Church of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk Photo: Church of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk

Church of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk is the Church, is notable primarily because it was built in record time: just over a year. In the early 19th century it was decided to build at Vilnius Church cemetery. May 9, 1937, Archbishop of Polotsk and Vilensky Smaragdus blessed the construction of the temple. The local cemetery, where the temple was being built, was under the jurisdiction of the Church.

Money for the construction were collected from voluntary donations of the parishioners, residents and patrons. Among voluntary donors was known merchant and Tikhon hares. He first donated the cemetery and the construction of 4,000 rubles. With his light hand in a short time were collected from the other residents of 8000 rubles. It was then and it was decided to begin construction of the cemetery Church. Subsequently, after the death of Tikhon Zaitsev in 1843, it was announced the will, under which were built alms-house and administrative building. The wife of the benefactor has built on the resting place of her husband the tomb-chapel. In the summer of 1838 the building was completed and the Church was consecrated.

In 1914 the tomb was repaired and expanded. It was consecrated as a Church in honor of the Wonderworker of Zadonsk, St. Tikhon of Voronezh. The ritual of consecration was conducted by Archbishop Tikhon, who later became the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. He is now canonized.

In 1848 when the ward was built alms-house, where they found shelter and food to the beggars and the maimed. The premises were designed for 12 people. Almshouse existed do, when the Church property was nationalized.

In 1865, through the efforts of brothers Anythinig the Church was rebuilt. In gratitude for the good works of the brethren, inside the Church was posthumously a monument in their honor. He survived and is still inside the Church. This marble pedestal in the form of a lectern, lined in the upper part of the Florentine mosaic depicting St George cross. In marble, glass case above the lectern is the icon of St. Theodore Stratelates. In 1881 was built a stone Church narthex. Thanks to the donations of the merchant of Jurkevich, inside the Church were built two furnaces tiled.

Cemetery and cemetery Church of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk, were attached to the Nikolaev Cathedral. In 1896, the decree of the Holy Synod of the Church of St. Euphrosyne was appointed as an independent clergy.

In 1904, just entered service, the first rector of the Church father Alexander Karasev decided to renovate the Church. Inside the premises were rebuilt, the dome and vaults, altars were built, the sacristy, the bell tower. In the main altar was installed a new iconostasis. After repairing the consecration of the Church took place with the participation of Archbishop Nikandr. In the period between 1923 and 1937 years the temple was merged with Novo-Secular of St. Alexander's parish.

During the wars and revolutions that occurred in the first half of the 20th century, the Church suffered greatly. During this period her twice was restored in 1935 and 1957. In 1948, the cemetery was nationalized, and the temple was just a parish unit.

Today the interior of the Church is to a great extent the merit of the rector Leonid Gaidukevich, who served in the Church in the period between 1973 and 1976. He did repair, attracted artists who painted the dome and the altar, wrote a new wall icons.

The Church consists of a main body, round in plan. Over high walls is wide spherical dome with a cross. The entrance to the Church is via a stone porch, adjacent to the Church. The porch has three tiers and ends with a domed cupola with a cross. The first two tiers of square, with arched Windows, framed by moldings around the perimeter, to the edge of the facades. The third tier is cylindrical, like a smaller copy of the main part of the Church. The temple walls are painted in dark beige color under dark brown domes.

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