Vitebsk artists began painting the church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ during Holy Week

April 13, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Artists of the Vitebsk Diocese have begun the interior decoration of the recreated Holy Resurrection Church in Vitebsk during Holy Week, the abbot of the church, Archpriest Father Konstantin (Izofatov), informed a BELTA correspondent today. According to the priest, it is symbolic that on the eve of Easter, the finishing stage of the church's revival, the decoration of its inner beauty, has begun in the church dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ. The Resurrection Church was built in 1772 in the traditions of late Baroque. The sophistication of the building's forms and lines, the rich facade decor made an indelible impression on parishioners. Moreover, the architect, whose name remained unknown, managed to place the church in such a way that it organically fit into a small plot of land at the corner of two streets. The Resurrection Church was one of the main adornments of the historical part of Vitebsk, but it was destroyed in 1936. The recreation of the church began in 2000 based on preserved drawings and photographs. The interior decoration of the church will not be inferior to its exterior appearance, Father Konstantin assured. The motifs of the wall paintings are dedicated to the main milestones in the life of Jesus: Nativity, Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension. The sacred images will be executed in the technique and style of the 16th century. The icons for the iconostasis have already been painted by masters of the Moscow Patriarchate. The adornment of the church will be the polycandelon – the central chandelier. Its diameter is almost 3 m, and its weight is 600 kg. The polycandelon was made with funds from a local patron and delivered to Vitebsk. The finishing and decoration work is planned to be completed by July of this year, and then the crimson ringing of the 11 bells of the Holy Resurrection Church will float over the Western Dvina. -0-