8 July 2018 at the conclusion of his primatial visit to Murom diocese of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill performed the rite of consecration of the laying of the Foundation stone of the Nativity Cathedral in the city of Murom, reports patriarhiei.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church concelebrated with Metropolitan Vladimir and Suzdal Eulogius, the head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archbishop Sergius of Solnechnogorsk, Bishop of Murom and vyaznikovskiy Neal.
The inscription on the Foundation stone reads: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy spirit, osnovana this Cathedral in honor and memory of the Nativity of the blessed lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, Holy Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill, under the Bishop of Murom and Vyaznikky the Nile during the summer from Christmas 2018 the month of July, 8 days.”
The service was attended by Plenipotentiary representative of Russian Federation President in Central Federal district Igor Shchegolev, Vladimir region Governor Svetlana Orlova, the head of district Moore E. E. Rychkov, regional leaders and heads of administrations of districts of the Vladimir region.
The liturgical chants were performed by the choir of the Annunciation monastery in Murom under the management of O. A. Yakovishin.
After the service, Patriarch Kirill addressed with the word to the participants:
“All of you, dear Vladyka, fathers, brethren and sisters, I sincerely congratulate you on the significant event — the laying of the Cathedral in Murom.
God grant that the temple was built in blagovremeno and the place around the Cathedral acquired. Always the cathedrals were the center of the city. Now in the center of the ancient city to build the Cathedral impossible. But the construction of the Cathedral outside the centre should encourage the city government and of all on whom it depends, thus to equip the space around the Cathedral, so it became a new spiritual and cultural center of the city. God grant it to be so, and that shone with its domes of this wonderful Cathedral of the Nativity of the blessed virgin on the ancient Orthodox Murom land.
God bless you!”
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Bogoroditse-Rozhdestvensky Cathedral is the main Orthodox temple of city of Murom, which was on top of the Provincial mountain over the river Oka. The exact time of Foundation of the Cathedral is unknown. The existence of Murom stone temples before the XVI century did not have accurate information. Nevertheless, it is believed that the first Cathedral of the Nativity of the virgin was built in stone in the early XIII century. In the Cathedral rested the relics of Murom miracle workers Peter and Fevronia.
When Grand Prince Ivan III in 1458,the Cathedral was resumed. In the XVI century in the temple several times and prayed the first Russian Tsar Ivan the terrible.
In the Peter and Paul chapel, was entombed the relics of Murom miracle workers Peter and Fevronia. There are photographs of massive cypress crayfish, made for relics in 1797. Next to the Church was a wooden Church of Peter and Fevronia. At the end of XVIII century it was dismantled to make way for the construction of a three-tiered bell tower. At the bell tower, there was a warm Saviour Church and arranged in 1814 a chapel in honour of the Murom icon of the Mother of God.
After the revolution the Cathedral was sacked, part of ancient icons and utensils were transferred to the local Museum, as well as the relics of Peter and Fevronia. In 1924, the Cathedral was closed, and ten years later it was handed over to the military authorities. Before the temple was arranged in the football field, the bell tower was adapted into a locker room for athletes. In 1939 began to dismantle the walls of the temple. The bell tower has stood for some years longer, as it was used as a fire watchtower.
In April 2018 the Bishop of Murom and vyaznikovskiy Neil and the head of district Moore E. E. Rychkov signed a Treaty on the transfer of land at Karacharovsky highway under construction of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God. The project of the temple complex was made diocesan architect A. N. Trofimov.
The Cathedral can accommodate 1000 people. In the temple complex includes the Cathedral, bell tower, Church house, fence with towers and gates, vodosvyatnaya chapel.