Holy Great Martyrs' Flor and Lavr Church

The Church of the Holy Great Martyrs Florus and Laurus (Bogolubovo Icon of the Mother of God (Theotokos of Bogolyubovo)) The Church of the Holy Great Martyrs Florus and Laurus was built in 1772-1796 on the site of the old church building. The church of the same name existed there from the beginning of the 17th century, being wooden at first and then stone. This church building is the third one, built on this place. The church building is characterized by an architectural mixture of the forms of two centuries: the dying baroque and the succeeded Russian classicism. The church design is very interesting and unusual: its interior has no supporting columns, and all the high superstructure load is transferred directly to the arch. The church was consecrated in the name of the Bogolubovo Icon of the Mother of God (Theotokos of Bogolyubovo). The chapels in it were built earlier, in 1779, and consecrated in the name of the Holy Great Martyrs Florus and Laurus and the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian. Since that time the church was officially called "Bogolyubskaya", and the people kept the name "Florovskaya". In 1833, a new bell tower was built on the project of Tula self-taught architect Kos'ma Semenovich Sokol'nikov. The main shrine of the church was the Bogolubovo Icon of the Mother of God, famous for its miracles both during the plague epidemic in 1771 and during epidemic diseases in the 19th century (now it is in the Church of the Twelve Apostles). One more shrine was the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God of a very ancient painting (later lost). The Holy Great Martyrs Florus and Laurus in Russia were regarded as patrons of horse-breeding, so on the day of their memory people gathered to consecrate the horses to the church. After the establishment of Soviet power, the church was closed and turned into a warehouse; and the bell tower was destroyed. In 1990, the church was returned to the faithful. Since 1991, the church of Florus and Laurus is protected by the state as a monument of history and culture of regional importance.