Description of the attraction
The village of Shelokhovskaya belongs to the Kargopol district of the Arkhangelsk region, is the center of the Priozernoye rural settlement. Shelokhovskaya is located 54 kilometers from Kargopol on the way to Konyovo and Plesetsk, in the bend of the Onega River. Previously, the village was called Arkhangello. From archival documents this place has been known since the 16th century, and its name indicates the main church in honor of one of the archangels - Michael.
Until now, in the center of the village, on the left bank, 200 meters from the coast, an architectural ensemble of 2 wooden churches has been preserved. The first is named after the Archangel Michael. It was built in 1715 by the "diligence of the parishioners" on the site of the burnt-down temple of the same name. The second is the Sretenskaya Church (XIX century) with a "warm refectory" and side-altars in the name of the Great Martyr George the Victorious and the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus (the refectory with side-altars has not survived).
The Church of the Archangel Michael is unique, this is expressed in the type of its completion. The temple belongs to the so-called cubic churches, known primarily in Poonezhie, Arkhangelsk region. The cube houses the traditional five-domed head. The barrel overlaps the apse. The Church of the Presentation of the Lord has a roof in the form of a helmet with a dome at the end. It should be noted that there was once a stone bell tower built in 1860 near the temples. It was destroyed during the Soviet era.
The above objects are not part of the parish, but indicate the rich history of the local area. Today, services are held in the Shelokhov Sretenskaya Chapel.
5 kilometers from the village of Shelokhovskaya, on the outskirts of the village of Zabivkino, there is a Makaryevsky spring. It is so called after the chapel of the same name, located above the source, in honor of the Monk Macarius of Unzhensky. The Makaryevsky spring has been famous for its healing properties since ancient times. Local residents have always been distinguished by good health and longevity. Every year, on August 7, in honor of the Monk Macarius, a water blessing service is held at the source.
During the Soviet era, the churches of the village of Arkhangello did not work. Based on the recollections of local old-timers, the last services were held on the eve of the war, in 1940. Father Nikolai Usachev was the last priest. In August 2003, a constituent assembly of the Arkhangelsk Orthodox community was organized in the village. The meeting was chaired by Archpriest Vladimir Kuziv. It was then that the charter of the Orthodox parish was adopted and the members of the community were elected. May 16, 2005 is considered the official date of registration of the local Orthodox organization of the parish of the Sretensky Church in the village of Shelokhovskaya, Kargopol District, Arkhangelsk Region, Arkhangelsk and Kholmogorsk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. The chairman of the parish council (Rykova E. V.), the treasurer (Garevskikh L. V.) and the spiritual guardian of the parish (hieromonk Theodosius of the Church of the Intercession from the village of Kazakovo) were elected. Since July 2009, Bishop Tikhon of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogorsk has appointed Priest Andrey Usachev as rector and new chairman of the parish council.
All services are performed in the local Sretenskaya chapel, which was erected in 2003 with the care and efforts of L. V. Garevskikh. In August 2003, Archpriest Vladimir Kuziv, Dean of the Plesetsk District, and Hieromonk Theodosius consecrated the Chapel of the Presentation of the Lord. Services are held on Sundays and holidays. The following days are especially revered in the village: May 3 - the day of memory of the Monk Alexander of Oshevensky, August 7 - the Monk Makarii Zheltovodsky and Unzhensky, and November 21 - the Archangel Michael. Now the parish is drawing up project plans for the revival of ancient churches in the village of Shelokhovskaya.
