Orthodox churches and history of the village of Tevli of Kobrin district

Kobrin → Creativity of fellow countrymen → Marchuk Nina Grigoryevna

From church documents it is known that in 1567 under construction of an Orthodox church in this settlement the allotment which was signed by the prior of royal table manors of the Kobrin povet somebody Devoyna was given. And here in the inventory book for 1764 the tevelsky Sacred and Dmitriyevsky wooden church is registered as uniatsky. To understand it, we will make digression to history.

Split of Christian church on Orthodoxy and Catholicism took place in 1054. And the reasons were not only in religious divergences, and most likely in notable terrestrial factors. But in the 12th century the orthodox world began to need support of Catholics of the West, especially under blows of Muslims. Ruling circles of Corona (Poland) and VKL wanted to strengthen in the church sphere and process of merging of these states.

On August 14, 1385 the Krevsky union was issued by the act. On its conditions ruling circles of Poland and VKL agreed about the dynastic union between Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland on which the Lithuanian grand duke Yagaylo, having married the Polish queen Yadvigoy, was proclaimed the Polish king. The Krevsky union was signed in Krevo's lock. Yagaylo with brothers undertook to adopt Catholicism together with all citizens, to attach to Poland the earth of VKL and to promote return of the lands lost by Poland. But first of all this union could already stand aggressions of the Teutonic award. Also eastern frontiers were strengthened. And in 1596 in Brest, at church of the Prelate Nikolay (for today it is the territory of the Brest fortress) there passed the Cathedral of the West Russian bishops and Pope's representatives.

According to the Brest union orthodox church of present Ukraine and Belarus recognized as the head the Pope, at the same time kept church service in Slavic language and orthodox ceremonialism. But the uniatstvo was opposed by considerable part of orthodox clergy. However the orthodox church continued to exist illegally, up to 1633, along with uniatsky church. The actual deviation from the union in large quantities began only in 1839 and officially solutions of the Brest union were terminated only on a church cathedral in 1946 in Lviv. However we will return in 1567. Then the church was constructed not far from the village, on a small natural height. There was it wooden and small. But time spares nobody. The building decayed and more than once was reconstructed. It seems that by 1600 the tevelsky church was uniatsky. And the son of the uniat priest Ioann Kurganovich first in our corner of the world was the first uniatsky priest of Sacred and Dmitriyevsky church.

In 1795 there is the last section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. And ours including Kobrinskiye, lands were a part of the Russian Empire. In the 1870th years the decision on construction in Tevlyakh of new orthodox stone church is made. The state allocated 7 thousand rubles for construction of the temple with gold, the others were collected by parishioners. The mortgage was on October 26, 1872 in day of memory of the Saint great martyr Dmitry Mirotochivy. In two years in 1874 the temple was built and on August 28 is consecrated in Sacred Church of the Assumption, and the old wooden church was transferred later to a local cemetery.

Sacred Church of the Assumption

And the Sacred and Dmitriyevsky church became cemeterial. In nearly 120 years the cemeterial Dmitriyevsky church was under repair and more than once. Stagnated World War I, occupation of fascists in the fortieth. And in the 60th last century it was struck off the register. But was not empty. There made a warehouse of spare parts for agricultural equipment. The benefit – a collective-farm mekhdvor through the road. Then it was left to rot.

Sacred and Dmitriyevsky church

But in the 80th with participation of the local Village Council, parishioners and the prior of the Sacred and Uspensky temple of the lake Alexander the temple was repaired and in October, 2007 there took place the first church service. The sacred and Dmitriyevsky church costs on a local tevelsky cemetery to which for today likely years so four hundred. But these cemeteries not for years, and military burials, one of which is not designated behind prescription of years, are well-known. In the summer on August 13 (on N of the Art.) 1812 there were fights between Napoleonic (Saxons and avstrovengra) dragoons and cavalry crew of Russians.

On July 24, 1812 Napoleon began transition through Neman serving as border with the Russian Empire. War was not surprise for Russia. Also Russia, in the person of the emperor Alexander I provoked it. French set the troops several "sleeves". In fighting Napoleon's readiness was already waited here by three Russian armies. the 3rd Russian army of Tormasov was on Volhynia. French already stood in Kobrin when on July 27 Russians began storm of the city. Fight lasted 9 hours, the city captured the fire.

Napoleon's Saxons lost 2 thousand the killed and about 3 thousand prisoners. Losses of Russians: 77 killed and 182 wounded. But... the price of this local victory - 80% of the burned-down Kobrin's houses and to one thousand killed and wounded locals. Losses enormous in several hours of fight! From the burned-down Kobrin the 3rd army of Tormasov went on July 31 to Gorodtsu. On August 3 the Austrian case of Napoleonic army was in Slonim. Having learned about it Tormasov ordered to block the road to French, having sent in the direction of Pruzhan group under Lambert's command. But in the morning on August 10 the vanguard of Saxons attacked Russians in Pruzhanakh, and on August 12 there was the well-known Gorodechnsky battle, then in of Poddubno other battle.

And in the evening on August 12 Russians began to recede to the village of Tevli. Local fights went till August 13 until Saxons occupied again Kobrin, on August 16 Divin and on August 18 Malorita. On the battlefield soldiers of both armies remained to lie: both in Tevli, and in Strigovo, and in Lastovkakh, and Pincers and in Legates and Glinyankakh. Nobody considered the killed and wounded. There were no funeral teams. As could wounded were helped by local population. It also buried the killed. From memoirs of old residents it is known that buried soldiers of both armies on tevelsky cemeteries in brotherly (or brotherly) a grave. Already nobody remembers it. Speak, there are graves of soldiers of Napoleonic campaign in Glinyankakh, Lastovkakh and Pincers, not to mention Strigovo. And here is known of military burials of World War I more.

World War I concerned Kobrin district in the summer of 1915 when all roads deep into of Russia were filled by refugees from Poland whom a half of local population joined later. From the Belarusian provinces more than 1 million people ran. Mobilization in field army continued. The population in large quantities was involved also in construction of military constructions, roads and entrenchments.

And on August 14, 1915 the German zeppelins (airships) bombed the Kobrin railway station and the city. And on August 18 kayzerovets were in Brest, and on August 22 the German army "Bug" took Kobrin. In the same days in the territory of Kobrin district there were persistent fights. One of such fights was near of Tevli. Mute certificate to that military necropolis. On a local churchyard on which eternal rest was found by kayzerovets and Russians. Kayzerovtsa, occupying Tevli within three years, on each grave of the soldier put a stone plate, with a name of the soldier and date of death, in German. (Designations of graves of Russians did not remain so far)

In the 20th years here podzakhoronit 50 more killed Red Army men (in 3 mass graves) and Polish zhovnezhy. On their graves in 1925-26 Poles established gravestones. Everything was without changes to "Khruschev's" thaw. But the team arrived from above: "to fill up a tevelsky military necropolis". No sooner said than done. But while the command was executed, the part of gravestones "removed" to the bases of local population and collective-farm building. The team came to later time: "to dig out" a military necropolis. No sooner said than done. And in the 90th by forces of Tevelsky village council it was given Up as a bad job reconciliations – all of us are equal in death before God! However we will return in 1872. The Tevelsky church was built of a local red brick, the clay benefit in our corner of the world is a lot of. Then it was plastered inside and outside and painted white color.

Cemetery of soldiers of the 1st world war

Cemetery of soldiers of the 1st world war

The architectural composition of the temple is interesting that it is the cornerstone of the base of this church a cross. Church two-level with an octahedral belltower and a chetyrekhskatny roof from a tin. Temples existed already in a time of writing of the Old Testament. For glorification of God temples and Christians created. The temple is the place of meeting of believers on a prayer, especially on a divine liturgy. The iconostasis is the wall consisting of icons which separates an altar from a middle part of the temple. Altars are always turned to the East since rescue came from the East, light and heat comes from the East together with the sun. Temples are under construction usually in the form of the ship or a cross, or a circle (in the ancient time). The ship (basilica) reminds us that the church is the ship by which escape true in the everyday sea. The cross is a sign of our Lord on which he was crucified to rescue us from a sin and death.

The round form (rotunda) is an infinity symbol. The dome of church symbolizes the flaring candle. Our Tevelsky church two-dome. One of domes is built on on an octahedral drum of a belfry. On the extended axis on the East the semicircular apse is constructed. The plane of facades is cut through by window openings. In an interior with wooden filing a colored ceiling.

On the middle of the temple the church chandelier (a church chandelier) which is lit at especially solemn moments of church service is suspended. The smaller size the church chandelier hangs closer to an antechurch. It in 2004 was found on an attic of church, restored and hung up (it is not excluded that it once belonged to Sacred Simeonovsky church of the neighboring village of Strigovo).

The destiny spared this church, both in wars and in a peace time. The truth in 1943 fascists removed a bell from a belfry and transported it to Germany. And instead of a bell called in metal to a rail. The new bell for the Sacred and Uspensky temple was bought "on wordly". It was in 2004. Strangely enough, the largest sum – 50% of cost of a bell was brought by the Muslim, the director of the next ostrich's farm Moussa Shorov (now deceased). Tevelsky bell of 109 kg. Consecrated it at big presence of the people on April 6, 2005. And solemnly brought on a church belfry. And already eight years over a village fence Tevlya as a prayer in bronze the ring of this bell is heard. And still It is necessary to tell about two interesting events connected with the tevelsky temple.

In March, 2000 in broad daylight from the Sacred and Uspensky temple of the village of Tevli stole an ancient icon of the Prelate Nicholas The Wonderworker. This icon in 1962 was brought from the next Sacred and Simeonovsky church of the village of Strigovo when the power closed the strigovsky temple and struck off the register. But the thief himself returned an icon, to the Good Friday before Easter, the same year. It was the young man. In the temple then there was the only parishioner. The man devoted something wrapped up in fabric, kneeled and whispered: "My God, forgive me!" and silently was removed...

In church it was dark. But having developed fabric the woman saw an icon of the Prelate Nicholas The Wonderworker, the truth already without beautiful metal salary. Till 2000 in the Sacred and Uspensky temple of the village of Tevli the icon of the Prelate Nicholas The Wonderworker was considered as the defender and the patroness of the village. The icon is ancient, hand-written at the beginning of the 19th century, hand-written oil on a tree. Size of its 80х100 cm; now in a wooden frame and in St. Vladimir's Church of the village of Strigovo. In the Sacred and Uspensky temple of the village of Tevli the icon "Christmas" dated the 19th century is of art value. Return of a nikolsky icon also became the beginning of revival of the new temple in the village of Strigovo which mortgage happened in July, 2000. And in 2003 in the village of Strigovo, already in New St. Vladimir's Church there took place the first church service.

And before it, the prior of the Sacred and Uspensky temple of the village of Tevli returned the most part of property and icons which were stored here since 1962. More to us she is kind! History of the village of Tevli not less interesting, than tevelsky temples. Though village history in written sources begins only since 1795, after the third section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its entry into structure of the Russian Empire. For this time in the village of 28 yards and about 300 inhabitants.

Somewhere in the 1890th years across Tevlyam there passed the first branch of the railroad and the railway station was constructed. In Tevelsky orthodox parish then it is more than 1500 parishioners. Elementary school stood opposite to Sacred Church of the Assumption (the school was burned in 1944), tavern, nearby the farm which owner was somebody Dyakonsky owning 390 tithes of the earth (pribl. 400 hectares) and as much lands at peasants, about 10-12 hectares on a family.

Far away from the estate sat down there is nobody Vysotsky, with 325 tithes of the earth. Smaller land owners of village fences of the village of Tevli:

Snegursky' family – 24 tithes;
Nemtsevichy – 42 tithes;
Sakovichey – 26 tithes;
Strzhalkovsky – 11 tithes;
Okunevsky –10 tithes.

By 1900 in the village already 42 yards, hlebozapasny shop, the 2nd windmills, an inn (hotel near tavern), railway station, two churches, post station, national school and about 500 inhabitants. Since 1921 Tevli as a part of Poland. The number of houses already 62, by 1939 – 120 houses and about 800 people of inhabitants. New mills, oil and gas-generating were constructed. One of them to two floors (somewhere behind today's tevelsky shop. Burned down in 1944, by a deliberate arson two "lumpens" from of Novoselki). At this time pupils studied already at incomplete high school. Small "hut-chytalnya", vetpunkt, a first-aid post, a gmin worked. Nearby the landowner estate in the natural boundary Tulichi prospered. (Under the act of royal audit for 1563 the manor had 20 dragged (nearly 430 hectares for today) arable lands and as much the woods.

In 1845 belonged Puslovsky. Then owned Dekonskiye (some of them are based upon a cemetery near cannery in Kobrin). After World War I the manor "on a tow" (on the female line) passed to a sort Are black. Mstislav and Yadviga from Dekonsky were the last co-owner of manors of Tulichi and Tevli. (By the way, Václav Dekonsky is the famous artist (1879-1944).

Pretty big estate Tulichi was placed among the field, in a distance from the village of Tevli. The simple one-storeyed house with a penthouse and a porch on a ceremonial facade was the center of composition. Before it there was a lawn with the traditional access circle decorated by a lilac. The house surrounded park. And all this beauty burned down in the summer of the 1944th. The arson the same who destroyed both school, and a mill and the pansky estate in Strigovo was. In war fascists took out to Germany from Tulich the equipment of a brovar (distillery). And local sorted the building after war on a brick.

For today there field, remains of gardens and plantings. The special attention is drawn by almonds undersized, only such look in parks of Belarus. And it is even more interesting than a find from the description of the card published in 1840 under the name "Pokrovsky". "... near the village of Tevli in 150 sazhens from the Brest-Pruzhansky path at the village of Chapli – a quadrangular height, under the local name "burial ground". Above a stone, with traces of artificial finishing, in the form of the human case in vertical position". "There is a barrow and towards the village of Zalesye. On it a stone in the form of "doynitsa" and a barrow with this name". However we will return to Tevli. In 1941 ohms fascists shot all residents of the village of the Jewish nationality. Died and were missing on the Second World War fronts of 30 inhabitants. And in the 45th condemned for 10 years of prison of Vasily Kolodits (1909) and Kalisz Vasily. For 20 years of a hard labor it was condemned Cotliarna Constantine. All of them worked at the local railroad. And all of them will be rehabilitated in 1955-64. But nobody to them compensated neither health, nor moral wounds, nor material damage.

In 1949 36 rural yards "voluntarily" united in collective farm, with a name of the pilot Chkalov. The most prosperous villager, somebody G.P. Kalish headed collective farm. Without pleasure he left the good and the earth. It is sure that with damnations. But was afraid of prison more. I will not write about "happy" collective-farm life. Still many remember it, especially till 1966 when they worked for "sticks".

April, 2013
 

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