One of the most unusual churches in Russia is a church dedicated to the soldiers who died in the capture of Kazan in 1552. October 4, 1552 Ivan the terrible solemnly entered Kazan. The battle had just ended, the bodies of warriors lay everywhere. The king ordered them buried in a common grave, with all military honors and according to the Christian rite. On the site of the mass grave, a monastery was founded. The place was chosen beautiful, but unsuccessful. The floodwater washed the coast and in 1559 it was decided to move the monastery to another place. This time the tsar chose a small hill, Zelantovsky, where during the siege stood his marching church and a banner with the image of the Savior not made with hands. Ivan the Terrible sent money for the monastery, and Queen Anastasia — a ready-made iconostasis. A chapel was erected on the site of the mass grave.
Appointed in 1805 abbot of the monastery Archimandrite Ambrose. Energetic and active he did a lot for the monastery. When, after the war of 1812, on the wave of patriotism throughout Russia began to install monuments to soldiers, he proposed to put a monument on a mass grave. The idea was approved by Tsar Alexander I. The monument was laid in 1813, but due to lack of funds, it was consecrated only 10 years later.
But the project was flawed and the building began to fail. In 1830, restoration began and after 2 years the temple was re-lit. Since that time, the temple was under the authority of the military department. On holidays, the townspeople organized a procession, and the military – a parade. There was a caretaker’s house at the temple. He was always appointed from the retired military.
Those who fought and were rewarded.
After the revolution, services in the temple ceased. The building decided to make monuments to the friendship of peoples. They removed the cross from him, knocked down all the jewelry, smeared the inscriptions.
In 2005, the building was returned to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, and in 2011 – attributed to the Vvedensky men’s monastery.
The building needs restoration. The floodwater fills the basement, in which there is a mass grave. The restoration project has been approved and work is about to begin.
The temple is active and holds regular services.
Charitable Foundation Holy Land
Russian Temples and Monasteries
