The Church of the Apostle Thomas is an Orthodox church under construction in the Leninsky District of Nizhny Novgorod, on Snezhnaya Street, within the boundaries of Lenin Avenue, Novikov-Priboy Street, Stankozavodskaya Street, Snezhnaya Street, and Khersonskaya Street. The church's foundation-laying took place on July 24, 2022; construction is ongoing. The foundation-laying rite was performed by Metropolitan George of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas; he was assisted by the dean of the Molitovsky deanery, Priest Ioann Minin, and other clergy of the diocese; the service was attended by the head of the Leninsky District administration, Alexander Kulagin.[4][1]
Construction History
Construction began in July 2022, two months before the first stone was laid for another Nizhny Novgorod church of the same period in the Sovetsky District.[1] As of April 2024, the project was among the eight Orthodox churches being built simultaneously in Nizhny Novgorod, but remained unfinished.[1] On May 12, 2024, the first Divine Liturgy was held in the unfinished building.[1] In January 2025, the state expert review issued a positive opinion on the project documentation and the results of the engineering surveys.[1]
Specifications and Location
The church's capacity is 280 people. According to the website of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolitanate, published at the time of the foundation-laying, the capacity was 450 people — a figure later revised by the project documentation to 280 people.[4][1] The built-up area for the religious building is 567 sq. m; it includes parking for 15 vehicles and an access road 228 meters long.[1] The building is located in a residential block whose development is proceeding under the area planning project for Novikov-Priboy Street: the first phase of development (through 2030) plans to complete construction of a residential building and a sports club at the corner with Lenin Avenue, as well as the church itself. The second phase of the block's development (through 2034–2040) provides for the demolition of 35 residential buildings on Novikov-Priboy, Khersonskaya, Snezhnaya, and Stankozavodskaya Streets, the construction of six new apartment buildings, a kindergarten-gymnasium for 250 children on Snezhnaya Street, and a sports complex on Stankozavodskaya Street, as well as four underground parking garages with a combined capacity of 390 cars.
For the block's new development, a bypass road parallel to Novikov-Priboy Street, more than a kilometer in total length, is planned. The planning and boundary survey project for the territory was developed by OOO Sfera on commission from the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese; the site within whose boundaries the church is to be built covers 18 hectares. A previous planning and boundary survey project for the same territory was approved in 2023; it was prepared by OOO NPF Selesta — the placement of prospective facilities in it matched the current one, but the construction sequence was subsequently revised. The church's design was developed by OOO Regional Engineering Center under the direction of Yuri Koval.[4][3][1]
References
- Official website (archive) (gipernn.ru)
Sources
- nne.ru — Nizhny Novgorod Metropolia
- GIPERNN — The planning and land-surveying project for the area was developed by Sfera LLC on commission from the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese; the site within whose boundaries the construction of a church is planned,
- Newsroom24 — The project documentation for the planning of the neighborhood was developed by Sfera LLC; the total area of the site within whose boundaries the church is located is 18 hectares.
- GIPERNN — Search of articles and news