The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Maloohtinskii prospekt, 5 Tel.: 528-11-50Open every day from 9.00 to 19.00
The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin was built in commemoration of the tragic events of Leningrad Blockade. It was laid on the holy day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, on August 26, 1996; the metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir blessed the construction. The idea to build a temple of Grief and Glory belongs to Valentin Leonovich Kovalevsky, the President of "Ost-West" Association.
The memories of the horrible days of the Siege are still alive. But it is often forgotten that besieged Leningrad believed and prayed.
The Church of Assumption was to become a memorial temple, the place for commemoration of those who perished during the days of Leningrad Blockade, whose ashes are nowhere to pray over. Raising the temple continued the Orthodox tradition of building churches in commemoration of important events, both bright and tragic. The place for the church was not chosen accidentally. It is here, on Malaya Okhta, where was a church sanctified in the name of Saint Mary Magdalene; and there was a cemetery here, which became the peace place for the perished people.
Already in January 1997 a wooden chapel was built and a parish formed around it It was decided to build the temple without any support from the state, only with the money of the Association and private donations. And in order for everybody to make his contribution and immortalize the memory of their relations, the community suggested that the "name" bricks were sold. On 7,500 bricks there are names of those who are prayed for in the church. At the same time the Prayer Book was started where everybody can insert the names of those he wants to pray to God for.
August 1999 saw the solemn moment when the cross rose above the temple. At that time there was a lot of work to do still: wall facing and interior decoration, construction of the bell-tower and laying out a park around the temple. The day came when these works were completed. And on the memorable day of the 60th anniversary of the Blockade beginning, on Septembers, 2001, the metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir consecrated the temple.
Now the view of the Neva bank, where the bright church is reigning. Ishabitualfor the people of St. Petersburg. The architects in their design addressed the traditions of Russian church architecture. TheChurch of the Assumption is a one-head cross-cupola church with a gilded cupola on a high drum. Colorful mosaics brighten up the strict lines of the church, five-tier iconostasis absorbs the attention of the people entering the church. Decoration of the temple interior is thoroughly thought through. This is thanks to the first senior priest of the church Father Victor and V. L. Kovalevsky: they united a big group of icon painters for creating the temple interior and thus revived the experience of old masters who used to work in artels. In front of the church there is a snow-white bell-tower aiming high into the air, and next to it there is a mourning angel with a cross on a stone lump reminding of the greatness of faith. This monument was put up in commemoration of the Orthodox warriors who perished in the Caucasus.
"The Blocade Temple" Newspaper
The temple parish has become a real center for the believers. The parishioners speak very warmly of the temple where the atmosphere of an Orthodox parish is restored supporting its people in all their secular and spiritual undertakings. At the church a Sunday school operates; a charity committee works, which finds those who especially need help; a newspaper "Blockade Temple on Malaya Okhta, is published. Also enlightening work takes place here, they collect evidences dedicated to the life of the besieged city, an exhibition of church life of martial Leningrad was arranged here and displayed unique illustrations and documents. The services at the temple are regularly led by the metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, even the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexei II found time during his trip to the city and visited the Church of the Assumption. People call this church the "Blockade Temple". Perfect beauty, aspiration to the heights, memorial and church and historical message - so many issues are connected in this church, it has become the center of the Orthodox traditions restoration.
