Church of Paraskeva Friday

The Church of Paraskeva of Friday, or Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, was built at the end of the 16th century by Ivan Mihlyaev (who built the Peter and Paul Cathedral). The church has three altars, the high altar was sanctified in the name of Epiphany, the right one in the name of three Kazan saints, Guria, Herman and Ignaty, and the left in the name of the Holy Paraskeva. Closed and converted into a prison in 1937, in 1957 the church was once again open for prayer. Since its recent restoration, the high altar has been consecrated in honor of St. Paraskeva.

sourceof info: http://www.gpsmycity.com/tours/kazan-churches-tour-4788.html

This pictures were taken last summer, I thought that I'd wait for summer before sharing this but it looks like it'll still take a long time before greens come out and will look like in this pictures. It is spring, it is warm but no greens yet and lately the weather has not been a very hopeful. It's pretty grey, damp and muddy. Some remaining snow-ice won't  melt without re-agent. One day it rained, the following day it snowed (sleet) another day was sunny. I feel like we're in whirlwind of changes. I hope everything gets stable soon.

By the way, last Sunday I've posted about Easter. I think I was a week advanced for the Russian Orthodox Easter. It was only yesterday in fact. In Catholic it was the Sunday when I posted about Easter. I have colleagues who are Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim & Judaist,  so we, altogether respect & celebrate every religious holiday we have.

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Inspired Sunday

Our World Tuesday

Church of St. Eudokia

St. Eudokia of Heliopolis -an early Orthodox Christian saint, venerated a martyr.

The church is located in the quiet  part of the city. Somewhere at the back of Kremlin, in a quiet neighborhood near the river Kazanka.

I didn't  even know this church exists until one time in summer of 2011, we tried to discover small streets around the city. The church is old but is well maintained.

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Saints Peter & Paul Cathedral

The cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is a Russian Orthodox church in Kazan city.  Built in 1772, survived the socialit times.

The church is very beutifully constructed with lots of colorful elements.

the belltower

at the entrance door

the interior

The interior is vastly decorated with goldenplates. The whole altar is decorated with icons of different saints and a painting of angels on the ceiling. The floor is made of cast iron. 

It's  a pretty sturdy church. It is one of Kazan's most visited places. 

Underground is a small chapel. If you want to pray and not get disturbed by tourists, there is a place for you. It's quite hidden, more quiet and solemn.

More beautiful churches around the world here:

Inspired Sunday

St. Basil Cathedral

The iconic cathedral located at the heart of the Red Square in Moscow.

It was built in the 16th century to commemorate  a military victory under the rule of Ivan the Terrible.

If you remember me posting about Kul Shariff mosque, this is the cathedral which architecture was originally based from the old mosque which was destroyed during the seige of Kazan. 

(Here is the post if you missed it Kul Shariff Mosque)

One very interesting fact obout the cathedral is after whom it was named.  It was named after St.Basil the Blessed (a.k.a St. Basil the Fool) who impressed Ivan the Terrible when he foretold a fire that swept through Moscow. He was later burried at the spot where the cathedral stands.

Another very interesting fact about this cathedral was the architect who built it. After it was completed, Ivan had him blinded to prevent him from building a more magnificent building for anyone else.

For a more detailed history of the cathedral, please click the link below.

St. Basil Cathedral History

Pictures were taken in the summer of 2010 when I  first visited Russia.

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Inspired Sunday

Epiphany Belltower

One of the most beautiful old architechture in the city is the Epiphany tower located in Baumana street. 

Standing 63 meters tall, no one would miss its sight at the middle of the pedestrian street in the heart of the city. 

The construction of the tower took only two years from 1895-1897. 

Please read here for the complete history of the belltower and its cathedral: 

Epiphany Belltower History

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Kazan Catholic Church

Kazan Catholics get new church: http://youtu.be/1EJpabXQnqk

Another historical architechture in the city. The church itself is not old, therefore it isn't really historical. But it's story is. The original church was confiscated by the Soviet authorities and was used as a part of a technical university that makes planes. After the Soviet Union collapsed, and after the Vatican returned the Holy Icon, which I've shared in my previous post, the state considered returning the church to its worshippers. But inside is a huge machine which is impossible to disassemble without destroying the whole building. The state had decided to reconstruct an exact replica of the previous church. 

This is now how the new church look like. 

                 

It is located at the city centre in one of the busiest roads. If you look closer, you'll see domes of two Orthodox churches, which I have also written about previously. Somewhere in the area, a synagogue  can also be found.

This photo was taken in summer. As you see, in winter, the lake becomes frozen. It is my favorite part of the city. Looking at all those different houses of worship in one area makes me find a peaceful co-exisistence amongst different beliefs and religions. If you stand on that bank, you'll see mosques across the lake. That is what I like about the city most. Religious co-existense, tolerance which everybody learned as residents of the city. Children grow up with it, and the same thoughts are passed on to generations.

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Blagoveshinkii Cathedral

Blagoveshinkii or The Anunciation Cathedral of Kazan. The first Orthodox church within the walls of Kremlin. Initially, a wooden church was quickly built under direction of Tsar Ivan IV in 1552, before it was replaced with a stone cathedral. The cathedral became the center of religious educational life and missionary efforts in the province of Kazan.

It is located in the same walls of Kremlin where Kul Shariff mosque is. It is evident that religious tolerance is present in the city.

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Kul Sharif Mosque

Kul Sharif mosque was a title given of a descendant of tge prophet Muhammed. He was a warrior, a poet and a thinker. 

The mosque was built resembling the Emir's (duke) place. The unique power of the Khanate was symbolized by eight needle-shaped minarets soaring upwards the sky in remembrance of the eight provinces if Volga-Bulgaria. Their tips were crowned with silver sharply defined crescent moons -  the symbol of the power of God.

Kazan city was taken by Ivan the Terrible in 1551. The battle took place within the walls of the Khanate Kremlin (fortress). The mosque was burned to the ground. 

There's an interesting legend (fact which wasn't proven much) that the perpetrators  were deeply impressed of the wooden mosque that it was decided to perpetuate the appearance in the St. Basil's cathedral in Moscow. (which I'm planning to post next Sunday).

It was decided in 1990 to recreate a magnificent building as one of the main landmarks in Kazan Kremlin as historical continuity. 

Completed and opened in 2005, it now stands in the Kremlin (fortress) at the heart of the city. With the capacity to accomodate 1500 worshippers and 10000 more outside on the two adjacent pavilions, Kul Sharif is one of Europe largest mosques.

info help: cultural heritage web portal-Russia

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Monastery of Our Lady of Kazan

The quite controversial return of the historical icon is housed in this monastery at present. I say controversial due to some facts or maybe stories interpreted by media which came together with the return of the icon. I do not however want to elaborate in the contriversy but rather on the importance of the icon's history and itself.

Here's if you are interested in its controversy.

http://www.traditioninaction.org/HotTopics/b010htKazanReturned.htm

The icon is one very essential part of Russian faith. The icon has a long history but to cut it short, the icon was found underneath a house after a devastating fire sometime in the second half of the 16th century. The icon is named Mother of Kazan as it was found in the cuty if Kazan near Volga region. 

The icon had been safeguarded allthroughout wars which took place since 1612. Starting from war with the Poles, with the Swedes, with French until the great patriotic war against Hitler. The icon had been carried from one city to another to ensure its safety by soldiers even by one who was once in prison. It was thing which they were sure never to surrender to the enemies even after a devastation of one cities where it was safeguarded.

It ended up being handed to the Pope, until its return to where it was found.

I strongly recommend reading the full (maybe not so full) story of the icon. It is a profound story of how it was saved during those terrible wars.

http://sputniknews.com/voiceofrussia/radio_broadcast/2248514/5239997/

Now the icon is in this monastery. I was lucky to be a foreigner as they allowed us to make pictures from the inside. It was also a great timing when there were not too many people.

The icon of the Holy Mother of Kazan

It's a pity I couldn't make anymore clearer picture than this. There are so much more details in it.

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The church of the icon "Our Lady of Kazan"

The church's name is quite confusing. It is named after the icon of "Our Lady of Kazan" - which is another church bearing the "Our Lady of Kazan". I'll go on with the details on that next Sunday as I post the other church. It has a longer story which roots back to WWII. 

Anyway, this church is also an Old-Rite Orthodox. Not far from the location of the  previous church I posted. Like all others, it also was closed down during the Soviet era. I can't tell you much about the details because when I went, there was no one to talk to. There was an ongoing mass so I also wasn't able to see the inside. And by this post I realized that this is the only church in the city which interior I haven't really seen. I should go back I guess. 

Like all other Orthodox churches, it has a huge, colored dome (this time). I like how the bells are aligned in size order. I want to see them when are moving. 

The bricks from which the church is made of look bright and vivid against the sun. I like this construction a lot.

The church, it's beautiful. Pretty much smaller than the first one I posted but as well look impressive. The blue color of the roof and the dome gives the contrast so that the whole building is more noticeable.

You see the area is not that big. The garden is quite narrow as well but I think good enough for people who come to celebrate the mass or attend any service.

The location is not very solemn as it is along one of the busiest road. And at the back are residential flats. Maybe it's ok so people can drop by anytime they please to.

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Staroobryadcheskaya Church

Built in 1909, Staroobryadcheskaya is a Russian Orthodox Old Rite Church.

It suffered the so-called "time of stagnation" during the Soviet era when it was closed from its community services and used as a depot. It was restored later after the changes. 

The church is beautifully located behind a hilly area at the old part of the city. This photo isn't the most recent unfortunately as I haven't gone to the area lately. When we came we tried to get in but it wasn't possible. I was at least able to peek through a window. It didn't really look destroyed but there was no order as well. It was closed for renovation. We stood there for awhile, recalled history, I listened as they narrated. It is both sad and beautiful. Beautiful that it encompasses such an old rich story but sad for all that it has suffered. Imagining what had occured all those times could give you goosebumps. I did have. 

I am planning to visit the place in winter and make new pictures in contrast to this which was taken in summer. I haven't been around much since I got busy with work, but I promise to rediscover the city one more time to see what changes have taken place apart from the ones I see along my way everyday.

I have collected pictures of churches, mosques and monasteries in the city. I'll be posting more soon. 

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