Initially, the monastery was dedicated to two feasts: the Assumption of the Mother of God and All Saints. Since its founding, it housed two wooden churches. The 1566 Census Book, the first description of Zilant Monastery, mentioned: "In the monastery, there is the church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos and the warm church of All Saints, and all buildings were erected with funds from the state treasury." The "warm" church meant that it was small and convenient for heating in winter. In 1566, it looked modest and even poor, with a low iconostasis in two tiers. It was a log church, slightly larger than a chapel, accommodating 13 people in winter: 10 elders, a priest, and a deacon. Only in 1681 was the warm church built of stone. The churches of the Assumption and All Saints, standing diagonally, were connected by an elegant stone gallery. Over more than 300 years of existence, the appearance of these structures changed many times. Until 1829, there was one church, then rebuilt between 1830-1895, and a third one from 1898. Only the foundation and some stylistic features from the late 17th century remained. We know almost nothing about how the church of All Saints looked in the late 17th-18th centuries, neither outside nor inside. The icons probably remained the same as in the 19th century, and almost all of them survived until the revolution. By the beginning of the 19th century, the church had significantly deteriorated. Funds accumulated over 23 years under the management of Archimandrite Ambrose allowed for a major restoration of the church. In 1829, it was completely renewed and re-consecrated, this date was noted on the antimins of the main altar and the first arranged chapel of the apostles Peter and Paul. The two-story building housed the brotherhood's cells, a refectory, and storerooms, while the church itself was located on the second floor with a heavy bell tower above it. The interior was luxurious and magnificent. In 1895, the church was completely dismantled and by 1898 was rebuilt according to the design of architect F. Malinovsky, which differed significantly from the previous one. This is how the church has been restored and remains today, a century after a long period of neglect during the Soviet era. In 1998, the church of All Saints was revived, and in 2000, it was consecrated as the church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first.
To leave a comment, sign in with Google.