Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Holy Virgin St. Mary's is the largest Catholic Cathedral in Russia.
One of the two existing Catholic churches in Moscow, along with the Church of St. Louis of France (not counting the Catholic chapel of St. Olga).
History of the cathedral
In 1894, the council of the Roman Catholic Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Milyutinsky Lane appealed to the Moscow governor with a request to allow the construction of a third Catholic church. Permission was obtained under the condition of construction far from the city center and especially revered Orthodox churches, without towers and external sculptures. The neo-Gothic project of F. O. Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky, designed for 5,000 worshipers, was approved, despite the failure to comply with the last condition.
The main volume of the temple was built in 1901-1911. Money for construction was collected by the Polish community, whose number in Moscow at the end of the 19th century reached 30 thousand people, and by Catholics of other nationalities throughout Russia.
Statue in front of the cathedral
The temple, called the branch Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was consecrated on December 21, 1911.
The construction of the temple cost 300 thousand rubles in gold; additional amounts were collected in 1911-1917 for decoration and the purchase of church supplies. Finishing work inside the temple continued until 1917.
In 1919, the branch church was turned into a full-fledged parish. Its rector became the 34-year-old priest Fr. Michal Tsakul (1885-1937).
In 1938, the temple was closed, church property was looted, and a dormitory was organized inside. During the war, the building was damaged by bombing and several turrets and spiers were destroyed. In 1956, the Mosspetspromproekt Research Institute was located in the temple. The building was redeveloped, completely changing the interior of the church, in particular, the main volume internal space was divided into 4 floors. In 1976, a restoration project was developed for the building, where it was supposed to house an organ music hall, but this project was never implemented.
In 1989, the cultural association “Polish House”, uniting Moscow Poles, raised the question of the need to return the temple building to its natural and legal owner - Catholic Church. In January 1990, a group of Moscow Catholics founded the Polish Catholic parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On December 8, 1990, on the occasion of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr. Tadeusz Pikus (now a bishop), with the permission of the authorities, celebrated Mass on the steps of the cathedral for the first time after a 60-year interval. Several hundred people attended this first service. Regular services began to be held on June 7, 1991.
In 1996, after a long scandalous eviction of the Mosspetspromproekt Research Institute, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was transferred to the Catholic Church. Over the course of several years, large-scale restoration and restoration work was carried out in the temple, and on December 12, 1999, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, solemnly consecrated the restored Cathedral.
In March 2002, Moscow cathedral took part in a joint prayer of the Rosary with Pope John Paul II and Catholics of several European cities, organized through a teleconference.
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Cathedral architecture
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary- neo-Gothic three-nave cruciform pseudo-basilica. According to various evidence, it is believed that for the architect the prototype of the facade was the Gothic Cathedral in Westminster Abbey, and the prototype of the dome was the dome of the Cathedral in Milan. After restoration, the cathedral has some differences from its original appearance before its closure in 1938, just as before 1938 it had differences from the 1895 project.
Gothic cathedral in Westminster Abbey
Cathedral in Milan
There is a cross on the spire of the central turret, and the coats of arms of Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz on the spiers of the side turrets.
In the narthex there is a sculpture of the Holy Cross with Christ Crucified. Above the bowls of blessed water, at the entrance from the narthex to the nave, a brick from the Lateran Basilica is embedded in the wall on the left, and a medal for the anniversary year 2000 is on the right.
The central nave has two sectors of benches separated by a passage. At the beginning of each side nave there are confessional booths. At the end of the left nave is the Chapel of Divine Mercy, in which there is a tabernacle and an altar of the Blessed Sacrament. Both side naves are separated from the main nave by colonnades, 2 half-columns and 5 columns in each colonnade. The ceilings of the main and side naves consist of cross vaults, which are formed by diagonal arches. The side longitudinal naves of the cathedral have five buttress columns each. The 10 main buttresses on which the main volume of the temple rests, according to the ancient canons of temple architecture, symbolize the 10 commandments.
Lancet window openings decorated with stained glass windows. Under the window openings, on the inner surfaces of the walls, there are 14 bas-reliefs - 14 “standings” of the Way of the Cross.
Behind the first pointed arch of the ceiling, between the first pair of semi-columns, above the narthex room there are choirs. Since the Counter-Reformation, that is, from the middle of the 16th century, the choirs have been located at the rear of the nave, and the choirs in the same way are located Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the original design, the choirs were supposed to accommodate 50 singers, but in addition to the choir itself, an organ was installed in the choirs.
The transept gives the building Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary the plan is in the shape of a cross. This is the famous diagram in which the image of Christ on the cross is superimposed on the plan of a typical church. In this case, the head of Christ is the presbytery with the altar located in it, the torso and legs fill the nave, and the outstretched arms turn into a transept. Thus, we see the literal embodiment of the idea that the Church represents the Body of Christ. This type of layout is called cruciform.
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In the presbytery Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the most important element of the temple - the altar, lined with dark green marble, is the place where the Eucharistic Sacrifice is offered. The altar contains particles of the relics of St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Zeno, the patron saint of Verona, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Gregory of Nazianza, Saints Cosmas and Damian, St. Anastasia, virgin and martyr, as well as a particle of the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary - a gift from the Diocese of Verona. On the altar is an image of the letters alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, a symbol of the beginning and end. To the right of the altar is the pulpit. The pulpit of the cathedral, like the main altar, is lined with dark green marble. At the rear of the presbytery there is another raised platform of three steps, adjacent to the wall of the apse of the temple. This part is called the de-ambulatory. The episcopal see and seats for the clergy are located here.
The presbytery of the cathedral is separated by wooden carved partitions from the Chapel of Divine Mercy with the altar of the Holy Gifts and from the vestibule of the sacristy. In the presbytery, on the wall of the apse, there is a Crucifixion. The height of the Crucifixion in the cathedral is 9 meters, the figure of Christ on the cross is 3 meters. On both sides of the Crucifixion there are 2 plaster figures - the Mother of God and the Evangelist John. Both sculptures were made by sculptor Svyatoslav Fedorovich Zakhlebin near Moscow.
On the left side of the façade, directly behind the pointed arcade, there are five bells made at the famous Polish Felczynski factory in Przemysl and donated by Bishop Wiktor Skvorets of Tarnow. The largest of the bells weighs 900 kg and is called "Fatima" Mother of God" The rest, in descending order, are called: “John Paul II”, “Saint Thaddeus” (in honor of the patron saint of Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz), “Jubilee 2000” and “Saint Victor” (in honor of the patron saint of Bishop Skvorets). The bells are driven using special electronic automation.
Cathedral organ
Organ Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the largest organs in Russia and allows for stylistically flawless performance of organ music from different eras. The instrument consists of 74 registers, 4 manuals and 5563 pipes.
The Kuhn organ of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Moscow is a gift from the Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral Basel Münster in the Swiss city of Basel. The instrument was built in 1955. In January 2002, work began on dismantling the organ, after which all parts of the organ, except register No. 65 Principal bass 32`, were transported to Moscow. The disassembly and installation of the organ was carried out by assistants and employees of the organ-building company "Orgelbau Schmid Kaufbeuren e.K." (Kaufbeuren, Germany) under the leadership of Gerhard Schmid, who, according to at will, performed all work free of charge. After Gerhard Schmid died on September 9, 2004 at the age of 79, work on the installation of the organ was led by his son, Gunnar Schmid.
In 2009, it is planned to install the missing 32-foot register Principal bass 32`
IN Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Masses are held in Russian, Polish, Korean, English, French, Spanish, Armenian and Latin, as well as youth meetings, catechesis classes, and charity concerts of organ and sacred music. At the cathedral there is a library and a church shop, the editorial office of the Russian Catholic magazine “Catholic Messenger - Light of the Gospel”, the office of the regional branch of “Caritas” and the “Arts of Good” charitable foundation.
The cathedral is located at: st. Malaya Gruzinskaya, 27/13
Its real name is "Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary." But precisely by the title of the article, this cathedral is most often searched for in search services.
This church is the largest Catholic cathedral in Russia and one of two operating Catholic cathedrals in Moscow. It is very impressive with its appearance, but most residents of the city do not even know that there is something similar in Moscow. Personally, I learned about it several years ago, and saw it for the first time just the other day, and this is for 30 years of living in my hometown.
The construction of the cathedral began in 1901 and ended in 1911. It was consecrated on December 21, 1911. The construction of the cathedral was due a large number Catholics in Moscow at the beginning of the 20th century, at that time their community numbered about 35 thousand people, and the two other existing cathedrals at that time could no longer serve so many parishioners.
After the parishioners collected the necessary money, the construction project was agreed upon with the Moscow authorities and construction began on the largest branch of the Catholic Church in Russia. But already in 1919 the branch became a full-fledged parish. 
The cathedral did not serve the parishioners for long; already in 1938 it was closed and looted. And later, Soviet authorities They organized a hostel there. But that was not the worst thing. During the great Patriotic War, the cathedral was partially destroyed by bombing. Several towers were lost and roofs collapsed. But this is not even the worst thing that could happen to him. Later, in 1956, the Mosspetspromproekt research institute came to the cathedral. Apparently, such talented designers worked on this special project that they completely changed the entire internal appearance of the cathedral. Instead of one huge hall, 4 floors with flights of stairs were built, which completely destroyed the original interiors of the church. Surprisingly, this predatory organization sat there until 1996, and not only was no one watching the building, it was possible to expel the organization of the Mosspetspromproekt Research Institute only through scandalous trials, and if not for the intervention of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, then it is known how long the court proceedings would have dragged on, but they have lasted since 1992.
This is what the Cathedral looked like in 1980; as you can see, there is not a single spire above the entrance: 
from 1996 to 1999, global restoration work was carried out in the cathedral and on December 12 of the same year the cathedral was re-consecrated by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
Cathedral during restoration: 
In 2011, the centenary of the cathedral was celebrated.
On at the moment The cathedral holds masses in many languages, most often in Russian, Polish and English. As well as performances and concerts by cultural figures. The schedule of concerts can be found on the official website of the cathedral http://www.catedra.ru
The architecture of the cathedral is a neo-Gothic style with many decorative elements. I suggest looking at the cathedral from different angles during the day and at night:
3) View of the cathedral from the north side during the day: 
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7) View of the spiers of the main entrance, from the back side: 
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10) North side at night: 
11) Main entrance to the Cathedral: 
12) The entrance is so beautiful that I took several different photos: 
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15) The dome, with a light drum, majestically rises above the entire building: 
16) On the back side, the cathedral has fewer windows and thus resembles an ancient knight's castle: 
17) At night, the back is not illuminated at all: 
18) But with a long shutter speed, you can accumulate enough light to see huge walls and a cross made of brick. 
19) The cathedral’s windows are no less huge, or rather stained glass windows. Made entirely of mosaic glass: 
20) Stained glass at night: 
21) and from the inside: 
I liked the inside of the church as much as the outside. A different style is already felt here, with massive columns and very high ceilings. By the way, this is the only church where I was allowed to take photographs inside without any problems.
22) View immediately after entering: 
The central part of the cathedral is visually divided into three zones, the so-called naves, separated by columns. In the central part there are benches, and on the sides there are passages leading to prayer areas and the altar
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25) As I said above, all windows are made of mosaic glass: 
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27) This photo captures the colors of night light passing through the dome's light drum. 
28) Main cross with a sculpture of the crucified Jesus Christ: 
The territory of the main Catholic Cathedral is not large, but very well maintained. During the day, children play here, and often leave toys and balls right there. And the next day they come and play with them again and no one touches these things. In the evening, young men and women from Catholic communities come here and rehearse various plays and productions. The entire territory is paved with paving stones and has several monuments:
29) monument "Good Shepherd": 
30) Monument to the Virgin Mary: 
31) And of course, the entire temple complex is taken under state protection. It is an extremely rare occurrence when an architectural monument is truly protected by the state and is in excellent condition, although I’m not sure that this is the merit of the state... 
32) Final, twilight photograph of the south side of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 
In the end, I would like to say that I recommend everyone to visit this place. A wonderful, hospitable place in the center of Moscow for all citizens and religions.
The cathedral will also be of interest to all architectural photographers. In photographic terms, the building is very difficult because of its geometry, where the laws of perspective do not play into the hands of the photographer, breaking and distorting the true geometry of the building. Photos turn out either barrels in the case of panoramas or fish-eye, or rockets, tapering towards the top :) You have to spend a lot of time aligning the geometry in editors, but you still can’t get rid of all the distortions. You can, of course, move further away to slightly reduce the effect of the rocket, but you won’t move very far, it’s still a city. A Tilt-Shift lens would help a lot, this will probably be my next lens)
The first Lutherans appeared in Moscow in the 16th century. These were artisans, doctors and merchants invited from Europe. And already in 1694, Peter I founded a Lutheran stone church in the name of the holy apostles Peter and Paul - which was consecrated a year later, in his personal presence. During the Great Moscow Fire of 1812, the temple burned down. And the parish acquired the Lopukhins’ estate near Pokrovka, on Starosadsky Lane. With the funds of the King of Prussia, Frederick William III, as well as with the participation of Alexander I, in June of the following year, the reconstruction of the purchased house into a church began - a dome and a cross were erected. On August 18, 1819, the temple was consecrated. In February 1837, an organ sounded there for the first time. In 1862, reconstruction was carried out in neo gothic style, according to the plan of the architect A. Meinhardt. And in 1863, a bell, donated by Kaiser Wilhelm I, was raised to the tower.
The church played a huge role not only in the religious, but also in the musical life of Moscow - famous Moscow and foreign performers performed there. It is enough to mention the organ concert of Franz Liszt, which took place on May 4, 1843.
On December 5, 1905, the church was consecrated as the Cathedral of the Moscow Consistorial District. In 1918, the cathedral received the status of the Cathedral of Russia, and then of the entire Soviet Union.
However, in the post-revolutionary years, persecution of religion began in the USSR. The building was taken away from the community. In 1937, the cathedral was converted into the Arktika cinema, and then transferred to the Diafilm studio. The redevelopment carried out, unfortunately, completely destroyed the entire interior. In 1941, the church organ was evacuated to the Novosibirsk Opera House, where it was partially scrapped and partially used as decoration. And before the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1957, the cathedral spire was dismantled.
In July 1992, by decree of the Moscow Government, the building was returned to the community. And in 2004, after much effort, we managed to find sponsors, both among individuals and among organizations. This made it possible to begin large-scale restoration work. Finally, on November 30, 2008, during a solemn service, the consecration of the revived cathedral took place.
Currently, in addition to divine services, the cathedral hosts numerous concerts - they sound musical instruments, amazing voices sing, magical music comes to life. The SAUER organ installed opposite the altar (built in 1898 by Wilhelm Sauer, one of the largest organ-building firms in Germany) is one of the few romantic organs of the nineteenth century preserved in Russia. The unique acoustics of the Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul makes it possible to fully enjoy its sound.
Rules of conduct in the Cathedral
The Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Starosadsky Lane is a functioning cathedral. Concerts are held here during free time from services, thereby opening up the opportunity for everyone (regardless of beliefs and views) to join the thousand-year-old cultural heritage of Russia and Europe. Here, as in any public place, there are certain rules:
Entrance fees
Entry to most concerts is by ticket. Advance tickets are sold at the theater and concert box office and on the website.
On our website there are discounts of 50% of the full price in any sector except VIP, for preferential categories and for owners of our discount cards who receive the newsletter. These benefits are a pre-sale promotion only. Before the start of the concert, a single preferential price was established for all sectors in the amount of 50% of the price in the central sector.
Return of tickets is possible only on the terms of the selling organization, if this is provided for by their rules. When purchased on the organizers' websites, tickets can be returned no later than 3 days before the concert date with a percentage charge for banking services. Unused tickets are valid for other concerts; they must be rebooked via the contact email on the organizers' website. The organizers have the right to replace the announced concert with another; in this case, tickets may be returned to the place of purchase, or rebooked for another concert.
On the day of the event, payment for attending concerts is accepted by the Cathedral staff an hour before the start in the form of a set donation for the maintenance of the Cathedral in an amount corresponding to the cost of the concert, taking into account available benefits and discounts.
Remember that to visit the Cathedral at other (non-concert) times, invitations are not required. The cathedral is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00. Tickets are also not needed in cases where the event poster or program states that admission is free.
Appearance (dress code)
It is not necessary to select evening dresses: concerts take place within the walls of the existing Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - you just need to remember this. Among the strict regulations: clothing should not reveal the neckline, back or shoulders; it should not contain provocative inscriptions or images. For the rest, you can get by with a completely democratic form of clothing (excluding shorts and miniskirts)
Our lovely listeners are free to choose what they want to wear: whether it’s a dress or trousers; Covering your head is not necessary. Men are supposed to be in the Cathedral without a headdress.
Please note that there is no wardrobe in the Cathedral. Visitors enter the temple wearing outerwear, which they can, if desired, take off and keep with them. During the cold season, the Cathedral premises are heated.
Age
Concerts in the Cathedral are open to everyone, including children. Age restrictions for daytime concerts for the whole family and children's events at 15:00 in the stalls from 6 years old, on the balcony from 12 years old. For evening concerts at 18 o'clock in the stalls from 9 years old, on the balcony from 12 years old, for evening concerts at 20 and 21 o'clock in the stalls and on the balcony from 12 years old.
If the child starts crying or being capricious, you will have to go out into the vestibule with him or even leave the concert early.
Safety
Please, we urge you to refrain from coming to the Cathedral for the concert with animals, as well as food, drinks, suitcases and other large, explosive or cutting objects. You will not be allowed into the hall with them. It is not permitted to enter the Cathedral premises on roller skates, skateboards and scooters, to bring in and leave scooters, roller skates, skateboards, bicycles and strollers for storage, or to enter the Cathedral territory in cars. There are no parking spaces on the territory of the Cathedral. Paid parking are available in all alleys around the Cathedral.
BEFORE THE CONCERT
What time is best to arrive?
The hall opens in 30 minutes. To enter the hall you need to go through control of purchased items. electronic tickets at the registration desk and receive the concert program. It takes a few minutes, but there is a line before you start. Therefore, we recommend arriving 40-45 minutes before. After the start of the concert, entry into the hall is not allowed, so as not to disturb other listeners.
Late arrivals go to the balcony regardless of ticket category. If the balcony is closed for technical reasons, late listeners will enter the hall only during breaks between numbers of the concert program, and visitors are required to occupy the empty seats closest to the entrance (the seats indicated on the latecomer’s ticket lose their relevance)
We ask you to be understanding and not to be late.
I'm thinking of purchasing a ticket just before the concert...
Yes, it's possible. Sales begin an hour before the concert. Within an hour before the start of the concert, you can pay for attending the concert in the form of a set donation for the maintenance of the Cathedral in an amount corresponding to the cost of the concert, taking into account available benefits and discounts. In such cases, we highly recommend arriving a little earlier in order to be able to choose the seats according to your preference from those available, because... before starting, they may not stay and just stroll through the beautiful grounds of the Cathedral.
Sobriety of mind and peace of mind
Please remain calm and take your time once the custodians begin allowing students into the hall. This type of behavior is not only inappropriate in church, it is also dangerous to your health. We count on your understanding!
Ticket control
Please be prepared to show your entry tickets to the rangers. If you have a special ticket purchased with social discounts, be prepared to also show a document confirming the fact of the social discount.
Seats in the central and side naves, central and side balconies
Please take your seats in the indicated sector according to your tickets.
If you have chosen seats in the side naves and on the side balcony, you can take a row and place exclusively in these sectors, and not in the central ones. We ask you not to change seats in the central sectors during the concert.
If you have any difficulties, please contact the caretakers for help.
History of the Cathedral
You can learn in detail about how our Cathedral is structured on a guided tour. We kindly ask you not to perform it privately, and not to walk around the Cathedral for such a purpose (“to look”) before the concert. Moreover, we ask you not to enter the altar area or behind the fences. After the concert, if you wish, you can ask our employees any questions about the structure of the Cathedral (they wear name badges).
DURING THE CONCERT
Photo and video
It is possible to take pictures in the Cathedral during a concert, but only without flash and not in front of the performers, so as not to interfere with the concert. Filming of performers is carried out only at their request and with the consent of the concert organizers. If you are going to post photos or videos on social network- we ask, if possible, to put a geotag (Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul) and the hashtags #belcanto foundation and #Lutheran cathedral
About what is unacceptable
Once again we earnestly ask you to remember that the Cathedral is a functioning church. Please follow generally accepted rules of conduct. If you do not comply with them, you may be asked to leave the hall. In the temple, as in other public places, you cannot kiss, behave provocatively, be rude or disturb other people. If the caretaker asks you to leave the hall, you must do so immediately. You can find out the reasons and all the circumstances in the vestibule of the administration.
Applause and flowers
During concerts in the Cathedral, you can express your approval by applauding. Those interested can give flowers to the performers at the end of the concert.
Additionally
In the vestibule of the temple after each concert you can purchase CDs with recordings of performers and religious literature
- After each concert you can sign up for a tour of the Cathedral.
The largest Catholic church in Russia. One of two operating Catholic churches in Moscow, along with the Church of St. Louis of France. The cathedral is very beautiful and majestic, especially when lit at night. Having experienced many upheavals in its lifetime, the temple is now open for visits and concerts of organ music performed by the best musicians from different countries peace.
Construction of the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow in 1894
It all started with the fact that end of the 19th century century in Moscow the number of Catholics increased and numbered about 35 thousand people. There were two Catholic churches operating at that time: St. Louis of France, which on Malaya Lubyanka and the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (currently closed) could not accommodate such a number of parishioners. The need has arisen to build a new, third Catholic church in Moscow.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In 1894, organizational and preparatory work for the construction of a new branch church of the parish of Sts. Apostles Peter and Paul. In 1897, the magazine "Builder" published a project for a new church in the neo-Gothic style, a project that won a competition announced by the Moscow Poles. In order for construction to begin, the consent of Tsar Nicholas II and the synod, the secular body overseeing the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church, was necessary.
As soon as the building permit was approved, the large Catholic community began collecting funds, mainly donations, for the construction of a new church, for which 10 hectares of land were purchased on Malaya Gruzinskaya street. The money was collected mainly by Poles living throughout Russian Empire and abroad (50 thousand rubles in gold came from Warsaw), as well as many Catholics of other nationalities, including Russians. Ordinary workers, construction workers, and railway workers also donated.
Description of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Openwork fence
around the future cathedral, as well as the first design of the temple was developed by the architect L.F. Daukshoy, but the church was built according to the design of another architect. The final design of the temple was developed by the famous Moscow architect Foma Iosifovich Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky. The temple is a basilica, which in plan has the shape of an elongated Latin cross. This is the famous cruciform plan, in which the image of Christ on the cross is superimposed on the plan of a typical church. In this case, the head of Christ is the presbytery with the altar located in it, the torso and legs fill the nave, and the outstretched arms turn into a transept. Thus, we see the literal embodiment of the idea that the Church represents the Body of Christ. 
Main eastern façade
this cathedral is very reminiscent famous cathedral in Westminster (England). And the multifaceted dome topped with spiers was inspired by the cathedral in Milan (Italy). According to the laws of Gothic architecture, a temple is not just a structure for prayer. Every detail here is symbolic, and knowledgeable person When he comes to the temple, he reads the architectural decoration and ornament of the cathedral like a book.
Here, for example, are the steps that lead to the portal (the main gate of the temple). There are exactly 11 of them, which means the 10 commandments and the last eleventh, as a symbol of Christ. And only by observing these 10 commandments, a person enters the kingdom of heaven, which in this temple is symbolized by a portal with carved doors. Above the doors you can see a gold sign in which 4 letters are recognizable: VMIC, which read as Virgo Maria Immaculate Conception, which translates as Virgin Mary Immaculately Conceived.
The church was built from 1901 to 1911
. In December 1911, the grand opening of the new church took place, although finishing work continued until 1917. According to some information, the spiers on the turrets of the temple were erected only in 1923. A total of 300 thousand rubles in gold were spent on the construction of the temple, which is equivalent to approximately $7,400,000. 
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary during and after the revolution
The October Revolution overthrew tsarism and with it rejected the church, both Orthodox and Catholic. Soviet Union was created as an atheistic state, the fight against religion, along with the class struggle, was the main goal of the revolution. Stalin's terror reached its climax in 1937 - the church on Malaya Gruzinskaya was closed, the last Polish priest, Fr. Michal Tsakul was shot by the NKVD. Thousands of priests and monks were killed in the camps.
On July 30, 1938, church property was plundered or destroyed, including the altar and organ. The façade was also damaged. Organizations located in the ruined church rebuilt it inside: the church was divided into 4 floors, disfiguring the interior of this valuable monument of church architecture with redevelopment.
In the first days of the war between Germany and the USSR in June 1941, when German air raids on Moscow began, the turrets of the church were demolished, because they could serve as landmarks for German pilots. A sad sight was presented by a church with chopped off turrets, like stumps.
After the war, the situation did not change - the spire of the temple, which crowned the dome, was demolished and another section of the territory was taken away and attached to the house on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street. The temple housed workers' dormitories, vegetable stores, workshops and offices. The only functioning Catholic church at that time was the Church of Louis of France in the Diocese of Paris.
Transfer of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Catholics
The gradual destruction of the temple continued until the mid-70s. And so, in 1976, the Moscow authorities seemed to remember the existence of the church and decided to transfer it to the department of culture in order to convert it into an organ music hall. But this did not happen due to the reluctance to give up the premises of the temple to the organizations located in the building, of which there were about 15 on the 4 floors of the temple.
After 1989, the Polish House association and Moscow Catholics for the first time raised the question of transferring the Temple to its owners - Catholics and the Catholic Church. The temple is slowly beginning to be revived. With the permission of the Moscow authorities, on December 8, 1990, priest Tadeusz Pikus celebrated the first Holy Mass on the steps of the Temple. Several hundred people, despite the winter cold, prayed for the return of the Temple to them.
Despite the fact that the premises of the Temple have not yet been officially returned to its true owners, a group of Moscow Catholics is establishing a parish Immaculate Conception Blessed Virgin Mary in January 1990. The peculiarity of this parish is that it is very closely connected with the Catholic monastic order of the Selesians. This order was founded in the mid-19th century by Saint Giovanni Bosco, who decided to make the ministry of youth and catechesis the main goal of his life. And to this day this order exists, engaged in modern problems youth.
Liberation of the Temple for church needs
Since June 7, 1991, Holy Masses began to be celebrated every Sunday in the courtyard of the Temple. Since November 29, 1991, Salesian nuns have been serving in the Temple, conducting catechesis and teaching the basics of Christianity. At the same time, charitable activities began, in particular helping the sick and needy.
On February 1, 1992, Moscow Mayor Yu.M. Luzhkov signed a document on the gradual liberation of the Temple for church purposes (within up to 2 years). But it was not possible to evict the Mospetspromproekt Research Institute, which has occupied the Temple since 1956. On July 2, parishioners entered the Temple and independently vacated a small part of the premises. After negotiations with representatives of the City Hall, the reclaimed part of the temple remained with the parish.
On March 7 and 8, 1995, believers rose up for the second time to fight for the return of all other premises of the Temple. The parishioners realized that without decisive action on their part the situation was unlikely to change. On March 7, after a general prayer for the return of the Temple, they went up to the fourth floor and began to take out the junk stored there. At this time, other parishioners dismantled the wall on the first floor that separated the Parish from Mosspetspromproekt. On March 8, parishioners continued to vacate the Temple premises. However, the police and riot police intervened: people were expelled from the Temple, many were injured, a nun was severely beaten, and a priest and seminarian were arrested.
After these events, on May 9, 1995, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz was forced to address an open letter to Russian President B.N. Yeltsin about the situation around the Temple. As a result, Moscow Mayor Yu.M. Luzhkov signed a decree on the transfer of Mosspetspromproekt to new premises and the transfer of the Temple to believers by the end of 1995.
And on February 2, the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary received documents for indefinite use of the building.
Immediately after the return of the Temple to the Catholics, restoration work began, the bulk of which was undertaken by the archbishop, the rector, as well as Fr. Kazimir Shidelko, director of the Ioan Bosco Children's Shelter and many others. The completion of the restoration from September 1998 was led by Fr. Andrzej Steckiewicz.
Donations from charitable organizations
Thanks to donations from charitable organizations in Poland, Germany and Catholics from many other countries of the world, as well as the prayers and selfless help of parishioners, the Temple regained its pristine beauty.
On December 12, 1999, the Vatican Secretary of State, Legate of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Angelo Sodano solemnly consecrated the restored Temple, which has since become the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
New organ in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In 2005, a new organ was installed in the cathedral, donated by the Lutheran Cathedral “Basler Munster” in the Swiss city of Basel. This organ from Kuhn is one of the largest organs in Russia (74 registers, 4 manuals, 5563 pipes) and allows for stylistically flawless performance of organ music from different eras.
On January 16, 2005, a solemn mass was held with the consecration of the cathedral organ under the presidency of Metropolitan Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, the inauguration of the organ and the opening of the First International Festival of Christian Music “Music of the Cathedrals of the World”, during which organists from the most famous churches in the world performed on the new organ.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the third Catholic church operating in Moscow before the 1917 revolution. The other two: on Malaya Lubyanka - the Church of St. Louis of France, and in Milyutinsky Lane - the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. By the end of the 19th century, the number of Catholics in Moscow reached 30,000 people and the small Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul that belonged to them could no longer accommodate all the parishioners.
In 1894, it was decided to build another church for Moscow Catholics. After receiving permission from the authorities to build a “branch” church, the parish committee in Milyutinsky Lane began collecting funds. The money was collected by Poles living throughout the Russian Empire and abroad, including workers of weaving factories, railway workers, builders of the Trans-Siberian Railway, exiled to Siberia, the Far East and Asia, as well as many Catholics of other nationalities, including Russians.
In the archives of Moscow (TsGIA Moscow) and St. Petersburg (TsGIA USSR) documents have been preserved telling about the activities of the construction committee, including the Act of purchase of ten hectares of land for 10,000 rubles in gold for a new church in the area of Malaya Gruzinskaya Street and donation collection records, where All donors are recorded, regardless of the amount of the contribution. ...a neo-Gothic cathedral in Moscow, the largest Catholic cathedral in Russia, the cathedral of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God, headed by Metropolitan Archbishop Paolo Pezzi. One of the two operating Catholic churches in Moscow, along with the Church of St. Louis of France (besides the two churches in Moscow, there is also a Catholic chapel of St. Olga).
The temple project was developed by a parishioner of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the famous Moscow architect Foma Iosifovich Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky, a teacher at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and the architect L. F. Dauksha. The building was designed in the Gothic style. The prototype of the façade was the Gothic Cathedral in Westminster (England). The Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in 1901-1911. In December 1911, the grand opening of the new church took place. Construction cost 300,000 rubles in gold. Additional sums were collected in 1911-1917 for decoration and purchase of church equipment. In 1938, the temple was closed, church property was looted, and a dormitory was organized inside. During the war, the building was damaged by bombing and several turrets and spiers were destroyed. In 1956, the Mosspetspromproekt Research Institute was located in the temple. The building was redeveloped, completely changing the interior of the church, in particular, the main volume of the internal space was divided into 4 floors.
In 1976, Moscow authorities planned to transfer the Temple building to the Main Directorate of Culture. We developed a project for its reconstruction into an organ music hall. But the idea was not realized due to the resistance of organizations located in the Church. In 1989, Moscow Catholics and the cultural association “Polish House”, uniting Moscow Poles, declared the need to return the Temple to its natural and legal owner - the Catholics and their Roman Catholic Church. In January 1990, a group of Moscow Catholics established the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but on December 8, priest Tadeusz Pikus celebrated the first Holy Mass permitted by the authorities on the steps of the Church. Several hundred people attended the mass.
On April 21, 1991, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Apostolic Administrator for Latin Rite Catholics of the European Part, issued a decree on the restoration of the Catholic parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Church of the same name on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street in Moscow. On May 31, 1991, the Parish's charter was officially registered by the Department of Justice of the Moscow Council. Since June 7, 1991, Holy Masses began to be held every Sunday in the Temple courtyard.
Since November 29, 1991, Salesian sisters have been serving in the Temple, conducting catechesis and teaching the basics of Christianity. At the same time, charitable activities began, in particular helping the sick and needy. In 1993-1995 The Catholic Higher Theological Seminary - Mary Queen of the Apostles - was located on the premises of the Church. On February 1, 1992, the mayor of Moscow, Yu. M. Luzhkov, signed a decision on the gradual, over two years, liberation of the Temple for church purposes. However, the transfer of at least several premises to the Parish never took place. On July 2, parishioners entered the Temple and independently vacated a small part of the premises. After negotiations with representatives of the City Hall, the reclaimed part of the temple remained with the parish.
On March 7 and 8, 1995, believers rose up for the second time to fight for the return of all other premises of the Temple. The parishioners realized that without decisive action on their part the situation was unlikely to change. On March 7, after a general prayer for the return of the Temple, they went up to the fourth floor and began to take out the junk stored there. At this time, other parishioners dismantled the wall on the first floor that separated the Parish from Mosspetspromproekt. On March 8, parishioners continued to vacate the Temple premises. However, the police and riot police intervened: people were expelled from the Temple, many were injured, a nun was severely beaten, and a priest and seminarian were arrested. On March 9, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz addressed an open letter to Russian President B.N. Yeltsin regarding the situation around the Temple. As a result, the mayor of Moscow, Yu. M. Luzhkov, signed on March 7, 1995, a long-prepared decree on the transfer of Mosspetspromproekt to new premises and the transfer of the Temple to believers by the end of the year.
However, there was no guarantee that this decision would be implemented. The rector of the parish, Fr. Joseph Zanevsky called on believers to pray for the return of the Temple and fast. On Thursdays and Fridays, adoration of the Holy Gifts began to take place in the Temple and a prayer procession around the Temple on Sundays. Finally, on January 13, 1996, the Mospetspromproekt association left the temple. And on February 2, the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary received documents for the eternal use of the Temple. The main burden of the return and restoration of the Temple with the Archbishop and the Rector was also borne by Fr. Kazimir Shidelko, director of the Children's Shelter named after. John Bosco, and many parishioners. The completion of the restoration from August 1998 was led by Fr. Andrzej Steckiewicz.
The general project for the restoration of the Temple and the author's support of the restoration work belong to the PKZ company. The design of the altars, the chapel and the interior as a whole was developed by Professor Jan Taichman (Toruń). Constant financial assistance was provided by the EnergoPol company, director Kazimir Vershillo. All three donors are from the Republic of Poland. The Rodgers organ was donated by the Catholic organization Aid to the Church in Russia, USA. Thanks to donations from charitable organizations and Catholics from many countries around the world, as well as the prayers and selfless help of parishioners, the Temple again acquired all its pristine beauty. On December 12, 1999, the Temple was consecrated by the Legate of Pope John Paul II, Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Sodano and became the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On April 13, 2001, the Cathedral solemnly celebrated the tenth anniversary of the restoration of the structures of the Roman Catholic Church in Russia.
