Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Howell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral |
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 Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
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| 40°06′54″N 74°12′59″W / 40.1151°N 74.2163°W | |
| Location | 220 Alexander Ave. Howell Township, New Jersey |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Russian Orthodox Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Dedication | Alexander Nevsky |
| Consecrated | October 18, 1997 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Nikolaus Karsanov |
| Style | Byzantine Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1989 |
| Completed | 1994 (31 years ago) |
| Specifications | |
| Number of domes | Five |
| Materials | Brick |
The Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a beautiful church in Howell Township, New Jersey, United States. It belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which is a branch of the Russian Orthodox Christian faith.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
How the Church Started
The Saint Alexander Nevsky Church began in 1936. Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko) helped start it. A woman named Yulia Martinovna Plavskaya gave the land for the church.
The first small chapel was blessed in May 1936. It was named after a famous historical figure, St. Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263). Over time, the church building was made bigger three times.
Building the New Cathedral
In 1987, work started to clear the land for a new, much larger church. On September 12, 1989, a special ceremony took place. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was laid. Inside the foundation, special items called relics of St. Herman of Alaska were placed.
The impressive new building was finished in 1997. Nikolaus Karsanov was the architect who designed it. Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov was the engineer. People gave donations to help pay for the construction.
Cathedral Blessing and Changes
The new cathedral had a big blessing ceremony on October 18, 1997. Seven bishops and many priests and deacons led the service. About 800 people came to celebrate this important day.
The older church building was given a new dedication. It was renamed to honor Our Lady of Tikhvin.
On September 12, 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) made an announcement. He said the cathedral would become the main church for the Russian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America and New York. This means it is the central office for the diocese.
Life at the Cathedral
Community and School
Today, the church serves about 300 members. These are people who attend services and are part of the church community.
The church also has a school for children. Over 90 boys and girls attend classes there. They learn about religion, the Russian language, and Russian history. The school meets every Saturday.
Music and Support
The church has a choir that sings during services. Andrew Burbelo is the director of the choir.
A group called the sisterhood helps with the church's needs. They make sure everything runs smoothly. A church council also helps manage the community's activities.
About the Cathedral's Design
The inside of the cathedral is decorated with beautiful paintings. These paintings are called frescoes. They are done in the Byzantine style. Father Andrew Erastov and his students created these artworks. They worked on the frescoes from 1995 until 2001.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Alejandro Nevski (Howell) para niños
