Description of the attraction
In the Leningrad region in the city of Vsevolzhsk on the Road of Life there is an Orthodox Church of the Savior Image Not Made by Hands. The building is of a hipped roof type with an octahedral main hall. The walls with lancet windows are made of bricks. There is a hipped roof over the temple. The building has Gothic elements, which gives it a romantic aura. Under the temple was the Vsevolozhsky family crypt, which was destroyed after the revolution. There is a staircase from the church hall, located on the south side of the building. Now there is a small church dedicated to Saint Vsevolod, who is the patron saint of the city.
The church was erected in August 1901 by order of Princess Elena Vasilievna Vsevolzhskaya at the grave of her husband Pavel Alexandrovich.
The construction of the temple was the dream of the state councilor, the leader of the nobility, Prince Pavel of Vsevolzhsky, who died on the day of the Savior of the Image Not Made by Hands. In March 1899, his wife, Elena Vasilievna, asked and received a blessing from the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga to build a church over the grave of his spouse. The consecration of the church took place in August 1901. Divine services were held here only on major holidays, on Saturday and Sunday.
After the consecration of the temple, Peter Fursov was its rector. Then Vasily Klimov served there for about five years. Before the revolution of 1917, Alexander Loginevsky became the abbot. In the early 1920s, hegumen Selafiel took his place, and from 1922 to 1928, Father Julian served as a minister. Before the church was closed in 1931, Father John was the rector of the church.
The last descendants of the princely family of the Vsevolozhskys supported the church with great zeal. Until 1917 Prince V. P. Vsevolozhsky was a permanent church elder who took care of the church. After the events of February 1917, he was arrested. The temple was deprived of constant financial assistance.
In 1930, the last episcopal service was performed in the church. Fewer and fewer parishioners came to the church. It was closed in October of the following year. Church utensils and bells were taken to Leningrad, the tomb was opened. After that, the church housed a grain warehouse, later a school for lieutenants, a club during the war years, and a fuel and lubricants warehouse in the post-war period. In the 1960s, the temple was abandoned.
In 1988, they wanted to transfer the building of the dilapidated church to tenants for a cafe, but the believers defended it. A community was organized, the purpose of which was to revive the spiritual life in the city and the temple.
The first service after years of silence in the Vsevolozhsk church took place in 1989. Then Archpriest Igor Skopets was appointed rector, who made a huge contribution to the revival of the church. The community began reconstruction work, which continued until 1991. Then in November, the consecration of the temple took place, which was timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Road of Life. The restoration was carried out according to the project of the architect V. E. Zhukov. A belfry was made at the Russian Diesel plant; one of the bells, cast in 1900, was donated to the parishioners and the temple by the commander of the Leningrad military district V. F. Ermakov.
There is a memorial plaque in the church dedicated to the Leningraders and defenders of the city who died on the Road of Life.
In 2003, Archpriest Father Roman Gutsu took over as rector. Thanks to his efforts, a new chapel was built, and the parishioners began to make pilgrimage trips.
Currently, the work of the temple has been completely restored, services are regularly held here, there is a Sunday school, spiritual talks are often held, pilgrimage trips have become a tradition, charitable assistance is being provided to a children's rehabilitation center and a center for pensioners.
The temple is located on Rumbolovskaya mountain, at the highest point of Vsevolozhsk.
