Description of the attraction
The Annunciation Church is an old stone building located in the city of Kola. In the old days, the church was part of a single tee complex along with the Resurrection Cathedral, built of wood, as well as a bell tower. The main temple altar was consecrated in the name of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, because the Annunciation is one of the most important Gospel events, namely the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to Saint Mary of the upcoming birth of Jesus Christ to her.
The history of the Church of the Annunciation begins with the consecration of a wooden church in 1533. During these times, the church served to a greater extent for the Lapps, who began to convert to Christianity during the great reign of Prince Vasily Ioannovich. After some time, together with the Resurrection Cathedral and the bell tower, the Annunciation Church began to form the northern tee in the Kola prison.
The erection of the church began after the petition of Andrey Gerasimov's stroller to the great emperor Paul the First, after whose consent, in the summer of July 7, 1800, the first stone laying of the Church of the Annunciation took place. First, a special pit was dug, after which the foundation was laid, then the foundation was laid. In the spring of 1804, the construction of the stone church was completely completed, after which it remained only to finish the building and complete the laying of the bell tower.
The last finishing works were completed under D. I. Popov. - a wealthy peasant, under whom a wooden dome was erected on the site of a stone one destroyed during construction. On August 7, 1807, the construction of the church was completely completed, after which a solemn ceremony was held to transfer the church to the possession of the spiritual department.
The church building of the Annunciation Church consists of a cubic two-height main volume of the temple, equipped with a pentahedral altar, as well as a large refectory room, which from the west is connected to a hipped-roof bell tower, built in the "octagon on a quadruple" type. The role of the winter church was played by the refectory, containing two chapels: from the north - the All-Merciful Savior, intended for Christ's holidays, and from the south - the Monk Alexy - the man of God. After some time, the side-altar of the All-Merciful Savior was rededicated in the name of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. The fact of the existence of side-chapels today is evidenced by the side arches located in the wall between the main room of the church and the refectory.
One of the remarkable and memorable features of the church was the colossal multifaceted onion-shaped dome, which was planted without a drum on the main quadrangle.
In the Church of the Annunciation, there is a unique wooden cross made of wood, dating back to 1635, which has become an amazing monument of federal significance. According to legend, the installation of the cross was carried out under the Kola voivode G. I. Volyntsev. in honor of the famous priest Barlaam of Kerets, in gratitude for the healing from a terrible disease. It is worth noting that Barlaam has not yet been canonized, although local Pomors have long referred him to the canon of saints.
Initially, the cross was erected near a small bay, next to the ship's pier and merchants and fishermen worshiped it before starting their fishing business - they prayed near it, thereby thanks for the saved life and a successful catch. At the beginning of the 19th century, the cross was moved to the ancient chapel of the Merciful Savior, and then the canopy was tripled over it. In the 20th century, the cross was located by the road, after which in the 1960s it was simply demolished, and then found and installed in the church building of the Annunciation Church. By order of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR dated December 4, 1974, the cross was recognized as a genuine architectural monument of federal importance.
In 1937, the Soviet government closed many churches, which also affected the Annunciation Church. During 1954-1958, the temple was reopened and gradually restored. Since 1962, the church was turned into a warehouse, but by the 1980s it was restored again. In 1992 it was returned to the Orthodox Church.
