Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross (Kolomna)
3 Isaeva Street, the Kremlin, Kolomna.
The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross appeared at one of the most ancient places of the Kolomna Kremlin becoming populated as late as the pre-Mongol times. The Church and the Pyatnitskiye Gates of the Kremlin is a single spiritual complex. Through this area on the bank of the Moscow River, where earth walls of the wooden fortress rose, a road ran and led to a grand-ducal palace.
In 1380, Saint Dmitry Donskoy entered Kolomna through the Pyatnitskiye Gates before departing for the Battle of Kulikovo.
There is a beautiful legend that a church, situated there once, disappeared under ground together with a priest and people praying when invaders, adherent to a different faith, broke into the city. People say that even today you may still hear underground bells tolling and a liturgy service going on since then if you press your ear to the ground.
A wooden Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross with a side chapel dedicated to SS. Florus and Laurus has been known since the 15th century. By the end of the century, it became desolate, due to pest epidemic, and church services were suspended for some time.
The fortress repeatedly burned during the invasions and fires that frequently happened in the wooden town. The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross suffered the same fate. One of the fires destroyed the side chapel of SS. Florus and Laurus. However, the main church had been always reconstructed.
From 1760 to 1764, a stone two-storey church with a bell tower was constructed instead of the wooden building. Bishop Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of Kolomna was a church builder. An ancient altar dedicated to St. Nicholas was moved from the abolished Church of St. Nicholas (1513) and arranged in the upper church. A church's icon copied from the Icon of St. Nicholas and dated back to the same year was also moved in the Church.
In the late 18th century, the Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross was renovated with support from a very rich Kolomna merchant Ivan Meshchaninov.
From 1790 to 1825, a revered copy of the Our Lady of the Don Icon from the Pyatnitskiye Gates (the 16th century) was kept in the Church. It was moved there by order of the diocesan administration for safekeeping reasons. However, Kolomna citizens desired the shrine would be brought back. After the Gates were reconstructed, and a reliable case was made for the icon, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow and Kolomna ordered to return it.
From 1832 to 1837, the Church was reconstructed with support from the sisters Maria Sharapova and Neonila Kolesnikova, wives of Kolomna merchants.
The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross is one of the brightest examples of Kolomna Empire style. The rectangular volume is decorated with side four-column Ionic galleries. A massive rotunda rises above them. There is an upper side chapel with an altar dedicated to St. Nicholas. The belfry is connected with the Church by a porch featuring one entrance. Once, the Church was painted. Fragments of the wall painting have survived on the first floor only.
In August 1837, the Church was consecrated by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow and Kolomna. Being situated in the old town of Kolomna, the Church has never been a parish. Its clergymen were paid by Grand Duke and later by the government. In the mid-19th century, church services were held by clerics of the Assumption Cathedral supervising the Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.
In the 1920s, the Church arranged its own parish where monks, expelled from the Holy Trinity Novo-Golutvin Monastery, served. In the 1930s, all of them were arrested. Their destiny is unknown. The Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross was the last church of the Kolomna Kremlin which was shut down in the 1930s.
After it was closed, a disabled people's cooperative occupied the building. Almost all holy vessels were lost. The domes and the upper tiers of the bell tower were destroyed. In the 1980s, a workshop and a warehouse of Kolomna Museum of Regional Studies situated there.
In 1994, the Church was handed back to believers.
On the Third Week of Lent of 1996, the Church hosted its first Divine Liturgy. Isographs painted a new two-tiered icon stand in accordance with a mediaeval technology. Ancient icons were handed over to the Church. Many professional artists are given guidance in the Community of the Elevation of the Cross. Pilgrimage is being actively developed in the Church.
In 2000, the Church was fully restored. In 2006, a new two-tiered icons stand in the main side chapel was gilded.
On 16 December 2004, the first Divine Liturgy was held in the side chapel of St. Nicholas. By that time, an icon stand was made and icons were painted there.
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