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Elijah parish. Schedule of services in the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane. The difficult fate of the icon “Unexpected Joy”

Orthodox church St. Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane in Moscow is one of the ancient church buildings, which to this day parishioners treat with awe and love.

Since the existence of the church, an extraordinary atmosphere of God’s grace has reigned inside it, which helps people in the most difficult moments of their lives to cope with all difficulties and sorrows in prayerful communication with God.

There are many sacred relics here, which are especially revered by believers. After attending a church service, people leaving the room begin to feel “born again,” full of strength and energy, and most importantly, a peaceful feeling of calm and joy reigns in their souls.

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History of creation

Once upon a time, at the place where the temple was built, a strong thunderstorm overtook Vasily III.

Frightened by the unfolding weather phenomenon, Vasily, having prayed to Saint Elijah, made a vow that if Elijah saved his life, he would build a church on this place. And so it happened.

But the wooden structure did not stand for long, a little more than a century. In 1702, the wooden structure was demolished and a stone church was erected on this site with the savings of the Duma clerk F. Derevnin.

The architecture of the building has not changed to this day; over time, only the church side chapels were completed. The main chapel is dedicated to the Holy Prophet Elijah, and additional buildings are dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, as well as the martyr prophetess Anna and the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver.

Moreover, all the shrines from other cathedrals that came under Soviet influence and were closed were transported here for preservation. The times of Bolshevik rule did not pass by this building.

There were many attempts to close the Orthodox shrine, but the parishioners and ministers of the church were able to defend their spiritual monastery and did not allow it to be closed. For example, in 1930, more than 4 thousand parishioners gathered in the square near the church to defend the church building from Soviet officials.

But it was not possible to defend the Church of the Prophet Elijah on Ilyinka in Soviet times; in 1923 it was closed, the building was adapted for an institution. And only in 1995, services were resumed there (the schedule of services can be seen on the official website).

The Elijah Church also has a namesake in St. Petersburg - the Church of the Prophet Elijah on Porokhov.

Main shrines

The shrines of the Ordinary Church that are especially revered by Orthodox Christians are icons Holy Mother of God:

« Unexpected joy", a miraculous icon with very interesting story creation. According to legends, the fate of one robber became the prerequisite for the creation of the icon. Tradition says that this robber revered the Mother of God and desperately prayed to her, especially before the next robbery, asking for luck and accompanying good fortune. But during one of his prayers, he saw that the Baby depicted in the icon began to bleed from ulcerative lesions on his legs and arms. And then came the authoritative voice of the Mother of God: “You, like all other sinners, again and again crucify my son with your criminal acts. By calling me Merciful, you immediately insult me with your crimes!” After this, the robber begged forgiveness from the Mother of God and stopped leading a sinful lifestyle;
as well as the “Feodorovskaya” icon of the Mother of God;
"Kazanskaya";
“Vladimirskaya” bestow parishioners with their miraculous powers.

In addition, there are such revered icons as “The Savior Not Made by Hands” and “The Fiery Ascension of the Holy Prophet Elijah.”

Icons of Saints Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov are also preserved in the Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah, as well as holy particles of the relics of these two saints. In the reliquary, which is located near the chapels of the holy apostles Paul and Peter, a small part of the belt of the Mother of God is kept. Note:

In the Church of the Prophet Elijah there is also a very significant image of the Holy Trinity for Christians, in front of which such famous personalities as Pozharsky and Minin made prayerful appeals to God.

The doors of the temple are always open. Anyone can come here and pray for the health of loved ones, entrust their sorrows and problems to God in prayer, and ask for help from the saints and the Most Holy Theotokos. The temple is open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Take note

: on the territory of the temple there is a church Sunday school, which can be attended by adults and children, as well as one of the most extensive church libraries in Moscow. The map will tell you how to get to the church highways

Moscow, exact address: Ostozhenka, second Obydensky lane, 6. Nearest metro station: Park Kultury. In the official community of the temple in VK it is indicated that you need to go to Kropotkinskaya.

Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane. The lane itself is named after the temple. Obydensky - means created “on one day”; it was during this time that it was built here in the 16th century. wooden votive (according to a vow given to God) in the name of Elijah the prophet.

Many legends are associated with its construction. One of them claims that this happened in 1592 in connection with either drought or famine on Moscow land, because it is Saint Elijah who offers prayers for the granting of rain or buckets (dry, clear weather). Another legend names an even earlier date of construction - the beginning of the 16th century, during the reign of Grand Duke Vasily III (1505 - 1533), hinting that the prince personally participated in the construction of the church. One version says that the prince was caught in a terrible thunderstorm and promised to build a temple for deliverance from death, since the prophet Elijah in Rus' was always revered as the lord of fire and lightning, like the ancient pagan god Perun, on the site of whose ruined altars Elijah churches were often erected. And the “Legend” of Abraham Palitsyn claims that on the site of the temple (apparently destroyed by the Poles in 1611), Prince Dmitry Pozharsky performed a prayer service in August 1612 on the eve of the battle with the troops of the Polish interventionists.

Be that as it may, but in 1702, with donations from the Derevnin brothers, according to the design of the architect I. Zarudny, on the site of a wooden church of the 16th century. The stone temple of Elijah the Prophet was built in the Peter the Great Baroque style according to the standard scheme - an octagon on a quadrangle. And since the temple has never been closed since then, its foundation has survived to this day. However, this does not mean that the temple was not rebuilt at all. Thus, in 1706 the chapel was consecrated in honor of Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess, and in 1819 the Peter and Paul chapel was consecrated.

By 1867, the church building had fallen into disrepair and was in danger of collapsing, so the church warden, merchant V. Konshin, after consulting with the rector, decided to major renovation. He involved his brother-in-law, architect A.S., in the project. Kaminsky, the author of the first building of the Tretyakov Gallery. The Konshins, Tretyakovs and other well-wishers donated funds for construction. Thus, the refectory was rebuilt and a three-tiered tented bell tower was erected. On June 9, 1868, they were consecrated by the newly installed Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna Innocent, who served his first divine liturgy in Moscow in this church.

The God-fighting Bolsheviks wanted to close Temple of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane in 1930. But the parishioners, who by that time had gathered many from other closed churches, did not allow this to happen, unitedly standing up to defend the last stronghold of Orthodoxy on Ostozhenka. The authorities were forced to reconcile and leave the temple to the believers. Many shrines from closed and destroyed churches flocked here, they were brought by people from liquidated parishes. Before the Great Patriotic War, in 1941, they wanted to close the temple again, but the war prevented it, and in 1944 the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” was brought here from the Resurrection Church in Sokolniki. It is carefully kept here to this day.

IN Church of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane a bunch of unique icons both ancient ones, XVI - XVII centuries (including letters from Simon Ushakov), and more recent ones, the hands of the holy martyr. Seraphim (Chichagov), shot in Butovo in 1937. Modern parishioners contribute to the glorification of their beloved temple by conducting historical and local history research and publishing their results. One of the largest parish libraries in the capital is organized here, as well as a free lecture on Moscow shrines.

Elijah the Prophet is an almost mythical figure for Christianity, however, even historians have no doubt that such a person really existed. It is interesting that mention of Elijah is found not only among Orthodox Christians, but also among Muslims, Jews and even pagans, where he is partially assigned the functions of Perun - control of rain and thunder, fertility.

Church of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane

History of the building

Temples to Elijah the Prophet were built in different cities; in the capital, this church is the oldest cathedral in the city. It was he who became a unique participant in the times of troubles in Russia, when the prayers of confessors expelled foreign apostates from the city who dared to desecrate the shrine of the temple. Once upon a time, during a drought, on the day of memory of Elijah the Prophet, a religious procession was held to the temple, in which the king himself took part.

Articles about the holy prophet Elijah:

The etymology of the origin of the name of the church, and then the alleys leading to it, is also interesting. The fact is that since ancient times, timber for the construction of new houses was melted down the river, and the place where the logs were collected was called “skorodom”. It was in such a place that the Temple of Elijah grew up in just one day and received its second name “ordinary”, i.e. built during the day.

Almost 200 years later, in 1702, instead of a wooden building, a stone cathedral was built on this site. Over time, the lanes leading to the church began to be named in honor of the prophet - Ilyinsky, and then were officially renamed Obydensky.

Interesting! Among parishioners, a legend is even passed down from mouth to mouth that in June 1941, the country's authorities wanted to close the temple, but the terrible news about the beginning of the Great Patriotic War stopped them. In addition, during the war, all the shrines of the closed churches in Moscow were preserved in the church.

So from the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, which was located in Sokolniki, the miraculous one was transferred, which is in it to this day.

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” in the Church of Elijah the Prophet

Current state

In our time, the temple remains one of the favorite places of Christian believers not only in Moscow, but also in other cities.

Services are held here daily:

Morning liturgy.
Evening service.

On holidays, liturgies are also held at 7.00 and 10.00.

Description of the temple

The architecture of the building is represented by Moscow Baroque, making the building look light and even airy. Painted in yellow external walls remind us of the sun, which gives warmth and life to all living things.

Interior of the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane

The interior of the cathedral may not impress with any sophisticated decorations, but the presence of holy icons and relics in it gives the church a special power of grace.

Activities of the parish

Under the arches of the church today there are:

Orthodox library, the fund of which amounts to 10 thousand books;
children's and adults' rooms, where classes are held not only on Sundays, but also on weekday evenings;
a youth theater dedicated to productions of Christian and moral themes;
children's art studios and church singing studios;
a social service responsible for working with orphans and people in difficult life situations; in addition, the missionaries of this department organize charity festivals and events, and cooperate with hospitals.

Shrines

In addition to the “Unexpected Joy” icon, the temple contains quite a few shrines, you can turn to them with prayer:

Three times a year, patronal holidays are held in the cathedral - August 1 (the day of the discovery of holy relics), August 2 (the day of Elijah the Prophet) and January 15 (the day dedicated to St. Seraphim of Sarov). Patronal feasts are also usually called Temple Day, or Little Easter.

How to get there

The church is located in Moscow, at the address: 2nd Obydensky Lane, 6, not far from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

By metro you can get to the cathedral by going to the Kropotkinskaya station, then turning right, exit onto Prechistenka Street (to the very beginning), then pass the monument to F. Engels through Ostozhenka Street. Further - through the 1st and 2nd Obydensky lanes, located perpendicular to Ostrozhenka, there is a temple.

Shrines of Moscow. Temple of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane

The original wooden temple appeared on this site at the turn of the 15th–16th centuries. The name "Ordinary" indicates that the church was built in one day - apparently from ready-made log houses. According to another version, the church was built “according to a vow” after the end of a severe drought. Noting the end of a natural cataclysm, the temple fell into the history of state disorganization: during the Time of Troubles, on August 24, 1612, the cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery Avraamy Palitsyn served here a prayer service for victory over the Poles, which was also attended by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky - the headquarters of the Second Militia was located nearby , repelling the onslaught of Hetman Khotkevich.

The wooden church was renovated several times, and in 1702 it was replaced by a stone building, the funds for the construction of which were donated by Duma clerk Gavriil Derevnin - marble slabs inside the church remind of him and his brother Vasily. The church was erected according to the architectural fashion of its time: elongated vertically, it represents an “octagon on a quadrangle” structure. The edges of both volumes are marked by columns of the Corinthian order with small magnificent capitals, while the windows are strictly ascetic and not decorated with platbands at all. The octagon is topped with one faceted head with a cross. Several tombstones have been preserved in the northern wall of the church, reminiscent of the parish cemetery that previously existed here. The interiors preserved the central iconostasis with 17th-century images that were still in the wooden church, including the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands from 1675, the image of the Kazan Mother of God created by Simon Ushakov, the temple icon of St. Elijah the Prophet with 20 marks of life and others.

The refectory of the church was originally one-sided, with a chapel of Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess. It was replaced in 1819 by a stone refectory, in which a second altar appeared in the name of the apostles Peter and Paul. However, the final appearance of the Elias Church was formed in 1866–1868, when the refectory was rebuilt and expanded, and a new bell tower with a tetrahedral tent and elements in the pseudo-Russian style was created in the west according to the design. The work was carried out with donations from the church warden - merchant V.D. Konshina. Also a well-known philanthropist was A.D., who lived next door. Tretyakova is the mother of the gallery’s founder. In 1882, a Baroque building was built next to the church for a school and an almshouse.

After the revolution, the church suffered during a campaign to confiscate church valuables, losing some of its decoration and precious utensils. But services continued in the temple. The icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” was moved here from the Church of the Resurrection in Sokolniki (before the revolution it was in the Church of the Annunciation in the Kremlin), the staff of the last abbess of the neighboring Conception Monastery was kept for many years (it was returned to the monastery after its revival monastic life). There is a persistent legend that the authorities planned to announce the closure of the church on June 22, 1941, but this was prevented by the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War.

At a time when churches everywhere were closed, services in the Church of Elijah the Prophet continued. Therefore, it was here that the funeral service for the writer M.A. was held in absentia. Bulgakov after his death. This is what his sisters wished; before his death, the writer himself asked for cremation. His request was fulfilled by the writer’s wife Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova, who buried the writer’s ashes at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Among the ancient Moscow churches, the Church of Ilya the Obydennogo enjoys special reverence and love among parishioners. Since the 16th century it has existed, serving as support and support for believers in the most different moments their lives. A large number of The shrines with which the temple is rich fill the House of God with a special light energy, charged with which, everyone who comes here feels an influx of physical and mental strength, peace and tranquility.

The Church of Elijah the Prophet on Obydensky Lane is a special place. This amazingly beautiful building fits organically into the surrounding landscape, ennobling and aestheticizing the surrounding area. The earliest Christian church in Rus', back in Kyiv, was dedicated to Saint Elijah. The Obydensky Church, which is one of the parish organizations of the capital's Orthodox diocese, is also associated with it.

The history of the building is unusual and interesting. After all, it refers to oldest buildings ancient Moscow. The first temple of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane was built of wood literally in one day or, in Old Russian, “obyden”. There were craftsmen in Rus' back then! This happened during a period of severe drought, and the people, who always firmly believed in their beloved patron, relied on his help even now. The construction dates back to around 1592, and the area itself was called Skorodomnaya. Here, once upon a time, timber was floated on water, and Muscovites, taking advantage of the convenient crossing and delivery of materials, quickly built homes for themselves in order to later move their houses to more convenient areas of the city. The Temple of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane also gave the name to the streets leading to it - Iliinsky. They were renamed to their current name later.

Defense of Holy Rus'

The church was loved not only by the inhabitants of the surrounding area. People from all over Moscow flocked here to Orthodox holidays. Yes and in common days it was never empty. In historical documents, the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane is often mentioned. Prayers take place here for many significant events related to the domestic and foreign political activities of Russian rulers.

If there were prolonged rains or long dry spells, on the saint’s name day there was a procession of the cross from the Kremlin led by the Tsar-Father and the primates of the Russian Church. It is no coincidence that Obydensky Lane, the Church of Elijah the Prophet, became those places where the clergy, together with the people’s militia led by Minin and Pozharsky, prayed to the Almighty and the saints for help in military affairs. We are talking about the era of the Time of Troubles, Polish intervention and the defense of Moscow from invaders. On August 24, 1612, after a prayer service, a decisive battle took place, ending in the victory of Russian weapons.

Second birth

At the very beginning of the 18th century, the old church building was demolished. A stone one was built in its place. The current Church of Elijah the Prophet in Moscow has largely retained its ancient architectural appearance. Funds for its construction were provided by Gabriel and Vasily Derevnin. In memory of them, marble memorial plaques were installed in the church. Further construction works continued into the next century. The building was renovated and new chapels were added. Since then, religious services have been held here continuously. And in difficult times for the House of God, when the authorities wanted to close it, the parishioners did not allow this to happen. For example, about 4 thousand people defended the church in 1930.

Temple shrines

The main chapel of the temple is dedicated to Elijah the Prophet. Additional ones - to Saints Peter and Paul, martyrs Anna the Prophetess and Simeon the God-Receiver. Among its most significant shrines are, first of all, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which is called “Unexpected Joy”. The image of the Holy Trinity, before which the folk heroes Minin and Pozharsky prayed, is also extremely important for Christians. Lists of such famous icons as the Kazan, Vladimir and Fedorovskaya Mother of God, the Savior Not Made by Hands, give their healing power to the suffering. Particles of the relics of Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov also attract pilgrims from all over the country. The doors of the temple are open to everyone from 8 am to 10 pm daily.