The Transfiguration (Ratnaya) Church () ― one of the architectural landmarks of the
stanitsa
A stanitsa or stanitza ( ; ), also spelled stanycia ( ) or stanica ( ), was a historical administrative unit of a Cossack host, a type of Cossack polity that existed in the Russian Empire.
Etymology
The Russian word is the diminutive of the word ...
of
Starocherkasskaya
Starocherkasskaya (), formerly Cherkassk (), is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, rural locality (a ''stanitsa'') in Aksaysky District of Rostov Oblast, Russia, with origins dating from the late 16th century. It is located on the right ...
,
Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast ( rus, Росто́вская о́бласть, r=Rostovskaya oblastʹ, p=rɐˈstofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the Southern Federal District. The oblast ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. It is the first stone church in Starocherkassk ever built. This church was also the second oldest temple in the stanitsa. It was constructed on the site of the burnt wooden Church of
St. Elijah by the same Moscow masters that built the bell tower of the Resurrection Cathedral.
History
The Transfiguration Church is situated next to military cemetery that was established in 17th-20th centuries. The second name of the church ― Ratnaya, is linked to Ratny tract, which had long been a place of Cossack armies' assemble. According to historical sources it is known that in 1673 in the hills just north to Cherkassk there was built a town with a population of about 6,000 people. The reason for establishment of the settlement was the alliance of
Don Cossacks
Don Cossacks (, ) or Donians (, ), are Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don River (Russia), Don. Historically, they lived within the former Don Cossack Host (, ), which was either an independent or an autonomous democratic rep ...
and Russia in their fight against the Turks in
Azov
Azov (, ), previously known as Azak ( Turki/ Kypchak: ),
is a town in Rostov Oblast, Russia, situated on the Don River just from the Sea of Azov, which derives its name from the town. The population is
History
Early settlements in the vici ...
. Ratnaya Church, dedicated to St. Elijah was built in 1701. The completion is specified in a petition of the Don Cossacks to Tsar
Peter I, in which the Cossacks requested some priests to be sent. Local archives point out that the church was made of wood as of 1718. Since 1735 the church is marked in Cherkassk maps. By decree of
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
on May 31, 1744, in Cherkassk began the construction of a stone church. The bell tower was built in 1751. During the construction there was brought 3276 kg of copper and tin for the production of bells. The church according to some sources, burnt down on August 12, 1744. In 1748 was another fire, and by 1781 the church was restored.
[''В. И. Егоров-Хопёрский, Ю. А. Немиров.'' Сокровища 'старого города'. Ростов н/Д. Ростовское книжное издательство. 1981]
Gallery
File:Old photo Ratna Church.jpg, A photo taken in the beginning of the 20th century
File:Ratna Church at night.JPG, Transfiguration Church at night
File:The Church of Transfiguration - near the old cemetery.JPG, Transfiguration Church, 2013
References
Sources
* Забазнов Ю. С. История создания и реконструкции Воскресенского собора в Старочеркасске 'Дон' — Ростов-на-Дону, 1979
* В. И. Кулишов. В низовьях Дона. Москва 'Искусство'. 1987.
{{coord, 47.2466, N, 40.0430, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Churches in Rostov Oblast
Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Rostov Oblast