Temple of the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign". Temple of the Signs in Khovrino: history, schedule of divine services, photo

At the end of the 14th century, when the victory in Kulikovo Field was still fresh in memory and the terrible invasion of Tokhtamysh Khan that followed two years later, the merchant Stephen of Sourozh appeared in Moscow, whose nickname, which soon became a surname, was Comra. In his descendants, it changed to Khovra and gave the name to their patrimonial patrimony - the same area where the Temple of the Sign in Khovrino is now.

The first two churches in the family manor house

The first testimony to the piety of the descendants of Stephen Khovra - the mention of the construction of a wooden church in the patrimonial lands in the name of the holy Great Martyr George - dates back to the end of the 16th century. However, she was not destined to stand for long. In the Time of Troubles, the church was burned by apostates who exchanged the faith of the fathers for the Latin heresy.

Restored Pogorelitsa only three decades later, and at the very end of the XVII century another church was built next to it, wooden, but larger, and its main chapel in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" was consecrated. She was destined to stand until 1740, when the owner of the estate Count N. Golovin in a fit of piety ordered the replacement of a wooden, very dilapidated by that time the construction of stone. So in its place appeared a new Temple of the Sign in Khovrino.

The pious deed of Count Golovin

For more than a hundred years, there have served in it massacres, baptized infants and burial services for those who have come to the end of their earthly journey. Finally, in 1860, the new owner of the estate, the outward counselor EI Molchanov, as well as his predecessor, Count Golovin, wished to save a soul and the forgiveness of sins to make a major donation for the benefit of the Orthodox Church. He conceived and soon completed another reconstruction of the temple.

The out-of-court adviser commissioned the development of the project and the conduct of the work to the famous Moscow architect Konstantin Mikhailovich Bykovsky, who, by his order, was already working on erecting the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pokrovsky Gate. The Temple of the Sign of the Mother of God in Khovrino became the pinnacle of his work. Despite the periodically arising technical difficulties, the construction was carried out at a rather rapid pace. The temple, founded in 1868, was completed in two years, and in 1871 it was consecrated. The services in it were conducted splendidly and decently until 1917.

Time of spiritual darkness

After the October coup, the Temple of the Sign in Khovrino fully experienced the misfortunes that fell to the share of the Russian Orthodox Church. The owners of the manor in whose territory it was located were expelled, and their plot was handed over to the agricultural community. Since this time, endless litigation has begun with the new owners of the land, then with the railwaymen of the station Khovrino. Both those and others demanded to close the temple under various pretexts. "The God-Bearing People," who believed in the Marxist-Leninist heresy, he was not needed.

There is also a series of repressions against clergymen, as well as the most active parishioners. Many of them were shot or exiled to camps. In this difficult time, the misfortune touched all Moscow churches. The exception was the temple of the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" in Khovrino. The schedule of services in those years was not observed only because there was simply no one to serve. The parish priests accept the martyr's crown: K. Vinogradov, N. Kasatkin, who was replaced by Archimandrite Chudova of the monastery Ambrose (Astakhov) and a number of other martyrs for the faith.

Ruin of the Temple

If before the service in the temple at least periodically, but committed, then in 1939 issued a decree on its closure. Remained the memories of Moscow old-timers about how ruthlessly demolished domes and belfries, broke high reliefs and burned icons. From the fire, it was possible to save miraculously only three images - the Savior, the Blessed Virgin and Nicholas the Miracle-Worker. This is all that remains of the old church splendor.

The acacia bushes, which created a hedge around the temple, were cut down, replaced by a gray wooden fence. Inside the building there were built production workshops, a paved mosaic floor with asphalt and covered with blue oil paint marble walls. Later the former Temple of the Sign in Khovrino was again converted, turning this time into a garage of one of the state institutions.

Start of adjustment

In the second half of the eighties the process of comprehensive liberalization began in the country, which very originally affected the Temple of the Sign in Khovrino. The schedule of the evenings of the disco arranged inside it is the only thing that has brought the church building perestroika. Another blasphemy was initiated by the local district committee of the Komsomol, which by that time had not yet been dispersed.

But gradually everything fell into place. Following the Biblical wisdom, the times to "throw stones" were replaced by a period when they were to be collected, and since many years of general atheism were scattered a lot, then the work was to be great. In 1991, the temple was returned to the faithful, and the process of its restoration began. The new abbot Father George (Polozov) had to lift the building literally from the ruins.

Works on the restoration of the temple

For five years, with money collected by the parishioners, it was possible to re-lay the mosaic of the floor, once destroyed by asphalt, and recreate the former appearance of the walls. After years of separation, three holy images returned to their original place, which they managed to save from the fire when the temple was ruined in 1939. There were also new icons, donated by other churches and simple pilgrims.

Special works worth the restoration of the central dome and high relief, which once famous for the temple. For their manufacture, the best specialists of the capital were attracted. They also built four belfries, accurately reproducing the look of their originals. Completely to free the building from the forests was possible in 2005.

Related work

In addition to all of the above, a new spacious brick house was built for the parable, and the whole complex was surrounded by an openwork metal fence. The territory given to the temple by the city authorities is small, it does not exceed half a hectare, but it was necessary to place several more buildings without which the modern parish can not do without.

Today's temple life

With the completion of the main part of the restoration work, regular worship services resumed. The schedule of services in the temple "Znameniye" in Khovrino testifies that they are conducted in full volume, stipulated by the church charter.

On Sundays and holidays: early liturgy at 7:00, late at 10:00; Vespers, matins at 17:00.

On weekdays: Liturgy at 8:00, Vespers, Matins at 17:00.

The exception is only March 13, 2016 - the heading for Lent. On this day at 16:00 the rank of forgiveness will be perfected.

In addition, the parish organizes Sunday school children's classes, as well as regular conversations with adults, especially those who are just beginning their churching and preparing for the sacrament of holy baptism.

In the Kaluga region, the parish was given a significant territory (with an area of forty-seven hectares) for conducting subsidiary farming. At present, extensive and systematic work is under way to develop this land, which in the end should allow solving the problem of material independence, which is so acute in most communities.

Pilgrimage trips to the holy places of Central Russia are regularly organized in the church. Their list is very extensive. For more complete and comprehensive familiarization of the participants of the trips with the objects located on the bus route, professional guides from various travel companies are invited. Today the temple of the icon of the Mother of God "Sign" (ROC), completely restored after a period of its desolation, actively joined all spheres of the spiritual life of Russia.