The Cathedral of the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Cross of the Lord appeared because of the fair, this is true, but it was not called Old Fair.
What has Nizhny Novgorod always been famous for? All-Russian Fair. There came a lot of people, deals made millions. And to beat hands, merchants without prayer are not used. The fair needed a temple. Yes, not just a church, but a cathedral, so that the people could accommodate a lot and breathtaking from reverence.
Construction began in 1816. The construction was entrusted to the architect, who has already proved that his cathedrals are breathtaking. It was Auguste Montferrand who built St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
He did his best. The majestic, column-decorated building was built on a specially sprinkled hill. Looking at him, yes, took my breath away. The temple was consecrated in 1822, the construction was not fast. But Montferrand was a good architect, but a bad engineer. Floods washed the soil and the cathedral began to settle. There were cracks on the walls. Already in the second half of the 19th century, it had to be strengthened and destroyed. The cathedral was consecrated again in 1888.
This was not the only problem with the cathedral. The iconostasis was painted by the Italian artist Torricelli. A great admirer of the Renaissance, Torricelli painted the iconostasis with figures of saints, in whom the body appeared through their clothes. Hard Russian merchants refused to pray to such icons. It came to the point that the parishioners began to bring icons with them. The Russian artist Stasov had to remake the iconostasis according to the Russian canons.
The temple was given an unusual name: The Origins of the Honest Trees of the Cross of God. But no one called him that. In the people he firmly entrenched under the name «Spassky». The fact is that the fair operated only 1 month a year, and to keep the cathedral empty for the remaining 11 months was
unprofitable. Then the temple was attributed to the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Kremlin. From there the decoration was brought, priests and servants came. Even the choir was Moscow. So the Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral began to be called Spassky.
And the name «Staroyarmorochny» appeared later, when a new temple of Alexander Nevsky was built.
After the revolution, the temple was closed, the buildings were used for storage and living quarters.
The Diocese Cathedral was returned in 1991. Until 2009, it was a cathedral, and then this title was transferred to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
In the cathedral there are icons of Saints Alexander Nevsky, Seraphim of Sarov, Aleksii of Bortsurman, St. Peter. Particularly revered: the Mother of God “Joy to All Who Sorrow” and the image of the Savior not made with hands.
The cathedral is active, services are held daily. There is a Sunday school at the temple.
Charitable Foundation Holy Land
Russian Temples and Monasteries
