In Sun Valley will stop to inspect the ancient basilica, built in the IX-XI century.
It is located in the center of the village on a hill above the bus stop. The architecture of the temple, consecrated in the name of St. Elias, is unusual, it is based on the type of ancient Armenian churches. Looking at this small village church, could not help wonder how much he had to endure during his long life, how he miraculously managed to survive to this day. About Holy Ilyinsk chromium existed in people of many traditions. One of them became a famous collection of legends compiled by N. Marx in the beginning of XX century. It tells of the tragedy that took place many centuries ago. On Christmas Eve together residents of the Greek village of Goats (formerly calling Sun Valley) in his church for prayer, when he came down enemies chagatoi Temur Aksakov, Father Peter hid the women and children in the dungeon at the altar, and called upon men to face death, as befits Christians.
pitiless time has not faded with the stone slab door of the church trail of blood: at this point the priest was killed Peter and his young daughter, does not leave the father in his last hour.
also preserved the memory of the legendary and real historical events that took place in the churches. In 1771 Russian troops under the command of Prince MV Dolgorukogo defeated the Turkish army and occupied Cafu. Learning of this, kozskie Turks in anger killed Orthodox priest of St. Peter's Church of Elijah. The body of the priest, martyred, buried at the entrance to the temple, put on the grave of a smooth stone slab, and placed next to the bench. Father Peter was honored by local residents as a miracle worker. To his tomb brought patients, asking them for healing, left pieces of matter, which tied the sick place, took with them a handful of earth, so under the slab has always been a small dimple. By using his father Peter was taken not only Christians, but the Tartars.
According to eyewitnesses, each year, on Good Friday, the slab was raised, removed the body of the murdered priest, dressed in a brocade robe, and with the solemn chants carried around the church. Then the priest St. Elias Church told the story of his exploits.
main relic of the ancient temple has a marble baptismal font, made from the capitals of the columns that adorned a pagan temple in the IV-V century. Marble columns for mined on the island Prokones the Marmara Sea and in the Crimea she came from Constantinople. After the release of Christians from the Crimea St. Elias Church was guarded by one family, in the late XIX century, everyone could look at it.
Worship at St. Ilyinsk temple continued until 1936, then closed it, dropped from the dome of the cross, and in the sanctuary have put a diesel engine to generate electricity. But diesel has worked in the building of the temple for long. One night a guard saw a gray-haired old man, and then flatly refused to enter the church. Motor moved to another place, but here staged a granary. During the Great Patriotic War in the ancient temple praying Romanians, after the war he was again closed and abandoned. Without supervision, he began to break down and fell into neglect. Only in the late 1990's had a restoration in the church of St. Elijah, have resumed services. And in 2000 there was a joyful event: found and returned to the temple of the ancient marble font.
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