The Church of John Chrysostom in Yaroslavl

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today I will tell you about the church of John Chrysostom.

An amazing ensemble of churches flaunts on the banks of the Volga River, striking passing ships with harmony of silhouettes and shining tiles. These churches are a little away from the center of Yaroslavl, in the former Korovnitskaya Sloboda, but the time spent on the road will be repaid a hundredfold: you will enjoy the silence and harmony and feel the breath of eternity.

The architectural ensemble on the Volga consists of the Church of John Chrysostom, the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, the high bell tower and the Holy Gate. The windows of the temples seem to peer into the Volga distance. Ancient architects built them, counting on near and far perception: silhouettes are beautiful from afar, details are charming near.

The Church of John Chrysostom (1649-1654) is a monument of world significance, an invaluable gem of Yaroslavl architecture. It has a harmonious appearance and tiles of amazing beauty. To the five chapters of emerald green color adjoin small tents. The tent shape of the roof is very convenient for Russian winter: snow falls from the tent itself, which is why the tent in Russia was so often used, first wooden, then stone. The spirit of rebellion emanates from these tents of Zlatoustin, and I will try to explain why. The year of completion of the construction of the church is 1654, this year Patriarch Nikon bans tents, seeking to return the Byzantine appearance to Russian churches. Byzantium didn't know the tent. The tent was created in the Russian north by Russian masters of wooden architecture. Initially, tents towered above the battle towers, tents were decorated with high, elegant towers. And suddenly in 1654 - a sudden ban! From now on, tents could only be decorated with bell towers, and for tents over the church it was possible to get a severe punishment and please the Solovetsky Islands. Despite everything, the Yaroslavl architect completes his plan, and puts two magnificent tents next to the chapters.

The church of John Chrysostom has its own mysteries. If a smooth line mentally connect the crosses and roofs of the wings of the temple, you get a silhouette that repeats the shape of the central dome. This feature is not striking, it may not be noticed, but it creates an amazing harmony and exceptional harmony of the monument. On three sides the temple is surrounded by porches. They are elegant and original, with high gable roofs, with bright irrigation tiles, with carved stone weights.

All porches are equal in height. From the eastern side of the porch we will not see (on the holy side there are always semicircles of the apse, and in the central apse there is the altar of the church), but there is a horse above the tiles, equal in height to the porches, which also creates harmony, integrity, beauty of the ancient Russian masterpiece. The horse also gives special expressiveness to the tiles of the altar apse. This tiles are not simple, amazing! It is decorated with a rich vegetable pattern, subtly intertwined branches of unusual plants. The height of the tiles is eight meters, and the width is five, this is the largest tiled casing in Russia.

Elegantly decorated with tiles and completing corner columns. There are few tiles in the decorative decoration, but they are selected very exquisitely, which indicates the exceptional taste of the ancient Russian architect - the creator of the church of John Chrysostom. And throughout the church there is an elusive charm that willy-nilly fascinates.

The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was built later - in 1669. It is lower and more modest than the Church of John Chrysostom, but plays a very important role: the church was winter, heated, there parishioners came to pray in snowy blizzards, on frosty days. Of course, it is also impressive in size, so only the lower floor was heated, and the upper was used as an attic. I think the parishioners went to the winter church with great reverence, because the church was built in honor of the great Russian Shrine - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. This icon in Russia was very revered and many lists were written from it. There was a similar list in this temple. The original image according to legend was written by the evangelist Luke on a board from the table, behind which the Savior sat with the All-Pure Mother of God.

This soulful image has repeatedly saved Russia and the lives of Russian people. At all times it remained untouchable to the flames of fires, the guns of enemies, the riots of the elements.

For example, during the campaign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgars in 1164, the image of the “Holy Virgin of Vladimir” helped Russian soldiers to win over their enemies. The icon miraculously escaped during a terrible fire in 1185, when the Vladimir Cathedral burned down, and in 1237 remained unharmed during the ruin of Vladimir by Batu Khan.

In 1395, the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary was transferred to Moscow. What fateful events happened at that time? Tamerlane with an army invades the boundaries of Ryazan and ruins it and goes to Moscow, on the way betraying everything to fire and sword. Moscow Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich gathers troops and sends them to Kolomna, and in Moscow itself Metropolitan Kyprian blesses the Moscow people for fasting and prayerful repentance. On mutual advice, the prince and the metropolitan decide to turn to spiritual weapons and transfer from Vladimir to Moscow the miraculous icon of the Most Pure Mother of God.

People with excitement bring the icon to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. And then amazing things happen.

According to the chronicle, Tamerlane, standing in one place for two weeks, suddenly frightened, turned south and came out of Moscow. A great miracle happened: during the procession with the miraculous icon, when countless people kneeled on both sides of the road and prayed: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!”, Tamerlane had a vision. Before his mental gaze appeared a high mountain, from the top of which the saints descended with golden rods, and above them in radiant radiance appeared the Majestic Woman. She told him to leave the borders of Russia. When Tamerlane woke up, he asked about the meaning of the vision. He was told that the shining Woman was the Mother of God, the great Defender of Christians. Tamerlane ordered the regiments to return.

That's the story. What made Tamerlane turn his troops? What unknown force stopped him is unknown.

And this case was not the only one in the history of Russia. The second time the Virgin saved Russia from ruin in 1480, when the army of the Golden Horde Khan Akhmat approached Moscow.

The meeting of the Tatars with the Russian army took place near the Ugra River (you have probably heard of such a historical event as “standing on the Ugra”): the troops stood on different banks and waited for the beginning of the battle. In the front rows of the Russian army, the soldiers held the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, which miraculously turned the Horde regiments into flight. The Russian troops were strong at that decisive moment, and the spirit of the soldiers was strong.

The icon itself is unusually lyrical: The Mother of God gently presses the baby to her, touching his cheek with her cheek. This type of icon is known as “Tendering” and evokes a special response in the hearts of Russian people.

This amazing image is dedicated to many churches in the cities of our vast Russia. Yaroslavl is no exception. The Church of Our Lady of Vladimir is perfectly combined with the Church of John Chrysostom, and between them are the Holy Gate, the entrance to the temple complex.

The Holy Gate is low, multi-tiered, modestly decorated with tiles. Above the arch, in the second tier before hung a bell, he called Slobozhen to the beginning of the service. The bells rang happily at the bell tower. The bell tower of the Zlatoustinsky temple soared high and, as it were, is proud of its slimness. It has a special poetic name – “Yaroslavl candle”. Sometimes in the summer the entrance to the bell tower is open, you can climb to the upper tier, from where the Yaroslavl Arrow is visible as if in the palm of your hand: the mighty and majestic Assumption Cathedral, the elegant and refined Church of Nikola the Rubbed City, the squat and expressive Church of the Savior-on-the-City and the high red-brick Church of Michael the Archangel. All of them are separated from each other at equal distances, which creates a unique image of the city of Yaroslavl, such that you will not confuse it with any other city.