Location: Feodosiya
Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Catherine in Feodosiya is one of the most beautiful and unique Ukrainian/ Russian churches. Its construction began on 21st of April, 1892, which is a day of anniversary of birthday of Russian Empress Catherine II the Great. The church was dedicated to Saint Catherine, heavenly protector of a famous 18th century Russian empress. In 1901 father Andrew Kosovsky became the head of the Russian Orthodox church. After Revolution atheist campaign started closing churches and killing Christians. Father Andrew was not an exception. He was arrested in 1920 ironically on a feast day of martyr Saint Catherine. After long captivity he was executed, while this beautiful Feodosiya church was closed. It was re- opened by occupational German troops. It was opened every since.
On April 21, 1892, on the birthday of Empress
Catherine II, the church was laid in the name of St. Catherine. The
construction of the church took place on donations from the inhabitants
of the city. About three thousand rubles were allocated by the chief
prosecutor. A large amount of money for the construction was donated by
the famous Doctor of Mathematical Sciences - V. I. Lapshin. The
merchants of the city provided building materials, and the working
people worked for free on weekends. The construction committee included
the first people of the city: Mikhail Ivanovich Altukhov, Nikolai
Alexandrovich Ivanitsky, Vasily Ksenofontovich Vinogradov. Assistance in
the construction of this holy place was provided by Vasily Ivanovich
Lapshin, Doctor of Mathematics, and Nikolai Pavlovich Mezhenin, an
engineer and founder of the railway in Feodosia. The Church of St.
Catherine is an example of iconic Russian architecture. During its
construction, all the architectural traditions of the 17th century were
observed.
St. Catherine's Church continued the architectural
traditions of the 17th century. Its plan is based on a Greek cross, the
walls on a high plinth at the corners are separated by columns. The
entrance framed by a portico is located on the western side, above the
entrance there is an elegant belfry. The top of the building is
surrounded by a system of kokoshniks, and the dome is made up of five
small domes.
The entrance to the church is a portico with a small
belfry, decorated with low, widened in the middle, columns. Five small
domes, painted blue and studded with stars, rise above the church.
Kokoshniks of different sizes are decorated with carved patterns.
Since 1901, in the Church of St. Catherine in Feodosia, the priest
Andrei Kosovsky served as rector, who in the 20s of the last century was
arrested right during the service. And later they were shot - on charges
of anti-Soviet activities.
In 2000, Father Andrei Theodosius was
canonized as a saint.
In 1937 the church was closed and turned
into a warehouse. During the war years (1941), the German troops, who
occupied the territory of Feodosia, began the restoration of the church.
Since then, the temple has been considered a functioning church in the
Crimea. Since then, it has been one of the few functioning churches in
the Crimea. One of the priests of the post-war period was Father
Macarius. His name is found in the memoirs of Anastasia Tsvetaeva.
In the late 90s, in honor of St. John the Baptist, a
temple was added to the church, where there was a room for a Sunday
school and a baptismal. In 2002, the church underwent a major overhaul.
During this period of time, a whole complex was built:
a Sunday
school room;
library;
methodologist's office;
hotel.
More recently, another temple was built here, in which there is a
baptismal for full immersion. For believers who come to admire the
beauties of Feodosia, there is also a hotel at the temple. For a quarter
of a century Father Aleksey (Svitansky) was the rector of the church. In
2015, a new rector, Archpriest Vadim (Sinichkin), was appointed.
The church has a Sunday school for the Cossacks of Feodosia.
On
June 19, 2016, on the territory of the St. Catherine's Church in the
city of Feodosia, the first lesson of the Sunday school of the City
Cossack Society "The Village of Feodosia" took place.
The chapel
of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg was opened on the territory of the
Feodosia Bishops' Metochion of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine on
February 6, 2018, at the numerous requests of the Orthodox Theodosians
and with the blessing of Metropolitan Platon. There are no churches of
this saint in the Feodosia-Kerch diocese yet.