The Church of the Protection for the Protection of the Holy Virgin Day

Resurrecting history

The ceremony of opening of one of the main orthodox churches of the town on the Kama was attended by the President of Udmurtia  Aleksandr Volkov and the president of OAO NK RussNeft Mikhail Gutseriev. RussNeft had assigned financial means for restoration of the Sarapul  Orthodox sanctuary, that  evidences again that resurrection and construction of churches is one of the priorities of the oil company’s social policy. The Holy Protection Church in Sarapul has become the eighth church restored or constructed in Udmurtia with financial support of OAO NK RussNeft and its subsidiary OAO Belkamneft.
The Сhurch of the Protection of the Holy Virgin was built in Sarapul in 1788, not far from the Kama bank. The Holy Protection street was named after it and the church became for future generations a sample of ecclesiastical architecture of the XVIII century and the center of spiritual life of the old picturesque merchant town. After the October Revolution the Holy Protection street was renamed as Labor “Avenue” (a typical Bolshevik renaming), and the building of the church was occupied by a bread-baking complex.
 By the end of the XX century the bread-baking complex had turned bankrupt and the whole architectural ensemble (the church and the bell-tower, partly destroyed at the time of the combats of the Civil War) had quickly fallen to desolation.
 In the summer of 2010 Mikhail Gutseriev, the president of OAO NK RussNeft, arrived to Saratov during his working visit to Udmurtia. He was deeply impressed both by the beauty of the old merchant town architecture and by the desolation of the houses at that moment. 
“ – The nowadays Moscow moneybags have never dreamed about such houses, so substantial and solid “ – Mikhail Safarbekovich  sounded really emotional. “- the Kama, the merchants’ houses, the churches! They were great people, those who had built this beautiful town!”
At the sight of the ruins of the Holy Protection Church Mikhail Safarbekovich asked the Head of the Republic, who was accompanying him, what the cost of restoration of the church might be. 
“- We estimated the approximate sum as 20 million rubles” – the President of Udmurtia Aleksandr Volkov said recollecting that meeting. 
“- Set about restoration. We’ll help you” – Gutseriev answered immediately.
 The large-scale construction and restoration works began last spring and one and a half years later the constructors of Sarapul Construction Department No 8 at Specstroy of Russia have restored the unique landmark.

Resurrection of churches is a good sign
 
“ – All the Sarapul, all the Orthodox Church and all the people of great soul and great heart are rejoicing today” – such were the words the President of the Udmurtia began  the ceremony of opening with.  “Resurrection of churches is a good sign. It is spiritual rebirth of the nation and the feast of hope for the best.  Still more and more people are getting filled with heavenly thoughts and good feelings.
  A restored church means hundreds of people who get kinder to themselves, to their families, neighbors and to their country. I have no doubt that this church will serve as a stimulus to spiritual renaissance of the people of Sarapul. The great friend of Udmurtia, Mikhail  Gutseriev, lives up to the Bible dispensations and never gets tired of good deeds. For the years the company RussNeft has worked in Udmurtia it assigned to the needs of the republic more than 1 billion rubles, helping to restore churches, build educational and cultural institutions. “
“ - I’m very glad we have built a new church in Udmurtia” – Mikhail Gutseriev continued Aleksandr Volkov’s speech. “ And I’m also glad when I look at the Sarapul people’s smiling faces. I see real happiness in their eyes. RussNeft has always been engaged in charity projects and Udmurtia is a significant part of a big project. To be exact, it is not a project, but a dictate of heart. The Church cures souls, and if the Holy Protection Church cures at least one lost soul I’ll be happy, it will mean that our work was not for nothing. RussNeft will continue its beneficiary policy in the republic and our next charity project is not far off. God help us!
  “- On behalf of Izhevsk and Udmurtian eparchy, on behalf of all the Russian Orthodox Church I express heartfelt thanks to our respected benefactor Mikhail Gutseriev”, - said Nikolay, Metropolitan of Izhevsk and Udmurtia. “ – Today the people’s souls rejoice looking at this beautiful sanctuary, where prayers will be offered to the Lord, and I ask for the Gods blessing for all the people. “
The head of Sarapul, Anatoly Naumov also found warm and right words at this sunny day. 
“- Opening of the resurrected church is a notable event for the town and its people. 100 years ago, to the very day, in 1912, Nikolai Vassilievich Smagin, merchant of the first guild, was appointed the head of the town. For many years he had been the warden of the Holy Protection Church. During all that time he had supported the church with his donations. And it is very symbolic, that it is in the Year of Russian History that the domes of Holy Protection church are again shining with splendor and beauty. People make history, people resurrect churches and monuments and by doing that they restore the chronicle of our country. Many Years to you!”.

With the God’s help and our own hands

One more tradition followed inaugural addresses – a red ribbon was snipped and orthodox priests received from the constructors a symbolic key to the church. Alexandr Volkov and Mikhail Gutseriev went out from the Holy Protection church and had a conversation with the people of Sarapul – congregants and reporters. Of course, the reporters were professionally more talkative than modest churchgoers and were ready to ask questions.
 “- I think there must not be any questions left- “, smiled the Head of the Republic starting his interview with the press. “ – Everything is clear – a new church is opened and today we are all happy to see another good deed done by good people. People will always come to the church.  If they are in grief, they’ll seek consolation there, and if they feel happy and festive they’ll come there to thank the Lord. And somebody will come there just to look at that beauty. Resurrection and construction of churches is in every respect a good, godly deed.
“ -  You know from the Russian history that many churches were destroyed, blown up, burnt down. Now it is the time for resurrection and reconstruction. Today in Sarapul we have made another step on this long road –“ , Mikhail Gutseriev pointed out. “RussNeft built Oil and Gas Institute in Izhevsk. And now the company started building a new modern students’ hostel in the capital of the republic. Aleksandr Volkov and I laid the corner stone at the site of the future building. Annually RussNeft assigns about 1.5 billion rubles for charity purposes, and I am particularly impressed by small towns in the heart of Russia and their modest habitants. The God gave us the possibility to help, but the God has no other hands except ours. Once it was  Nikolay Smagin, today it is myself, and some time later somebody else will come. By the dictate of the heart, by the imperative of the soul, the one who will help and do the work. Motivation is of little importance. The fact that we do it, create it is critical. “