architect-restorer Vyacheslav Nikolaevich Izhikovliving in Pereslavl-Zalessky since 1988. According to his architectural projects, the chapel of St. George the Victorious near the Slavich factory and the new St. Nicholas Cathedral in the Nikolsky Monastery were also built in the city.
The Church of the Sign was built based on the Russian architecture of the 17th century. It is white, and the decorative elements, window frames, zakomaras and belts are painted with brick red paint. The ringing of new church bells is considered the best in the area. The temple has nine domes and is richly decorated with mosaics on the outside. The main church is a five-domed quadrangle. Adjacent to it is a refectory and a high bell tower, crowned with a hipped roof.
Local craftsmen carved two wooden iconostases for this church. But a lot still exists only in plans - a third iconostasis is needed, there is not enough internal painting and items for worship. Parishioners collect funds from donors for the improvement of the parish territory and the construction of the church fence.
The current state of the temple and the mode of operation
Znamenskaya Church is a functioning Orthodox church. You can get here on weekends from 8.00 to 14.00. Temple and patronal holidays are celebrated in the church on July 7 and 17, as well as December 10. The limit of Nicholas and Alexandra, the royal passion-bearers and the New Martyrs of Russia, is open in the church.
How to get to the Church of the Sign
The Church of the Sign is located in Pereslavl-Zalessky at Trubezhnaya Street, 7A, not far from the Nikolsky Monastery. When driving by car, from the city center you need to turn onto Proezdnaya Street, in the direction of Lake Pleshcheyevo, and follow it to Trubezhnaya Street, on which the temple is located. From the Pereslavl bus station, where intercity buses from Moscow and Yaroslavl come, you can drive up to the Church of the Sign by a taxi or walk about 3 km.
