The creation of the Church

This touristic object is a monument of modern architecture. The Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret blessed its foundation in 1999. And nowadays Tikhvin Church adorns micro-district Kovalevo of the regional center. According to some information, the opening date of cultural object is 2000, the year when the services in the Church became regular. At that time, the appearance of the temple was a little different, not so graceful and majestic; only metal domes covered with gilded are visible from afar, as it was sixteen years ago. There are twelve of them as many as the Disciples of Christ were. When the service begins, ringing of fourteen bells spreads all over the neighbourhood. The Holy table appeared in the center of the altar three or four years ago. The tetragonal credence table made of such material as white Sayan marble was located in the same place.  The painting of the iconostasis was made by representatives of the Orthodox Convent of the Nativity of the Virgin.

A current state and future plans

An amazing appearance of the Church is a merit of its active and practical dean.  Since 2002 Hegumen Ignatiy (Lukovich) has been looking after it: he works tirelessly to make it even more beautiful. The same can be said about the parishioners: they constantly initiate finishing works on the facade and in the interior of the Church, engage in beautification of the adjacent territory. A plan for the near future is the establishment of a Center of the spiritual education near God's house. Children will be able to study in Sunday school, master classes on icon painting, sewing and joinering will be held here as well. Dining rooms and lounges for believers, pilgrims and tourists will be organized here.

The library of the Church is rich in books and has about 2000 exemplars. Here is collected ecclesiastical literature for readers of different ages, life styles and cultures. Reference books, manuscripts of the famous religious scholars, biographies of saints, classic secular literature – all these contribute to introducing people to prayers and obedience, Church ceremonies and holidays.

Rich in spiritual shrines

Brest Church is rich in spiritual shrines. Parishioners can find here a small part of wood of which the coffin of St. Nicolas the Miracle-Worker has been made. It was brought from Bari (Italy). The reliquary of the temple is also rich in ecclesiastical relics:  here are the relics of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Venerable George the Chozebite, Mary Magdalene and St. Basil the Great. Great importance is attached to the venerated sacred icons.  And of course, the main patroness of the Church is the Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God (the 19^th century). It is one of the most important images in the history of Novgorod and Russian Orthodox Church. According to a legend, its author is a disciple of Jesus Christ, Apostle Luke. The Shrine occurred in Russia at the time when Rome and Constantinople were involved in medieval iconoclasm. And it was real good news about the transfer of the center of the Christian religion in Muscovy. Today the original of the famous icon is in Tikhvin Assumption Monastery.