(Turovskaya Diocese, Belarus)

In the city of Mozyr, Komsomolskaya Street is located the Cathedral of the Diocese - Cathedral in the name of Arresting Mikhail.

In 1645, the retired Colonel Stefan Lozko built a small wooden monastery for the monks of Bernardines, buying out a part of the hill in front of the castle. The temple was built as a church in the style of the late baroque in the form of a two-bash three-end basilica.

In 1648, during the Cossack-Peasant War, the monastery was destroyed.

In 1745, the construction of a new stone monastery of Bernardians began the notable and rich genurties, whose center was to become a majestic cathedral, the construction of which was completed in the 60s or 70s of the XVIII century. Rectangular in terms of the temple was divided inside with two rows of columns into three nefs: central and two side.

The architecture of the Cathedral corresponds to the Belarusian form of basilic churches of the Baroque era. The main facade is a three-tiered composition with two tower-bell tower. In the monastery also settled primary School and library. In Kripte Catholic church, a family tomb was arranged, where the representatives of the genus Askherok were restored.

At the end of the XVIII century, when Belarus joined Russian Empire, Bernardine Monastery was closed, and in his buildings, the attendants of the Mozyr County and the Hospital are located. Repeated fires led the monastery building to significant destruction.

In 1864, the temple, which was in a deplorable state, was transferred to the Orthodox Church. The towers were rebuilt into the Russian manner in the spirit of classicism: triangular frontouts and arched loots in rectangular niches.

On September 5, 1865, the temple was consecrated on the Orthodox rank in the name of the Holy ArchReart Mikhail with the right chassion in the name of St. Cyril Tourvsky.

In the revolutionary years, the Mozyr Cathedral of St. Archangel Mikhail escaped the fate of the shrines destroyed, but from 1937 to 1941 he was transformed into the NKVD prison of the Polesian region. For incomplete data, more than 2,000 death sentences were issued in this prison. In the Kripte of the Temple, the NKVD officers were arranged a mass burial of the remains of those citizens who died under torture in the Benches of the NKVD.

The icon of the ArchReart of God Mikhail

In connection with military events in 1941, the temple was again open. In 1952, the temple was registered by the Soviet authorities, repairs began.

In 1992, by order of the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, the ancient Turovskaya diocese was revived. With the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral, a department for working with young people, a missionary department, a department for studying the activities of sects and new religious movements was created.

Removed icon in St. Mikhailovsky Cathedral became icon God's Mother "Tikhvinskaya".

In 2006, during cleaning the crypts of an old temple, the remains of people were discovered. The remains were reburied along the church canons in Kripte, where the parishioners began to come to pray to honor the complaints of the executed.

Now, in the crypt of the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral at the site of the martyrdom of thousands of people, a temple was created in honor of the newcomers and confessors in the land of Polesskoy.

Altar in Crypt St. Mikhailovsky Cathedral

On November 21, 2008, the church historical and archaeological office opened the church historical and archaeological office on the day of celebration of the prestinal holiday of the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral.

On November 21, 2010, on the day of the Cathedral of the ArchReart of God Mikhail, on the blessing of the Bishop of Torovsky and Mozyr Stefan in the cryptic church in honor of the nomigners and confessors, the first divine liturgy was committed.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Vladyka was committed by the Chanonization

One of the wonderful monuments of the national architecture that have come down to this day through the war and revolutionary shocks is the Cathedral of Archangel Mikhail in Mazyr.

In 1645, the retired Colonel Stefan Lozko presented a part of the hill, opposite Mozyr Castle, Bernardians monks, for which a small wooden monastery was built. In 1648, during the Cossack-Peasant War, the monastery was destroyed. During the wars of the middle of the XVII century, Mazyr was practically erased from the face of the earth. Only under Great Prince Yane III Sobular (1674 - 1696), the legendary Savior of Europe from the Muslim invasion, in 1678 the restoration of Mazyr began.

At this time, the most powerful and noble genus on the lands of Mozyr Polesia was the genus of Askherok, whose representatives occupied the highest government positions in the news and owned huge estates.

Wanting to perpetuate the memory of herself and their merits before the Fatherland, in 1745, Askerki is beginning to build a new stone monastery of Bernardians, the center of which was to become a majestic cathedral. How many years the construction lasted, now it is not possible to establish it possible. Most likely, the temple was consecrated in the 60s or 70s of the XVIII century. The monastery complex was built in the style of the Late Baroque in the form of a two-bash three-end basilica. The monastery is also located primary school and library.

For their benefits, rendered to the churches, Askerki received the highest honor and award - in Kripte Cathedral, a family tomb was arranged, where representatives of the surname were restored.

After the farhead of the late XVIII century and the joining of Belarus to the Russian Empire, the national liberation uprisings of the XIX century - the Bernardine monastery was closed, the input places of the Mozyr district and the hospital are located in its buildings. The cathedral was repeatedly buried, fell into decline and began to collapse.

In 1864, the temple, which was in a deplorable state, was transferred to the Orthodox Church and was consecrated in honor of the Holy ArchReart of God Mikhail. On September 5, 1865, the temple was consecrated by Orthodox. A new page began in the history of the cathedral. It seemed that the temple was destined to be a brilliant fame to be the center of reviving Orthodoxy on the lands of southeast woodland.

The beginning of the 20th century did not obey the temple of the deadly breathing of the First World War and the Bolshevik coup. But it was only calm before the bloody storm of Stalinsky terror ...

In a terrible dream, it was impossible to imagine how the human cruelty and madness would reach in his delight attempt to oppose himself to God and his covenants. Hispidly preaching humanity, proclaimed man by the crown of evolution, speaking for equality, proclaimed freedom to ideal, Stalinism, destroying the age-old foundations of Christian tolerance, all-believe and repentance, wrapped the invited terror on the country. The massive destruction of the temples and shrines in the 20s of the 20th century was only a prelude to the beginning of the real vakhanlia of mass-binding.

Being under the protection of the ArchResting of the Heavenly Covel, Mozyr Cathedral of St. Archangel Mikhail avoided the fate of the destroyed shrines - he had his own bowl of grief, he was waiting for a more terrible test. The holy monastery, where the centuries prayed for forgiveness and praise the meal of the Creator, was destined to become the martyrdom of many hundreds of innocent people. The Cathedral was transformed into the NKVD prison of the Polesian region, the center of which was Mozyr. For incomplete data, more than 2,000 death sentences were issued in this prison.

There were decades of silence, but the truth still remained unresponsible. As a sign of our repentance, in the edification of the descendants, as the act of truth celebrations - in the crypt of the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral on the blessing of His Eminence, Bishop of Tourvsky and Mozyr Stephen, at the site of the martyrdom of thousands of people, a temple is created in honor of the newcomers and confessors in the land of Polesski.

The Cathedral of St. Archangel Mikhail knew different times over the years of its history, and now the inhabitants of Mazyr can only be proud of such a monument. After all, this is not only a monument of architecture, but also a monument of faith and courage.

The history of this majestic structure began in 1645, when part of the hill - opposite Mozyr Castle - was presented with Bernardians monas. This generous gift made Stefan Lozko, the retired colonel, who also participated in the construction of a small wooden monastery. True, the monastery stood just three years, and then he was destroyed during the Cossack and Peasant War. Then the Mozyr himself destroyed almost to the ground. Only in 1678 the city began to slowly recover.

In these times, the most powerful and noble genus on this territory - Askerki played a huge role for the Mazyr time in the revival of the city. Representatives of this surname were well known on the lands of Mazyr Polesia, held high positions and were owners of huge places. It was thanks to them that the monastery of Bernardians was rebuilt, and the majestic stone cathedral was erected. How many years left for its construction - it is not known, but the temple is consecrated around the 60s or 70s of the XVIII century.

The whole complex was demonstrated by the Late Baroque style feature. Two-bashful three-end basil has become not only a home for monks, there was also an elementary school and library. And in Kripte Cathedral was a family tomb of Askerok, where they found the last shelter members of this glorious family.

In the XIX century, the Monastery of Bernardians in Mazyr was closed. Accession to the Russian Empire, as well as national uprisings, led to the fact that Catholic churches and monasteries everywhere ceased to exist. In the housings of the monastery placed the first places of the Mozyr County and the hospital. The cathedral burned several times and began to collapse. In 1864, he became the Orthodox Temple - the Church of the Holy ArchReart of God Mikhail. The throne was consecrated in the name of St. Cyril Torvsky's name in the name of St. Cyril Tourvsky, and the sacrifice, library and archive were located in the untrovered left.

After the revolution of 1917, the most terrible times began for the cathedral - it was turned into a prison of the NKVD of the Polesian region. There are information that in this prison were sentenced to death more than 2 thousand people. Very often, these sentences were performed right in the basement of the cathedral.

During the Great Patriotic War, the church was reopened. She was acting all war time. After the war, she wanted to close it, but in 1951, a small Orthodox community was registered with the Cathedral. The cathedral is the current temple so far.

Each city has its own story, his face. The Mozyr has picturesque hills, for which winding streets are intimidate. Old houses shyly hide in ravines, and vintage buildings are proudly towering on the tops of the hills. One of these hills, or rather, his part, presented in 1645 by the monks-Bernardians, retired Colonel Stefan Lozko and built a small wooden monastery complex for them. In 1648, during the peasant war, the monastery was destroyed. During the wars of the XVII century, Mazyr was practically erased from the face of the earth. In 1678, the restoration of Mazyr began with the Grain Great Prince of Lithuanian Yane III sobster. In 1760-1778 Marshok Casimir Askerko "Adcudawaў Kasszöl z soil" in the style of late Baroque. The monastery complex included primary school and library. The church was consecrated in honor of Archangel Mikhail on July 16, 1775 by Biscause Felix Tovyanovsky.

After the Liphetheets of the end of the 17th century and the joining of Belarusian lands to the Russian Empire, the Bernardine Monastery was closed in 1832. In the same year, the monastery building was given to the first places of the Mozyr County, and from 1847. Hospital was located there. In 1851, after the fire, documentation (Kashtarys) was drawn up for the church conversion in the Orthodox Church. The reconstruction ended only in 1865, on September 5 of this year, the temple was consecrated on Orthodox rank in honor of the Holy ArchRest of God Mikhail. In the right attack, the throne was consecrated in the name of St. Cyril Tourvsky, and in the untrovered left, the sacristy, library and archive were located.

Spared the temple first world and civic War. Being under the protection of the ArchReart of the Heavenly Hamority, Mozyr Cathedral of St. Archangel Mikhail was not destroyed. It was waiting for a different terrible test.

On January 26, 1926, the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral was transferred to the department of Raskolnikov - "Collectors"; Updated Metropolitan, Daniel Raskolnik (Gromovenko) held secret negotiations with the OGPU and achieved the termination of the contract for the use of the church of the Orthodox community.

On February 10, 1928, the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral acquired the status of the Cathedral of the newly formed Mozyr renewed diocese. Later, in 1933, part of the cathedral was adapted to the rapid item for grain. By the summer of 1937, the Cathedral was finally closed and became a prison, first district, and then the regional one. In the former monastery building, adjacent to the building of the temple, there were the Office of the NKVD of the Polesc Region, where "special three" interrogations were carried out and sentenced to arrestants. In the neople of the temple around the perimeter there were three-long-tier Naras, on which arrestants were placed several people per bed. On the chorus of the church, there was an armed guard. It was forbidden to go to the center of the room, when violating a security guard shot without warning. In the basements were also the artantic cameras, some were sanitary: they were driving dead from hunger and disease.

Stories of eyewitnesses of those terrible days are amazing: the author of this article told her grandmother about terrible cries, who came across at night from the basements of the cathedral. Kripte, where she had previously been the tomb of the genus Askherok, she was eliminated by human bones, swallowed sand mixed with lime.

Today, as a sign of repentance and edifying the descendants in the crypt of the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral at the site of the martyrdom of hundreds of people, the temple in honor of the new martyrs and the Confessors of the Earth is Belarusian.

This is what Patriarch Kirill spoke in his speech on November 4, 2015. The Primate of the Russian orthodox church He noted how important to remember the difficult 30s, the injustice and blood of which "should never leave from our memory," and the suffering of our people these years, according to Patriarch, "no way minimize."

For the Russian Church of the suffering of our people - not common words, but a completely concrete, personal for many tragedy of new martyrs, the memory of which is carefully kept in the church. The XX century pulled us the historical religious memory not only at the national-state level, but also on the family. A person often does not know his roots, he does not know who his ancestors were, and feels an abandoned orphan. The cryptic temple in memory of innocently killed on our land is a reminder that each of us in heaven has a patron prayer. This is a reminder that our orphanhood is unilateral. We forget and renounce God, but he does not reject from us.

The temple of the Lord, where two hundred years were raised by prayers to God, became a prison, through which a huge number of people passed, for incomplete data - about 5 thousand people. Almost all the clergy of the city and the Mozyr region was repressed. And today, many have referred to the author of these lines to learn about the fate of their relatives, who once grown from the native house forever. Unfortunately, the names of many martyrs and devotees will remain unknown. Only the Lord knows everyone by name and everyone will reward as their feat. They stand at the throne of God, pray and petition about us.

In the cryptic temple, an unusual forged iconostasis in the form of a prison lattice and the stone throne. The chapel of the tomb is arranged on the right, where the remains of the tortured and killed, there are skulls with bullet holes there. They are convincing all documents that they killed our contemporaries, and not about Bernardin monks, as some believe.

The crypt ceiling is suspended more than a hundred lampad in honor of innocent victims during repression; Here is the image of "Savior Chernobyl", written in the prayer memory of the dead liquidators of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident.

During World War II, the cathedral was opened and remained in force the entire occupation period. After the war, non-one-time attempts were made to close it, but by the grace of God in 1951 the Orthodox community was registered, and the temple was able to defend.

In the period from the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the twentieth century, there was no significant changes in the architecture of the church. but modern interior Not similar to the interior of the XIX century. Only architectural details are preserved: Cross-shaped dual floors, wall pilasters that decorate amazing paintings. In the 80s of the last century, the famous artist A.Isachev, his extraordinary paintings are known worldwide, painted the Walls of the River and Northern Nef.

Today, the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral is the spiritual center of the Orthodox life of the Tour Diocese and historical monument - Polesia's pearl architecture.

At this time, the cathedral is worth "dressed" in the forest. There is a repair of the facade of the temple, and at the end of the work, he will acquire its original color. Today in St. Mikhailovsky Cathedral will be very happy with your satisfying material assistance, dear Mozyryan! How never she will now have to the yard. More information is available on the site of the Tour Diocese.

Tamara Koshevnikova

Unfortunately, many of the Architectural Pearls of Mazyr were destroyed by various wars, and from the surviving did not all manage to survive Soviet power. Nevertheless, besides trams, which, by the way, there is no longer anywhere in the Gomel Polesie, and the brewery, famous fans of football release at the end of the twentieth century "Gold" Slavia Gold ", Tut.By found a few more reasons to allocate the day to visit In Mazyr.

Most high city The Gomel region visited his centuries-old history as part of the Kiev, Chernihiv and Tour Principles. After the second section of the Commonwealth, as many Belarusian cities, was attached to the Russian Empire. At the beginning of the twentieth century, for a period of a few more than a year, it turned out to be in the Ukrainian People's Republic, and from 1938 to 1954. Soviet Mazyr was the capital of the Polesian region. Now the city over the printer is the district center, the second largest and population of the population in the region after Gomel.

The reason is the first. River Station

On the past, the magnitude of the Belarusian river shipping costs can now be remembered only by old photographs and black and white films of those times when a personal car was only at the party's leadership, and the word "minibus" was not known to anyone. Over time, the river is somewhat rough railways They laid even more, and the transport network was wider wider.

Now there are various fairs and exhibitions under the roof of the river port, and no one counts the time until he comes to Dubrovka's steamer. However, if you ended up in Mazyr and did not look at the river station, which, not every city of Belarus can boast, is a movieton.

Cause of the second. Castle mountain

The historic core of the city is the mountain of communations, the streets of Komsomolskaya and Dzerzhinsky. It is this territory that is the initial location of the chronicle Mazyr, which is mentioned in the Ipatiev "Tale of Bygone Years". To the XI-XII centuries. There was a delicate, the most ancient fortified part. Over time, it first appeared on the wooden, and then the stone castle.

Today on the castle grief there is a wooden castle - a copy of the ancient city. There are several towers on its territory, a wooden church and an observation deck. The wooden castle is part of the exposure with the landscaped area and architectural and planning development "Mozyr Castle". Visiting the castle is paid: For children, the entrance costs 10 thousand rubles, for adults - five thousand more expensive. And a full-fledged excursion costs 40 thousand rubles.

The cause is the third. Church of St. Michael in the Valley of Angels

Among all the ravines and hills in the city there are flat terrain. Her Mozyryan is called the Angels Valley. It was here in the middle of the XVII century that the male cistern monastery was first founded, and after 100 years - the female ceystercian monastery. The last building has been preserved to this day. Now this church of St. Michael.

By the way, if you go a little forward, the valley of the angels is located a valley of death. The name was the place received after the battle with the Tatars at the beginning of the XII century.

The reason is the fourth. Ski Complex and Romrague Reserve

The Mozyr Ski Complex in December 2016 will celebrate its decade. It is located in the city center and is surrounded by a birch grove of the reserve "Mozyr ravines".

Lack of snow and frost is not the reason to delete this item from the MUST SEE list. In addition to the two ski slopes, there is an entertainment Sanno-Bobslane attraction "Toboggan" on site, which has no analogues in Belarus. Towning on a special highway with a length of more than half a kilometer, you can admire the landscapes of the reserve of ravines.

And nearby, literally behind the field, is the highest point of the Gomel region. In order to enjoy a wonderful view of the Mozyr "Mountains", you need to drive a few kilometers ahead to the R31 highway. Believe it is worth it.

The reason is the fifth. Complex of the Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral

Complete the journey through Mazrey. It is worth a visit to the Cathedral of Archangel Mikhail and the Temple in honor of the newcomers and confessors located at the bottom of the cathedral.

The history of this architectural monument takes the beginning in 1645, when a part of the hill opposite Mozyr Castle was presented with Bernardians monasses and a small wooden monastery appeared here. After 100 years, the Shankhetsky genus of Askerok began the construction of a new stone monastery, the center of which was the Cathedral. In addition, the primary school and the library are located here. And later, a family tomb of Askherok was arranged in Kripte Cathedral.

It is believed that for a long time it was a unitary temple. After the joining of Belarus to the Russian Empire and the ban on its territory was a hospital. The cathedral was repeatedly buried and gradually destroyed. In 1864, the temple was transferred to the Orthodox Church.

In the 1930s, the Cathedral was turned into an NKVD forwarding prison. The prisoners who died or were shot here, were buried at the bottom, in Kripte. Bodies poured sand and lime. How many people have been tortured here, unknown so far. According to the stories of local residents, they brought almost entirely villages, as, for example, the village of Kustomnitsa, the inhabitants of which were Poles. In the early 2000s, the bones of people were found in the reconstruction of the chip of the temple. Based on the examination and documents of the NKVD, it was found that the remains belong to the "enemies and traitors of the Motherland." Now the remains of people who were shot and buried in the basements of the cathedral are stored in two large coffins.

One more a distinctive feature The Holy Mikhailovsky Cathedral is that his altar is directed not to the east, but south.

For tourists

In Mazyr there are several hotels where you can stay. There are quite different cafes and bars in the city - to eat, you only need to choose an institution in taste and wallet. Further information on how to leisure in Polesk Switzerland, as sometimes called Mozyr, see.