Temple of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God at the Smolensk Cemetery in St. Petersburg

According to Legend, the Smolensk image of the Most Holy Theotokos is a copy made from the icon created by the Apostle and Evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Ever-Virgin Mary. In honor of this icon, glorified by many miracles, a historic church was consecrated at the Smolensk cemetery in the northern capital of Russia.
A temple in the style of Russian classicism, designed by the architect A.A. Ivanova was founded in 1786 and took five years to build. Church tradition says that during the construction of the church, the stones on the bell tower under construction at night helped to wear the blessed Xenia of Petersburg. The temple with a dome, an elongated meal, a bell tower in two tiers and a spire, in addition to the main one, had a side chapel in the name of the Apostle John the Theologian. In the iconostasis of the main chapel was placed a list of the miraculous Smolensk Icon of the Lady, created by Professor I.A. Akimov.
During the 19th century, the appearance of the church at the Smolenskoye cemetery changed more than once. In particular, the Theological side-chapel was rebuilt, an extension appeared on the north side of the vestibule, on the west - the porch and, on the south - the sacristy and Ilyinsky chapel; one tier was also added to the bell tower. At the very end of the same century, the church was supplemented with chapels in the name of Basil the Confessor and John the Baptist, and the interior of the Theological and Ilyinsky chapels was radically renewed.
Only in 1940 was the Smolensk Church closed by the godless government. However, already in 1946, divine services in the church were resumed, each time gathering many believers from the townspeople.
Today the church has three side-chapels: the main one - in honor of the icon of the Mother of God 'Smolenskaya', the northern one - the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos 'It is worthy' or 'Merciful' and the southern one - in the name of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg. In addition to them, the temple also has a Christmas side-altar, which does not have a separate altar. In the Smolensk Church there are many old icons painted in the 18th-19th centuries. The under-dome part of the church was painted by the artist V.V. Vasiliev; Among the gospel stories presented here are scenes of the resurrection of Lazarus the Four-Day, the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain.

You can write a letter to God or light a candle in the temple .