Church of Three Joys on Clean Ponds. Temple of the Life-Giving Trinity on Mud at Pokrovsk Gate

The construction of the first church on the site of the current Church of the Holy Trinity on Gryazekh dates back to the 16th century, when noble families from Novgorod and Pskov began to settle on the Stromynskaya road (present-day Maroseyka). The first stone church was built in 1649. In 1701, the church was rebuilt, with a new chapel for the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple. In 1819, this warm church, dilapidated by that time, was dismantled and a new one was built, with the side chapels of the Cathedral of the Mother of God or the “Three Joys” icon of the Mother of God, which is celebrated on the day of the Cathedral of the Mother of God on January 8 and St. Nicholas.

There is an interesting story associated with the “Three Joys” icon. The icon is a copy, or copy, of Raphael's Italian icon of the Holy Family. It came to the temple at the beginning of the 18th century, during the time of Peter I. Then one of the painters, sent to study in Italy, returned with him a copy of the Italian icon and left it with his relative - the rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity on Gryazekh. After the artist’s death, the priest placed the icon on the church porch. After some time, one woman’s husband was slandered and sent into exile. As a consequence of this, the estate was taken into the treasury. To top it all off, her only son was captured by the enemy. The poor woman cried out to the Most Holy Theotokos for a long time asking her to help her in these troubles. And one day, during prayer, I heard a voice: “Find the icon of the Holy Family and pray in front of it!..” The sufferer found the icon on the porch of the Church of the Holy Trinity on Gryazekh and prayed in front of it. And very soon she received three good news: her husband was acquitted, her estate was returned, and her beloved son returned from enemy captivity. It was after this that the icon received its name “Three Joys” and became the main shrine of the temple.

The icon fell in love with the Russian people; it was especially revered in the Don and Kuban. It was believed that praying in front of her would help return home the Cossacks who had gone on a spree.

In 1861, the temple was completely rebuilt according to the design of M. D. Bykovsky. The architect put it on stilts. It is interesting that the main altar of the Church of the Holy Trinity was located on the right, and the central chapel of the “Three Joys” icon of the Mother of God became central.

Another shrine of the temple is the icon of St. David of Gareji, the great Georgian ascetic of the 6th century. Saint David of Gareji has the grace from God to help women with their weaknesses and ailments associated with childbearing. They turn to him with prayer for help in childbirth, for the gift of a child or for the healing of an illness, and also to thank him for receiving what he asked for. The basis for such a prayer appeal was an episode from the life of the monk, which brings to us his life. The Monk David of Gareji came to Georgia from Syria in the middle of the 6th century and settled in the vicinity of Tbilisi. He was a preacher of the Christian faith, for which fire-worshipping priests took up arms against him. Having persuaded one seduced girl, they declared him the culprit of her shame. Summoned by the residents to the trial, the Reverend approached the girl and, touching her womb with his staff, asked: “Am I your father?” A voice was heard from the womb: “No,” and the true culprit of her fall was named. After that, in front of everyone, the girl gave birth to a stone. In memory of heavenly intercession, the Reverend asked the Lord on that mountain for a healing spring, to which Georgians still resort to in their women’s infirmities.

In 1929 the temple was closed. It housed a granary and, from the mid-50s, a club. The drum and bell tower were demolished; Everything inside has been greatly rebuilt, and an assembly hall has been equipped in the central aisle.

In 1992, the building was again transferred to the church.

Now the rector of the temple is Archpriest John Kaleda.

Temple day is the feast of Holy Pentecost (movable celebration depending on the celebration of Easter).

In addition to services on Sundays, Saturdays and holidays, every Wednesday a prayer service is held in front of the “Three Joys” icon of the Mother of God with the reading of an akathist, during which the icon is taken out of the altar for veneration. People from all over Moscow and other cities come to the prayer service to pray for help for those in prison, for family well-being, and for the repayment of debts. On Mondays, prayers are performed to St. David of Gareji, on Thursdays - to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. There is a Sunday school at the church.

The name “on Gryazekh” appeared at the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Intercession Gate for a reason. The fact is that the Rachka stream ran through the courtyard of the shrine. Behind the altar of the church it already represented a whole stream, which formed the mud on Pokrovka.

The same temple was called differently at different times. At first it was the Church of St. Basil of Caesarea, then the Trinity Church, and later the “Three Joys”.

Photo 1. Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh in Moscow

The church was first mentioned in documents in 1547. Then it was called the Church of St. Basil. The stone church appeared in 1649. In 1701 the building was rebuilt. When there was a fire in Moscow in 1737, the shrine was also damaged: the roof on the porch was destroyed, the fence on the bell tower burned, and clothes and crosses in the church building were damaged.

The bell tower was rebuilt in 1740, but a year later the building collapsed, apparently due to the fact that it was erected in a swampy place.

Photo 2. Trinity Church is located at the Intercession Gate on Pokrovka, 13

The current building of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh was erected in 1861. The funds for the construction were allocated by the court adviser E. Molchanov, the construction project belongs to. At that time, the temple building was central on Pokrovka.

A building was erected at the Pokrovsky Gate in the style of Renaissance architecture. The building is rectangular in plan, completed in the form of a huge domed drum and a bell tower in several tiers above the vestibule. The pilaster porticos have been preserved; with their proportions and impeccable finishing they attract everyone's attention. The top of the walls are surrounded by a beautiful frieze with floral patterns. The porch of the temple is a small figured turret - a very unusual solution.

In the 50s of the last century, a local cultural center was installed in the building. Then the bell tower and dome were demolished. Floors and partitions appeared inside the building. The vaults of the aisle were destroyed, and another floor was built in their place. The central aisle was occupied by a concert hall.

In the 80s, due to a crack that appeared on the vault of the temple, it was decided to close the church for repairs. Within a year, the restoration work was completed and the foundation was strengthened.

In 1992, the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. The facades were restored in 2009. Repair work is still ongoing.

The Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh, near the Pokrovsky Gate, is located at Moscow, 13 (metro station Kitay-Gorod and Chistye Prudy).

Construction of the temple

Built in 1861 according to the design of a famous Moscow architect at the expense of court councilor E.V. Molchanov.

It was preceded by 4 stone churches, successively replacing each other in the 16th-19th centuries.

The wooden church with the throne of Basil of Caesarea has been known in this place since 1547. It stood on the swampy bank of the small river Rachka, which is why it received the name “mud”.

The throne of the Intercession has been known since 1619.

In 1649, the first stone church with both altars was built.

In 1701, a second one was built, with a new Introduction chapel.

In the summer of 1742, the bell tower with the lower and upper refectory collapsed, probably because they were built on a swampy place.

In 1745, it was allowed to build a new church without the Vasilevsky chapel.

The Throne of the Presentation was consecrated in July 1748, the main one - Trinity, in 1752.

In 1819, the warm church was dismantled and a new one was built at the expense of Borisovskaya with the altars of the Cathedral of Our Lady and St. Nicholas.

In 1855–1884, the archpriest of the church was Alexander Sokolov.

Temple architecture

The large, majestic structure of the Trinity Church on Gryazekh, together with the unpreserved Church of the Assumption on Pokrovka, which stood to the west on the same side of the street, largely determined the appearance of this section of Pokrovka.

The church was built using techniques and examples of Renaissance architecture. The rectangular plan of the 4-pillar temple with lowered corner cells and a columned portico was completed with a monumental domed drum and a high multi-tiered bell tower above the western vestibule.

The pilaster porticos of the large order have been preserved on the elevated risalits in the centers of the eastern and southern facades of the temple, attracting attention with the perfection of proportions and the magnificent decoration of the composite capitals. Along the top of the walls the building is surrounded by a magnificent frieze with rich stucco floral patterns. The porch in front of the main entrance from the street was interestingly designed, representing a small turret with a figured finish.

The volume of the existing building included parts of the walls of the 18th century church and its later northern aisle.

In 1929, the temple was captured by representatives of the so-called “Gregorians” (who formed the Provisional Supreme Church Council - VVTsS) led by false metropolitan Boris (Rukin).

In January 1930, the Trinity Church was closed by decision of the Moscow City Council on December 20, 1929 to occupy the church as a granary.

In the mid-1950s, the temple building was converted into a cultural center. The dome and bell tower have been demolished. The internal volume of the building was divided by partitions and ceilings into many rooms located on three floors. At the same time, the vaults of the northern aisle were destroyed and the third floor was completed. In the central chapel there was a cinema and concert hall with a stage in place of the altar.

In 1979, a crack appeared on the vault of the former temple. It was decided to close the House of Culture and carry out major renovations. In 1980-1981, repair work was carried out and the foundation was strengthened.

Trinity of the Life-Giving, which is on Gryazekh

From time immemorial, the monastery stood on a swampy place near the Rachka River - hence the name “mud”. Before her, several churches were replaced here. The first one known to us is a wooden church in honor of Basil of Caesarea, which burned down in a fire in 1547. Later it was restored.

In 1649, the first stone one with boundaries was erected in honor of St. Basil and the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. In 1701, a second one was added to it, with a new limit in honor of the Entry of the Virgin Mary. From this moment on, the Pokrovsky limit ceases to exist.

In those days, Moscow was rich in fires - they happened almost every week. On one of these days, May 20, 1737, Trinity on Gryazekh- the roof burned out in places and the bell tower was partially damaged, some items of clothing were burned. And in 1742, the bell tower unexpectedly collapsed to the ground - most likely due to the swampy soil. Ivan Michurin (compiler of the Moscow map) restored it with his own money.

In 1748, the main altar of the rebuilt church was consecrated in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity; the side chapels were consecrated in 1752.

In 1812, the Trinity Monastery was not damaged either by fires or by the French. However, in 1819, a warm church was rebuilt with donations from the merchant Borisovsky. This is how two more borders appeared - the Cathedral of Our Lady and the icon of the Three Joys (they are celebrated on the same day) and St. Nicholas.

In 1826, the temple was consecrated by Metropolitan Filaret Drozdov himself.

In 1856-1861 the architect M. Bykovsky built a new, already fifth stone church on this site. It should be noted that fragments of walls and the foundations of previous churches remained in it. The main boundary of the new monastery was consecrated in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity, and the second in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Three Joys” (and again it was consecrated by Filaret Drozdov). The funds for construction were provided by the famous manufacturer Evgraf Molchanov.

The architecture of the Trinity Church on Gryazekh reveals the trends of the Renaissance. This is a rectangular building, four-pillar, with low corner cells. It is crowned with a large squat dome and a bell tower over the western porch.

The exterior of the temple has rich decoration. The eastern and southern facades are decorated with pilaster porticoes with incredibly beautiful capitals. The frieze with lush floral patterns and the magnificent flies with an openwork pattern also attract attention. The semi-circular windows running through the building fit very harmoniously into its appearance. The main entrance from the street is interestingly designed - in the form of a small turret with a figured finish.

Church of the Holy Trinity on Gryazekh has an interesting feature regarding the interior decoration: its main limit is on the right, and the side one is in the center.

After the October Revolution, the monastery shared the difficult fate of most other Moscow churches. At first it was captured by the so-called “Gregorians”, and in 1930 the authorities closed it completely.

Until 1950, the building housed a granary, after which it became a cultural center. Unfortunately, the temple was radically rebuilt - it was divided into floors and many rooms, the domes and bell tower were demolished. At the northern limit there was a cinema and concert hall.

It existed in this form until 1979, when the building cracked, after which it was put into overhaul. However, recovery Church of the Holy Trinity, on Gryazekh began only in 1992, when it was finally transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church.

For the first time, the place where the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh now stands was mentioned in the annals of history back in the 16th century. Once upon a time, a wooden church was built there in honor of St. Basil the Great. In the 17th century they decided to cover it with stone, but in the mid-18th century the bell tower fell from a height and collapsed. This misfortune occurred due to the close proximity to the Rachka River, which flowed from the pond, which is now called Chisty.

The crustacean was crossing Pokrovskaya Street. In the spring or after prolonged rains, the river overflowed and turned the entire area into mud. That's why this area got its name.

Church warden

In 1812, when Moscow burned, the church was not damaged, but by the middle of the 19th century, the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh was unable to accommodate all the parishioners. Therefore, the head of the church, philanthropist and Evgraf Vladimirovich Molchanov, decided to rebuild it at his own expense.

Evgraf Molchanov was a major entrepreneur, owner of several textile and calico-printing factories in Moscow and the Moscow region. All his life, Evgraf Vladimirovich helped the poor, orphans, and his workers.

And so, to implement his plan and build the temple, he turns to the famous architect and his friend M. D. Bykovsky.

Renaissance

The Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh at the Pokrovsky Gate will soon take on a new look. On the western side of the church, the architect decides to erect a three-tier bell tower, which will be completed in 1870. The facade of the temple is made in a classical style,

In 1861, construction was completed. The Metropolitan of Moscow at that time was St. Philaret, who consecrated the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh - this is an amazing structure, since many interesting stories are associated with it. It is there that the miraculous icon with a touching story is kept.

Miraculous icon

The icon is called “The Holy Family”, and the author is the famous Italian artist Raphael. Even before the reconstruction of the temple, one pious artist brought it from Italy and gave it to his relative, who turned out to be the rector of the temple on Gryazekh. Some time later, after the artist’s death, the rector placed the icon on the porch of the church.

Forty years later, a miracle associated with the icon occurred. One woman’s husband was slandered and exiled to Siberia, and her property was returned to the treasury. And the only son was captured. The poor woman cried out to the Mother of God for help day and night. Then one day, while grieving and praying, she heard a voice telling her to find the icon of the Holy Family and pray in front of it. Fortunately, the woman finds the icon and prays with all zeal. After some time, the woman’s husband is rehabilitated, the home is given back to the owners, and the son returns from captivity.

The Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh becomes a place of pilgrimage for believers, and people give the icon the name “Three Joys.”

There is also an icon of the great Georgian ascetic in the temple. The life of the saint is written in the Cheti-Minea. They say that during the life of David of Gareji, the sorcerer priests, for a certain bribe, persuaded a certain girl to publicly disgrace the Christian preacher. The girl accused the saint of her pregnancy, then the man of God, holding out his staff and touching the girl’s belly, asked if he was the father of the child. To which from the womb everyone heard the voice “No.” Georgian women know this terrible story well, which is why they ask the saint for help in childbirth, giving a child, and so on.

In 1929, Moscow, or rather the Soviet government, decided to turn the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh into a granary, and starting in the mid-50s of the twentieth century, a club was opened there. After the events of 1991, the temple building again belongs to the church, it still operates today, the rector is Archpriest Ivan Kaleda.