Church of St. Barbara on Varvarka. Varvara Church

In the center of Moscow, not far from Red Square, an ancient temple built in the 16th century has been preserved. on the site of an earlier wooden church; This is a temple in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara. He also gave the name to the street running down to Kulishki, a warm, old Moscow name - Varvarka...

The place is amazing. One after another, the domes of the temples grow: here, austere, a little reminiscent of the Pskov ones - “Maxim the Blessed”, behind it are the glazed emerald and gold domes of the Znamensky Cathedral, - the old sovereign’s courtyard, the “family nest” of the Romanov boyars, - and here is the elegant one, like Easter egg, “Egory, on the Pskov Hill” - a temple in honor of the heavenly patron of Moscow. Different in style and time of construction, they reflect the spirit of Moscow with its diversity and eclecticism, splendor and artistic optionality.

Zaryadye is a cozy “island” of antiquity in the tourist center of the capital. It seems to fall out of the urban space; you want to come here in the evening, when the moths of candles flash in the windows, or in the early morning, when there is still no traffic, and a thin bell is flying along the washed streets. and Saint George in shining armor - two martyrs, two great confessors - in the Heavenly Triumphant Church they pray for youth and for the army, and here on earth, as if they were raising high the cross of testimony from different ends of the Moscow street.

“Saint Barbara was also sacred”

The first Varvarinsky temple on the site of the modern one, according to legend, was built by Surozh merchants - natives of Surozh (Sudak). The architect was Aleviz Fryazin. In the records of the events of 1514 there remains a certificate of the consecration of this temple: “Saint Barbara was also consecrated against the master’s court by Metropolitan Varlaam.”

Why did the Crimean merchants choose her, the Holy Great Martyr Barbara, as their patroness?

Since ancient times, this saint has provided protection to people in danger in the Church. Having suffered a lot during her life for professing the Christian faith, having reached a high level of holiness, she has the boldness to intercede with God for the deliverance of people from sudden death.

Surozhans, who were far from their homes and at risk on the roads, were afraid to die without repentance and without church guidance, and therefore most often turned to this saint, asking her for prayerful intercession for themselves and for their loved ones. That is why the temple became a place of special veneration for travelers and everyone living away from home. The crossroads area where this church was built was named Varvarsky Krestets.

The relatives of those unfortunates who found themselves in custody in the Tsar’s Court of Justice located next door also came here, “to Varvara,” to pray. Having survived the hardships of imprisonment, the saint mercifully responded to the prayers of people who asked her for release or relief.

Church of the 16th century represented in plan a square with semicircles protruding from four sides. The pillar-shaped building ended with a dome, characteristic of Italian architecture. The main shrine of the temple was the icon of the Holy Virgin Martyr with embedded particles of fingers.

In n. 30s XVIII century The first Aleviz building suffered serious damage due to a strong fire, after which the temple was restored and re-consecrated under the care of Empress Anna Ioannovna. And already in chapter XVIII - beginning. In the 19th century, with the blessing of Metropolitan Platon, the church was rebuilt in the classicist style according to the design of Rodion Kozakov. This time, artillery major I. Baryshnikov and Moscow merchant of the 1st guild N. Samgin provided assistance in the construction of the temple. Their wives received healing from the relics of the Holy Great Martyr. The church was consecrated in 1804. True, only the foundation in the basement of the current church remains from the original structure. Modern trends have also appeared in interior decoration. The walls were covered with oil painting, but the fate of the ancient icons and the old ones is unknown...

Varvarka and Zaryadye with the chambers of the Romanov boyars in the 19th century.

Guiding Star of Faith

For a long time, the Great Martyr Barbara was one of the most beloved saints among the people.

...She was very young, this girl who lived at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries in Asia Minor, but her story is so amazing that it has not been forgotten centuries later; she is known in all corners of the Christian world. Extraordinarily beautiful, not needing anything, brought up in bliss and luxury, Varvara was the daughter of one of the influential rulers - Dioscurus, but having learned about Christ, she accepted His teaching with all her heart and easily managed to step over all the blessings of the world in order to be worthy of the Christian vocation.

She faced the most severe test: for refusing to renounce the gospel teachings and worship false gods, Varvara was subjected to the most severe torture, sparing neither her age nor her maiden tenderness. She had to endure such tortures that not every man could endure. The girl was beaten with ox sinews, her body was burned with fire, she was whittled with iron claws, her clothes were torn off, she was dragged around the city... But, probably, more severe than the physical and moral torment from offended purity was the pain for her father. The main persecutor and torturer of Varvara was the person closest to her!

In the instructions of our famous contemporary there is one observation that allows us to better understand the history of this saint and the terrible metamorphosis to which natural parental affection has undergone: “When there is no abstinence and spiritual love, passions are born from feelings.” After all, the father loved his daughter more than anything in the world, took care of her, took care of her and thought about choosing a worthy groom for her, but the question of faith became an insurmountable “threshold”. Unsanctified by true love, love in Christ, the feeling of Varvara’s father literally disintegrated under the influence of passions and delusions. Warmth turned into unbridled hatred, parental care into immoderate lust for power, affection into frantic persecution.

Her feeling, strengthened by faith and love for the Lord, on the contrary, grew rapidly, gained strength and extended to the heights of Christian achievement - to the readiness to give her life for the One Who was Love incarnate. Under torture, she was no longer afraid of pain, but only of deviation from the Truth, afraid of dropping the guiding star of faith, and the Lord gave her strength. The barely mature girl showed as much courage in the earthly battle with evil as the Roman legionnaires, seasoned in campaigns, who converted to Christianity and preferred death to participation in pagan cults.

The Holy Great Martyr Barbara has traditionally been one of the most beloved and revered saints. If in a traditional society Christians were struck first of all by the strength of her faith, then in the new world with the predominance of material values, another facet of her image began to shine - selflessness and the determination with which she stepped over earthly goods. It is no coincidence that this was chosen as the main topic for a sermon dedicated to this great saint by the famous spiritual mentor of our time -. Here's what he writes:

“We extremely highly appreciate what the holy martyrs, reverends, and righteous people considered for nothing.<…>Here before us is the holy maiden - the Great Martyr Barbara. She is dressed in precious clothes, there are golden necklaces on her chest and arms, her name is glorious and noble. “No,” she says, “all this is empty, insignificant, completely priceless.” She takes off her jewelry and throws it on the ground. “My Christ,” she says, “is more precious, immeasurably more valuable, better. And all this is dust.” And she dies for Christ the Savior.<…>And today, what is our girl doing? She says: “No, what Varvara gave up is really valuable. This is truly wealth and treasure. This is all I live for.” “What a fool,” she says about the holy maiden, “why did she exchange jewelry for Christ?” And she rushes, unfortunate, and greedily grabs what Varvara has thrown. She puts it all on herself and considers herself truly happy<…>But Christ remains ridiculed.”

Archimandrite Tikhon had to live in difficult times for our Church - and the subsequent pressure. That is why the story of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara had special meaning for him both as an example of adamantine testimony in the face of obvious trials, and as an example of spiritual composure when there is no obvious danger, but a person faces a choice: whether to follow Christ, the narrow, thorny path, or submit to the terms of peace?

Renaissance

A “martyrdom” fate awaited the Varvara Church in Zaryadye. In 1917, it was destroyed not by the elements of nature, but by the elements of unbelief. The cross that crowned its head was removed, the upper part of the bell tower was damaged, the iconostasis was dismantled and removed.

Other Varvarka churches did not escape that fate. The ancient, most valuable historical and spiritual complex was used completely utilitarianly. Only in the village In the 60s, in connection with the construction of the Rossiya Hotel, the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments began restoration work in Zaryadye. In 1965 -67. restorers under the leadership of G.A. Makarov returned the church in honor of the Great Martyr Varvara to its former appearance. But more than 20 years passed before the sounds of church chants were heard again under its arches.

The patriarchal courtyard of the churches in Zaryadye is being restored these days. It takes a lot of effort and money, but fortunately, people still come here, although this area is considered “not profitable” - there are almost no residential buildings in the area, and parishioners come from afar, from all over the city. The amazing icon of the Mother of God in the St. George Church has already gained fame - a warm, wonderful image, riddled with bullet holes around the halo. Akathists are read before him, and, as a rule, even during the day there are people praying. Some people are inexplicably drawn to the temple in honor of the patron saint of the city - one of the oldest in Moscow. And on the day of the Great Martyr Barbara, those who bear the name of this great Christian saint and those who know the history of this wonderful “island” of Russian antiquity in the very center of the capital come to her church under the patronage of a young maiden and a courageous warrior, who received equal reward from God for witnessing the Truth.

2. Palamarchuk P.G. Forty forty: a brief illustrated history of all Moscow churches: in 4 volumes. M.: AST Publishing House, 2003-2005.

3. Russian Orthodox Church. Temples. Moscow. Encyclopedic reference book. (Compiled and authored by A.V. Nikolsky) M.: Moscow Publishing House. Patriarchies: Publishing House "Russian Writer", 2003.

4. Podyapolskaya E.N. Architectural monuments of the Moscow region: Illustrated scientific catalogue. Vol. 1-3. M.: Stroyizdat, 1999-2001.

6. Elder Joseph of Vatopedi. Athos conversations. Answers of the Athonite Elder to the questions of pilgrims. Translation from modern Greek. With the blessing of His Eminence Nikon, Bishop of Lipetsk and Yeletsk. – St. Petersburg, 2004.

7. Archimandrite Tikhon Agrikov. "The Trinity is winged." Memories. M., Publishing House of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 2002

8. Varvara Iliopolskaya. (Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia).

10. Zaryadye. (Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia).

The modern building of the temple was built in 1796-1801 according to the architect's design Rodion Kazakova and has survived to this day with minor modifications.

The single-domed temple is made in the style of classicism. In plan, it has the shape of a cross, the northern and southern sides of which are decorated with solemn four-column porticoes, and a three-tier bell tower adjoins it on the west. The building is crowned with a powerful dome with a small gilded dome; its facades are decorated with decorative elements characteristic of classicism, as well as facade paintings (on the walls and the dome drum) and icons. The massive and high white stone plinth on which the temple building is placed attracts attention: due to the difference in heights it is not visible from Varvarka, but from the side it already occupies an entire floor.

History of the temple

The Church of St. Barbara supposedly existed as early as the 14th century, but was located slightly south of the modern building. It is curious that Varvarka Street got its name from the church. The location for the church was not chosen by chance: Saint Barbara was revered as the patroness of trade, and Kitay-Gorod in those years was the center of business activity in Moscow.

The first stone building of the temple was built in 1514 according to the design of the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin (Novy), funds for its construction were allocated by merchants Vasily Bobr, Fyodor Vepr and Yushka Urvikhvost who lived in Zaryadye. The appearance of the new temple was quite solemn: in plan it had the shape of an octagon, topped with one large dome. In 1730, the building was damaged by fire, but was restored.

However, over time, the temple fell into disrepair, and at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, with the money of the Moscow merchant of the first guild Nikolai Samgin and artillery major Ivan Baryshnikov, a new stone building of the temple was built in the classicist style, designed by the architect Rodion Kazakov. Unfortunately, the Varvara Church was badly damaged during the Patriotic War: in 1812 the French used it as a stable, and then there was a fire, but in the 1820s the building was completely restored.

The Soviet period radically changed the life of the temple: it was closed in the 1930s. The building survived, but the dome and upper tier of the bell tower were demolished. The internal premises were converted: they housed a warehouse, as well as offices of the Council of the Moscow branch of the All-Union Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments. Fortunately, during the improvement of the area around the new Rossiya Hotel, which was built on the territory of Zaryadye in the 1960s, they decided to restore the church, and in 1965-1967 the building was restored under the leadership of the architect Georgy Makarov. The builders restored the bell tower and the head of the temple, and it regained its former appearance.

In 1991, the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and services were resumed there.

In 2006, the Rossiya Hotel was closed, and until 2010 the massive building was gradually dismantled. Later, it was decided to build a park on the site of the demolished hotel, and in September 2017, Zaryadye Park opened here. The buildings surrounding it merged into the ensemble of the park, and the Varvara Church was no exception: a cozy walking alley and new landscaping appeared under its walls.

How to get there

The Church of Varvara the Great Martyr on Varvarka is located at Varvarka Street, building 2 (at the beginning of the street, near Vasilyevsky Spusk Square and Red Square).

You can get to it on foot from the metro stations "Kitay-Gorod" on the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya and Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya lines, "Ploshchad Revolyutsii" on Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya, "Teatralnaya" on Zamoskvoretskaya and "Okhotny Ryad" on Sokolnicheskaya.

The Church of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara is located in the very center of Moscow in Kitai-Gorod on Varvarka Street. The street's former name was returned to it several years ago. Since ancient times, Kitai-Gorod has been the center of trade, industry and legal proceedings. The kresttsy (crossing streets) Nikolsky, Ilyinsky and Varvarsky were known here. Each of them had its own special significance in urban economic life, but with the development of the city and the change of streets, only one retained its meaning and name. This is the Varvarsky Sacrum, which, like Varvarskaya Street, was named after the ancient church in the name of the Great Martyr Varvara. “On Varvarsky Sacrum, on Varvara Mountain, on Varskaya, then Varvarskaya Street - the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Varvara, stone...” One of the ancient names of the street is Vsesvyatskaya - named after the Church of All Saints on Kulishki, built according to legend by Dmitry Donskoy in 1380, in memory of the soldiers who died on the Kulikovo field. Sometimes the street was called Varskaya, Varvarsky Bridge, Bolshaya Mostovaya Street. In ancient times, healers and healers sold medicinal herbs and roots here, people came here to “speak” toothache... Believers went to Varvarka to venerate the image of the holy Great Martyr Barbara. The only daughter of a rich and noble resident of the Phoenician city of Iliopolis, Dioscorus, Barbara was known for her beauty and pious life. Refusing lucrative marriage offers, rejecting worldly vanity, she heeded the voice of her soul and accepted holy Baptism. Dioscorus, “Hellene by birth and evil faith,” was angry at his daughter’s act, but also struck by her firm faith in Christ. The most cruel tortures did not shake the Christian’s steadfastness. Barely alive, she was thrown into prison. At night, during prayer, a great light illuminated her, Christ himself appeared to her, healed her from terrible wounds and said: “Be bold, My bride, and do not be afraid, for I am with you.” In the morning, Varvara was again subjected to torture and humiliation, and then she was condemned to death. Barbara was executed with a sword by her own father... In the 6th century, the relics of St. The barbarians were transported to Constantinople. In the 12th century, the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexei Komnenos, Princess Varvara, married the Russian prince Mikhail Izyaslavich, and transported them to Kyiv. They still rest in the Kiev Vladimir Cathedral. Particles of the relics of the Great Martyr Barbara (three parts from fingers) were kept in Moscow, in the church on Varvarka, and the miraculous image of the Great Martyr Barbara became famous for its miraculous power and miracles in 1555. This temple was especially revered by Muscovites and visiting people, and was considered one of the best in Kitai-gorod both in its architecture and in the reverent attitude of believers towards it. It was built under Prince Vasily Ioannovich III in 1514 by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin at the expense of well-known wealthy visiting guests at that time: Vasily Beaver with his brothers Theodore Veprem and Yushka Urvikhvost. Here is how the chronicle reports about this: “Yes, that same summer, the Holy Great Martyr Vasily Bobr built a brick church for Barbara with his brethren, with the Boar and with Yushko. And all those churches were mastered by Aleviz Fryazin...” In 1731, the church was “renovated” at the direction of Empress Anna Ioannovna. Richly decorated and conveniently located, it has become one of the most revered in Moscow. During these years, the following priests served in the temple and regularly contributed “tribute to the treasury” to the treasury: Kirill, Luka, Ivan, Tikhon and others. On holidays and on the days of the temple holiday, festive prayer services were served with the blessing of water. The water was then delivered to the patriarchal chambers. Here is a laconic entry from the book of the State Patriarchal Order: “145 and 151 December 9, the church of St. Martyr Varvara, in China near Gostiny Dvor, to priest Tikhon for a prayer service on 3 alt. 2 days, came to St. To the Patriarch with holy water on the 4th day of December...” The fire of 1737 caused significant damage to the church. Priest Stepan Kuzmin and the parishioners of the temple in a petition submitted to the Synodal Treasury Order wrote: “On May 29 of this day, 1737, the said Barbarian Church and in it the holy icons, iconostasis and all church utensils burned without a trace by the will of God, and without the decree of this church We do not dare to build, and so that by decree it is commanded to build the designated church and give a decree about its consecration and issue an antimension.” The request was granted and two decrees served the purpose of restoring the temple: “Priest of the Barbarian Church Stepan Kuzmin with the parishioners in this church to rebuild what was burned and arrange it, remove it with sacred icons.” “Protopope Nikifor Ivanovich of the Assumption Cathedral to consecrate this church according to the newly corrected breviary.” At the end of the 18th century, the ancient church was dismantled, and in its place, in 1796 - 1804, a new building was erected according to the design of the architect Rodion Kozakov. The customers of the new church in the name of the Great Martyr Barbara were artillery major Ivan Baryshnikov and Moscow merchant N.A. Samghin. The new building was decorated on the north and south sides with six-column porticoes of the order. The interior of the temple was updated: the iconostasis was gilded, the icons were dressed in vestments. During the Patriotic War of 1812, the richest sacristy of the church was looted, frames and vestments were removed from the icons. But the temple itself, despite the fact that it was in the very center of military events, survived; The iconostasis was preserved; some icons continued to serve in the church even after the consecration. During this period, Archpriest and Dean Ivan Kandorsky served in the church; Alexander Rozanov, as well as sexton Ivan Fedorov, were appointed “to the deacon’s vacancy.” The bell tower was dismantled back in 1757, at the request of the architect Yakovlev, because... gave a significant list and was close to falling. In the 19th century, the bell tower was built again. Currently, services are held in the Church of the Great Martyr Barbara, the schedule of which can be seen.

Marked on the map:

• VMC Temple Barbarians
• Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" of the B. Znamensky Monastery
• Church of the Great Martyr St. George the Victorious (Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary) on Pskov Hill
• Temple of St. St. Maxim the Blessed on Varvarka
• Temple of the Conception of Righteous Anna, "what's in the corner"

Photo: Church of the Great Martyr Barbara on Varvarka

The Church of St. Barbara is located in the very center of Moscow, a stone's throw from Red Square, next to the Kitay-Gorod Metro station. The street on which the church is located was named after the erected temple - Varvarka.

The location for construction was not chosen by chance. The Great Martyr Varvara was considered the patroness of the trading people, and Kitay-Gorod has long been considered an important “business center” of Moscow. Craftsmen, artisans and merchants settled here, and shopping arcades were located. Almost from the moment of construction until our times, the Church of St. Barbara was considered one of the most revered in Moscow.

Church history

The Church of St. Barbara was built in 1514, during the reign of Prince Vasily Ioannovich. The funds were allocated by the merchants Vasily Bobr, Fyodor Vepr and Yushka Urvikhvost, and the author of the architectural project was the famous Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin. It was this master who built the Kremlin Archangel Cathedral.

During the time of Ivan the Terrible, the Church of the Great Martyr Barbara became an important place of pilgrimage for Muscovites and people coming from other cities. The miraculous icon of St. Barbara was kept in the Temple.

In 1730, a fire severely damaged the temple; on the orders of Empress Anna Ioannovna, the Church of the Great Martyr Barbara was completely restored. But by the end of the eighteenth century, the authorities considered that the old church did not correspond to the splendor of Kitay-Gorod. By this time, the English Courtyard and Gostiny Dvor had been rebuilt, and well-appointed covered shopping arcades appeared.

Metropolitan Platon declared the church not beautiful enough; his initiative to build a new Temple was supported by the famous Moscow merchants Baryshnikov and Samghin. They were the ones who allocated funds for this. The wives of the entrepreneurs were miraculously healed thanks to the miraculous image and, in the end, a decision was made to demolish the building and erect a more modern temple on Varvarka.

So a new elegant building in the style of classicism appeared in Moscow. The author of the project was Rodion Kazakov. The building, indeed, turned out to be so beautiful that many Russian architects, when constructing churches, took the Church of St. Barbara as a standard.

In the 1920s, almost all the buildings in Kitay-Gorod were demolished and the streets were renamed. So, Varvarka began to be called Stepan Razin Street. Once upon a time, the rebel leader was taken along this street to execution on Red Square.

The church survived, but the crosses were removed from the Temple, the bell tower was destroyed, and the premises were first set up as a warehouse, and later given over to the needs of the Society for the Preservation of Monuments.

The church was returned to believers in 1991.

Now the Temple has been restored and services are held there. The church is part of the complex of the Moscow Patriarch's Compound in Zaryadye.

Not long ago, archaeologists discovered in the basement elements of white stone vaults erected by Fryazin. This evidence of the history of Moscow will soon be seen by everyone.

Patron Saint of the Temple

The temple was consecrated in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara. This woman lived at the turn of the third and fourth centuries and was the daughter of the noble Phoenician Dioscorus. These were times of persecution of the Disciples of Christ, but Varvara sincerely believed and accepted Baptism. Her father found out about this and took her into custody, trying to get her daughter to renounce the Faith. But Varvara was adamant. Toga Dioscorus gave his daughter to the city authorities. By order of the ruler Martian, Varvara was brutally tortured. However, the Savior Himself appeared to the girl, he healed her wounds and told her not to be afraid of anything.