The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross inside the Kremlin of Kolomna, Russia
The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross appeared at one of the most ancient places of the Kolomna Kremlin becoming populated as late as the pre-Mongol times. The Church and the Pyatnitskiye Gates of the Kremlin are a single spiritual complex. Through this area on the bank of the Moscow River, where earth walls of the wooden fortress rose, a road ran and led to a grand-ducal palace. In 1380, Saint Dmitry Donskoy entered Kolomna through the Pyatnitskiye Gates before departing for the Battle of Kulikovo. There is a beautiful legend that a church, situated there once, disappeared under ground together with a priest and people praying when invaders, adherent to a different faith, broke into the city. People say that even today you may still hear underground bells tolling and a liturgy service going on since then if you press your ear to the ground. A wooden Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross with a side chapel dedicated to SS. Florus and Laurus has been known since the 15th century. By the end of the century, it became desolate, due to pest epidemic, and church services were suspended for some time. From 1760 to 1764, a stone two-story church with a bell tower was constructed instead of the wooden building. Bishop Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of Kolomna was a church builder. An ancient altar dedicated to St. Nicholas was moved from the abolished Church of St. Nicholas (1513) and arranged in the upper church. A church's icon copied from the Icon of St. Nicholas and dated back to the same year was also moved in the Church. In August 1837, the Church was consecrated by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow and Kolomna. In the 1930s the Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross was the last church of the Kolomna Kremlin to be shut down. After it was closed, a disabled people's cooperative occupied the building. In 2000, the Church was fully restored. In 2006, a new two-tiered icons stand in the main side chapel was gilded.
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, Isaeva Street 3, Kremlin, Kolomna, Russia
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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