THE CHURCH OF THE INTERCESSION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The Church in the name of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin is located on the territory of Khotnezhsky Forestry village in Leningrad region. The stone temple was built in 1892-1896 (N.N. Nikonov). It was closed and rebuilt in 1937. In 1996 it was returned to the registered community and re-consecrated in 2002.

The Church of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin was built according to the project of the eparchial architect N.N. Nikonov in Russian-Byzantine style. It is a dominant church architectural ensemble that included, besides the church school, the house of the priest and the house of deacon. The church is being revived as a spiritual axis and a centre of consolidation and filling with high life-sense of all surrounding territory of the district.

The church is located in a very picturesque place on the left high bank of the river Lemovgi (30 metres above sea level) near the site of its confluence with the river Luga. Historically this area is connected with the military events of Russia. In 1241 the holy Prince of Alexander Nevsky was sent to the Luga river. In the beginning of the 18th century the army of Peter I returned these lands from Swedish possession to Russia. In 1919 through the village of Khotnezh was concentrated one of the counteroffensive directions on Petrograd volunteer army. During the Great Patriotic War, 100 metres from the Pokrovsky Temple, there was a defensive line.

Since 2008 on the territory near the Church annual summer and winter Cossack military and sports gatherings have been hosted. Local studies are being conducted. Work on the conservation of the temple has begun. The agreement with the Saint Petersburg State Art and Industrial Academy named after A.L. Stiglitz was contracted for the beginning of student internships to prepare a project for the restoration of the architectural ensemble and development of the territory taking into account the modern plans for its exploitation.