Online camera of Theodorovsky Cathedral. The Upper Church (St. Petersburg) in real time
The Cathedral of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God in memory of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov, St. Petersburgers are used to calling simply the Feodorovsky Cathedral, or Feosobor for short. It is a working temple of the Russian Orthodox Church, located in the center of St. Petersburg and attracts attention with its not quite typical for the northern capital church architecture.
In 1913 the Romanov dynasty was going to celebrate its 300 years on the throne. Six years before that in St. Petersburg they decided to build a cathedral to immortalize in history the coming memorable date. During the meetings created for this purpose, the Construction Committee considered the projects sent to the competition for the future construction.
The main idea was that the temple should be created not in the style of classicism, typical for other cathedrals of the Russian Empire, but in the spirit of Old Russian architecture. So that outwardly the temple resembled old pre-Petrine churches, which were widespread in Russia at the time when Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the founder of the dynasty, ascended the throne.
As a result, three projects were chosen, and the winner was the one belonging to the architect S. S. Krichinsky. The crossroads of Mirgorod and Poltava streets, not far from St. Nicholas railway station, was chosen as a place for the cathedral. At that time this land belonged to the Metochion of the Theodorovsky Gorodets Monastery.
There was already a small church in honor of the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God and St. Alexis. It was built on the occasion of the birth of the long-awaited heir to the throne - cesarevich Alexei. Nicholas II gave 25 thousand rubles for the construction of a new cathedral. The rest of the money was collected by the entire world.
In spring 1913 in the solemn atmosphere on the central dome of the cathedral hoisted a cross. Side aisles of the lower temple were consecrated in September. In December, the first bells were raised on the belfry, named after members of the royal family. And in early 1914, in the presence of Nicholas II and his family, senior government officials, military and students, the consecration of the main side-altar in the upper church.
Today, services in the Cathedral of St. Theodore are held daily. The parish of the temple is also engaged in active non-denominational activities. At St. Theodore's Cathedral operate:
- Sunday school for children
- Religious education courses
- School of Biblical Philology
- Theological-Philosophical Seminar
- Self-help groups for addicts
- Sobriety Society
- School of singing
- Social informational reception
- Excursion Service
- Sewing Shop
