Description of the attraction
One of the "youngest" Orthodox churches in Vilnius is the Church of Saints Constantine and Michael, also called Romanovskaya. The church has a very interesting history. The inhabitants of Vilnius have long cherished the idea of building a church in honor of Prince Konstantin Ostrog, who in the 16th century promoted and in every possible way contributed to the formation of the Orthodox faith in the region. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Romanov dynasty was going to celebrate the three hundredth anniversary of their rule in Russia. Everywhere temples were prepared and erected for this event. Five years earlier, in 1908, three hundred years have passed since the death of K. Ostrozhsky. It was decided to build a temple dedicated to both the Romanov dynasty and the patron of the arts Konstantin Ostrog.
The site for the church was chosen for a long time, but in the end it was decided to build it on the Zakretnaya Square. From this place, which was the highest in the city, there was a wonderful view of the whole old Vilnius.
The project of the temple was developed by the Moscow architect V. Adamovich, in the style of the ancient Russian Rostov-Suzdal temple building. The stucco molding was made by the Vilnius master Voznitsky. A carved wooden iconostasis and thirteen bells were brought from Moscow. The big bell was huge, weighing 517 pounds.
The church was named Constantine-Mikhailovskaya in honor of the Monk Michael Malein and the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine. The temple was consecrated in 1913, May 13, Old Style. This day was very significant for the Orthodox of the city of Vilna. Believers from all over the city and guests from other places walked along the streets of the city from different Orthodox churches to the new Church. The consecration ceremony was attended by Elizabeth Feodorovna Romanova, the Grand Duchess.
In August 1915, when it was clear that Vilna would not be able to resist the invasion of the Germans, Archbishop Tikhon decided to urgently evacuate church values deep into Russia. Hastily removed the gilding from the domes of the temple and all 13 bells. On the way to the final destination, two carriages, in which the bells of the St. Michael's Church were carried, were lost without a trace.
In 1915, in September, the Germans occupied the city. In the church building, the German authorities set up a collector for curfew violators. Every night, dozens of detained townspeople slept on the tiled floor of the church, awaiting the decision of their fate by the German authorities.
After the departure of the Germans and the short-term rule of the Bolsheviks, the Vilna region passed to the Commonwealth. These were difficult times for Orthodox churches, their ministers and parishioners. After long petitions addressed by Archpriest John Levitsky to all kinds of institutions and charitable societies, a joyful day has come. In June 1921, a large number of products were received from an American charity. They were distributed to the parishioners and saved the lives of many of them.
After World War II, when the Soviet authorities stormed the city, a bomb blast tore the door of the church. For several days, the church remained open and unattended. But, surprisingly, nothing was missing from the premises of the temple.
Currently, the Church of Saints Constantine and Michael stands at the intersection of several main streets, in the very center of the sprawling city of Vilnius. Orthodox believers come here from all over the city.
The gilding of the Suzdal domes was never restored. They are painted green with oil paint. This unusual color, in combination with the creamy high walls of the temple, decorated with white stucco moldings of arched narrow and high windows and niches, looks extraordinary and majestic. At the moment, the previous decoration of the interior of the temple, unfortunately, has been lost. Of all the relics, only the 19th century carved wooden iconostasis remains.
