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\n \n ST. CATHERINE’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, located at 1 Bolshoy Avenue of Vasilievsky Island. An architectural monument of early Classicism. Designed for the Lutheran Community of Vasilievsky Island (established in 1728) by architect Y. M. Felten, the church was constructed in 1768-71 under the patronage of Empress Catherine II. The church facade is decorated with a Dorian portico and a light cupola; the interiors, divided by Corinthian columns into three naves, boast gilding and statues by sculptor A. R. Bock, in addition to religious paintings by G. Pfanzelt, G. I. Kozlov and E. Grimmel. In 1852, the Mezel organ was installed in the church. Pastors J. C. Grot (the author of the books on the history of Protestantism in Russia) and K. L. Beckman became very famous. In 1909, the congregation numbered about 8,000 people, mainly Germans. In the early 1920s the church was given over to the community of Evangelic Christian Baptists. In 1930, the church was closed and the building was turned into a miners' club, then it was used by a sound recording company. In 1990, services resumed. In 1997, the church was returned to the Lutheran community; in 1999 a Sauer organ, the largest in St. Petersburg, was installed in the church.

References: Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1996. Т. 3. С. 243-246.

S. V. Boglachev.\n
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Persons
\n \n \n \n \n Catherine II, Empress\n
\n \n \n \n Felten Yury (Georg Friedrich) Matveevich\n
\n \n \n \n \n \n Kozlov Grigory Mikhailovich\n
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