Schedule of services of the Trinity Church at the Pyatnitsky cemetery. Church at Pyatnitskoye Cemetery and its rector

Archpriest Georgy Klimov

On the eve of the patronal feast of the central church of the Trinity Deanery, we asked the rector, Archpriest Georgy Klimov, to tell readers about the history of the Trinity Church at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery and about his own life path.

In the history of the Christian Church there were several saints named Paraskeva. Thus, we know the Venerable Martyr Paraskeva, who suffered for Christ in Rome in the 2nd century, the Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia, who became famous in the 11th century for her severe asceticism and pious life. In Rus', saints with the name Paraskeva were especially revered, because in translation it means “Friday” - the day of the Passion of the Cross and the death of the Savior. Roadside chapels were often erected in honor of Saint Paraskeva; they prayed to her when going on a trip; they asked for her help in illness and sorrow. The patrons of our church are also St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, and Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Persia.

Historically, on the site of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery there was a wooden church in honor of the Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia. It did not appear by chance: in 1652, the relics of St. Philip of Moscow were found at this place during their transfer from the Solovetsky Transfiguration Monastery to Moscow. In memory of this event, a worship Cross was erected, and the area was named “At the Cross”. Pilgrims going on pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra performed prayer services here, and the road leading “from the Cross” to the monastery of St. Sergius was called the “Trinity Way.” Thus, the place where the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity now stands is truly unique. Here the Holy Trinity, St. Sergius and St. Paraskeva of Serbia, revered by the Russian people, “met.” Behind the temple is the famous Pyatnitskoye cemetery, founded in 1771, where many hierarchs and clergy of the Russian Church, pious laymen are buried.

When the wooden church of St. Paraskeva fell into disrepair, the need arose to build a new stone church. However, there were not enough funds, construction was postponed. Then the parish turned to Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret (Drozdov). Vladyka provided not only administrative but also material assistance. Through the prayers and diligence of the Saint, the stone church was finally built. The central altar was consecrated in honor of the Holy Trinity, the northern aisle - in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and the southern one - in honor of St. Paraskeva of Serbia. Many people always came to the church at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery. In 1917, through the diligence of parishioner Simeon Zaitsev, a stone chapel was built on the territory of the cemetery in honor of the Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Persia. Funeral services for the deceased were held in the chapel.

In the chapel of St. Paraskeva there is the burial place of Evdokia Nikitichna Drozdova (1853), the mother of St. Philaret. A miraculous incident is connected with her grave. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the grave of Evdokia Nikitichna was depersonalized and virtually destroyed - there was no gravestone inscription, no cross, no fence. In the 1950s, Saint Philaret himself appeared to one pious doctor, whose name was Victor, asking him to ensure that the grave was restored. Later it turned out that Victor was a distant relative of the Drozdovs. The doctor began to work hard to have the grave restored, going to different authorities, but to no avail. So two years passed. From the lack of results, Victor became despondent, his hands dropped, and he was no longer sure whether the Saint had really appeared to him. But one day the vision repeated itself. Saint Philaret encouraged Victor and urged him not to lose heart and continue his efforts. After some time, Victor received a call to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I. His Holiness listened to him, questioned him in detail and released him. After this meeting, the grave of Evdokia Nikitichna was restored and, by order of His Holiness the Patriarch, every year on the day of the death of the Saint’s mother they began to serve a memorial service for the ever-memorable servant of God Evdokia. This tradition continues today.

In the twentieth century, the history of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery was dramatic, like the entire history of the Russian Church. There have been repeated attempts to close the temple. From 1935 to 1944 it belonged to the renovationists. After the return of his Church, many famous clergy served in the temple, among them Archpriest Vasily Romankov and Priest Sergei Nedumov, who were buried behind the altar. A year ago, by the Decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', I was appointed rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery. Of course, this was unexpected. When I started serving, I tried to learn as much as possible about the temple and was shocked by how interesting and rich its history was.

I can say about myself that I was born in Sergiev Posad, so I had the opportunity to often visit the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In my childhood and youth, I was not a churchgoer and came to the monastery of St. Sergius simply out of curiosity, wanting to become better acquainted with Russian culture. But over time, I began to realize that the Orthodox faith preserves the truth that a person is looking for and that his soul needs.

When I was drafted into the army, I ended up in a platoon where guys from almost all 15 republics of our country served. Many soldiers experienced a certain internal tension, because they often did not understand what kind of worldview and what national and religious traditions their brothers in arms had. On the one hand, the service was physically and psychologically difficult. On the other hand, such a test made me think: what is my personal worldview and attitude based on? It was 1988 - the year of the millennium of the Baptism of Rus', a very important milestone. Temples began to open, a lot of literature appeared, including the Holy Scriptures, which until that time had been impossible to find in Soviet Russia. One day, after combat duty on guard duty, one of my fellow countrymen gave me a book - the New Testament in the Synodal Translation. I still thank God for that moment when I first started reading it. Of course, I didn’t understand everything that was written, but my soul felt somehow joyful, calm and quiet. After the army, my attitude towards faith became clear, if I may say so, clearly expressed. I finished my service and entered the Moscow Aviation Technology Institute, after graduation I worked in my specialty for two years.

During my student years, I often visited the Moscow Danilov Monastery, and on weekends I invariably came to worship at the monastery of St. Sergius. There I had the opportunity to communicate with the inhabitants of the Lavra, among them Archimandrites Georgy (Tertyshnikov), Makariy (Veretennikov), Ilia (Reizmer), who had a great influence on me and helped me make the decision to enter the seminary. This is quite difficult to explain, but at one point a person realizes that he must become a priest in order to serve God and people. After graduating from the seminary, I continued to study at the Moscow Theological Academy, and shortly before graduation, I received an offer from the leadership of the Moscow theological schools to teach there. I am very grateful to the Lord and the teaching corporation for the fact that for many years I have been breathing the air of the large cell of St. Sergius!

While still studying at the seminary, I was ordained a priest. The first years of my priestly service were spent in the academic Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Later I was transferred to the Moscow parish of the Patriarchal Compound to the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in the Sviblovo estate, where the rector is the dean of the Sergievsky district, Archpriest Sergius Kiselev. I served at the parish in Sviblovo for ten years. Moscow parishioners are educated, intelligent people who often have complex questions that require answers. Against the backdrop of a provincial town in the Moscow region, where I come from, this difference was especially noticeable. In the provinces, people are simpler, but in the capital’s residents there is an element of some kind of pretension, even distortion: people often perceive the church as an organization from the service sector, which is designed to serve the spiritual needs of a person. As a young priest, due to my inexperience and lack of understanding of many of the intricacies of serving in a metropolis, I often had to experience difficult moments and be under great stress. But over time, knowledge and experience came, confidence appeared, and it became easier to communicate with people. It gives me great joy to realize that in Orthodoxy you can find answers to any questions, and with faith you can solve any problem.

Now, having become a rector and dean, I experience many things anew, I have to learn a lot, rethink a lot. The main problem of our parish is the small number of parishioners. It should be remembered that 10-15 years ago there were a lot of people in the temple, and one cannot see the reason for the impoverishment of the parish only in the fact that many other temples opened around. This means there were other, internal reasons. Our task is to make sure that the parish begins to live a full life in all areas that guide a person in life and help to move towards salvation. Now we are actively involved in social and youth work. Other problems of the parish are the lack of premises for work and a lot of property issues. The areas that we now occupy, which historically belong to the temple, are in disrepair, and, as trivial as it may sound, there are not enough funds for repairs.

In conclusion, I will say: every day I thank God for giving me the opportunity to serve and work in this wonderful church, and I believe that the Lord, in His great mercy and love for mankind, will instruct, guide and establish our parish.

Moscow Church in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity, at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery(Trinity Deanery of the North-Eastern Vicariate of the Moscow Diocese)

On December 25 of the year, on the day of the Nativity of Christ, a wooden church was erected at the Krestovskoye cemetery, consecrated in the name of the Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia, subsequently the cemetery became known as Pyatnitsky. In 1778, during a summer thunderstorm, the church was badly damaged: the entire roof was blown off and the bell tower was damaged. Through the joint efforts of the priest and parishioners, the church was repaired, but soon, due to meager donations from poor people and low attendance, it fell into disrepair.

In the year, through the efforts of the rector, Fr. Simeon managed to obtain permission from the Spiritual Consistory to establish a circle to collect donations from pilgrims going to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra for the construction of a new stone church instead of a wooden one, for which a chapel was even built on Trinity Road, where icons from the old church were transferred. Construction proceeded slowly for the same reason - lack of funds.

In September of the year, the merchant Sveshnikov bequeathed his estate and money (for the funeral of his soul) for the construction of a new stone temple and two houses.

When drawing up a plan for the construction of the temple, it turned out that for its implementation there was not enough land previously allocated to the cemetery by the city government. Another well-wisher was found - donor Count Dmitry Sheremetyev, who gave part of his land for the construction of the temple. The best architects of the city, A.V. Balashov and F.M. Shestakov, became the designers of the temple facade. There is an opinion that the author of the design of the temple building was A. G. Grigoriev, but this is not confirmed by archival data.

The architecture of Moscow at that time was dominated by the so-called Russian classicism (Empire style), as a response to the memories of Russia’s recent victory over Napoleon in 1812. This style is distinguished by its monumental forms with the obligatory erection of columns along the façade, decorated with elements of military paraphernalia, which gave the building majesty and evoked a feeling of peace in people’s souls. All this was reflected in the construction of the temple, the construction of which began in 1830.

Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna Philaret (Drozdov) not only supported the petition for the construction of the temple, but took an active part in its implementation.

In the year the chapel of St. Paraskeva of Serbia was consecrated, the next year the chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh, as well as a four-table refectory, a bell tower with a spire and new iconostases. However, the main temple that was built was not heated and was considered a summer temple, while the previously built chapels were insulated.

Priest John of Tabor, who is related to Metropolitan Philaret, approached him with a petition to rebuild two previously built chapels in order to expand them, to connect the summer church to the existing hot-air heating system, and to renovate dilapidated iconostases. This request was granted, which was an important factor at that time, since there was already a ban on any changes in new churches.

During 1861-1862, the altars of these chapels were expanded and decorated at the expense of the donor, merchant Andreev, and the summer and winter parts of the temple were united by a single heater system, which still exists today. After all the reconstruction, the temple externally acquired the outline of a cross: in front is the main altar, facing east, the chapels of Paraskeva of Serbia and Sergius of Radonezh. On the western side there is an entrance with a porch decorated with cast iron columns and at the top an icon of the Holy Trinity.

According to the will of the merchant Sveshnikov, in addition to the temple, two houses were built: on the western side and along the central axis, one as a parable, the other as an almshouse; both houses were surrounded by a fence, in the middle of which there was a beautiful gate. All this corresponded to the architectural style of the temple and created a single ensemble. In subsequent years, the fence with the gate was dismantled, and this violated the integrity of the perception of the entire ensemble around the temple. Unfortunately, in the 20th century, all this architectural harmony was further distorted by modern buildings both around and on the territory of the temple.

After the revolution of 1917, the temple was not closed, but in the 1920s it was captured by renovationists and returned to the Moscow Patriarchate in the city.

• Full name: Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at Pyatnitskoye Cemetery.
• Brief everyday names: Trinity Church, Trinity Church, Church of the Holy Trinity, Holy Trinity Church.
• Belongs to the Trinity Deanery of the North-Eastern Vicariate of Moscow.
• The rector of the church at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery is Archpriest Andrei Pashnin.
• The nearest metro stations: “Rizhskaya”, “Alekseevskaya”.
• In the Trinity Church at Pyatnitskoye Cemetery you can submit a note of repose and order services - funeral service, memorial service, magpie.

The Trinity Church of the classical style with chapels in honor of Paraskeva of Serbia and Sergius of Radonezh was built in the first half of the 19th century. After the revolution, religious services were stopped, the building was used as residential and industrial premises. Restoration began in 1990. Currently, the temple has been completely restored.

Address of the temple at Pyatnitskoye cemetery:

Moscow, Droboliteiny lane, house No. 5, building 1.

Features of the temple:

The main shrines of the temple are a rare icon of the Mother of God “Helper to wives to give birth to children”, an icon of the holy martyr Simeon. Bishop of Persia and the iconographic image of the Venerable Paraskeva of Serbia.

How to get to the temple at Pyatnitskoye Cemetery

The permanently reconstructed Prospekt Mira - Yaroslavskoye Highway highway is one of the most important in the capital. Many attractions are located along it, in particular VDNKh, which recently celebrated its anniversary. But breaking out of the cramped neighborhoods onto the expanded Krestovsky overpass, no one notices the lonely church among the green trees, although it is clearly visible from the bridge.

But the Temple of the Life-Giving Trinity (architects A.V. Balashov and F.M. Shestakov) in the Empire style truly deserves attention. And these places along the ancient Trinity Road, which since ancient times led to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, have a rich history.

At the meeting place of the relics of Metropolitan Philip, an oak cross was placed here, which gave its name to the Krestovskaya outpost. And behind this outpost, in 1771, a plot was allocated for the creation of a cemetery, which became known as Krestovsky. A year later, the chapel of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa made of wood stood, which gave the cemetery a new name. It stood for almost 60 years, but gradually fell into disrepair, and then in 1827 permission was given to build a stone church. There was a collection of funds, the merchant Sveshnikov bequeathed his estate and a large sum of money, Count Dmitry Sheremetev donated part of his land plot.

In 1830, construction of the temple began. A year later, the insulated winter chapel of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa was consecrated, and a year later, the winter chapel of Sergius of Radonezh was also consecrated. Later, the main summer temple also became heated. At the same time, a four-table refectory and a bell tower with a porch were built, which was decorated with columns made of cast iron. An icon of the Holy Trinity was placed above the entrance.

As Sveshnikov bequeathed, a clergy house and an almshouse were built on the sides of the temple. There was a gate in the middle. They did not reach us, and the church itself was surrounded by the buildings of the Impulse Research Institute, which in our time has turned into the Peace Park Business Park. But hidden slightly in the depths of the alley, the classic architectural ensemble of the Pushkin era continues to delight the eye.

How to get there

1. From Rizhskaya metro station, Rizhsky station, pl. Rizhskaya (Leningrad direction) and Rzhevskaya (Kursk and Smolensk direction): 850 m on foot or by trolleybuses No. 9, 14, 37, 48, by buses No. 85 and 714 to the stop. “Krestovsky Bridge” (1 stop) and by minibus No. 14m, 270m and 379m.
2. From Alekseevskaya metro station: on foot 880 m or by trolleybuses No. 9, 14, 37, 48, by bus No. 85 (2 stops) and minibus No. 270m and 379m, as well as by bus No. 714 (1 stop) and minibus taxi number 14m.
3. From metro station VDNKh and st. Monorail "Exhibition Center": by trolleybuses No. 9, 14, 37, 48, by bus No. 85 (6 stops), by minibus No. 270m and 379m.
4. From Prospekt Mira metro station: by trolleybus No. 9 (5 stops) and minibus No. 379m.
5. From Sukharevskaya metro station (8 stops), Lubyanka metro station (11 stops), Chistye Prudy metro station, Turgenevskaya metro station and Sretensky Boulevard metro station (12 stops), Krasnye Vorota metro station (14 stops): by trolleybus No. 9.
6. From Komsomolskaya, Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, Kazansky stations (10 stops), Krasnoselskaya metro station (11 stops), Sokolniki metro station (14 stops), Preobrazhenskaya square metro station (18 stops), Elektrozavodskaya metro station (23 stops), pl. . Kalanchevskaya (Kurskoe, Riga and Belorusskoe directions) (9 stops): by trolleybus No. 14
7. From Vladykino metro station (24 stops) and pl. Okruzhnaya (Savelovskoe direction) (25 stops): by bus No. 85
8. From Medvedkovo metro station: by minibus No. 270m
9. From pl. Malenkovskaya (Yaroslavl direction): by bus No. 714 (5 stops) and minibus No. 14m.
10. From pl. Severyanin (Yaroslavl direction): by trolleybus No. 14 and by minibus No. 270m, (12 stops)

On October 27, Friday of the 21st week of Pentecost, the day of remembrance of the Venerable Paraskeva-Petka of Serbia, the rector of the Church of St. Nicholas in Khamovniki, Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, Administrator of the North-Eastern Moscow Vicariate, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery in Moscow , one of the chapels of which was consecrated in honor of the Venerable Paraskeva.

Concelebrating with Bishop Tikhon were: Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Secretary of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for Moscow; Archpriest Georgy Klimov, dean of the churches of the Trinity District of Moscow; Archpriest Fyodor Rozhik, rector of the church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” in Pereyaslavskaya Sloboda in Moscow; Archpriest Georgy Gutorov, rector of the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in Alekseevsky, Moscow; Archpriest Andrey Pashnin, acting rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery in Moscow; Priest Philip Ponomarev, acting rector of the Church of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga of the Patriarchal Compound in Ostankino, Moscow; temple clergy.

The diaconal rank was headed by Protodeacon Sergius Kuranov, cleric of the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in Alekseevsky, Moscow.

Liturgical chants were performed by the choir of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery in Moscow under the direction of A. Naumova.

The sermon after the singing of the sacramental verse was delivered by Priest Philip Ponomarev.

After the Divine Liturgy, a prayer service was served for St. Paraskeva-Petka of Serbia and a funeral litany for the servants of God, Archpriest Michael and Evdokia Drozdov, parents of St. Philaret of Moscow. (Evdokia Drozdova was buried within the walls of the temple).

At the end of the service, Bishop Tikhon was greeted by... O. rector of the temple, Archpriest Andrei Pashnin. In his response, the Administrator of the Vicariate congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the patronal feast of the church and addressed the worshipers with the words of a sermon.