St. Catherine's Armenian Church (russian: Армянская церковь Святой Екатерины, ''Armyanskaya tserkov Svyatoy Yekaterini''; hy, Սուրբ Կատարինե եկեղեցի, ''Surb Katarine yekeghetsi'') is an Armenian Apostolic church on

Nevsky Prospect Nevsky Prospect ( rus, Не́вский проспе́кт, r=Nevsky Prospekt, p=ˈnʲɛfskʲɪj prɐˈspʲɛkt) is the main street (high street) in the federal city of St. Petersburg in Russia. It takes its name from the Alexander Nevsky La ...

, in central

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, Russia. Built in the 1770s, it is one of the earliest Armenian churches in Russia.

History

Foundation

Private stables of Empress

Elizabeth of Russia Elizabeth Petrovna (russian: Елизаве́та (Елисаве́та) Петро́вна) (), also known as Yelisaveta or Elizaveta, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular List of ...

stood on its location in the mid-18th century, until it was granted to Petersburg Armenians on May 2, 1770 by Empress Catherine the Great, upon the request of her Armenian jeweler Ivan Lazarev. Its construction was primarily financed by Lazarev, who provided 30,000 rubles of the total 33,000. The church was designed by

Yury Felten Yury Matveyevich Felten (russian: Ю́рий Матве́евич Фе́льтен, german: Georg Friedrich Veldten) (1730–1801) was a Russian Imperial architect who served at the Empress's Catherine the Great court. Yury Felten was born Georg ...

and is an early example of Russian Classicism. Its construction began in the spring of 1771 and was completed in 1776. The church was consecrated on February 18, 1780 by Hovsep Arghutian (Prince Argutinsky-Dolgorukov), the archbishop of the Russian diocese of the Armenian church, in attendance of Prince

Grigory Potemkin Prince Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin-Tauricheski (, also , ;, rus, Князь Григо́рий Алекса́ндрович Потёмкин-Таври́ческий, Knjaz' Grigórij Aleksándrovich Potjómkin-Tavrícheskij, ɡrʲɪˈɡ ...

, the

favourite A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated s ...

of Catherine the Great. It is named after

Catherine of Alexandria Catherine of Alexandria (also spelled Katherine); grc-gre, ἡ Ἁγία Αἰκατερίνη ἡ Μεγαλομάρτυς ; ar, سانت كاترين; la, Catharina Alexandrina). is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, ...

, a namesake of the empress. Colored white and blue, it has a neoclassical portico and single cupola.

Later history

It became the center of Armenian cultural activity in the Russian imperial capital. The first Armenian publishing house in Russia functioned nearby. The church did not have bells until 1865, when Khristofo E. Lazarev received permission to install them. The church was completely renovated by the Russian-Armenian architect

Alexander Tamanian Alexander Tamanian (, March 4, 1878 – February 20, 1936) was a Russian-born Armenian neoclassical architect, well known for his work in the city of Yerevan. Life and work Tamanian was born in the city of Yekaterinodar in 1878 in the family ...

in 1906–09. The church was closed down by Soviet authorities no later than May 1930. During the Second World War, the building served as the headquarters of the anti-aircraft defense and later as a decoration room of the Leningrad Theater of Musical Comedy. The Armenian community regained ownership of the church in August 1992 and the first mass took place in March 1993. After thorough restoration, the church was reconsecrated on July 12, 2000 by

Karekin II Catholicos Karekin II ( hy, Գարեգին Բ, also spelled Garegin; born 21 August 1951) is the current Catholicos of All Armenians, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In 2013 he was unanimously elected the Oriental Orthodox he ...

, Catholicos of All Armenians, and

Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow Patriarch Alexy II (or Alexius II, russian: link=no, Патриарх Алексий II; secular name Aleksei Mikhailovich Ridiger russian: link=no, Алексе́й Миха́йлович Ри́дигер; 23 February 1929 – 5 December ...

. It was renovated again in 2014.

Gallery

File:Невский проспект (3).jpg File:St.Catherine Armenian church (St.Petersburg, Russia).JPG File:Armenian church of St. Catherine, Saint-Petersberg (1).JPG File:Armenian church of St. Catherine, interior (2), Saint-Petersberg.JPG

References

;Books * {{Contemporary Armenian Churches Nevsky Prospekt Churches in Saint Petersburg Churches completed in 1780 1780 establishments in the Russian Empire 1770 establishments in the Russian Empire Armenian Apostolic churches in Russia Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Saint Petersburg