The photo shows the Interior of the Sarepta Protestant church – kirkha (from German Kirche - ‘church’) in the late 19th - early 20th century. The church of the Evangelical fraternal community of Sarepta was built in 1771-1772 with donations from parishioners, fraternal communities and the Russian Empress Catherine the Second.
The colony of Sarepta of the Evangelical Fraternal Community of Hernguters - representatives of Protestantism in Christianity – was found in 1765 during of state economic colonization of the Lower Volga region and southern Russia.
The chronicler of the settlement Christlib Zutter wrote in the History of Sarepta for 1765-1775: ‘The new church hall was decorated this year, both with a brass tower clock and a beautiful painting, which represents the appearance of Christ before his disciples after the resurrection, and this building, after it was completely built, it won the approval of all those who saw it and did not expect to meet something similar in the steppe’.
The Herngut church is characterized by simplicity and solemnity. The hall served as a ‘living room’ to host Christ in the community. It had long white benches that were not screwed to the floor, and white curtains on the windows. The walls were decorated with pictures from the life and sufferings of the Savior: everything led to the idea that this was Christ’s “own room” where the community hoped to host him.
Initially, there were no altar and lectern in the church hall. The font basin was to the left, and in the center of the hall there was a liturgical table for worship, covered with a tablecloth with the symbol of the Brotherhood Union, and an armchair for the pastor. The symbol of the Brotherhood was a white Lamb holding a white banner with a red cross.
The church had two entrances and two halves. The first half was a male part of the hall to the right of the liturgical table and the entrance for men. There was the female half of the hall and the female entrance on the left. There was an organ on the right side, and the singers and the brass band were on the left in the choirs.
Sarepta was expelled from the Fraternal Union in 1892. Two years later, the church was transferred to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia. Its interior and exterior was changed in accordance with Lutheran norms.
The photo shows that an altar table was installed in the church, a fence was made around the altar. The baptismal font was moved to the center, the liturgical table was removed, and a pastor’s lectern appeared instead of the pastor’s chair.
The church was closed in 1938 by the decision of the Soviet authorities. Its tower was dismantled. The organ was dismantled. In 1991 the church became an integral part of the museum historical and architectural complex “Old Sarepta”. In 1996, it was restored and transferred to the use of the Evangelical Lutheran community of Volgograd. Church services were resumed.
The colony of Sarepta of the Evangelical Fraternal Community of Hernguters - representatives of Protestantism in Christianity – was found in 1765 during of state economic colonization of the Lower Volga region and southern Russia.
The chronicler of the settlement Christlib Zutter wrote in the History of Sarepta for 1765-1775: ‘The new church hall was decorated this year, both with a brass tower clock and a beautiful painting, which represents the appearance of Christ before his disciples after the resurrection, and this building, after it was completely built, it won the approval of all those who saw it and did not expect to meet something similar in the steppe’.
The Herngut church is characterized by simplicity and solemnity. The hall served as a ‘living room’ to host Christ in the community. It had long white benches that were not screwed to the floor, and white curtains on the windows. The walls were decorated with pictures from the life and sufferings of the Savior: everything led to the idea that this was Christ’s “own room” where the community hoped to host him.
Initially, there were no altar and lectern in the church hall. The font basin was to the left, and in the center of the hall there was a liturgical table for worship, covered with a tablecloth with the symbol of the Brotherhood Union, and an armchair for the pastor. The symbol of the Brotherhood was a white Lamb holding a white banner with a red cross.
The church had two entrances and two halves. The first half was a male part of the hall to the right of the liturgical table and the entrance for men. There was the female half of the hall and the female entrance on the left. There was an organ on the right side, and the singers and the brass band were on the left in the choirs.
Sarepta was expelled from the Fraternal Union in 1892. Two years later, the church was transferred to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia. Its interior and exterior was changed in accordance with Lutheran norms.
The photo shows that an altar table was installed in the church, a fence was made around the altar. The baptismal font was moved to the center, the liturgical table was removed, and a pastor’s lectern appeared instead of the pastor’s chair.
The church was closed in 1938 by the decision of the Soviet authorities. Its tower was dismantled. The organ was dismantled. In 1991 the church became an integral part of the museum historical and architectural complex “Old Sarepta”. In 1996, it was restored and transferred to the use of the Evangelical Lutheran community of Volgograd. Church services were resumed.
