The Church of Our Lady the Merciful (full name in , literally Church of an Icon of Our Lady the Merciful) is a former Russian Orthodox Church

Russian Orthodox Church

The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...

 in St Petersburg

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...

, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

. It is located in the Vasileostrovsky District, on Vasilievsky Island

Vasilievsky Island

Vasilyevsky Island is an island in Saint Petersburg, Russia, bordered by the rivers Bolshaya Neva and Malaya Neva in the south and northeast, and by the Gulf of Finland in the west. Vasilyevsky Island is separated from Dekabristov Island by the Smolenka River...

, at the address 100, Bolshoi Prospekt. The present use of the building is as a training center for naval rescue divers. The church was the prototype for the Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt

Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt

The Naval cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt is a Russian Orthodox cathedral built in 1903–1913 as the main temple of the Baltic Fleet and dedicated to all fallen seamen. The cathedral was closed in 1929, and was converted to a cinema, a House of Officers and a museum of the Navy...

.

History

The area where the cathedral is situated was, in the 19th century, a suburb in which cargo port workers lodged.
Workers had a requirement of construction of a temple for this place, the community began to raise money for it.
Data that means "…on building of a stone temple at Galernaya harbour" () began to collect since 1822 have remained, the first sacrificer became captain of Rowing port is Matfei Kenin (), who bequeathed to Troitskaya Church the capital.
Fund raising proceeded so long, the building beginning has appeared possible by 19th century end.

Erection of a building

In 1886 the petition for ground tap was raised.
In 1887 have confirmed the temple project which authors became Vasily Kosyakov (lead architect, ) and Dmitry Prussak ().
At that point in time a church site the wooden chapel under the project of Vasily Kosjakov was constructed, in it have placed an icon of Our Lady the Merciful, brought with Athos

Mount Athos

Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...

.
Means for building the merchant D. Zaikin () has offered church warden an under construction temple.

On June 11, 1887, site consecration took place.
The site was on boggy district

Bog

A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....

, a spadework was made for building construction: in 1888 under the direction of F.S.Kharlamov () the embankment

Levee

A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...

 was arranged, other works on ground strengthening under the base are spent.
In 1889 a temple bookmark was consecrated, by this time the base and a part of walls had already been built.

In the autumn of 1892 a building have brought under a roof.
Church domes have ironed, which was offered by philanthropist Galernaya harbour countess N. A. Stenbok-Fermor ().
In 1894 on domes have established crosses. Furnish of interiors proceeded up to 1917.

On December 15, 1896, have consecrated northern side-altar for the sake of Saint Andrew of Crete

Andrew of Crete

For the martyr of 766 of the same name, see Andrew of Crete .Saint Andrew of Crete For the martyr of 766 of the same name, see Andrew of Crete (martyr).Saint Andrew (Andreas) of Crete (also known as Andrew of Jerusalem) For the martyr of 766 of the same name, see Andrew of Crete (martyr).Saint...

.
After that the temple was accepted by sea department which has listed means for building end.
On October 25, 1898, consecration of a temple for the sake of an icon of Our Lady the Merciful has taken place.
On March 28, 1900, have consecrated a southern side-altar in memory of sacred Sergius of Radonezh

Sergius of Radonezh

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh , also transliterated as Sergey Radonezhsky or Serge of Radonezh, was a spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval Russia. Together with Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, he is one of the Russian Orthodox Church's most highly venerated saints.-Early life:The date of...

 and Feodosiy of Chernigov.
In 1903 a belltower have topped with a gold crown

Crown (headgear)

A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...

.

Along road the metal fencing on the granite socle, nowadays lost was built, round a temple there was a garden.
At church the charitable society was formed, worked the childrens shelter, an almshouse

Almshouse

Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...

, orphan school.

The building height Church of Our Lady the Merciful about 42 meters and the building became an area dominant.
Having received here here experience of building of a cult building, architect Vasily Kosyakov in 1913 has constructed Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt

Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt

The Naval cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt is a Russian Orthodox cathedral built in 1903–1913 as the main temple of the Baltic Fleet and dedicated to all fallen seamen. The cathedral was closed in 1929, and was converted to a cinema, a House of Officers and a museum of the Navy...

.

Further history of the building

In June 1932 the church was closed and transferred to a naval underwater diving education group.

In the beginning of the 21st century there were negotiations about the transfer of the building to the Russian Orthodox Church

Russian Orthodox Church

The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...

. The command of the naval engineering service division () has suggested that the Russian Orthodox Church should, in exchange, construct a training facility for submariners. In February 2009 the Russian Ministry of Defence which owns the building, once again refused to leave the property. In 2009 a scandal occurred over a planned motor show near the church building.