DPR: Donetsk – Cathedral of Holy Transfiguration
The main cathedral in Donetsk is the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral. Originally, there was a small wooden church here, and then in 1830 a stone cathedral was built using the parishioner donation money. The new cathedral was modeled (by the same architect) as then bigger and more famous Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow – bell tower and four domes with two side chapels – it was the tallest structure in Donetsk. Then came communism and the church’s bells were removed and then in 1930 the entire cathedral was blow up. It was only in 1996, after the collapse of the USSR, that the cathedral was rebuilt anew. The cathedral is spectacular inside as it is outside – the gold-laden iconostasis and frescoed cupola are awe-inspiring. A steady stream of worshippers flows into the cathedral nonstop.
