In the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene

Only professional architect notices and draws attention to the styles of temples. An ordinary tourist is primarily interested in the history of the construction and the fate of a temple. As to the fate of the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene in Minsk, it is like the numerous fates of other temples. But every temple has its own unique characteristic distinguishing it from others, only its feature.

The building of the archive

The Temple of St. Mary Magdalene was built in 1847. The sum for the construction consisted of benefactions of city people. The temple was consecrated in the same year. Interestingly, immediately upon the start of the services, the hospice for the elderly and persons with disabilities was opened. Soon the local clergy men began to teach children the Old and the New Testament – the Sunday school was opened in the temple.

Since the onset of the Great October Socialist Revolution the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene was exposed to attempts of looting, and then it was used for storage. Different goods and foodstuffs were stored in the temple. All the plate was taken away in order to get more space. But that was not enough: it was decided to destroy fresco paintings; many people climbed to the top of the temple and ripped away the crosses.

During the war that all changed, the temple was again visited by faithful people. It seemed that everything would go all right after the war, but it was not to be: four years after the war the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene was completely closed for church people. The building of the former temple was given to the Central State Archive of Cinema and Photo Documents.

Justice has been met

But the archive was not to stay forever in the building of the temple. The beginning of the XXth century became the time when people began to return to God. And the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene became the first temple to open its doors to church people. Just think, almost half a century many temples and churches were closed for people, they were commonly used as storages and archives. It took a heavy toll on the buildings: the damages were evident. Upon the opening many temples were closed for repairs, and the worship services were held in a tent set nearby.

The Temple of St. Mary Magdalene suffered the same fate, the restoration works continued for 8 months. The icon painter from far off Greece was invited to restore the temple.

In 1990 a sacred procession took place, during it a part of the hallows of Mary Magdalene were brought from the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit to the temple.

The icon of St. Nicholas

In the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene there is a unique icon showing St. Nicholas. The church people learnt about its miracle abilities in 2002. Then the sacred procession with the icon of the Czar Martyres took place in Minsk. It remained in the Temple of St. Mary Magdalene.

Later the pilgrims came to the temple and noticed that the icon of St. Nicholas was covered with dews. That was the myrrh-pouring of the icon. The number of droplets was constantly increasing, and then the icon was wiped, in order to preserve the relics it was put behind the glass. Since then every pilgrim, church man or tourist can watch it in the temple and touch the relics.