St. Peter and Paul Cathedral


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The St. Peter and Paul Cathedral is an Orthodox church, part of the Homieĺ Palace and Park Ensemble, located on a high cape above Sož. It is one of the best examples of Neoclassicism in the architecture of Belarus.

The cathedral was founded by Archpriest Ivan Hryharovič on October 18, 1809, in the possession of Mikalaj Rumiancaŭ. It was built in 1809–1819. Its construction was finally completed in 1824. In 1872, the temple received the status of a city church, and in 1907 – of a cathedral.

In Soviet times, temples were closed, destroyed or used for non-church purposes. In 1929, the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral was closed, and since 1932, it housed exhibits of the local lore museum. Crosses were torn from the temple, bells were dropped, the belfry was broken. Murals and frescoes were destroyed. Rich church utensils were looted. In 1935, the building housed the historical museum department, and from 1939 to 1941, there was the anti-religious department in the building.

During the German occupation, through the efforts of the faithful and Archimandrite Sierafim, the cathedral was opened and services were held there. The cathedral operated until 1960. In 1962, the building of the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral was converted to the planetarium, which was closed in 1985.

In 1989, after restoration work, the church was transferred to the faithful. On January 7, 1990, on Christmas Day, the first liturgy was held. In 1991–1992, the cathedral was reconstructed and restored, a new belfry was built, but its appearance differs from the historical one.

The building overlooks the central square of the city and is its important dominant. In plan, the cathedral has the shape of an elongated cross with a developed elongated transept and a shortened middle nave.

Publication date: 18.05.2017.


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