17/06/2022
Assumption Cathedral (Helsinki)
On the Katajanokke Peninsula, high above the skyline of the Finnish capital, rises the largest Orthodox Cathedral in Europe, which was built at the order of Emperor Alexander II in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Dormition Cathedral is an important religious landmark in Finland, whose history dates back to between 1862 and 1868.
The cathedral was built according to the project of Alexei Gornostayev, which was based on another church - the Church of the Ascension in the village of Kolomenskoye. The building was erected from red bricks left over from the Bomarsund Fortress destroyed in the Crimean War. The very shape of the temple symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and its 13 domes represent Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles. The construction of the temple was carried out at the expense of voluntary donations, and in 1868 the consecration of the cathedral.
Today Dormition Cathedral, which has become one of the main attractions of the capital, serves as the residence of the Archbishop of Helsinki. Each year comes to visit the shrine half a million tourists.
The external appearance of the cathedral is quite modest, but impressive in its enormous size: four massive granite columns prop up the vault of the temple from the inside, which is crowned with a blue dome with a scattering of golden stars. A rich display of icons, many of them miraculous, completes the interior decoration of the temple. Huge chandeliers hanging from the high vaulted ceilings complement the typical Orthodox style of the church's decorations. Today, the Cathedral of the Assumption hosts a variety of exhibitions and public events.