Four lighthouse churches in Russia (PHOTOS)

1. Church of the Holy Blessed Peter and Fevronia of Murom

The church on the Admiral Serebryakov Embankment in Novorossiysk was consecrated in 2022 by Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. It was built according to the design of architect Fyodor Afuksenidi.

The church is easy to spot thanks to its openwork dome and crosses made of anchors, which are installed on the columns. At the same time, it operates as a lighthouse, showing the way to ships heading to Novorossiysk and Gelendzhik.

2. Church of the Nativity of Christ

This church, built in the 18th century on the shore of Lake Beloye, has a tragic past. During the construction of the Volga-Baltic Waterway, dozens of villages with all their buildings were flooded, including the village of Krokhino.

The miraculously preserved Church of the Nativity is the only building that remains of it. It was saved from destruction by… a lighthouse, which was located above the dome. The builders of the Volga-Balt used it to mark the mouth of the Sheksna River and the entrance to Lake Beloye. Large-sized ships passing through the local flood zone were guided by the signal of the church lighthouse.

Over time, the church fell into disrepair and its dome collapsed. But, several years ago, the church began to be restored. In 2024, for the first time in many years, a light was lit on the bell tower of the lighthouse.

3. Church of the Ascension on Sekirnaya Mountain

The oldest church-lighthouse in Russia is located in the Solovetsky Monastery. The monastery can only be reached by water, so the monks mastered the seafaring business: In the 16th century, they used wooden three-masted ships and, in the 19th century, they founded their own steamship company. So, the Solovetsky Monastery simply had to have a lighthouse. And so it was built. In 1862, it was lit on the bell tower of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Sekirnaya Mountain. It’s lit manually from August to November. The lighthouse is still in operation today.

4. Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Malorechenskoye

The tallest church in Crimea is located in the village of Malorechenskoye, near Alushta. It was built in 2006. The lighthouse lantern is enclosed in a ball, which is located under the main cross of the church. Although this church is not included in the nautical charts, it can be used as a lighthouse.

The church's exterior and interior decoration are related to the maritime theme: visitors can see anchors and ship chains, sailboats and even constellations by which sailors use to navigate. The Museum of Water Disasters is also located there.