The Church Of STS. Faith, Hope, love and Sophia Photo: Church Of STS. Faith, Hope, love and Sophia

By the beginning of 90-ies of the 20th century in Klaipeda there was only one Orthodox Church built in 1947. The idea of building a new temple already existed, but the real opportunities for the enjoyment she had.

The beginning of the 90-ies can be characterized by the powerful flow of a large number of people in churches; a considerable number of people were baptized. For these reasons, the Klaipeda Church hardly accommodate all those wishing to listen to the Sunday Liturgy. One of the regular parishioners of the Church became a family thing Artamonova: husband Vladimir was a school principal and my wife is a teacher in drawing at school.

When the school released a few areas, Vladimir Artamonov invited the clergy to arrange a House of prayer. The extension was for the narthex, as well as a place to practice in Sunday school, and the city authorities have consented to the improvement of Houses of prayer.

For the reconstruction of the old buildings took a lot of effort: it was necessary to equip a separate entrance to the temple, change the shape of Windows and separate rooms for prayer and learning from each other. Already in the process of building a new House of prayer, people began to come to school and help with the construction work, in addition, during the construction of the temple began to occur and the first service held in uncomfortable conditions, but believers that never stopped.

The walls of the temple were painted by artist Valery Sysnum, residing at the time in Klaipeda. It was a very hard-working man, after just a year he painted all the walls of the temple, which differed artistic freedom and purity of lines. After making the walls Archbishop Chrysostomos began to prepare the room for the lighting: it was found the altar dais and the iconostasis.

The Church in the name of the Holy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia in 1995 was lit Klaipeda Archimandrite Antony. The name of the Church was not chosen by chance, because of the virgin, suffered for the faith in Christ, are regarded as the patrons of the Church's Ministry to children.

In the internal arrangement of the school participated and the teachers. Christian schools could not fail to affect the learning process in many schools and secondary schools of Klaipeda, which began to teach the basics of religion. After some time, the school was named in honor of St. Andrei Rublev, which was the 15th-century icon painter. This event is closely tied school with Orthodoxy.

An important event that occurred in the school named after Andrei Rublev, was raised to the rank of priest Vladimir Artamonov Lithuania and the Vilna Metropolitan Chrysostomos, Artamonov and remained Director of the school. It was the only precedent in the Vilnius Orthodox Church, when secular the duties of a clergyman. The school appeared iconography, headed by the Director and three of the school's students enrolled in NSTU – icon-branch.

The new parish there are people who are seriously engaged in the publication of literature socio-religious trends. Parish "Herald" has published the first issue in 1996, which were consecrated questions of Church life. And in 1999, the parish has published a book "I will Not leave you as orphans" written on the ideas of father of Pontius Rupysheva, who served in the Lithuanian and in the diocese of Vilnius.

When the Church became a Sunday school, which taught the basics of worship in churches and Orthodoxy. Now the school also hosts such classes for groups of people with different levels of preparation. Classes taught: history of the Church, the Law of God, theatrical skills and Church singing. Young people make the performances that show parents who are involved in theological contests on holidays.

In spring 2004, Vladimir Artamonov held a drawing contest for children "Slavic spring" devoted to the apostles Cyril and Methodius. This competition received a huge amount of work, and now the forum is conducted annually.

Thanks Vladimir O. Artamonova in Lithuania became famous and popular Penza architect Dmitry Borunov, because in his project to build a lot of Russian Orthodox churches.

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