Official events in honor of 800th birthday of legendary Alexander Nevsky – the saint of Russian Orthodox Church, have been officially started in Russia on May 9, 2021. This anniversary will be brightly observed not only in his birthplace but also in all overseas dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. 

The church, which was named after Alexander Nevsky, has remained in Ashgabat since the end of the XIX. This is one of few buildings, which withstood the earthquake of 1948 and currently, is among architectural monuments protected by the state. Ashgabat’s native, Russian writer Nikolay Golovkin, permanent author of the Camerton network literary and historical magazine, speaks about this attraction of the city: - The history of the church has started one year after the foundation of the city. It was established in 1882 as a field church of the 1st Taman Regiment, Kuban Cossack Army and consecrated in 1900. The Taman Regiment made the basis of the military garrison of new Caspian Region and one of the first streets of Ashgabat was also named Tamanskaya in honor of the regiment. Currently this is western part of Gyorogly Street. 

The territory of the regiment’s disposition was not inside the city during construction of Ashgabat, it was related to the territory of Kyoshy settlement. The building of the church on the shape of the cross designated for 350 people was built from tempered bricks at the order of the head of the Caspian Region, General Alexey Kuropatkin at the amounts of 9,495 rubles from the budget of the regiment and 5,305 rubles from the budget of the General Engineering Department. The archive documents indicate that total amount spent for construction of the church was 14,740 rubles.

Iconostasis with painted icons made of carved lime tree in rococo style, which was bought from craftsman A. I. Kuklin from Torjok, Tver Govrnorate for 1,000 rubles attracted the attention in the church. The pedestal and altar were made of marble. One priest was serving in the church according to the staff table. According to archive data, Pavel Uspensky served in the church as a priest. The image of the church back in those days can be seen at a postcard of F.I.Sorokina Publishing House and photos of the beginning of the XX century.

In 1918, the church was closed and used as a storage facility at the territory of military camp. New history of the temple has started in 1989 when the building has been given back to the believers. Archpriest Alexy Bulanushkin was the one who received the building. It required serious renovation – the roof was leaking, two entrances were sealed up, the plaster has fallen from the walls, iconostas was removed. Bell tower, bells and both domes were destroyed. 

Petr Kopach was a rector of the chirch from 1990 to 2000. Renovation works have been carried out under his leadership – the domes were put up, bell tower was built, the roof was repaired, the interior was re-plastered and painted, new iconostas was been made. What is more important, the church parish has been revived. In November 1993, the church was consecrated Archbishop of Tashkent and Central Asia Vladimir.

Remnant of the True Cross, list of miraculous icon of Divine Mother of Pochaevsk, which was brought to the church from Pochaevsk monastery, particles of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. Luka Crimean, St. Great Anthony and St. Kuksha Odessa, Fathers of Kiev – Pechersk Monastery, St. Anna of Novgorod are among the most honored sanctuaries of Ashgabat’s church. September 12 and December 6, the days of memory of Alexander Nevsky, are the church perish feast days, when the service is conducted with special ceremony.

* * *

It is symbolical that there is a mosque opposite the church on another side of new part of Magtumguly Avenue. The preamble of the Law of Turkmenistan on Freedom of Believe and Religious Organizations says: “Being democratic, legal and temporal state, Turkmenistan guarantees the freedom of religion and believes, provide equal rights of everyone regardless from his religious convictions, recognizes the historical role of Islam in development of culture and spiritual life of the nations, respects other religions, recognizes the importance of inter-confessional harmony, religious tolerance and respect of religious convictions of the citizens”.

Photo by Vyacheslav Sarkisyan