The Town Residence of the Patronage of the Mother of God of Kiziltash Monastery in Sudak
| Status: | active town residence of the Monastery | |
| The Temple of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God was founded in 1818, built in 1828 by Sudak merchants and local nobility with the help of the Potemkin Military Garrison, situated in the Genoese Fortress. The Temple was laid because the Apostle Matthew Cathedral on the Fortress territory did not admit all the parishioners. Architect Larionov projected the Temple. In 1912 the project of the Temple building development was approved. In 1937 the Temple was closed. From 1960 to 1964 it was temporarily opened and closed again. In 1988 the revival of the Temple started. The first dean of the Temple was Protoiereus Tharasius. | ||
| Temples: | The Temple of the Patronage the Most Holy Mother of God | |
| Location: | In the centre of Sudak, 27, Lenin St. | |
The Temple history
Laying of the foundation stone of the Church was held on September 20, 1819. The building of the Temple was prolonged for constant lack of money. In 1828 they started to erect a bell tower, but built only the first tier. Despite 200 rubles, donated by Count M. S. Vorontsov, the bell tower was finished only in 40ies on Yani Sandeta’s means. The iconostasis, icons, articles of worship and church vessels to the new Temple were brought from St. Matthew Church. In 1835 the old iconostasis was replaced by the new one, made on the means of the local parish community.
For long years the Temple underwent architectural changes. The bell tower dome turned out to be very heavy. For this in 1858 cracks appeared on the walls. One had to dismantle the stone octahedron, on which there was established the bell tower spire, and to substitute it with the wooden one. On March 5, 1861 the Church of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God was again consecrated by Hegumen Parthenius.
The Temple in Sudak was frequented by the representatives of the Emperor’s Family. In 1868 it was visited by Empress Mariya Aleksandrovna with her daughter Mariya, her son, future Emperor Alexander III, and his spouse Mariya Fyodorovna. In 1912 Emperor Nicholas II on the way to Noviy Svet made a stop at Sudak and visited the church. Prince L. S. Golitsin, who was accompanying the Tsar, drew the Tsar’s attention to the dilapidation of the Temple, having suffered from the earthquake on September 29, 1869, and the Monarch allotted money on the repairs.
The Church of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God in Sudak stayed active to 1936.
Only in 1990 the Church was returned to the Orthodox Church, and under its vaults prayers sounded again. The Church of the Patronage of the Mother of God is a cross-building. From the north, south and west there are entrances, adorned with four columns and triangular frontons. Under the fronton above the central entrance there is the inscription: “The Most Holy Mother of God, Save Us”, and astride from the door there are mosaic images of the saints. The appearance of the Church is simple, is deprived of architectural beautifications, but its charm may be in this fact.
In 1996 in the Church there appeared the painting, depicting Crimean Saints, its author is painter I. Sakharov. Today The Church of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God is the Town Residence of Kiziltash Monastery.
