Prechistenskaya or Virgin's Christmas church of Mr. Kobrin

Kobrin → Creativity of fellow countrymen → Marchuk Nina Grigoryevna

Temple holiday on September 21

There was a church in the downtown, at the beginning of present Matrosov Square or Matrosov Street (once Prechistensky).
From the appointed diploma of the prince Ivan Semenovich of 1497 it became known that it "presents to the priest Yakov and his descendants to eternal use the temple of the Prechisty Virgin in Kobrin".

And in Dmitry Sapegi's lustration of 1563 we read that "belong to Prechistensky church of Mr. Kobrin drag" lands. In the contract of January 12, 1650 signed by the Polish king Vladislav IV it is told, about "transfer to Orthodoxy" (from the union) to Prechistensky church of Mr. Kobrin. From materials of "the Vilensky collection for 1869", we read "… till 1812 the Prechistensky church was about five heads, is ornated inside. In 1812 it is burned during battle".

By the way several words about this senseless battle. To the city of Kobrin this "the victory cost much. In the fire 548 of 630 houses, a church, parish church, a town hall, 81 shops, 13 taverns, 9 mills, 33 barns with provisions burned down" (from A. M. Martynov's materials). The house living creatures ran up and died in confusion. We will talk about human losses later.

But in 1820 at the expense of zamukhovetsky petty bourgeoises from "Kobrin bought near of a shed" hastily the church built up.
As the temple was under construction hastily, its architecture was "mediocre". In the same document of 1869 talk on transfer of Prechistensky church on a cemetery and construction in memory of the temple on its place of "chapel" was carried on.

About cemeterial church I did not find mentions anywhere, about "memory of the temple" there is the following assumption. Many who concerned destiny of Prechistensky church to me, claimed that the temple burned down. But when? There are written confirmations on the strong fires in 1895 and 1896.

In the description of churches and arrivals of the Grodno province for 1899 there are interesting data. It is about cathedral Alexander Nevsky Church in which there was Virgin's icon which was earlier in the Prechistensky temple. This icon could get to cathedral church only after the fire which was in 1895. As it is the main temple icon, and very ancient, in this church calendar there is its detailed description: "… hand-written oil on a tree, the size is 14 x 11 vershoks. The Prechisty Maiden is presented without child with prayerfully the hands put on a breast built up. Over persons Eya a metal wreath with gilded asterisks and color stones to which the crown with the same stones is attached. And above a wreath over the head of the Mother of God the metal crown supported by two angels. All icon is covered with an ozolochenna a silver cope".

In spite of the fact that the temple in 1895 burned, probably citizens managed to rescue nevertheless the main shrine of the temple, and carried it to the cathedral temple. For today witnesses "a zapolskaga to hour" with which I communicated not once are still living. They claimed that they remember before construction of a bakery in 1954 near present Matrosov Square a monument. One said that it is a high pyramid, others that the Cross, the third – an angel with the Cross, the fourth – the Cross with an angel. Therefore – the monument was! Also it was constructed on the place of the burned-down Prechistensky church, on the base of an altar.
Germans, either the first, or the second did not touch a monument.

The tragedy overtook "A repentance cross" in 1954 at construction of a bakery. Ten years to that I personally talked to even living then brother of the former first director of a bakery. Both of them stood at the origins of construction. "The bulldozer curtailed a shrine. The cross was brought to a city cemetery to the Peter and Paul church or to a church. Business was at night. And the basis was thrown into the base of building". Also other builders, and in later time said that when carrying out there earth, it is even superficial, works found human bones and skulls.

Everything meets. If throughout five centuries there was an Orthodox church, then by convention near the temple centuries conducted burials of priors and their families. The second. I do not exclude that there lie been killed in battle in July, 1812. Fight lasted 9 hours: on a market square, on the bridge through Mukhavets and the most ruthless near the Spassky monastery, in recent – "militia". It is for certain known that imperial generals in Kobrin fight reported on the losses 77 killed and 182 wounded. Other sources speak about death of 15 Russian officers and 362 soldiers. A. M. Martynov wrote about "nekalkikh hundreds zabitykh pyckix voinakh". It is known that French (Saxons) about 2 thousand died. In addition death of local population. "Bullet silly woman". And all this almost three-thousandth bulk of the bodies bleeding bent, broken off it was necessary to inter. Imperial soldiers for two days were late in the city.

But after wearisome night transition from Divin, on the eve of battle where by the way only in this campaign they "lost" about 300 soldiers, in most of deserters, and then hours-long fight, soldiers needed rest. Perhaps they also brought together part of the dead and buried (today it is the A.Nevsky cathedral of the city). Many were under fire blockages, to unrecognizability spoiled. Summer, a heat, flies, a stench, the hungry dogs who are weakened by fear, losses, the fire the survived citizens. The picture is terrible. Was not at citizens of time and forces to sort the killed and to bring them to a cemetery (carts lost, horses ran up). Being afraid of epidemic as far as there were enough forces buried there to whom where the destiny prepared the place … I think, as French, both Russians, and citizens found the rest somewhere here near present streets and Matrosov Square and the present street on September 17.

Instead of an epilog.
Not to rewrite history! And "Up as a bad job repentances" it is necessary to give, that place or nearby where it stood till 1954: in memory of the temple and blasphemously rolled up in asphalt.

January, 2014

P.S. I will be glad if someone adds my material. I will not take offense – if someone documents inaccuracies.

P.P.S. Having got acquainted with article material, the Kobrin artist A.G. Zubrov executed the following drawing on the children's memoirs of 1958-1959.

P.P.P.S. On memoirs of Kobrin old residents the generalized character of the constructions destroyed at construction of a bakery in 1954-58 is created.

Cross on an altar of Prechistensky church

Two possible options of a monument on the place of burial are given below.

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