Goloperovo: Local Church History

• The stone Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs was built in 1807 on the site of an earlier wooden church.
• Historically, the church had three altars with different dedications.
• The church was closed in 1943; afterward, its building housed a warehouse and a shop.
• The chapel to the Three Ecumenical Teachers is located in a prayer carriage.

The 1807 building continues the history of an earlier wooden church on the same site. The church had three altars: one in honor of the Three Holy Hierarchs, one in honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, and one in honor of the holy unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian. These dedications give the building’s history several religious points of reference.

The church’s use changed over time. It was closed in 1943; afterward, a warehouse and a shop occupied its building. On April 26, 2025, a liturgy took place in Goloperovo, described as the first in almost a hundred years. The building, its later use, and this dated event therefore belong to different chapters of local history.

A condition report from October 2022 described the church as a ruin: the domes were missing, the roof had large holes, and plaster and bricks were crumbling. The interior was reported to be unsafe in 2022 and 2024. If you are considering a visit, check the current situation and plan to enter the interior only if conditions allow.

The chapel to the Three Ecumenical Teachers is located in a prayer carriage. It is dedicated to Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. On November 13, Hegumen Panteleimon (Korolyov), head of the Holy Trinity Danilov Monastery, consecrated a chapel in Goloperovo in honor of these three teachers. The chapel and the stone church thus represent different forms of religious architecture and local history.

The wider travel destination of Yaroslavl Oblast offers other, distinct cultural attractions. In Pereslavl-Zalessky, the Transfiguration Cathedral dates from the 12th century. It is considered the city’s oldest church and the earliest surviving architectural monument of the Vladimir-Suzdal school. Also in Pereslavl-Zalessky, the passage gates in the eastern wall of the Goritsky Monastery of the Assumption are considered an example of 17th-century Russian architecture; most visitors enter the monastery through them.

Museums and educational experiences offer another focus. The Rybinsk Museum-Reserve is housed in the New Grain Exchange, built in 1912 to a design by Moscow architect A. V. Ivanov on the high bank of the Volga. The museum offers tours of its galleries and interactive activities with competitions, prizes, and refreshments; check current dates with the museum. At the Emalis Enamel Art Museum in Yaroslavl, visitors can learn about the history of the craft and see works by Russian and European artists. They can also make a pendant or a painting themselves; check current workshop options directly with the museum.

Discover more destinations: Tunoshna, Lvy, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Pesochnoye, Perebory Microdistrict, Novoye, Veskovo, Yakimovskoye.

When was the stone church built?

The Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs in Goloperovo was built in 1807 on the site of an earlier wooden church.

What happened after the church closed?

The church was closed in 1943. Afterward, its building housed a warehouse and a shop.

To whom is the chapel in the prayer carriage dedicated?

The chapel to the Three Ecumenical Teachers is dedicated to Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom.

Go to the overview of the wider travel destination: Yaroslavl Oblast.