Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Staroye Simonovo
The foundation of the church dates back to 1370, when Venerable Theodore, a disciple and nephew of Sergius of Radonezh, founded the Simonov Monastery on this site with its first, wooden church dedicated to the Nativity of the Theotokos. In 1379, the monastery was relocated to a new site, and the old monastery (“Old Simonovo”) became its hermitage and burial ground. It was here in 1380, shortly after the Battle of Kulikovo, that the legendary warrior-monks, heroes of the battle-Alexander Peresvet and Andrey (monastic name Rodion) Oslyabya-were interred. In 1509, on the site of the dilapidated wooden structure, the single-domed white-stone church that survives to this day was erected. Its builder was likely the famous Italian architect Aleviz Novy, who worked in Moscow. In the 17th century, the church became a parish church. In the 18th century, the burials of Peresvet and Oslyabya were rediscovered and became venerated once more. In 1785-1787, a stone refectory with a side chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas and a bell tower were added to the church. These were significantly rebuilt in the mid-19th century (1849-1855) according to a design by architect Konstantin Ton in the classical style. At that time, a side chapel dedicated to Venerable Sergius of Radonezh was also established in the refectory, and a cast-iron canopy-tomb was erected over the graves of the heroes. In 1928, the church was closed by the Soviet authorities. In 1932, the bell tower was demolished, and the unique cast-iron tomb was sent for smelting. In the following decades, the building, which ended up within the territory of the “Dinamo” plant, was used as a production workshop, bringing it to a state of emergency. Thanks to active publications by public figures (P. Korin, D. Likhachev) in the 1970s, the church was transferred to the Historical Museum and in 1989-returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. Its re-consecration took place on September 16, 1989. In the years following its return, the church has been fully restored. In 2006, the bell tower was reconstructed, and a bell named “Peresvet” (weighing 2.2 tons) was raised onto it-a gift of gratitude from the residents of the Bryansk region, the heroes’ homeland. In the refectory, a cenotaph (memorial tombstone) has been installed at the site of the holy warriors’ burial. The church, now surrounded by the modern “Simonovsky” business quarter, is freely accessible. The main spiritual treasures of the church are the relics of Venerables Alexander Peresvet and Andrey Oslyabya, resting under the floor. Among the especially revered icons are the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and an icon of the Great Martyr Panteleimon with a particle of his relics. On the territory of the church complex, a monument to the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, created by sculptor Vyacheslav Klykov, is installed. The church operates the Charitable Historical and Cultural Foundation of Saints Peresvet and Oslyabya, as well as a Sunday school, making it not only a place of prayer but also a center for spiritual enlightenment and the preservation of historical memory.
Address: Moscow, Vostochnaya St., 6
