The All Saints Church (Церковь Всех Святых) is a historic Russian Orthodox church located in Arkhangelsk, Russia, serving as a cemetery temple on the grounds of the Vologda Cemetery (also known as Kuznechevskoye Cemetery). Situated at Ulitsa Suvorova, 37, in the city's central district along the Bypass Canal, it stands at coordinates approximately 64.554923, 40.544484. This church is one of the oldest surviving religious structures in Arkhangelsk, notable for its role in the city's spiritual and communal life, its survival through Soviet-era persecutions, and its function as a place of burial and remembrance. It remains an active parish church with a single altar dedicated to All Saints, hosting regular services, pastoral outreach, and community programs.
The establishment of the Vologda Cemetery itself dates back to
the early 18th century, following a 1723 decree by Peter the Great
prohibiting burials within city limits to prevent disease outbreaks
and promote urban hygiene. Prior to this, Arkhangelsk residents
typically buried their dead at parish churches or, in the case of
the Solombala district, even at private homes until 1749. The
cemetery was allocated on the outskirts and became a
multi-confessional burial ground, reflecting Arkhangelsk's role as a
major northern seaport and trading hub. Merchants and visitors from
various countries—Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim—were
interred in designated sections based on their faith, a division
that persists today, though many old gravestones were demolished in
the 1930s under Soviet authority. Notable figures buried here
include the famous northern Russian storyteller Maria Dmitrievna
Krivopolenova (known as Golubkova), as well as Bishop Tikhon
(Stepanov) of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory, who died on October 20,
2010, and is interred at the church's altar.
The All Saints
Church was conceived as part of a trio of cemetery temples. Two
earlier wooden churches—dedicated to the Beheading of John the
Baptist (built 1778) and Simeon the God-Receiver (built 1786)—once
stood nearby but have not survived. Planning for the All Saints
Church began in 1839, with materials gathered that year. In 1840, a
site was officially allocated, and on October 17, Bishop Georgy
(Yashchuzhinsky) of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory performed the
ceremonial laying of the foundation. Construction commenced in 1840,
funded primarily through the bequest of the deceased merchant Andrey
Fedorovich Dolgoshein. His inheritance passed to his niece Alexandra
Kochurova, and her brother, merchant Alexey Ivanovich Tsyvarev,
oversaw the project. Additional donations came from local merchant
woman Plotnikova (later Shingareva), who in 1889 contributed
perpetual income bonds from the State Bank for the eternal
commemoration of her relatives, as noted in the Arkhangelsk Diocesan
News. The church was completed relatively quickly and consecrated on
October 17, 1843, by Bishop Georgy (some sources erroneously cite
1864, likely a conflation or transcription error from oral
traditions).
During the Soviet era, the church endured
significant hardship amid widespread religious persecution. It was
closed in 1927 (or by the early 1930s, per varying accounts) and
repurposed as a warehouse. In the 1930s, it briefly served as a
transit point for prisoners, an episode grimly referenced in
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago, where he describes
the collapse of eight-tier bunks that killed many inmates; the
victims were reportedly buried in the adjacent cemetery. The
building fell into disrepair: the dome and bell tower were
demolished, windows were bricked up, floors and stoves were
dismantled, plaster was damaged, and electrical wiring was removed,
leaving it abandoned and in ruins.
Post-World War II, amid a
brief thaw in Soviet religious policy, parishioners petitioned for
its return. On October 19, 1946, with the blessing of Bishop Leonty,
the church was transferred back to the Arkhangelsk Diocese. Igumen
Seraphim (Shinkarev), former rector of the Holy Ilyinsky Cathedral,
was appointed as the first post-restoration rector, and a parish
council was formed. Remarkably, initial restoration was completed in
just 10 days: an altar throne and table were installed, windows and
frames were added, stoves were rebuilt, a temporary iconostasis was
erected using small icons donated by local faithful, and other
essentials were prepared. On November 1, 1946, Bishop Leonty
consecrated the church in a ceremony attended by clergy and a large
congregation. Three venerated icons were transferred from the
Ilyinsky Cathedral: the Most Holy Theotokos "Joy of All Who Sorrow,"
the Mother of God "Tikhvin," and Saint Nicholas (depicted as
Golgoffa, or the Crucifixion with the Theotokos and John the
Evangelist). These icons remain in the church today, along with
other liturgical items provided for services.
Further
enhancements occurred over the following years, with modern
additions under subsequent rectors. The current iconostasis was
designed by Priest Vladimir Zhokhov and features icons painted by
artists from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Moscow. In 2008, the bell
tower was restored to its original form. The church celebrated the
55th anniversary of its restoration in 2001, marking the completion
of interior renovations, dome repairs, and wall paintings through
parishioner efforts. It has since avoided the fate of many
Soviet-era closures, standing as a symbol of resilience.
The All Saints Church exemplifies late Classicism (Empire style), a
architectural trend popular in mid-19th-century Russia for its
restrained elegance and symmetry. Constructed from brick as a
single-story structure, it was designed as a compact, symmetrical
composition of rectangular volumes, emphasizing harmony and proportion.
The facade is simple yet dignified, with pale beige or cream-colored
walls, arched windows, and a modest entrance featuring a blue door. The
bell tower, a prominent feature, is modeled after designs from the
Solovetsky Monastery: it rises in tiers, culminating in a tall spire
topped by a golden Orthodox cross, with a large lantern at its base
(originally functional as a lighthouse-like element in monastic
architecture). The dome is onion-shaped, gilded, and modest in scale,
fitting the church's role as a cemetery chapel rather than a grand
cathedral. Later Soviet-era damage and post-1946 additions (such as
extensions for a refectory, prosphora bakery, and panikhida chapel for
memorial services) have somewhat disrupted the original symmetrical
harmony, but restorations have preserved its classical essence.
Internally, the space is cozy and intimate, described by visitors as
having a warm, beautiful atmosphere conducive to prayer and reflection.
The iconostasis, a focal point, is a multi-tiered wooden screen adorned
with gilded frames and icons depicting saints, biblical scenes, and the
church's patron All Saints. Wall paintings and frescoes, restored by
2001, depict religious motifs in vibrant yet subdued colors. The overall
interior evokes a sense of peace, enhanced by chandeliers, candle
stands, and the venerated icons from 1946. The church's modest
size—suited to cemetery services—accommodates gatherings for funerals,
panikhidas (memorial prayers), and daily liturgies without overwhelming
grandeur.
As a cemetery church, All Saints holds deep cultural and spiritual
significance in Arkhangelsk, a city with a rich maritime and trading
history where death and remembrance are intertwined with daily life. It
survived Bolshevik destruction—unlike its two companion cemetery
churches—and represents the endurance of Orthodox faith in northern
Russia. The multi-confessional cemetery underscores Arkhangelsk's
historical diversity, serving as a resting place for international
traders and locals alike.
Today, the church is fully operational
under the Arkhangelsk Diocese, offering Divine Liturgies, sacraments,
and community support. Its clergy extend pastoral care beyond the walls,
visiting the sick at home, elderly in nursing homes, students in schools
and orphanages, patients in hospitals, and inmates in prisons for
sermons, confessions, communions, and baptisms. They also minister to
police, military conscripts, and soldiers. A Sunday school operates,
providing religious education for adults, parishioners' children, and
even deaf youth. Visitor reviews from platforms like Tripadvisor (where
it holds a 5.0 rating based on limited feedback) praise its serene,
"cozy" ambiance and historical value, though it remains a lesser-known
site compared to Arkhangelsk's larger attractions. It attracts locals
for quiet reflection and tourists interested in Russian Orthodox
heritage, with no entry fees but donations encouraged for upkeep.