There is a village that is located 4 kilometers away from Usolie-Sibirskoye in Irkutsk region and it is called Telma. It is almost impossible to miss this beautiful village on the way to lake Baikal from Western Siberia or on the way to European part of Russia from Far East.
Telma is one of the first built factory villages in Eastern Siberia. On the bank of Angara river, where Bolshaya Telminka river flows in, iron making breech factory was built by the order of Vitus Bering in 1731. But it is actually the church that local people are proud of the most.
Church is situated on the elevation on the bank of small pond which was created by the water of Telma river. Owing to this fact, this church can be seen from any point on the way to the village. Fascinating in its beauty, grace, especially in the night lightening, the church looks divine. The interior, paintings, icons and decorations are beyond the praise. This church used to be one of the richest in Irkutsk region up until the revolution of 1917. Because of its interesting and tragic history, the church is inseparably connected to the history of not just Siberia, but Far East Russia as well. According to the words of local clergymen, Vitus Bering started planning his expedition to Kamchatka in Telma.
With the decision of iron making fabric’s chapter I.I. Sokolovskiy, stone church construction began on June 9th, 1814. According to a legend, written in its inventories, the church was built by Italian craftsmen. Others say, it was erected on the base of some exiled man’s project, such names as I.I. Shorin and Mukhin have been mentioned as well . Also you can come across the assumption of Irkutsk architect Y.I. Kruglikov being a part of engineering team, supposedly he was doing that being impressed by the creations of another outstanding Russian architect M.F. Kazakov.
Following traditions, church was founded on the highest point of the hill with an artificial pond right next to it. Impressive, streaming up silhouette of the building has its reflection in the water and it creates magical illusion of the mirror look. Telma’s church is one of the few that remained saved in its initial state. Moreover, it is famous for persisting even during the times of persecution of religion and being a part of cultural heritage of Russia.
There is a legend about icon of the Mother of God “Joy to all who mourn”: villagers say that in 1936 then there was devastation, all the icons have been moved to be transferred to the state fund. However, people didn’t manage to take out that icon and just hid it behind a piece of fabric. It is considered that church survived only by the forces of this miraculous icon.
Religion services in the temple are held regularly, according to the schedule. Nowadays, church lives in every sense: there are two choirs; on every major Orthodox holiday, people prepare morning feast for children and hold a competition of ice figures for Christmas; in winter, hill next to the church is poured with water to create a slide for local children, but residents from all of the Irkutsk region go to see the slides and ice figures.
There are plans to revive a children’s orphanage and to create a greenhouse in the nearest future. Local people believe that everything that had been planned will certainly come true.
Residents of Irkutsk region were immensely overjoyed with the church’s victory in the nomination “Historical Renovation” in Baumit Life Challenge 2020.
Translate Anastasija Olesova, The University of Manchester , 3rd year, BA (Hons) Politics and Russian