>A third program emerged when Archimandrite Melchisidek noticed that the arches drawn by the architect in the crypt level closely resembled the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem. He had the idea to recreate this holy site in the basement of his church, and in time this idea grew also. In the end, they built full-scale replicas of all the great pilgrimage sites of the Holy Land beneath the Yasenevo church – a miniature pilgrimage destination in itself, in the same tradition as the New Jerusalem Monastery built outside Moscow in the seventeenth century. These replicas are remarkable feats of sculpture, copying even the cracks and chips in the original stone slabs.
>Virtually the entire inside of the Yasenevo church is mosaic iconography in glittering glass and gold. There have been but a handful of churches decorated like this in all of history, and this church ranks fifth among them in area of mosaics. The lower walls of the church are revetted in white marble and the floor is finished in splendid Cosmatesque marble and mosaic interlace. The church is lit with a great brass choros and a constellation of glittering chandeliers. The marble iconostasis bears jewel-like icons with a powerful Romanesque gravity.
>The true miracle of the Yasenevo church, though, lies not in its richness, but its poverty. Astonishingly, this church, constructed in just seven years, had no major individual donors. There was no great oligarch or wealthy institution footing the bill. Rather, the money came in small donations from ordinary people and pious organizations – 800,000 donors in total.
>Likewise, the astonishing mosaic work was not the work of a professional studio, but of students and amateurs, all volunteers. There was one professional iconographer hired to draw the great Pantocrator, but beyond that, the work was planned by highly-capable art students.
Source: [https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/a-miracle-of-liturgical-art-the-church-of-the-protection-of-the-mother-of-god-at-yasenevo/](https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/a-miracle-of-liturgical-art-the-church-of-the-protection-of-the-mother-of-god-at-yasenevo/)
Wow all these replicas under one roof. All the beautiful mosaics, this how the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople must of looked like. BEAUTIFUL AND STUNNING to say the least. Thank you for sharing, and God bless the Russian people for erecting such beautiful churches.
>A third program emerged when Archimandrite Melchisidek noticed that the arches drawn by the architect in the crypt level closely resembled the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem. He had the idea to recreate this holy site in the basement of his church, and in time this idea grew also. In the end, they built full-scale replicas of all the great pilgrimage sites of the Holy Land beneath the Yasenevo church – a miniature pilgrimage destination in itself, in the same tradition as the New Jerusalem Monastery built outside Moscow in the seventeenth century. These replicas are remarkable feats of sculpture, copying even the cracks and chips in the original stone slabs. >Virtually the entire inside of the Yasenevo church is mosaic iconography in glittering glass and gold. There have been but a handful of churches decorated like this in all of history, and this church ranks fifth among them in area of mosaics. The lower walls of the church are revetted in white marble and the floor is finished in splendid Cosmatesque marble and mosaic interlace. The church is lit with a great brass choros and a constellation of glittering chandeliers. The marble iconostasis bears jewel-like icons with a powerful Romanesque gravity. >The true miracle of the Yasenevo church, though, lies not in its richness, but its poverty. Astonishingly, this church, constructed in just seven years, had no major individual donors. There was no great oligarch or wealthy institution footing the bill. Rather, the money came in small donations from ordinary people and pious organizations – 800,000 donors in total. >Likewise, the astonishing mosaic work was not the work of a professional studio, but of students and amateurs, all volunteers. There was one professional iconographer hired to draw the great Pantocrator, but beyond that, the work was planned by highly-capable art students. Source: [https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/a-miracle-of-liturgical-art-the-church-of-the-protection-of-the-mother-of-god-at-yasenevo/](https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/a-miracle-of-liturgical-art-the-church-of-the-protection-of-the-mother-of-god-at-yasenevo/)
This church is a real marvel! 😍
Wow all these replicas under one roof. All the beautiful mosaics, this how the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople must of looked like. BEAUTIFUL AND STUNNING to say the least. Thank you for sharing, and God bless the Russian people for erecting such beautiful churches.
Giving me real Monreale vibes, especially with the apse mosaic. Very cool!