Tomb of 4 admirals opening hours. St. Vladimir's Cathedral. Vladimir Cathedral in Sevastopol on video

There are two Vladimir cathedrals in Sevastopol. And to avoid confusion, the one located in the very center of the city, on a hill, is called the tomb of the admirals. Indeed, the ashes of the heroes of the Crimean War rest in it. This temple, conceived as a monument to the Russian heroes of the Crimean epic, took a very long time to build—more than thirty years.

Vladimir Admiral Cathedral in Sevastopol was founded by Admiral Lazarev

While commanding the Black Sea Fleet and living in Sevastopol, he thought about a large and capacious temple for the city and prepared a corresponding report addressed to the emperor. A month later, permission was received. At the same time, Nicholas I himself marked the site for construction on the city map. And Lazarev personally ordered marble decor, an iconostasis and icons on copper plates from Italy.

Unfortunately, almost everything that Mikhail Petrovich ordered in Italy was never delivered to Sevastopol: the jewelry and icons were delivered to Nikolaev, where they disappeared during the Crimean War.

The construction of the Admiral's Cathedral began with the construction of a crypt for the founder of the temple

On April 11, 1851, Admiral Lazarev died in Vienna, where he went for treatment. The acting commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral M.B. Berkh, reported to his superiors that the body of the deceased was being taken to Sevastopol and that he would be buried “in a crypt on the territory of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir under construction.”

200 people were urgently allocated for the construction of the crypt, and by May 5 the tomb was ready. Two days later, a requiem service was served in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the coffin was carried in their arms to the city hill, lowered down a special passage underground, prayers were read and the crypt was walled up.

How Vladimir Cathedral became the tomb of admirals

Two months later, the foundation stone for the cathedral itself was finally laid. The ceremony was attended by the chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet and ports, Vice Admiral V. A. Kornilov, and the commander of the Sevastopol port, Vice Admiral M. N. Stanyukovich. The bookmark was consecrated by Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride Innocent (Borisov).

Before the start of the defense of Sevastopol, they managed to finish the basement floor and erect walls one meter high. In the first days of the Sevastopol epic, the admirals asked if they died to be buried next to Lazarev - after all, they spent almost their entire lives side by side with him. Kornilov was the first to die, five months later.

Another three months passed, and at the end of June 1855, Nakhimov received a mortal wound on Malakhov Kurgan. By the beginning of autumn, Sevastopol had fallen, “fell with such glory that every Russian, and especially every sailor, should be proud of such a fall, which is worth brilliant victories,” the Decembrist and close friend of Nakhimov M.A. later wrote. Bestuzhev. Couldn't have said it better.

Unfinished construction

During the Sevastopol defense, the construction of the temple froze. They returned to the construction of the Vladimir Cathedral only in 1862, entrusting supervision of the construction to the famous architect A. A. Avdeev. At that time he was in Sevastopol and was building the St. Nicholas Church at the Brotherly Cemetery on the North Side. Avdeev did not like Tonov's style and decided to redo the entire project, based on the truly Byzantine architectural tradition.

The lower church was ready by 1881, the upper one seven years later. By this time, in pursuance of the highest decree, memorial plates were made with the names of officers who died during the war.

On October 5, 1888, the Vladimir Cathedral was consecrated. On the eve of the ceremony, the entire city, all the batteries, all the ships were decorated with flags. After the prayer service they fired fireworks. The daughter of Admiral M.P. Lazarev presented the church with a white church vestment trimmed with gold braid for the Easter service.

The Cathedral in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir was originally conceived as a temple, first of all, for sailors. They prayed in this temple, they took part in its decoration.

For example, on the anniversary of the rescue of the royal family in terrible times, the sailors raised funds and ordered a mahogany icon case; it contained an icon of the Savior extending a helping hand to the Apostle Peter on Lake Gennesaret.

Before the revolution, there were always many military men in naval uniform in the Vladimir Cathedral. On the patronal feast of the temple, sailors were married in the lower church. The cathedral did not have its own parish, and all the work to maintain the temple in order was carried out by sailors.

Services were performed only on Sundays, on church holidays, on birthdays and name days of members of the imperial family and, of course, on memorable days associated with the history of the Crimean War and the defense of Sevastopol... Prayer services were always held in the presence of representatives of the naval command and garrison officers. Memorial services for the dead sailors were regularly held in the temple, and the anniversary of the Battle of Tsushima was especially honored.

After the revolution

After the revolutionary coup, the life of the country and the Church changed dramatically. Temples turned into “religious institutions”; the Church itself was separated from the state. The naval clergy was liquidated, all church holidays were cancelled. During the Civil War, previous traditions were preserved only in territories controlled by the White Army. There, priests were required to under no circumstances miss Sunday and holiday services and be sure to end them with “short but powerful” sermons. By the way, it was then that the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which falls on November 4, became the Day of the Revival of Russia. A.V. Kolchak, declaring himself the Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief, ordered to continue to celebrate the day of St. George the Victorious as a holiday for the entire Russian army. Another commander-in-chief, Baron P. N. Wrangel, was personally present at especially solemn services in the Vladimir Cathedral.

Change of power

But the White movement was defeated, and riots began.

In 1932, the Vladimir Church was closed, transferring the building to the Aviation Sports Society. Then a warehouse was placed in it, which at the beginning of the war was converted into a hospital, a bomb shelter and even a correction point for an artillery battalion.

Fortunately, not a single shell hit the temple, but traces of shrapnel on the walls can still be seen. In addition, the northern façade of the church was badly damaged, the plaster was crumbling, and practically nothing remained of the wall paintings, floor mosaics and iconostases.

After the war, the ordeals of the cathedral continued... They proposed turning the Vladimir Church into whatever they could: into a museum (with the “adding” of an additional complex of buildings to it), into a “circorama”, into a cinema hall with the simultaneous screening of seven films about the second defense of Sevastopol. It was also proposed to remove the dome and organize ceremonial honors of industrial workers and prominent citizens in the former cathedral. Fortunately, none of these projects were implemented. In 1965, the State Committee for Construction Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR adopted a special resolution on the restoration of the architectural monument. Two years later, restoration began.

Desecration of the Admirals' Tomb

After Russian troops evacuated to the North Side during the Crimean War, the British and French ruled for a long time in the southern part of the city. Enlightened Europe has never spared the shrines of others. The conquerors broke through the vault of the crypt of the Vladimir Cathedral, split the lids of the coffins of the admirals, tore off the epaulettes from their uniforms, and covered the remains of the heroes with earth. All this is reflected in the “Act on the mockery of the Anglo-French invaders over the graves of Russian admirals.”

Once again, attempts were made on the ashes of the heroes in the late 1920s. But then the higher authorities declared that the time had not yet come for the removal of the ashes of the “minions” of tsarism. However, already in the early 1930s, the crypt was opened, most of the remains of the admirals were destroyed, and the tomb was turned into a garbage dump.

Years passed. In 1974, the Vladimir Cathedral was transferred to the Museum of the Heroic Defense and Liberation of Sevastopol. Leningrad restorers visited the temple. The crypt was put in order, and under a pile of debris they found fragments of one of the coffins and the scattered remains of the admirals. In the end, the ashes of the admirals were returned to their rightful place.

(Central Hill)

Founded in 1854 on the site of the crypt in which Admiral M.P., who died in Vienna, was buried back in 1851. Lazarev, the cathedral was originally designed by the architect K.L. Tone - the author of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow as a cross-domed temple with five chapters in the Russian-Byzantine style. By the beginning of the first defense, only the foundation had been completed. During the Sevastopol epic, the associates of Admiral Lazarev and fallen defense leaders were buried in the crypt: Vice Admiral V.A. Kornilov, Rear Admiral V.I. Istomin, Admiral P.S. Nakhimov. Their peace did not last forever: after the Russian troops abandoned the southern part of the city, the allies violated the remains.

After the Crimean War, Alexander II decided to build another Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonesos and transfer half of the amount collected for the construction of the temple in the center of the city for its construction. Architect L.A. Avdeev is instructed to develop a new project taking into account the reduction in construction volumes. The architect coped with the task brilliantly: he designed a single-domed, four-pillar, cross-domed temple in the Byzantine style on the existing foundations. Work on its construction resumed in 1862, but was completed only under Emperor Alexander III.

The base of the temple is arranged in the form of a cross, the dome is helmet-shaped, and a vestibule with a belfry adjoins the central western part. The symmetrical facades are completed with triangular pediments; its northern and southern facades are accented by arched portals with columns made of Crimean diorite, topped with Byzantine capitals. On the outer walls of the temple there are marble plaques with the names of the four admirals and the dates of their death. The height of the cathedral, built of Krymbal limestone, with a cross, is 32.55 meters.

In the upper church in the name of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the names of admirals, headquarters and chief officers of the Naval Department, awarded the Order of St. George for bravery shown during the Crimean War, are inscribed on marble slabs.

Famous masters worked on the interiors of the temple: A.E. Karneev, Italian sculptor Bonani, Swiss ornamental artist Raphael Isella. One of the paintings was done by I.K. Aivazovsky (not preserved).

Later, nine more admirals were buried in the cathedral tomb: the first mayor of Sevastopol P.A. Pereleshin, participants in the defense of 1854-1855: P.A. Karpova, I.I. Defabra, V.P. Shmidt, I.M. Dikov, commanders of the Black Sea Fleet S.P. Tyrtova, M.P. Sablina, G.P. Chukhnin, manager of the Maritime Ministry I.A. Shestakova.

Until 1917, the Vladimir Cathedral was under the jurisdiction of the Naval Department and was maintained at its expense; in 1932 it was closed. During the Second World War, it suffered greatly: many of the interiors and names of the St. George cavaliers, the tombstone on the crypt of the admirals disappeared, and their ashes were again violated.

In 1972, the Vladimir Cathedral was transferred to the Museum of the Heroic Defense and Liberation of Sevastopol, which, together with the community and the Black Sea Fleet, is still carrying out restoration work (project by architects V.I. Mayko and I.L. Shmulson). In 1991, the cathedral was re-consecrated, and divine services were resumed there.

On February 29, 1992, after identification, the four admirals were solemnly reburied in the cathedral crypt. It was attended by the descendants of V.I. Istomin and V.A. Kornilov.

The history of the cathedral dates back to the visit of Sevastopol by Alexander I in October 1825, when the emperor expressed a desire to perpetuate a significant fact in Russian history - the baptism of Grand Duke Vladimir. As the ancient Russian chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years” testifies, this event occurred in Chersonesus in 988.

At the direction of the Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral A.S. Greig, excavations were carried out in Chersonesos in 1827, during which three temples were discovered, one of them was recognized as the place of baptism of Prince Vladimir. A.S. Greig presented a report to the emperor with a proposal to designate the memorial site by erecting “a small, elegant church architecture...”. The highly approved report was transferred to the Imperial Academy of Arts for discussion and consideration of the proposal. On February 5, 1829, a competition was announced to create a design for the monument, and in July of the same year, the All-Russian subscription to raise funds began, since it was planned to build the temple using voluntary donations. The subscription continued until 1832 and was renewed several times. Donations - from 1 kop. to large sums - came from different segments of the Russian population.

First place in the competition was taken by the project of the architect K.A. Ton (1794 - 1881), a great expert in church architecture and a supporter of the Russian-Byzantine style in architecture. According to the plan of K.A. Ton, the monument was supposed to be a five-domed temple in the name of St. Vladimir, which was supposed to be built on the territory of Chersonesos, on the site of the basilica in which St. supposedly received Baptism. Vladimir.

In June 1842, the Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral M.P. Lazarev, addressed Emperor Nicholas I with a report in which he “asked for permission to erect a temple in the name of St. Vladimir not in Chersonesus, but in Sevastopol itself, where it could benefit the residents to be, like a monument precious to every Russian, we visit more often than several miles from the city.” A month later, the emperor's permission was received, he himself indicated on the plan of Sevastopol the place for the construction of the cathedral - on the top of the Central city hill." Admiral M.P. Lazarev paid great attention to the construction of the temple of St. Vladimir. He ordered an iconostasis from Italy, marble details for decorating the temple and icons on copper boards. The order of arrangement of icons was also developed by Admiral M.P. Lazarev and St. Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride. Much ordered by the admiral was completed and delivered to Nikolaev during his lifetime, but with the beginning of the Crimean War of 1853 - 1856 lost.

Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev died from a serious illness on April 11, 1851 in Vienna. In the report of the acting Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral M.B. Berkha to the Chief of the Main Naval Staff, Prince A.S. Menshikov was informed that the body of the deceased would be delivered to Sevastopol for burial in a crypt on the territory of the St. Vladimir Cathedral under construction." About 200 people worked day and night on the construction of the crypt, and by the arrival of the steamer "Vladimir" in Sevastopol on May 5, 1851, With the body of Admiral M.P. Lazarev, construction was completed.

On May 7, 1851, in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the Right Reverend Innocent celebrated a requiem mass, then the coffin was carried in his arms to the crypt located in the center of the foundation of the temple under construction. The funeral procession descended along a wide passage leading deep underground. The coffin was placed in a crypt covered with a stone vault, and the last prayers were read. Then the crypt was walled up. Cannon shots rang out from all the ships of the Black Sea Fleet stationed in the roadstead. On July 15, the foundation stone for the Cathedral of St. Vladimir took place in the presence of the Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet and Ports, Adjutant General Vice Admiral Kornilov and the commander of the Sevastopol port, Vice Admiral Stanyukovich. The foundation stone of the temple was consecrated by the Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride St. Innokenty (Borisov). Before the landing of enemy troops in Crimea in September 1854, they managed to build the basement floor of the temple, the walls of which rose 60 - 90 cm above the ground. With the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, the construction of the cathedral was suspended, and all the workers were transferred to the construction of land fortifications around the city.

In the first days of the defense of Sevastopol, admirals V.A. Kornilov and P.S. Nakhimov expressed a wish to be buried near M.P. Lazarev, since the crypt where his ashes rested could accommodate two more graves. This wish of the admirals was not only known, but also understood by everyone. Even in the famous Battle of Navarino in 1827, Captain 1st Rank M.P. Lazarev, who commanded the battleship "Azov", drew attention to his outstanding subordinates Lieutenant P. Nakhimov, midshipman V. Kornilov and midshipman V. Istomin, who later became his devoted students and talented successors of the best traditions of the Russian Navy. On October 5, 1854, during the 1st bombardment of Sevastopol, Vice Admiral Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov was mortally wounded on Malakhov Kurgan and died a few hours later. The last words: “Defend Sevastopol” became the leitmotif of the entire defense of the city. For his services to the fleet and to Russia, V.A. Kornilov was honored - he was buried in the crypt of the cathedral under construction, next to Admiral M.P. Lazarev.

On March 7, 1855, on the Kamchatka lunette, near the Malakhov Kurgan, Rear Admiral Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin was killed by a cannonball in the head. P.S. Nakhimov suggested burying him in the same crypt where admirals Lazarev and Kornilov were already buried. Together with other officers, Admiral Nakhimov carried the coffin with the body of his associate and friend in his arms all the way to the crypt, without changing even once. The troops paid their last respects - a cannon salute rang out, and the coffin was lowered to the bottom of the crypt. Nakhimov said: “There is room for one more, I’ll even lie at the feet of my comrades.” In a letter to V.I. Istomin’s brother Konstantin Nakhimov wrote: “At the sole desire of all of us, his former colleagues, we buried him in an honorable and sacred grave for Black Sea sailors, in ... the crypt where the ashes of the unforgettable Mikhail Petrovich and Vladimir Alekseevich lie "I saved this place for myself, but decided to give it up. Three ashes in the crypt of the Vladimir Cathedral will serve as a shrine for all present and future sailors of the Black Sea Fleet."

On June 28, 1855, Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov was mortally wounded on Malakhov Kurgan: “The bullet passed above the temple above the left eye, pierced the skull and touched the brain. The admiral said something incomprehensible and never regained consciousness,” June 30 at 11 o’clock. 10 min. he died. “They put him in the place where he stood during the burial of Istomin - near the one that he prepared for himself in the firm belief that he should fall for Sevastopol.”

Thus, during the Crimean War, the still unfinished Cathedral of St. Vladimir became the tomb of outstanding admirals of the Russian Navy, a monument to the heroes of the defense of Sevastopol in 1854 - 1855. Two months after Nakhimov’s funeral, the defense of Sevastopol came to an end. The southern side of the city was occupied by enemy troops. "...Sevastopol fell, but it fell with such glory that every Russian, and especially every sailor, should be proud of such a fall, which is worth brilliant victories. Unfortunately, such glory is not bought cheaply. Russia lost three heroes; Black Sea sailors - three glorious admirals...""" (from a letter from M.A. Bestuzhev to M.F. Reineke on January 1, 1856).

On September 1, 1881, the commander of the Sevastopol port, Rear Admiral M.N. Kumani, reported to the Naval Ministry that the lower church “has already been completed, and on October 5, according to the order of His Imperial Highness, its consecration will follow.” On the appointed day, as the newspaper “Russian Invalid” reported, the residents of Sevastopol “were present at the solemn consecration of the lower chapel in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the Church of St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir, built over the graves of the admirals. His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Admiral General Konstantin Nikolaevich was present at this celebration , the Odessa Governor General, Adjutant General Prince Dondukov-Korsakov, all the troops located in Sevastopol, many of the surviving defenders of Sevastopol and the mass of the people." The consecration of the temple was performed by Archbishop Platon of Kherson and Odessa. The defenders of Sevastopol, awarded the Order of St. George or the Golden Arms, were invited to take part in the ceremony with the right to travel at public expense.

"The ships in the roadstead were decorated with flags, and the city had a solemn appearance. This marked the 27th anniversary of the heroic defense of Sevastopol, which covered the Russian army with unfading glory, both land and all types of weapons, and the sea, defending their native Black Sea nest, which, despite stubborn and truly heroic eleven-month defense, was ruined and only now, with the consecration of the lower chapel of the temple, its revival begins, which is the subject of the most ardent undertakings not only of all Russian sailors, but of every Russian in general,” wrote the newspaper “Russian Invalid”.

Already in February 1883, the Highest Decree of Alexander 111 followed on perpetuating the memory of the heroes of the Sevastopol defense: “1) in Sevastopol, in the Church of St. Vladimir, to have marble plaques with the names and surnames of Admirals, headquarters and chief officers of the Naval Department, killed or who died from wounds during the war of 1853 - 1856, indicating when and where they were killed, 2) in the same church there should be plaques for the subsequently deceased St. George Knights: Admirals, Generals, staff and chief officers of the Naval Department, who were honored to receive the order St. George for bravery during the same war, and henceforth to include on these plaques the names and surnames of the same cavaliers; after their death, the first memorial plaque with the name of Admiral G.I. Butakov and the inscription: “Taking -” was placed on the wall of the cathedral. Pervaz - Bakhry "November 5, 1853. Defense of Sevastopol from September 13, 1854 to August 27, 1855." In total, 81 marble slabs with 72 names of officers of the Naval Department were placed on the walls along the perimeter inside the upper church in accordance with the Highest Decree of Alexander. The inscriptions were made in lead letters covered with gold leaf. But there were texts only on 31 slabs. There were no inscriptions on the slabs of the altar and choir walls, since those praying would not have been able to see them; on side plates too narrow to make inscriptions; on concave apse slabs due to the difficulty of attaching letters; on the western wall, since to read the inscriptions one would have to turn one’s back to the altar, which is unacceptable."

On October 5, 1888, the consecration of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir took place. The day before, Sevastopol was decorated with flags. From early morning people flocked to the temple. The Knights of St. George who lived in the city were invited to the consecration ceremony. At 8:30 a.m. The troops participating in the parade arrived: one battalion with banners from the Black Sea Fleet Crew, the Brest and Bialystok Regiments, the 59th Reserve Battalion and a platoon from the fortress artillery. The troops lined up inside the cathedral fence. By 9 o'clock the commanders of the military, naval and civil departments had gathered. By 9:30 a.m. Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich arrived at the temple. Immediately after this, His Grace Martinian, Bishop of Tauride and Simferopol, in concelebration with the Archimandrite of the Chersonesos Monastery and the local clergy, solemnly consecrated the temple, after which a mass and prayer service were served with the proclamation of many years to the Royal House and eternal memory to the fallen admirals and all soldiers.

Coastal and field batteries at the bastion sites and on the Malakhov Kurgan, military ships decorated with flags, fired 31 shots at the end of the prayer service. The troops participating in the parade marched in front of the temple in a ceremonial manner. The daughter of Admiral M.P. Lazarev, Tatyana, donated to the church a church vestment made of white fabric, trimmed with gold braid, for the priest and deacon with the condition that they wear this vestment at the service on the first day of Easter. Subsequently, every year on October 5, on the anniversary of the first bombardment of Sevastopol in 1854, by order of the commander of the Sevastopol port, in the crypt of the Church of St. Vladimir, a memorial service was served for the murdered admirals Kornilov, Istomin, Nakhimov and all the soldiers who fell in the defense of Sevastopol. After the prayer service, fireworks were fired from the ships stationed in the roadstead.

The Cathedral of St. Prince Vladimir was founded as a monument to the Baptism of St. Prince Vladimir, but during construction it turned into a monument to the heroes of the Crimean War, into the tomb of the admirals of the Black Sea Fleet. This was already evident in the very consecration of the cathedral, to which veterans of the defense of Sevastopol were invited and fireworks were given at the sites where the admirals were killed; in the installation of diorite slabs on the southern and northern sides of the temple with the names of M.P. Lazarev, V.A. Kornilov, V.I. Istomin, P.S. Nakhimov, buried in the cathedral; in the placement in the upper church of marble slabs with the names of 72 naval officers - participants in the Crimean War. The transformation of the cathedral into a monument was also facilitated by the fact that later in its lower church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker the burials of fleet admirals were carried out. From 1869 to 1920 Nine more admirals were buried here: Rear Admiral P.A. Karpov, the last commander of the Malakhov Kurgan during the defense of Sevastopol in 1854 - 1855. (1869); Adjutant General I.A. Shestakov, manager of the Naval Ministry (1888); Adjutant General, Admiral P.A. Pereleshin, Knight of St. George, hero of the Sevastopol defense, first mayor of Sevastopol, honorary citizen of the city (1901); Admiral S.P. Tyrtov, Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and Ports (1903); Vice Admiral G.P. Chukhnin, Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and Ports (1906); Admiral V.P. Schmidt, participant in the defense of Sevastopol (1909); Vice Admiral I.I. Defabre, a participant in the defense of Sevastopol, who served as headman of the Church of St. Vladimir for nine years (1910); Admiral I.M. Dikov, participant in the defense of Sevastopol, member of the State Council (1914); Vice Admiral M.P. Sablin, commander of the Black Sea Fleet (1920). In total, 13 admirals were buried in the Cathedral of St. Vladimir.

The Church of St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir, in its architecture and elegant interior decoration, was one of the most beautiful and noticeable buildings in Sevastopol. “The monumental cathedral dominates the city,” the Pilot of the Black and Azov Seas reported about it. The fate of the main sea temple of Sevastopol was not easy, at times tragic and was always determined by the peculiarities of the outpost city on the southern borders of the Russian Empire, political upheavals that radically changed the usual life of the state. Sevastopol also responded to events of varying significance that were celebrated at the national level, with the indispensable participation of its main maritime temple.

Thus, on the anniversary of the rescue of the imperial family during a train crash at Borki station near Kharkov, not only was a thanksgiving prayer service held in the cathedral in memory of the salvation of the royal family, but also, at the expense of the Black Sea sailors and their families, a mahogany icon case was made according to the design of the architect A.V. Kochetov and placed it in the upper church. The icon depicted the Savior giving a helping hand to the Apostle Peter on the waters of Lake Gennesaret. Every year since 1894, on May 14, Russia celebrated the “Highly Solemn Day of the Most Holy Coronation of Their Imperial Majesties.” Sevastopol celebrated this day solemnly: flags fluttered everywhere, a liturgy and a thanksgiving prayer were held in the Church of St. Vladimir, a parade of troops was scheduled, and fireworks were fired from military ships stationed in the roadstead.

On the patronal feast of the temple, according to the testimony of Sevastopol old-timers, weddings of lower ranks (sailors) were held in the lower church. In general, the church service in the cathedral in the name of St. Vladimir had its own characteristics. There was no parish in the church, so sailors did all the necessary work. In accordance with the Highest approved regulations, Divine services were held only on Sundays, on church holidays, on birthdays and namesake days of the emperor and members of the imperial family, on days of memorable events related to the history of the Crimean War and the defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855, on the most important historical dates in the history of Russia. The service was attended by the command of the Black Sea Fleet and the Sevastopol garrison, officers of the fleet and fortress, representatives of the city government and the local aristocracy. Residents of nearby neighborhoods in the central part of the city also came to the service.

In the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, memorial services were constantly served for the soldiers “who laid down their lives for the faith and the Fatherland.” On the anniversary of the Battle of Tsushima (May 15, 1904), a memorial service was held annually in the temple for those who died in this battle, as well as for the officers and lower ranks who died throughout the Russo-Japanese War. Every year, on November 26, on the day of the order's feast of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George and the Name Day of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich, a liturgy and prayer service were served in the Church of St. Vladimir with the proclamation of the royal longevity and the sprinkling of the garrison banners.

Every year, on December 25, on the first day of the Nativity of Christ and the memory of deliverance from Napoleon’s invasion in 1812, a solemn prayer service was held in the temple with the proclamation of the royal many years. The Council did not ignore any significant contemporary event or anniversary. Thus, on July 24, 1906, a memorial service was served for those killed during the uprising in the Baltic Fleet. On February 19, 1911, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of peasants from serfdom, a liturgy and prayer service were held in the Cathedral of St. Vladimir. In his sermon, the rector of the church, priestly confessor Archpriest Roman (Bear), spoke about the great event celebrated on this day in Russia.

On February 21, 1913, the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov was celebrated in Russia. On February 20, 1913, on the eve of the anniversary celebrations, a memorial service was held in the Church of St. Vladimir “for the resting Tsars and Emperors of the House of Romanov.” On July 22, 1914, on the name day of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, in the Church of St. Vladimir, the rector of the cathedral, Archpriest St. Roman (Bear), in concelebration with the cathedral clergy and the city clergy, with the participation of the port choir of singers, served the liturgy. Then Father Roman read the Supreme Manifesto on the beginning of the 1st World War. A month later, a prayer service was served “for the victory granted to our people over the Austrians during the capture of Lvov and Galich.” After the proclamation of the Tsar's many years, "eternal memory of all those killed on the battlefield" was proclaimed. Among the believers crowding the temple were representatives of the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet, the port, the admiralty, the naval court, city public self-government, government, civil departments, educational institutions, public and charitable institutions and representatives of the foreign consulates of Great Britain, France, and Greece. The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II came to Sevastopol in 1909, 1914, 1915, 1916, inspected the fortifications of the city, built battleships of the Black Sea Fleet, conducted reviews of the personnel of the Sevastopol garrison, visited hospitals and infirmaries, got acquainted with the activities of the Romanov Institute of Physical Methods of Treatment and attended at services in the Church of St. Vladimir twice - January 30, 1915, May 15, 1916. The October Revolution of 1917 radically changed the life of society and attitudes towards religion. The Cathedral of St. Vladimir in Sevastopol shared the tragic fate of thousands of other Orthodox churches, churches, and monasteries. Then they all began to be officially called “religious institutions.” In 1918, the church was separated from the state. The Main Admiralty Cathedral of Sevastopol was transferred from the Naval Department to the Tauride Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate. The naval clergy was liquidated, holidays were canceled, traditions were interrupted. However, with the creation of the White Army in the territories it controlled, the military clergy was revived.

At the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia, General A.I. Denikin, “to serve the spiritual needs of the army and navy troops, to raise their religious and moral consciousness and to develop a sense of patriotism and devotion to duty in the defenders of the Motherland,” a military-church department was formed, which, since May 1919, was headed by the former protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy of the old army, Father Georgy Shavelsky. His Eminence Bishop Veniamin (Fedchenkov) was appointed bishop of Sevastopol. The military clergy was required to strictly perform divine services on all Sundays and holidays, which were to be accompanied by “short but powerful” sermons by the priest.

Particular attention was paid to the revival of traditional holidays of the Russian army, which, as a rule, were also major church holidays. Already in 1918, the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on October 22 (November 4), in memory of the deliverance of Moscow and Russia from the Poles in 1612, was solemnly celebrated as the day of the revival of Russia. In Sevastopol, in the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, a solemn prayer service was served in front of the historical icon of the Kazan Mother of God of the Brest Regiment. With one of his first orders as Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Admiral A.V. Kolchak restored the celebration of the memory of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George on November 26 (December 9) as a holiday for the entire Russian army. On March 24, 1920, Lieutenant General Baron P.N. Wrangel was appointed Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces in the South of Russia. The newspaper “Evening Word” described in detail the celebrations in Sevastopol associated with the assumption of the post of Commander-in-Chief of Baron Wrangel: “The service in the Vladimir Cathedral was particularly solemn, where among the worshipers was the Commander-in-Chief General P. N. Wrangel himself. The liturgy was performed by the protopresbyter of the naval clergy Archpriest Fr. G. Shavelsky in concelebration with local priests. On September 14, 1920, the Kursk Miraculous Icon of the Sign of the Mother of God, kept in Belgrade, was delivered to Sevastopol on the steamship "George", accompanied by Bishop Theophan of Kursk. Several religious processions arrived. After a short prayer service in the square, the religious procession, headed by Bishop Theophan, went with the Miraculous Icon to the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, from where, having performed the prayer service, it was taken to the hospital, where Bishop Theophan and Bishop Benjamin walked around the wards, and the sick venerated the image The Feast of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord on September 14 (27) was celebrated as a day of general repentance and sorrow. This was especially widespread in the fall of 1920 in the army of Lieutenant General P.N. Wrangel. According to the memoirs of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), the people of Sevastopol remembered these days. By resolution of the Synod, general repentance of sins was scheduled for September 12-14. For three days, day and night, divine services and confessions took place in the Cathedral of St. Vladimir.

In December 1920, Soviet power was established in Sevastopol. The state policy of militant atheism has changed attitudes towards religion and the church. In the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, thefts of church property occurred repeatedly during these years, fights, robbery and hooliganism occurred. Thus, in a statement from the parish community dated September 4, 1924, it was noted that “the public coming into the fence and square of the cathedral for a walk destroys flower beds, breaks trees, breaks glass in the church, peels off the marble cladding of the church, and destroys stone gazebos.” A statement dated April 24, 1925 reported: “A cup, a paten, an asterisk, 2 ladles, a vessel for consecrating bread, a vessel for oil, wedding crowns were stolen, the curtain was torn off the southern altar gate. The total cost is approximately 200 rubles.” From the statement: “On December 19, 1925, there was another theft in the lower church. Two bedspreads from two lecterns, one lower bedspread from the altar and a small cross were stolen, glass was broken.”

At this time, representatives of the Soviet government took the initiative to appoint a commission with members of the administrative department, the city council and the Military History Museum, “to inspect and remove the walled coffins (of generals) in the floor of the Vladimir Cathedral,” motivating and arguing their intentions as follows: “ According to the instructions of the People's Commissariat of Justice of the RSFSR dated August 24, 1918 and the People's Commissariat of Justice of the Ukrainian SSR dated June 10, 1920 (Article 49), the local Soviet government eliminates or obliges the relevant persons to remove from churches and other houses of worship that constitute the people's property all objects that offend the revolutionary the feeling of the working masses, such as: marble plaques, inscriptions on walls and liturgical objects produced for the purpose of perpetuating in the memory of any persons belonging to the members of the dynasty overthrown by the people and its minions" According to the Resolution of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic dated May 4 In 1932, the Cathedral of St. Vladimir in Sevastopol was closed, and church property was transferred to the State Storage. The cathedral was closed. For more than three decades (1854 - 1888) the construction of the Church of St. Vladimir, unique in architecture and interior decoration, took place, and for almost the same amount of time (1932 - 1965) the cathedral was destroyed or remained in complete oblivion.

It is known that the graves of admirals buried in the cathedral were repeatedly subjected to mockery and looting. This was the case after the end of the first defense, in the mid-19th century, and later, in the 1930s, when the cathedral was closed and transferred to the Aviation Sports Society for workshops, and later allocated for storage. During the defense of Sevastopol 1941 - 1942. the cathedral housed a hospital, a bomb shelter, and even a correction post for the 1st Guards separate artillery division. According to the recollections of the former assistant commander of the 35th coastal battery L.G. Repkov, from June 20, 1942, this post adjusted fire on enemy positions on the Northern side. The post was located on the northern arcade of the cathedral. The temple was greatly damaged during the bombing and shelling of the city. Fortunately, there were no direct bomb hits, but the northern facade was destroyed, the dome was mutilated (only the metal frame remained), the walls and columns were damaged by shrapnel, the plaster collapsed, a crack appeared in the altar wall, most of the wall paintings were lost, and the marble slabs on the walls were damaged and the texts on them were lost, the mosaic floor and iconostases of the upper and lower churches were completely destroyed.

After the liberation of the city in 1944, literature from the Political Directorate of the Black Sea Fleet and newsprint for the printing house were kept in the church for a long time... In the 1950s, the question of the future fate of the cathedral was repeatedly raised. Several options were proposed: - restore the cathedral to its original form or blow it up; - attach a system of buildings to the cathedral and turn it into a museum; - transfer the cathedral to Circorama, place 7 film installations in the building and simultaneously demonstrate 7 film scenes from the second defense of Sevastopol in 1941 - 1942. (suggestion from film director Merkulov); - remove the dome of the cathedral and turn the building into a ceremonial hall for presenting banners and honoring distinguished citizens of the city. The issue of restoring the cathedral was decided in 1965 after the adoption of a special Resolution of the State Committee for Construction Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR Gosstroy of the Ukrainian SSR (1 - 66137 of January 11, 1965). But there could be no talk of resuming worship then.

prot. Alexy Tupikov

Sevastopol, st. Suvorova, 3

E-mail: info@ sntvladimir.ru

In Sevastopol there is another Vladimir Cathedral - the so-called Tomb of the Admirals, which houses the remains of Russian admirals and naval officers

This cathedral was nicknamed the Tomb of the Admirals only to distinguish it from the Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonesos. The temple is clearly visible from almost any part of Sevastopol, as it is located on the central hill of the city

Story Vladimir Cathedral began at the same time as its Chersonese “namesake” - in 1825, when Admiral Greig proposed erecting a monument on the spot where Prince Vladimir was baptized. In 1842, a decision was made to build a temple, but not on the ruins of the ancient city, but in the very center of the city

In 1848, preparations began for the construction of the cathedral. The determining factor in its future fate and purpose was the death of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Lazarev, in 1851, whose remains, in memory of his services, it was decided to bury in a crypt specially built on the site of the future cathedral. The temple itself was founded only on July 15, 1854, but by the beginning of the siege of Sevastopol only the foundation was ready

The Crimean War replenished the temple crypt with the remains of such outstanding defenders of Sevastopol as admirals Kornilov, Istomin and Nakhimov. Many hotels in Sevastopol are located in this area, you can even choose a place to stay with a view of the temple

In 1862, at the end of the Crimean War, work on the construction of the temple was resumed - the lower church was completed in 1881, and the upper one in 1888

In 1931, the crypt was opened, the remains of the admirals were destroyed, and during the Great Patriotic War he himself was seriously injured. St. Vladimir's Cathedral. In 1991, as a result of an examination of the crypt, fragments of bones of admirals were found, which were solemnly reburied in 1992

The Admirals' tomb was built from Inkerman stone, and its total height, including the cross, is 32 and a half meters. The external columns of the building are made of diorite, while the columns inside the cathedral are lined with Carrara marble

Four memorial slabs with the names of the buried admirals: Lazarev, Kornilov, Istomin and Nakhimov, with the dates of their lives, are mounted in the walls of the northern and southern facades.

In the 19th century, two cathedrals were built in Sevastopol in the name of St. Vladimir - in Chersonesus and on the Central City Hill. The cathedral on the Central City Hill is also called the Tomb of the Admirals. Many people know the names of the famous Russian admirals M.P. Lazarev, V.A. Kornilov, V.I. Istomin and P.S. Nakhimov, buried in the temple.

When you walk around the temple, you see memorial plaques on the temple in honor of these admirals.

Admiral didn't think Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev To the discoverer Antarctica-military governor of Sevastopol, when he petitioned for the construction of the Sea Temple, which would become the first admiral to be buried in the temple under construction. It is unknown who made this decision. But the period between Lazarev’s death in Vienna on April 11, 1851 and burial in the crypt on May 7, 1851 was almost a month.

During the first bombardment of Sevastopol on October 5, 1854 during the Crimean War, the admiral was mortally wounded Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov, and on October 6, 1854 he was buried in the cathedral crypt. Kornilov died on the Malakhov Kurgan. Above the Malakhov Kurgan there are dreams..., where at the site of his injury a monument was erected to the Admiral who died for Sevastopol. At the request of Kornilov and with the permission of the Commander-in-Chief of the ground and naval forces in Crimea, Prince Alexander Sergeevich Menshikov, the admiral was buried in a crypt with his teacher M.P. Lazarev.

Rear Admiral Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin(1809 -1855) died on March 7, 1855, when he was returning to Malakhov Kurgan after checking the fortifications on the Kamchatka lunette. On March 8, 1855, he was buried in the cathedral crypt along with Lazarev and Kornilov by the decision of friends and colleagues.

Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov Two Nakhimovs, and between them Lenin was mortally wounded on the same Malakhov Kurgan, and on June 30, 1855 he was buried in a separate grave, next to the cathedral crypt. During the burial, the last will of the deceased admiral was taken into account.

Although three admirals - heroes of the Defense of Sevastopol (Kornilov, Istomin, Nakhimov) were buried in the Vladimir Cathedral, their funeral service was held in the Church of Michael the Archangel

During the defense of Sevastopol, the Vladimir Cathedral under construction was damaged, and after the capture of Sevastopol, the French turned out to be barbarians who damaged the crypt. According to the Paris Peace Treaty of 1856, Russia was prohibited from having a navy and fortresses on the Black Sea; the southern part of Sevastopol, according to the treaty, went to the British and French. As a result of diplomatic maneuvers, Russia managed to exchange the Turkish fortress of Kara, captured by Russian troops in the Caucasus, for Sevastopol.

When a state commission was created in 1858, it was discovered that there was a gap in the vault above the crypt, the lids of the coffins were torn off and broken, and the epaulettes were torn off the uniforms of the admirals. It was decided to rebury the ashes of all four admirals, who found their final refuge in the Vladimir Cathedral, in new coffins.

But the story of the burial of admirals in the Vladimir Cathedral does not end there, although many guidebooks are silent about this. In fact, 13 admirals were buried: 12 before the revolution and one after.

On September 23, 1869, Rear Admiral was buried next to the tomb of the admirals Petr Alexandrovich Karpov(1822 - 1869), who was the last commander of the Malakhov Kurgan. While in French captivity, he refused to join the French Foreign Legion. On August 27, 1869, Karpov was honored to conduct a tour of the Malakhov Kurgan for the Tsarevich, the future Emperor Alexander III. When Karpov died in Yalta, the emperor sent the Banner of St. George to cover the body of the Sevastopol hero with it, and transport the remains to Sevastopol and bury them in the lower church of the Vladimir Cathedral. From that moment on, a tradition arose of making burials in the Vladimir Cathedral only with the personal permission of the Russian emperor, and which was strictly observed until the revolution.

On November 24, 1888, the admiral was buried in the crypt of the cathedral Ivan Alekseevich Shestakov(1820-1888). It is interesting that Shestakov, who became the manager of the Naval Ministry in 1882, was expelled from the Naval Cadet Corps for staging Griboedov’s then-banned play “Woe from Wit” and became an officer only thanks to the patronage of M.P. Lazarev, who was a friend of his father and became a mentor to the young sailor . But Ivan Alekseevich served the Fatherland valiantly. The only naval minister of the Russian Empire to travel around the world. He is the creator of the Russian armored fleet; he came to Sevatopol on an inspection trip to inspect the new battleships Chesma and Catherine II. At the same time, he did not lose a single battle and, in addition to naval service, managed to be the governor of the Vilna region.

On March 8, 1901, the admiral was buried in the cathedral crypt Pereleshin Pavel Alexandrovich(1821-1901), participated in the Battle of Sinop and the defense of Malakhov Circle under the command of Admiral Istomin. In 1873-1876 he was the mayor of Sevastopol, port commander and commandant. It is interesting that it was then, in 1875, that the first train arrived in Sevastopol.

On November 8, 1898, Pereleshin told Emperor Nicholas II about the Battle of Sinop and the 349-day defense of Sevastopol. This happened during the opening of the monument to Admiral P.S. Nakhimov. The emperor remembered the memories of the old sailor, and although Pavel Alexandrovich died in St. Petersburg, his ashes were sent by train to Sevastopol.

On January 15, 1903, Vice Admiral was buried in the crypt of the cathedral Sergey Petrovich Tyrtov(1839-1903), who devoted exactly 53 years to military naval service. On January 9, 1850, he was enrolled in the naval company of the Alexander Cadet Corps for young children, and on January 10, 1903, he died, having been the chief commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports and the military governor of Nikolaev since 1898. During the Crimean War he took part in the defense of Kronstadt.

On July 1, 1906, the vice admiral was buried in the cathedral crypt Grigory Pavlovich Chukhnin(1848-1906), who was since 1904 the Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and the Black Sea ports. After the events described in the material, the Central Committee of the Socialist Revolutionary Party sentenced Admiral G.P. Chukhnin to death. On January 27, 1906, 23-year-old Ekaterina Adolfovna Izmailovich wounded the admiral in the shoulder and stomach; the wounds were not fatal. And she herself, without trial or investigation, was shot immediately in the yard. But the assassination attempt committed by sailor Ya.S. Akimov on June 28, 1906 at the Holland dacha turned out to be successful. The seriously wounded Chukhnin died on the night of June 29. And the sailor disappeared into Finland.

On February 19, 1909, the admiral was buried in the cathedral crypt Vladimir Petrovich Schmidt(1827-1909). Another hero of the Crimean War and the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855, he commanded a naval battalion on the Malakhov Kurgan, then the Rostislav Redoubt, and was wounded four times. In 1890 -1909 - senior flagship of the Baltic Fleet, a position considered the first in seniority among the naval ranks of the Russian fleet. One of the few in the Russian Empire who was a holder of all the orders that were in the empire. He died in Reval (now Tallinn), but according to his will he was buried in Sevastopol. Uncle of Pyotr Petrovich Schmidt, who commanded the uprising on the cruiser "Ochakov" Disgusting and merciless execution in full view of onlookers.

On October 6, 1910, the vice admiral was buried in the cathedral crypt Ivan Osipovich Defabre(1827 -1910). Participated in the defense of Sevastopol, commanded a battery. His highest position was that of chief of staff and ports of the Black and Caspian Seas. From 1901 to 1910, Defabre was the church warden of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir.

Exactly 4 years after the burial of Defabre, on October 6, 1914, the admiral was buried Ivan Mikhailovich Dikov(1833-1914) From 1907 to 1909 Dikov was the Minister of the Navy of the Russian Empire. Although the admiral died in St. Petersburg, he was taken to Sevastopol by fast train. This burial was the last pre-revolutionary, and the admiral was the last buried among the participants in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855.

The only post-revolutionary burial dates back to October 20, 1920. Vice Admiral Mikhail Pavlovich Sablin (1869 -1920) was buried in the lower church. Sablin's biography is very interesting. In 1916, he was appointed chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet; after the victory of the revolution, he not only retained his position, which in itself was surprising, but in 1918, by decision of the Center Fleet, he became commander of the Black Sea Fleet. On April 29, 1918, by his order, the flags of the Central Rada were raised on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and Sablin took command of the Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet. The next day, raising the St. Andrew's flag, 19 ships under his command went to Novorossiysk. The German command demanded the return of the ships, but the Soviet government decided to scuttle them. Sablin did not comply with this decision, resigned due to illness and emigrated abroad. The Supreme Ruler of Russia, Admiral Kolchak, banned Sablin from entering Russian territory, and especially from commanding the fleet. The British and A.P. Denikin ignored these instructions. Denikin awarded the rank of vice admiral to Sablin and appointed him Chief Commander of the ships and ports of the Black and Azov Seas. In 1919. Sablin recreated the fleet, but Denikin demoted him, transferring him to the post of Chief Commander of the Sevastopol port with the military ports of the Black and Azov Seas subordinate to him. In 1920, Baron P.N. Wrangel again appointed M.P. Sablin commander of the fleet, but Sablin died of liver cancer in Yalta. By decision of the Crimean government and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the troops of the South of Russia, Baron Wrangel, his ashes were transported to Sevastopol.

The tombs of admirals haunted the barbarians even in Soviet times, when the graves were opened.

On February 29, 1992, the ashes of admirals M.P. Lazarev, V.A. Kornilov, V.I. Istomin and P.S. Nakhimov were solemnly reburied.