Church of All Saints, Yekaterinburg

For the Church on Blood in Saint Petersburg, see Church of the Savior on Blood.
Church of All Saints
Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land
Храм-на-Крови́ во и́мя Всех святы́х, в земле́ Росси́йской просия́вших
56°50′40″N 60°36′35″E / 56.84444°N 60.60972°E / 56.84444; 60.60972Coordinates: 56°50′40″N 60°36′35″E / 56.84444°N 60.60972°E / 56.84444; 60.60972
Location Yekaterinburg
Country Russia
Denomination Russian Orthodox Church
Architecture
Status Chapel
Functional status Active (special occasions)
Museum
Architectural type Church
Style Byzantine Revival
Years built 2000-2003
Groundbreaking September 23, 1992
Administration
Diocese Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye

The Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land (Russian: Храм-на-Крови́ во и́мя Всех святы́х, в земле́ Росси́йской просия́вших) is a Russian Orthodox church built on the site of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, where Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, and several members of his family and household were shot by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. The church commemorates the Romanov sainthood.

Romanov execution

After the February Revolution, the former Tsar and his family were taken captive and held as prisoners during the Russian Civil War. Tsar Nicholas and his family were at first kept at the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo outside St. Petersburg. Alexander Kerensky, leader of the provisional government feared for their safety and moved them to the former Governor's mansion in Tobolsk. Later they were transferred to the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.

With the advance of the Czechoslovak Legion (fighting with the White Army against Bolsheviks) towards Yekaterinburg, fears of a potential attempt to liberate them grew, and the local Bolshevik leaders, after consulting with the leadership in Moscow, decided to execute the former imperial family. In the early hours of July 17, 1918, the former imperial family—Tsar Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Tatiana, Grand Duchess Maria, Grand Duchess Anastasia and Tsarevich Alexei—were taken to the basement of the Ipatiev House and were murdered by being shot and bayoneted.[1] Czechoslovak Legions captured the city less than a week later.

Ipatiev House

Main article: Ipatiev House

The Ipatiev House, built in the 1880s, was a spacious and modern residence owned by Nicholas Ipatiev.[2] The Ural Soviet gave him two days' notice to leave. Once the building was vacated, the Soviet built high wooden walls around the house.[2] First to arrive among the Romanovs were Nicholas, Alexandra Feodorovna and their daughter Maria. Later, they would be joined by Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia and Alexei. The Romanovs would be held prisoner in their final residence for 78 days. In 1974, the mansion was designated a "national monument"; but three years later on September 22, 1977, a team, under orders from the Soviet government and with the direction of Boris Yeltsin, demolished the house.

The church

Yekaterinburg's "Church on the Blood" built on the spot where the last Tsar and his family were executed.

On September 20 [O.S. September 7] 1990, the Sverdlovsk Soviet handed the plot to the Russian Orthodox Church for construction of a memorial chapel. After the former Tsar and his family's canonisation as Passion Bearers, the Church planned to build an impressive memorial complex dedicated to the Romanov family.[3] A state commission was gathered and architectural as well as funding plans were developed. Construction began in 2000.

The completed complex comprises two churches, a belfry, a patriarchal annex, and a museum dedicated to the former imperial family;[3] the altar of the main church is directly over the site of the Romanovs' execution. The complex covers a total of 29,700 square feet (2,760 m2).

On June 16 [O.S. June 3] 2003, 85 years after the execution of the former imperial family, the main church was consecrated by Metropolitan bishop Yuvenaly, delegated by Patriarch Alexy II who was too ill at the time to travel to Yekaterinburg,[4] assisted by Russian Orthodox clergy from all over the Russian Federation.[3] In 2003, President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder met in Yekaterinburg and visited the church.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Execution of Tsar Nicholas II, 1918
  2. 1 2 Ipatiev House - Romanov Memorial - Outside Tour
  3. 1 2 3 Byzantine Catholic Culture - The Church On The Blood Ekaterinburg
  4. ↑ BBC News, Church marks killing of Russian tsar
  5. ↑ President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder visited the Church-on-the-Blood of All the Saints that Shone in the Russian Land
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