St. George's Cathedral. Makeevka

The Cathedral of St. George the Victorious in Makeyevka is an Orthodox church, the cathedral of the Donetsk and Mariupol diocese of the UOC MP, built in the mid-1990s - early 2000s in the Byzantine-Russian style, a large spiritual center and one of the largest new buildings in Makeyevka in the last 20 years. The highest point of the main cross is 46 meters.

Construction

On June 3, 1991, at a meeting of the presidium of the Makeyevka City Council of Veterans, the question was raised about petitioning the city executive committee for the construction of a monument church in Makeyevka in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War - “St. George’s Cathedral.” In September 1993, permission was approved for the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Makeyevka, and already on November 2 of the same year, the consecration of the stone laid as the foundation of the future Orthodox church took place. The procession and solemn service were led by Bishop Hippolytus of Donetsk and Slavs. In March 1994, during the first days of Lent, the religious community was given a small two-story building, which, according to the general plan, included the territory of the future cathedral. On Holy Thursday, the eve of Easter 1994, the first service was held in the building. In March 1995, a commemorative capsule was placed in the basement of the building. In October 1995, more than 100 people were already attending classes at the school in the Holy Trinity Church-Chapel at St. George's Cathedral, and its construction began in the same year. In December 1995, work on the zero construction cycle was completed, and the first brick of the cathedral wall was laid. In the second half of the 1990s, intensive construction of the walls of the cathedral continued, which increasingly began to attract the attention of townspeople. The first meeting of the board of trustees for the construction of the temple was held, which included heads of more than 30 enterprises. In particular, the Makeevshakhtostroy trust became one of the most active builders and trustees - both money and workers. In October 1998, the construction of the brickwork of the walls of the temple domes was completed, and workers began constructing monolithic reinforced concrete structures of spherical vaults. UAH 2.8 million out of the planned UAH 7.2 million were disbursed. In November 1998, the Primate of the UOC-MP, Metropolitan Vladimir, visited the construction site of St. George's Cathedral. According to Archimandrite Varnava, at the same time, this was an event of a decade in the spiritual life of Makeyevka. During the concreting of the southwestern dome of the cathedral in May 1999, a piece of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which became the prototype of the Makeevka Cathedral, was inserted into its mass. The arrangement of the central dome has been completed and its copper roofing has begun. In August of the same year, a cross was erected on the main dome of the Cathedral of St. George the Victorious. All crosses were consecrated by Bishop Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol. He presented certificates “As a blessing for hard work for the glory of the Holy Church” and. O. mayor Vasily Dzharty, general director of the Donbasshakhtobud Mining and Chemical Complex Anatoly Shulga, foreman of the integrated team...

Slaughter and resurrection... These concepts reflect the essence of the history of the spirituality of our (and not only) city. For 70 years it was a sacrificial lamb on the altar of ideology, but everything returned to normal... And now, if we liken the city executive committee to the heart of the city, then the soul, without a doubt, was the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, which has rightfully become the calling card of Makeyevka. Paradoxical as it may seem, history shows that ideas for creating temples are born in the most difficult times in the life of any people. And unlike the “Khrushchev” high-rise buildings, they are not built in a year, but not in a year either. And we want to believe that our pearl will stand for centuries and centuries, which means that our descendants will ask history: How was it? And only we can give answers - witnesses to the birth of a miracle of architecture and the focus of our spirit.
September 1993. Permission was approved for the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Makeyevka. November 1993. The consecration of the stone laid in the foundation of the future Orthodox church took place. The procession and solemn service were led by Bishop Hippolytus of Donetsk and Slavs.
March 1994. In the first days of Lent, the church community was given a small two-story building, which, according to the general plan, is included in the territory of the future cathedral. On Holy Thursday, on the eve of Easter 94, the first service was held there.
October 1995 More than a hundred people began to attend classes at the Catechetical School in the Holy Trinity Church-Chapel at St. George's Cathedral (under construction!).
December 1995 Work on the zero cycle was completed. The first brick of the cathedral wall was laid.
January 1996 From a conversation with the rector of St. George's Church, Father Varnava: - I admire the dedication of the people building it - the workers of the Makeevshakhtostroy trust and its leadership. The year is 1997. Intensive construction of the walls of the cathedral is underway, which is increasingly attracting the attention of citizens. The first meeting of the board of trustees for the construction of the temple was held, which included heads of more than 30 enterprises.
November 1998. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Vladimir, visited the construction site of St. George's Cathedral. According to Archimandrite Varnava, this is an event of a decade in the spiritual life of the city.
October 1998 The construction of the brickwork of the walls of the temple domes was completed. We began to construct monolithic reinforced concrete structures for spherical vaults. UAH 2.8 million out of the planned UAH 7.2 million were disbursed.
May 1999 During the concreting of the southwestern dome, a piece of the famous Assumption Church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra - the prototype of our cathedral - was embedded in its mass. The construction of the central dome has been completed and its copper roofing has begun.
August 1999 A cross was erected on the main dome of the Cathedral of St. George the Victorious. All crosses were consecrated by Bishop Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol. He presented certificates “As a blessing for hard work for the glory of the Holy Church” to the acting. mayor Vasily Dzharty, general director of the Donbassshakhtostroy Mining and Chemical Complex Anatoly Shulga, and foreman of the integrated team Ivan Onezhko. The highest point of the main cross is 46 meters. The crosses were made by the Donetsk plant “Tochmash”. They used 65 “books” of gold leaf, 60 leaves each. September 2000 For services to the Church, the Order of the Nativity of Christ 2000, 1st degree, was awarded to Makeevka head Vasily Dzharty. It was presented by the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir.
October 2000 Roofing work was completed at St. George's Cathedral. The interior plastering of the temple is nearing completion. March 2001 The contract with Donbassshakhtostroy has expired and the contractor left the construction site, but work continues... April 2001 Two icons donated by parishioners of the Church of St. Peter and Paul from Khartsyzsk are delivered to the cathedral. Both icons were painted by Makeyevka icon painter Sergei Polynkov. January 2002 The temple received magnificent church utensils made in the Russian city of Sofino: wedding crowns; gilded tabernacle; a bowl of stones; carved lectern; altarpieces with seven candlesticks; ark for sacrifices. March 2002 Makeevsky head Vasily Dzharty handed over to the parish the “Certificate of Ownership” for the building of St. George’s Cathedral...
...and evening comes, and morning comes, and people understand more and more that neither pizza nor hot dogs can replace spiritual food, and they come here, to the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. "And God sees that it is good..."

Based on materials from the Makeevka press: Yuri KURUOGLU, corr. "VM".

September 1993 A permit has been approved for the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Makeyevka. November 1993. The consecration of the stone laid in the foundation of the future Orthodox church took place. Bishop Hippolytus of Donetsk and Slavic was in charge of the procession and solemn service.
March 1994 In the first days of Lent, the church community was given a small two-story building, which, according to the general plan, was included in the territory of the future cathedral. On Holy Thursday, on the eve of Easter 1994, the first service was held there.
October 1995 More than 100 people began to attend classes at the Catechetical School in the Holy Trinity Church-Chapel at St. George's Cathedral (under construction!).
December 1995 Work on the zero cycle has been completed. The first brick of the cathedral wall was laid.
January 1996 From a conversation with the rector of St. George’s Church, Father Barnabas: - I admire the dedication of the people building it - the workers of the Makeevshakhtostroy trust and its leadership.
Year 1997. Intensive construction of the walls of the cathedral is underway, which is increasingly attracting the attention of citizens. The first meeting of the board of trustees for the construction of the temple was held, which included heads of more than 30 enterprises.
November 1998 The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Vladimir, visited the construction site of St. George's Cathedral. According to Archimandrite Varnava, this is an event of a decade in the spiritual life of the city.
October 1998 The construction of the brickwork of the walls of the temple domes has been completed. We began to construct monolithic reinforced concrete structures for spherical vaults. UAH 2.8 million out of the planned UAH 7.2 million were disbursed.
May 1999 When concreting the southwestern dome, a piece of the famous Assumption Church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the prototype of our cathedral, was embedded into its mass. The construction of the central dome has been completed and its copper roofing has begun.
August 1999 A cross was erected on the main dome of the Cathedral of St. George the Victorious. All crosses were consecrated by Bishop Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol. He presented certificates “As a blessing for hard work for the glory of the Holy Church” to the acting. mayor Vasily Dzharty, general director of the Donbassshakhtostroy Mining and Chemical Complex Anatoly Shulga, and foreman of the integrated team Ivan Onezhko. The highest point of the main cross is 46 meters. The crosses were made by the Donetsk plant “Tochmash”. They used 65 “books” of gold leaf, 60 leaves each.
September 2000 For services to the Church, the Order of the Nativity of Christ 2000, 1st degree, was awarded to Makeevka head Vasily Dzharty. It was presented by the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir.
October 2000 Roofing work has been completed at St. George's Cathedral. The interior plastering of the temple is nearing completion.
March 2001 The contract with Donbassshakhtostroy has expired and the contractor has left the construction site, but work continues...
April 2001 2 icons donated by parishioners of the Church of St. are delivered to the cathedral. Peter and Paul from Khartsyzsk. Both icons were painted by Makeyevka icon painter Sergei Polynkov.
January 2002 The temple received magnificent church utensils made in the Russian city of Sofino: wedding crowns; gilded tabernacle; a bowl of stones; carved lectern; altarpieces with seven candlesticks; ark for sacrifices.
March 2002 Makeevsky head Vasily Dzharty handed over to the parish the “Certificate of Ownership” for the building of St. George’s Cathedral...

...and evening comes, and morning comes, and people understand more and more that neither pizza nor hot dogs can replace spiritual food, and they come here, to the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. "And God sees that it is good..."

Based on materials from the Makeevka press: Yuri KURUOGLU, corr. "VM".