The construction of a new temple-museum dedicated to the miraculous icon "Our Lady of Korsun" (Toropetskaya) has begun in the city of Toropets. This project is part of the celebrations marking the 950th anniversary of the city's first recorded mention, as reported by tverigrad.ru.

On June 20, Tver Region Governor Igor Rudenya held a working meeting to discuss the progress of the temple-museum's construction. The new building will be located on Krasny Island, adjacent to the Korsun-Bogoroditsky Cathedral. It is planned that once the construction is completed, the miraculous icon, associated with Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky, will be returned to the temple.

The history of the icon dates back to 1239 when Alexander Nevsky married Princess Alexandra of Polotsk in Toropets and gifted the icon to the city. In the 17th century, the icon was housed in the Korsun-Bogoroditsky Cathedral, but during the Soviet era, it was transferred to a museum. Currently, the icon is temporarily located in the Church of Alexander Nevsky in the Moscow region.

Before the temple-museum construction began, archaeological excavations were conducted, uncovering structures from the late 16th to early 17th centuries, as well as various artifacts, including a fragment of a birch bark container and a clay jug.

Governor Igor Rudenya emphasized the importance of including these archaeological finds in the future museum's exhibits. Currently, work is underway on the foundations of both the main and auxiliary buildings.

The temple-museum project is part of a broader plan to create and modernize sites in Toropets, aiming to preserve the city's historical appearance and develop its infrastructure. This project has federal support, with the Russian Government approving the plan of events for the anniversary celebration.

The anniversary of Toropets is one of the key cultural events for the region in 2024. President Vladimir Putin endorsed the initiative to celebrate the anniversary and create an organizing committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko.

Work on the improvement of Toropets' central part began in March 2023. Governor Igor Rudenya's initiative for the anniversary celebration and the creation of the organizing committee was supported by President Putin during a working meeting on August 30, 2021.

Photo: Press Service of the Tver Diocese / tvereparhia.ru