Midst disappeared temples Theodosia including Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built in XIX century on the site of the current Sea garden. Prior to the seizure of the Crimean Turks here was an ancient Christian church. The Turks turned it into the main mosque of the city, giving the name of Sultan-Kerim. But when in 1870, began preparations for the construction of the cathedral, then dug in the basement mosque found the ancient image of St. Nicholas on a stone slab.
Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky was built in the form of three-aisled basilica. In terms of the building is a cross. Light fell into the temple through the large windows in the northern and southern walls of the side aisles. In the central part of the cathedral round windows combined with rectangular grooves, which were carved crosses. The Cathedral dome, it rested on the light drum with arched niches, which were arranged around the windows. Between the niches were columns. G. Muscovite in his guidebook describes the interior of the church: "The cathedral is noteworthy image of the Savior walking on water, brushes IKAivazovsky, and the image of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra with the gospel found in the basement of a mosque in the building of the temple . The area around the cathedral was surrounded by a fence.
Aleksandr Nevsky Cathedral was the decoration of the city and the center of his public life. Not a single important event in the city did not begin without the service in the main temple. It kept Theotokos "The Sign" is considered the patroness of Feodosia.
This icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary became famous in Novgorod. In 1170, the city besieged by troops of the combined forces of Russian feudal princes. There was little Novgorodians forces, all my hopes are vested in the Lord. St. John of Novgorod for three days praying before the icon of the Savior, and suddenly heard a voice: "Come to the Church of Jesus Christ on Ilin Street, take the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and put it on the city wall." On the morning of a deacon and the clergy came to the temple, but, however hard they tried, they could not move the icon. Then the Pope came to the temple, fell before the icon on your knees and tearfully asked for help. And then, when all the people sang: "Representation of an honorable Christians, an application to the immutable Creator, not respect therefore sinners prayers voices ...", icon suddenly stirred itself. John took her in his arms, kissed her and offered to the city wall.
Suddenly one of the arrows of the attackers got into the face of the Virgin. Immediately, the icon turned around to face the city, and from the eyes of the Virgin gushed tears. At the same moment he was astonished the attackers, they lick each other, and were defeated by Novgorod. In memory of this holiday was established in honor of the Icon of the Sign ", performed on December 10.
List with this famous icon of carefully preserved and handed down from generation to generation in the family of Colonel Nikolai Khrushchev, who in the XIX century the village owned by filling the now Dry. In 1863, the outstanding features of the winter cold, from severe frosts in filling the cattle began dying, that for many peasant families meant death. Then the peasants, having received permission to host, took the icon of the Sign, walked to her village, set in the church and served in front of her prayer. Mother of God, heeding their prayers, help, and livestock stopped.
learning about this miracle, diocesan authorities appealed to Khrushchev's proposal to put the icon permanently in the nasypkoyskoy churches so that believers could freely pray in front of it, but Khrushchev, who had a quarrelsome, cantankerous character, flatly refused. Due to family problems he had in filling the short-term leave, the estate of his wife, and moved to Theodosia, has repeatedly spoken to the clergy, including himself, Bishop Alexy, with a request to put an icon in one of Theodosia temples, and again received refusal, Nikolai Khrushchev explained to the applicant, that the icon was sacred to him, though he did not know her history. Icon is a list with the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Sign, but by whom and when written, is unknown. How she came to the boyars Khrushchev, also remained a mystery, but the family was passed down from father to son stories of miracles performed by her. Obviously, the icon was painted for the church, as had the large size - for its transfer to Theodosia took five people.
After the death of Colonel Khrushchev icon turned to his wife in Moscow hereditary honorary citizen Elena Kuzminichna Rukavishnikova. She graced the shrine of the new srebropozolochennoy garment with precious stones and August 9, 1876 referred it Theodosia Alexander Nevski Cathedral. Icon has become the main sanctuary of the cathedral. Her set at the north wall of the temple in the right side.
In 1877, Turkey declared war on Russia. Many of the temples of coastal towns, fearing looting, carried off their shrines in Simferopol, but feodosiytsy appealed to the Archbishop of Simferopol and the Tauride Guria with pleas to leave the icon of the Sign of the Mother of God in the cathedral. They believed that the Protector will save and will save them, and during the First World War, in October 1914, Theodosia again suffered from the bombs and shells. In the dome of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral three shells struck the hole, but the temple has remained intact. He was killed in the Soviet era. In April 1922 the temple was taken over two tons of gold and silver objects: vestments, crosses, lamps and other church plate, of course, removed ornate robe and a miraculous icon, in 1932 the cathedral was closed a year later - was demolished. It is still unknown where the icon of the Sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary - patron of Feodosia.
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