Smolensky Cathedral of the Novodevichy Monastery

The Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Monastery, consecrated in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk "Hodegetria" (Guide Book), was laid on May 13, 1524. The strict, solemn, five-domed temple on a high basement is a unique monument of Russian medieval culture of the XVI century and the oldest building located on the territory of the monastery.
The main shrine of the Smolensk Cathedral is the icon of Our Lady of Smolensk in the middle of the 16th century, the oldest in the iconostasis. It is considered to be a list from an icon kept in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin. It is decorated with a frame
at the end of the 17th century. from 16 painted enamel stamps depicting Orthodox holidays.
The Smolensk Cathedral has preserved a magnificent five-tiered iconostasis of the XVI-XVII centuries. the work of the masters of the Armory is 12 meters high, in the local row of which are the contributions of the Russian tsars: the icon of John the Baptist, the Angel of the Desert (c. XVI century), the contribution of Ivan the Terrible, the Vladimir Mother of God (Con. XVI century.) – contribution of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich and Irina Godunova; «Holy Princes Boris and Gleb» (end of the XVI century.) – contribution of Boris Godunov; «The Almighty Saved» (1683) works by Simon Ushakov, «Selected Saints&(1666) by Fyodor Zubov,
remarkable icon painters of the 17th century, contributions by Tsarevna Sofya Alekseevna.
The main decoration of the iconostasis is a carved wooden gilded frame consisting of 84 columns carved using the technique of high-relief through-carving from solid linden trunks by the masters of the Osip Armory Andreev and Klim Mikhailov. The gilding was carried out by the famous master Dorofey Zolotarev.
The preserved wall painting of the XVI-XVII centuries covers the entire surface of the walls of the Smolensk Cathedral. The main theme of the painting is the Akathist, a solemn chant in honor of the Virgin. 24 illustrations to the Akathist are dedicated to the glorification of Mary. Russian Russian Russian Russian princes The most important theme of the unification of the Russian principalities around Moscow, the creation and strengthening of the Russian state is also reflected in the painting of the pillars depicting the holy Russian princes, representatives of the lands that have already become part of the Russian State in the past. XV beginning . XVI centuries
In the quadrangle of the Smolensk Cathedral there are graves of women from the royal family: the white-stone tombs of Tsarevna Sofia Alekseevna (1704), her sisters Evdokia Alekseevna (1712), Ekaterina Alekseevna (1718) and the first wife of Peter I Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina (1731). In the basement there are also tombs of representatives of the royal family: the eldest the daughter of Ivan the Terrible, Princess Anna, who lived for about a year; Princess Ulyana Paletskaya, widow of Ivan the Terrible's younger brother Yuri; Princess Elena Sheremetyeva; the widows of the eldest son and heir to the throne, Ivan Ivanovich, who was killed by the tsar's father, and in the rest of the basement are the graves of representatives of the boyar and princely families of the Zakharyins-Yurievs, Vorotynskys, Kubenskys, Khitrovo.
Restoration work is currently underway in the Smolensk Cathedral, timed to coincide with the festive events of 2024 dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Novodevichy Monastery.