Reconstruction of the Cathedral Church in Blagoveschensk

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH IN BLAGOVESCHENSK

The city of Blagoveschensk was named after the Cathedral Church founded by St.Innocent (Veniaminov) whose 200th anniversary the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated in 1997. The focal point of celebrations of the Year of St.Innocent in Blagoveschensk was the beginning of the restoration of the cathedral destroyed in the years when the Church was persecuted.

The place chosen for the construction had been chosen by the first pioneeers of the development the Amur region. They erected a wooden church where 18 soldiers and a physician who could not bear the ordeals of the expedition were buried. The first priest of city, Archpriest Alexander Sizyi, was also buried in this church. The stone cathedral church dedicated to the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos was built near the wooden church. Now only photos and memories of it are preserved.

Consequently, in the summer of 1997 builders and archaeologists worked together. They discovered the remains of Archpriest Alexander Sizyi and some other burials and also the laying of the flagstaff on which Count Muraviev-Amursky and St.Innnocent (Veniaminov) first hoisted the flag of Russia. In accordance with archaeological findings Bishop Gabriel of Blagoveschensk and Tynda gave his blessing to correct the plan of construction as to mark the discovered burials by monuments and to erect the flagstaff in its historical site so that the Russian flag will be hoisted within the church fence again.

The construction works are supported by the administration of the Amur region headed by the Governor A.N.Belonogov. On January 7, 1998, the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, Bishop Gabriel of Blagoveschensk and Tynda handed over to A.N.Belonogov a medal and a diploma of a trustee of the restoration of the cathedral as a token of recongnition of the Governor’s merits in the construction of the church. “The difficulties of our time, – said Bishop Gabriel, – must consolidate rather than divide the Russians”. During the meeting at the Diocesan administration the Governor and the ruling hierarch discussed the urgent problems and expressed common concern for the activities of some sects in the Amur region.