Many churches can boast not only of an interesting and rich history, but also of the special place they occupied in church life. Church of All Saints on Sokol applies specifically to these. It has long-standing spiritual and cultural traditions, and the continuity from time immemorial has been practically uninterrupted, and the heritage of our ancestors has been passed on to us through generations. In this temple, services were conducted in the most difficult times. Moreover, in the days of destruction and oblivion of shrines, the Church of All Saints was the center that strengthened the faith of the people united around it. He still performs his functions, bringing goodness into the hearts of parishioners. This story is about the Church of All Saints on Sokol, its history, shrines, attractions, and you will also find out the schedule of services and address.
History of the Church of All Saints
Many historians associate the name of the temple with the place of its construction. Initially it was a village in Rus', which was called Holy Fathers, and was later renamed Vsekhsvyatskoe. It belonged to the daughter of the Georgian king Daria Archilovna. It was she who founded the temple in Vsekhsvyatskoye, in the current Moscow district of Sokol, in 1736.
This religious building was a kind of sign of friendship between Georgians and Russians. Also, it is worth saying that all church ceremonies in the temple took place exclusively in the Georgian language. In this form, the church existed until 1812, when Napoleon’s army ruined it. But already in 1815 the temple was completely restored.
Church of All Saints on Sokol after restoration
After the restoration, the church began to enjoy great popularity among parishioners, whose number increased every year , and by 1880 the parish of the temple numbered about 2,000 people. After Moscow Metropolitan John visited the cathedral in June 1884, it was decided to expand the church. The complete restoration of the church was completed in 1903.
In 1939 the cathedral was closed. But already in 1946, thanks to the efforts of O.I. Theologian, who was an associate of Elizaveta Fedorovna Romanova, the church on Sokol again opened its doors to believers. In the 70s of the 20th century, the church was considered one of the largest in Moscow. It was here that believers from all over Moscow gathered to dedicate water and participate in other religious rituals.
Currently, the church is surrounded by the rich infrastructure of the area, which includes various shops, beauty salons, and various cultural and entertainment centers.
It took about 50 years for the temple to be restored after being plundered by Napoleon's army.
But the temple was left in a terrible state for a short time. A year later they began to restore it.
According to Christian tradition, a temple that has been looted and even refurbished is considered desecrated. In such cases, it needs to be re-consecrated. Therefore, in 1813, the main altar was consecrated, and the side chapels began in 1815.
Restoration work continues in subsequent years. They are walking very slowly. Historical documents report the production of the iconostasis in 1860.
Architecture of the Church of All Saints on Sokol
It is not known for certain who exactly built the church. However, there is reliable evidence that the religious building on Sokol in 1884 was expanded according to a project that was developed by academician of architecture A.P. Popov.
In 1902, the cathedral was restored according to the design of the architect N.N. Blagovenschensky. It is worth saying that after 1902 and to the present day, no large-scale restorations or expansions of the temple have been carried out.
The architecture of the religious building is made in the early Baroque style. Many religious buildings of the 18th century were built in this style, as well as buildings erected during the reign of Peter I.
The Church of All Saints on Sokol consists of:
- tetrahedral base;
- octagonal continuation of the base;
- bell tower, which consists of three tiers;
- central limit;
- a two-limit refectory, with semicircular window openings;
- apses;
- stepped tromps;
- large false windows.
The Soviet government closed the temple in 1939
The year 1917 came, and with it came the persecution of the church. Just six years later, government officials wanted to strike at the Church of All Saints. They intended to use the building as a club.
For some time the temple was Renovationist, but this did not save it from the Bolsheviks
But everything went according to a different scenario. The temple entered the renovation movement. This gave him temporary protection from the threat from the authorities. The church lasted until 1939, when it was finally closed.
Memorial "Reconciliation of Peoples" at the temple
This process was accompanied by ostentatious vandalism: a huge iconostasis was burnt for show.
A warehouse was set up here. Although no one attempted to completely destroy the church interior, weather conditions and lack of maintenance contributed. The greatest damage was the complete destruction of the magnificent fresco “Cathedral of the Holy Fathers,” painted in the 19th century.
Interior decoration of the Church of All Saints on Sokol
The entire interior of the church is made in Vasnetsov and pseudo-Russian style, and is represented by the following frames:
- An original composition called “The Cathedral of All Saints”, which depicts saints revered in Georgia. This composition was performed in 1949.
- An oil painting dating from 1884 and surviving to this day.
- The main three-tier iconostasis and the iconostasis of the side borders, which were made in white and cream tones, in 1948.
- Choirs located above the entrance to the refectory.
- Memorial plaques with the images of priests and representatives of the Georgian diaspora who were buried in the courtyard of the cathedral.
In addition, most of the cathedral is decorated with paintings from the 60s, which have also survived to this day.
Shrines of the Temple of All Saints on Sokol
The church has a large number of relics and icons, which attract not only local parishioners, but also tourists from various countries.
Cemetery
This shrine has been known to local residents since the 18th century. Since it was during this period that many celebrities of Georgian nationality were buried here. In addition, the well-known Georgian writer Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani and other wealthy peasants are buried in the cemetery. It is worth saying that during burial, old plates with the data of the deceased were rearranged or completely destroyed.
This cemetery existed until 1983. It was then that, by order of high-ranking officials, all tombstones located on the territory of the cathedral were demolished and destroyed. According to eyewitnesses, this decision was made due to the fact that some residents of the General House, located next to the temple, were not happy with the view from the window, which resembled a cemetery.
However, despite all the efforts of the authorities, many monuments have survived to this day. One of these is a pyramid-shaped monument erected to the Georgian prince I.A. Bagration, who was buried in this cemetery in 1795. Currently, this tombstone is of historical value for our country, and is included in the list of monuments of federal significance of the Russian Federation.
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Memorial Reconciliation of Peoples
This memorial was erected in the courtyard of the cathedral in 1998, and includes more than 10 memorial plaques and Orthodox crosses.
On each such slab there is a plate with information about people who became famous for their exploits in world and civil wars.
Also on the territory of the cathedral, a stone monument was erected dedicated to the SS heroes who fought in the Patriotic War against the Russians.
At the same time, the rector of the church, Archpriest, argued that this monument has nothing to do with the Church of All Saints.
Local residents made numerous attempts to achieve the dismantling of this memorial slab, but all of them were unsuccessful.
In May 2007, the memorial slab was nevertheless broken, after which a small fragment remained, which was dismantled in 2014, and in its place a memorial slab dedicated to the fallen Cossacks was installed.
It is also worth noting that most of the memorial plaques were originally installed at the Moscow Fraternal Cemetery, which were later moved to the church on Sokol.
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
This icon is located on the left side of the temple near the choir, and is the most revered shrine among Christians.
It depicts the Virgin Mary with the baby (Jesus) next to her. At the same time, the faces of the baby and the Mother of God look directly and are turned to the believers. The figure of little Jesus is limited to the waist, his left hand is hidden under a red robe, and with his right hand he shows a farewell gesture.
The icon itself is framed in a carved wooden frame, which is painted white. Opposite the image there is a golden church candlestick.
The peculiarity of the image is that it is capable of bringing the following help to people praying in front of it:
- heal from various diseases;
- consoles in any melancholy;
- decide and make the right decision;
- believe in a higher power;
- achieve spiritual knowledge;
- will guide the believer on the right path;
- achieve the desired goal;
- bring harmony to the marriage union;
- improve family relationships.
They also turn to the image of the Mother of God to receive a blessing or simply share joy, for example, the birth of a child, or healing from a serious illness.
There are many facts that prove that after conversion, the Mother of God appeared to believers in a dream and helped with advice.
Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas the Wonderworker occupies the second revered place after the Mother of God. In the temple, the icon is located next to the iconostasis of the Kazan Mother of God.
The icon depicts an old man in a bishop's robe with gray curly hair, the same beard, a high forehead and wise, expressive eyes.
In his left hand, Nicholas the Wonderworker holds the holy scripture, and with the fingers of his right hand he shows a blessing sign.
In addition to the main image, the icon shows the faces of four more saints. According to Old Believers, the image of the saint was created according to the descriptions of people who saw him with their own eyes.
Many believers come to the Church of All Saints on Sokol to the miraculous icon to pray and ask the saint for protection from various misfortunes.
In addition, according to church beliefs, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the protector of all who travel by sea or land, and also benefits farmers.
Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
The shrine is located in the iconostasis of the southern section.
The icon depicts the Mother of God in royal clothing and with a crown on her head. At the same time, the Mother of God is depicted in full growth, and surrounded by a large number of distressed people and angels.
The savior sits above the intercessor, who blesses with his right hand and holds the gospel in his left hand.
According to church books, this icon is capable of healing seriously ill people, and also helps women recover from infertility.
There is a lot of evidence when believers completely got rid of the most serious illnesses at the sight of this icon.
Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God
On the southern side of the refectory of the temple there is one of the oldest shrines - the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
According to eyewitnesses during World War II, the icon was placed on an airplane, which flew around Moscow with it. And after this fact, Nazi Germany suffered defeat.
The shrine depicts the face of the Mother of God, who holds little Jesus in her left hand.
According to many saints, a prayer said before the face of the Tikhvin Mother of God has the following miraculous effects:
- Helps believers heal from various diseases, including mental ones.
- Protects parishioners from ill-wishers and helps protect themselves from deception.
- Provides guidance when making a fateful decision.
- Protects children from various ailments and calms their violent nature.
- Helps strengthen the bond between parents and children.
- Protects women during pregnancy and facilitates childbirth.
Feodorovskaya icon
The Church of All Saints on Sokol offers its visitors another miraculous icon, which was brought at the end of the 18th century. The icon depicts the Mother of God with little Christ, whom she holds in her arms. This icon is revered as the patroness of well-being in the family and protector of brides. In addition, very often childless couples and seriously ill people come to the icon for help with prayer.
There are 4 thrones consecrated in the church and there are many shrines
The Church of All Saints has the following altars:
- Throne in honor of the holiday All Saints' Day.
- Throne in the name of the holy righteous Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess.
- Throne in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”
- Side throne in the name of Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia.
There are the following shrines:
- Icon of All Saints.
- Icon of the Kazan Mother of God.
- Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
- Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”
- Reliquary with relics.
- Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
- Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God (XVIII century).
- Holy myrrh from the myrrh-streaming heads of the Kiev-Pechersk saints.
- Stone of Mount Sinai.
- St. stone Seraphim of Sarov.
- Stone of the coffin of St. Leonida.
- Nail from the coffin of St. Ambrose of Optina.
- Palma St. Savva the Sanctified.
- Part of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.
- Part of St.'s clothing Philaret of Moscow.
- Part of the mantle of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
- Part of the mantle of St. John, new Jerusalem.
And many others.
Reliquary - the shrine of the temple
Interesting facts and legends
The Church of All Saints on Sokol, like any other ancient religious building, has its own interesting facts.
These include the following:
- The first Orthodox cross at the Temple was erected on January 19, 1991 on the initiative of one of the participants in the storming of the Reichstag E.M. Levshova.
- To avoid disfavor, Daria Archilovna gave instructions to illuminate the borders of the church. The illumination took place at the end of 1736, and became the first sacred rite in the temple.
- In the 70s of the 20th century, according to church canons, the outer walls of the temple were painted red, but after 5-7 years, at the request of parishioners, the walls of the church were returned to their previous yellow color.
- Due to the fact that the bell tower of the Church of All Saints in Sokol has a slight slope, local residents call it the “Leaning Tower of Pisa”. This tilt of the bell tower was formed due to the influence of the nearby Tarakanovka River.
Opening hours of the Church of All Saints on Sokol and schedule of services
The time for visiting church and the schedule of the liturgy are indicated in the table:
| Days of the week | Temple opening hours | Conducting morning liturgy | Conducting an evening service |
| Monday | from 08.00 to 18.00 | from 8.00 to 9.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
| Tuesday | from 08.00 to 18.00 | from 8.00 to 9.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
| Wednesday | from 08.00 to 18.00 | from 8.00 to 9.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
| Thursday | from 08.00 to 18.00 | from 8.00 to 9.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
| Friday | from 08.00 to 18.00 | from 8.00 to 9.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
| Saturday | from 08.00 to 18.00 | from 8.00 to 9.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
| Sunday and holidays | from 07.00 to 18.00 | from 7.00 to 9.00 and from 10.00 to 11.00 | from 18.00 to 19.00 |
How to get to the Church of All Saints on Sokol
Depending on the location, the temple on Skole can be reached by private car or public transport.
By car
In order to get to the cathedral by car, pilgrims need to get to the Moscow Ring Road and turn onto Marshal Zhukov Ave. Further, moving along the avenue, you should turn onto People's Militia Street, and from there turn onto Alabyan Street. Then from Alabna Street you need to turn right onto Peschanaya Street and at the end of this street turn left and move straight to the temple.
By public transport
In this case, you can get to the church by any buses, the route of which passes through the stop “Metro Station on Sokol”.
You can also get to the temple by metro, for which you need to get up at the Sokol metro station, cross the road, and turn left to the church.
Today the temple has many functions - from educational to psychological
Today the temple is actively involved in public activities. Among its functions are the following:
Management of four subordinate temples:
- Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo estate;
- Chapel of the Transfiguration at the Fraternal Military Cemetery;
- Chapel of the Arbatets cemetery.
Education: there is a Sunday school at the temple, where adults and children are taught the following disciplines:
- Old Testament;
- New Testament;
- Church Charter;
- God's Law;
- Church Slavonic language;
- History of Christianity;
- Church singing;
- Temple.
Psychological and social assistance:
- an Orthodox psychologist is ready to provide free consultations to everyone;
- family sobriety club helps fight addiction;
- A full-time social worker helps people in difficult life situations.
Hotels near Church of All Saints on Sokol
Within walking distance from the Church of All Saints there are several hotels that are suitable for both a budget tourist and a VIP guest.
Hostel "Falcon"
Located at: ave. Leningradsky, house No. 77. A budget option that offers its guests comfortable rooms at affordable prices. The average price of accommodation is 550 rubles. per day per person. The rooms in the hostel are divided into male and female categories.
The hostel has four rooms in total. Each room can accommodate 8 people at the same time. In addition to sleeping rooms, hotel guests will be offered a shared kitchen for self-catering, internet, washing machine, locker and safe. All Saints Church is 300 meters from the hostel.
Hotel RAMN
Hotel location: st. Baltiyskaya, 10. Apartment-type hotel at affordable prices. It is considered the most suitable option for families with children. The entire hotel room capacity includes an individual kitchen, bathroom, loggia, bedroom and spacious hallway.
Each room has a refrigerator, TV, electric kettle, gas stove and kitchenware. Room rates vary from RUB 1,070. up to 4020 rub. per day. The price includes the use of Wi-Fi and car parking. Near the hotel there is a large number of different shops, cafes and entertainment centers.
Hotel Sokol
Located 15 minutes by car from the Temple, at the address: lane. Chapaevsky, 12. The hotel building includes 136 rooms of various comfort categories, from one-room standard (price from 2,300 rubles per day) to double suites (price from 5,600 rubles per day).
Regardless of the chosen level of room comfort, the price includes a hearty breakfast, which is served in the hotel’s own restaurant. All rooms are equipped with TV, shower, minibar, and electric kettle. The hotel has free parking and a wonderful restaurant serving Russian cuisine.
Hotel Avialux
Hotel address: st. Liza Chaikina, 1. The cost of a night's stay at this hotel varies from 3,200 rubles. up to 7000 rub. The price includes a full buffet breakfast, use of 24-hour guarded parking and the Internet. The hotel staff serves in Russian and English, depending on the guest's preferences.
All rooms are decorated in a modern style. Each room has a TV, microwave, refrigerator, electric kettle, air conditioning and shower. The hotel also has its own elite restaurant and conference room. Within walking distance from the hotel there is a shopping center and local attractions, including the Sokol Cathedral.
The Church of All Saints, located on Sokol, is one of the most important attractions of Moscow, where local residents and pilgrims from different countries can not only serve the liturgy, but also get acquainted with its history.
Article design: Svetlana Ovsyanikova
