On July 21, 2024, in the Week of the 4th Pentecost, the Feast of the Apparition of the Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God in the City of Kazan (1579), His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia arrived on a visit to the Tver Metropolis.
On the square in front of the reconstructed Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Tver, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was met by: the Governor of the Tver region, I.M. Rudenya; Metropolitan Amvrosy of Tver and Kashinsk; Priest Sergiy Budkov, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Tver Diocese, clergyman of the Transfiguration Cathedral of Tver. On the square lined up cadets of the Military Academy of Aerospace Defense named after Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov and students of the Tver Suvorov Military School of the Order of Honor.
Holy Vladyka proceeded to the cathedral, where he worshipped the relics of St. Prince Michael of Tver.
Afterwards, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed the rank of the great consecration of the reconstructed Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior and celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated church.
At the Liturgy, the bishop's chastening of archimandrite Savva (Lesnykh) became Bishop of Armavir and Labinsk. The newly ordained hierarch, elected to episcopal ministry by the decision of the Holy Synod of May 30, 2024 (Journal No. 48), became the ruling bishop of the Armavir Diocese (Kuban Metropolis).
His Holiness was served by: Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Amvrosy of Tver and Kashin; Metropolitan Vasily of Ekaterinodar and Kuban; Bishop Adrian of Rzhevsk and Toropets; Bishop Filaret of Bezhetsk and Udomel; Bishop German of Sochi and Tuapse; Bishop Stephan of Tikhorets and Korenovsk; Bishop Pavel of Yeisk and Timashevsk; Bishop Alexis of Ramensk, personal secretary of His Holiness. Patriarch Kirill; Archimandrite Boris (Tulupov), secretary of the Tver Eparchy, dean of bishops' wards, monasteries and wards of the eparchy, rector of the St. Nicholas Malitsky Monastery; Archpriest Evgeny Morkovin, dean of the Kimry church district, chairman of the Disciplinary Commission of the Tver Eparchy, rector of the cathedral in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Kimry; Hieromonk Misail (Sarafanov), assistant administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; and Archpriest Evgeny Morkovin, dean of the Kimry church district, chairman of the Disciplinary Commission of the Tver Eparchy, rector of the cathedral in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Kimry; Hieromonk Misail (Sarafanov), Assistant Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Priest Sergius Budkov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Tver Diocese, Clergy of the Transfiguration Cathedral; clergy of the Tver Metropolis.
The patriarchal service was attended by: the governor of the Tver region I.M. Rudenya; the head of the faction «United Russia» in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.A. Vasiliev; deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation S.A. Veremeenko and Yu. Efimov.
In the altar of the cathedral prayed retired Metropolitan Victor (Oleinik), who for 30 years (from 1988 to 2018) was a by the ruling bishop of the Tver diocese.
The service was also prayed for by Abbess of the Ascension Orshina Nunnery, Abbess Eupraxia (Inber); Abbess of the Catherine Nunnery of Tver. Vyshny Volochek, Abbess Sophia (Sukhova); Abbess of the St. Nicholas Klobukova Nunnery in Kashin, Abbess Varvara. Kashina hegumeness Varvara (Ivanova); volunteers-students from educational institutions of Tver and Tver region, representatives of Orthodox youth of the Tver diocese, teachers and students of the Tver Eparchial Orthodox secondary school in the name of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, teachers and students of the Orthodox kindergarten of St. Anna of Kashina in Tver. Tver, students of Sunday schools of parishes of the city, builders, benefactors, beautifiers and donors of the newly consecrated Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior.
The liturgical hymns were sung by the Bishop's Choir of the Tver Diocese under the baton of the artistic director and chief conductor of the Moscow Synodal Choir. A. Puzakov's choir and the Youth Choir of the Tver Diocese conducted by E. Pilyugaeva. Pilyugaeva.
The icon of the Mother of God «Humiliation» («Passion») of the XIII century was installed to the left of the royal gates, which was brought to the temple from the Kalyazin local history museum named after I.F. Nikolsky for a month for the worship of the faithful.
The service was broadcast live on the «Spas» and «Soyuz» TV channels, as well as on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarchy.ru. The broadcast was displayed on two large screens installed outside the cathedral.
At the Litany of Liturgy, special petitions were offered, and the Primate of the Russian Church read a prayer for Holy Russia.
The sermon before Communion was delivered by Archpriest Alexander Khomyak, the archpriest of the 4th Tver district, rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tver.
After the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill patronized Bishop Savva of Armavir and Labinsk for his ministry and presented him with the bishop's baton.
The newly ordained Bishop traditionally gave the faithful his first archpastoral blessing.
The glorification of the Kazan image of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated. The Mother of God.
Then Metropolitan Amvrosy of Tver and Kashin welcomed the Primate of the Russian Church and presented His Holiness with two panagia and a cross.
The Governor of the Tver region, I.M. Rudenya, addressed the audience. The head of the region handed over to His Holiness the icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord, painted by Tver icon painters.
Holy Patriarch Kirill addressed the faithful with Holy Patriarch's Imperial Word.
In recognition of his efforts to restore the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior of Tver, Metropolitan Amvrosy of Tver and Kashin was awarded the Order of Prince Daniel of Moscow, II degree. Also in gratitude for his labors for the good of the Holy Church, the Primate presented the head of the Tver Metropolitanate with a commemorative panagia and cross. As a gift to the community of the cathedral, His Holiness gave the icon of the Mother of God «Troeruchitsa».
Afterwards, Patriarchal awards were presented to other participants in the rebuilding of the cathedral. In attention to the assistance in the restoration of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior of Tver were awarded to:
- Governor of the Tver region I.M. Rudenya — Order of Prince Daniel of Moscow II degree;
- Deputy Mayor of Moscow in the Moscow City Government on economic issues V.V. Efimov — Order of the Noble Prince Daniel of Moscow, II degree; . Efimov — of the Order of Prince Daniel of Moscow, II degree;
- co-founder and member of the Supervisory Board of PJSC «Sovcombank» M.V. Klyukin — Order of the Noble Prince Daniel of Moscow, 3rd degree;
- Director of the group of companies «Agropromkomplektatsiya» S.A. Novikov — Order of St. Innokenty, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, III degree;
- founder of LLC «Coral» A.S. Smirnov — Patriarchal sign of the temple builder;
- Advisor to the Governor of the Tver region V.I. Babichev — Patriarchal sign of the temple builder;
- general director «Vasta Discovery» S.V. Bachin — Patriarchal sign of the temple builder;
- the head of the city of Tver A.V. Ogonykov — Patriarchal diploma;
- director of LLC «Combinat of wooden constructions» V.V. Gusev — Patriarchal Diploma;
- chief architect of the construction of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Tver, director of OOO AC «Artis» V.B. Mikryukov — Patriarchal Diploma;
- Manager of the Tver Regional Charitable Foundation «Sobor», Director of LLC «Parko Engineering» P.A. Paramonov — Patriarchal Diploma;
- General Director of LLC «Law Office «Sobolev & Partners»» G.Z. Sobolev — Patriarchal Diploma;
- general director design studio «Nika» A.S. Nikiforov — Patriarchal Diploma.
Also in attention to the work to restore the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior of Tver were awarded:
- priest Sergius Budkov — Patriarchal diploma;
- Treasurer of the Transfiguration of the Savior Cathedral of Tver Deacon John Zorin — with the Patriarchal Diploma.
All participants of the service were given icons of St. Michael of Tver and St. Anna of Kashinsk with Patriarchal blessing.
After the service, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the governor of the Tver region, I.M. Rudeney, in the building of the diocesan administration of the Tver diocese.
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The Tver Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior was founded in 1285 by the Holy Prince Michael Yaroslavich. It was consecrated in 1290 and is considered to be the first stone church erected in Northeast Russia after the Mongol invasion. It became a traditional place of wedding of Tver rulers, a resting place of princes, princesses and bishops.
In the XIV century the church had three thrones (Transfiguration, Vvedensky and St. Demetrius). Large-scale renovation took place under Bishop Theodore II the Good and Prince Michael Alexandrovich. At the end of the fourteenth century. The dome was covered with gold (hence the name «Spas Zlatoverkhiy»). The cathedral regularly suffered from fires and ruins (1328, 1537, the beginning of the XVII century, 1636, 1661 and others).
In 1634-1635 with the support of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich a major overhaul was carried out, but at the end of the XVII century it was necessary to rebuild the temple. The five-domed cathedral was erected in 1689-1696 at the expense of Archbishop Sergius (Veltakhov). The temple had three altars: Transfiguration, Vvedensky and Mikhailovsky (the last one was abolished in 1715-1716 and turned into the sacristy). In 1740-1760s a three-tiered bell tower was erected with the church of St. John the Grace (later abolished).
In 1844-1847 the cathedral became «warm». In the middle of the XIX century there was a new porch, on the bell tower new clock and a bell of 1025 poods. In 1903 a floor with sacristy was added over the porch, after that the side chapel of St. Blessed Prince Michael of Tver was restored. In memory of the murder of Governor P.A. Sleptsov near the cathedral erected a chapel in honor of All Tver Saints (1913).
The temple was visited by almost all Russian sovereigns and members of the imperial family: Catherine II, Nicholas I, Alexander II and others. Since 1906 the outstanding conductor and composer A.V. Alexandrov lived in Tver, who was the regent of the cathedral for more than 10 years.
In 1923-1932 the church was in the hands of the Renewalists, after which it was closed. On the night from 3 to 4 April 1935 the church was blown up; the Cathedral Square was turned into a square with a sculptural composition «Lenin and Stalin in Gorki» (1937) and renamed into the Revolution Square (1941). During the occupation German invaders set up a cemetery here. In 1955 a monument to M.I. Kalinin was erected on the square.
In 1992 archaeological excavations were conducted to determine the degree of preservation of the remains of the temple and clarify their localization. In 1999 on the site of the former altar installed a cross, next to it in 2002. — a memorial stone. In 2003 the charitable foundation «Sobor» was registered. In 2007-2008 a chapel in honor of All Tver saints was built, and in 2010 the square was returned to its historical name. In 2012-2014 the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences carried out the research of the square. The Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted large-scale archaeological excavations, after which the reconstruction of the temple began. On May 15, 2015 Metropolitan Victor (Oleinik) performed the rite of laying the cathedral, and on December 5, 2018 the first Liturgy was celebrated in it. In 2018-2019, excavations continued, and in January 2019 the foundation of the bell tower was laid. In 2019 the domes and crosses were installed on the church, in November 2023 the iconostasis appeared, and on December 5, 2023 the monument to the first Tver bishop St. Simeon blessing St. Blessed Prince Michael of Tver for the construction was unveiled in front of the cathedral On the night from May 4 to May 5, 2024 in the cathedral the first Easter liturgy after a century break took place. On June 12, 2024 a part of the relics of St. Blessed Prince Michael of Tver was solemnly transferred to the cathedral church. The ark with the relics of the saint was returned to the Tver region by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on December 4, 2018; Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
