A true jewel of church architecture in Ivanovo Oblast is the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”. This cathedral is located in the city of Furmanov, formerly known as the village of Sereda.
In 1887, the entrepreneur I.I. Skvortsov, who was involved in the weaving business, built a small church on this site. A few years later, Skvortsov's business passed to his daughter Matryona, whose married name was Pavlova.
The impetus for rebuilding the small church into one greater in size and significance was the tragic death of the 14-year-old son of the Pavlov couple. A truly grand project was completed in eight years. The cathedral, capable of accommodating up to 2.5 thousand parishioners at a time, was opened to the faithful in 1904.
The fantastic outlines of the cathedral are visible from afar. In its architecture, motifs from different cultures intertwine, creating a harmonious fairy-tale eclecticism. The central part of the building is crowned by a huge onion-shaped dome. The side chapels dedicated to St. Nicholas and Prince Vladimir have five-domed roofs. The entire cathedral is adorned with luxurious paintings and patterns created by the finest masters of that time.
The Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” became the first religious building in Ivanovo Oblast to be opened to believers in Soviet times; this happened in 1988. Nowadays services are held daily, and thousands of people come here to pray and admire the magnificent cathedral.
