In the architecture of Odessa, religious buildings — beautiful, diverse and impressive, occupy a special place. They attract with their splendor not only believers, but also all those who just like to admire beautiful buildings. And among the religious buildings of Odessa, a special place, in turn, takes the Cathedral of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon or Svyato-Panteleimonovsky temple — a truly delightful and striking with its beauty cloister with a rich and interesting history.
St. Panteleimon Cathedral was erected in 1893-1896 in honor of the 100th anniversary of Odessa. The Panteleimon monastery was formed on this place for several years,
when monks arrived here from Mount Athos in 1876 and rented a room in a small house.
The first stone of the future magnificent cathedral in Byzantine style was laid in May 1893, and the consecration of the palace took place in January 1896. The author of the project was the St. Petersburg diocesan architect N.N. Nikonov — the creator of many religious sights in Russia and Ukraine, including the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Terioki, St. John’s Convent, the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in Lyutikov and others.
Looking at the Saint Panteleimon Cathedral, it is hard to contain admiration. Slender and light three-storey building as if aspiring to the heights, golden-silver domes, which reflect the sky, have different shapes and heights, they harmoniously crown the structure, make its appearance really unearthly. The highest is the dome of the bell tower, but all the domes are visible from afar, they attract a lot of attention to the building, especially during sunset hours, when they reflect both the blue sky and the pink sunset at the same time.
The architecture of the Cathedral of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon is light and airy, and the abundance of elegant decor brings a special uniqueness to its appearance.
The building is decorated with mosaics depicting saints, stucco, columns, every detail attracts attention due to the beauty of execution — the cathedral can be admired for hours.
The views inside the cathedral are equally magnificent. The architect’s decision to create on the third floor of the temple embodiment of the holy Mount Athos was another reason for the glorification of this monastery. The temple was decorated with a golden iconostasis by the master Akhapnin, causing all the parishioners real admiration, amazing feelings created and elegant wall paintings in Byzantine style, made by the best masters of Odessa. Thanks to the fact that up to our time the temple has been preserved almost in pristine condition,
its beauty can be seen by anyone who wishes to see it.
Despite the integrity of the building and the fact that it was not rebuilt or destroyed, its fate, as well as the fate of other religious buildings during difficult historical periods, was hard. In 1923, when the persecution of the church began, the churchyard and the temple were closed, and the cathedral resumed its work only in 1944. But then the temple had an even more difficult period — in 1961 it was closed again, and then it was given to a planetarium. Only in 1990 the cathedral was returned to the church and began to fulfill its purpose again.
Today the Cathedral of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon has once again become the main spiritual monastery for many Odessans, as well as a place from where many believers go on pilgrimage to holy places. In 2000 the cathedral was completely restored, and now it shone again in all its splendor, began to please residents and visitors of the city with its beauty.
A visit to this attraction of Odessa will leave the most pleasant impressions on all guests of the city. The Cathedral of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon in Odessa is rightly considered a place where even not the most religious people feel incredibly favorable energy and are charged with spiritual power.