← Back to feed · Map

Holy Trinity Church in Bezhichi

Фото 1
The Church of the Holy Trinity in Bezhichi is located on a high bank of the Desna River, on the site of an ancient settlement from the 10th to 13th centuries. It has survived all historical upheavals but, fortunately, was not destroyed or closed. For almost its entire history, the church has remained active and continues to function to this day. The church was closed in 1938 but reopened for worship in 1949.

There is no exact information on when and by whom the church was built. It is only known that a wooden church was destroyed during the Time of Troubles. In the 17th century, the village of Bezhichi belonged to the wealthy noble family of Zinovievs. Archaeological finds, such as the remains of a manor house with tiled stoves, confirm their wealth. It can be assumed that Afanasy Zinoviev may have financed the construction of the stone church. The stone church is mentioned in 1701. In 1746, the church was rebuilt. It served as the parish church of the village of Bezhichi, now the Bezhitsky district of Bryansk. The bell tower was built in the early 19th century. The interior decoration of the church is simple, without excessive architectural details. The original 19th-century paintings were repainted in the 1970s. The iconostases are adorned with gilded carvings featuring elements of Baroque and Classicism, with the gilding added in 1898. The church has two altars: the main one consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity, and the second, in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, later reconsecrated in the name of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. The original external decoration has been preserved in the form of wide pilasters and a southern portal with white stone details characteristic of 17th-century architecture.

In the early 1980s, a fire occurred in the church. The repairs of 1982-83 significantly changed the appearance of the church, adding elements that were not there before and destroying the portals of the side entrances. Inside, the paintings, iconostases, icons, and chandelier from the late 19th and early 20th centuries have been preserved. The last major restoration took place in 1989-90. In the early 1980s, thanks to the efforts of the rector, Archpriest Alexander Kozlov, and the parishioners, a baptismal church was established in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Svenskaya." Since 1981, services in the Trinity Church have been held daily.

A stone chapel has been preserved in the cemetery, built in the neo-Russian style at the end of the 19th century in honor of the cessation of the cholera epidemic of 1870. Together with the chapel, the church forms an architectural complex immersed in greenery. Since 2007, the church has been an archbishop's residence.

Geo point

Храм Святой Троицы Живоначальной в Бежичах

Comments