Church of the Nativity, Orthodox church in Sudzhansky District, Russia.
The Church of the Nativity in Ulanok is a single-storey stone church built in 1851–1862 in the Russian-Byzantine style. It has five domes and a cruciform plan, connected to a three-tier bell tower. Its interior preserves about 70% of murals painted in the second half of the 19th century.
A first wooden church, probably bought in Baturyn in the late 17th century, burned down; a second wooden church bought in Sumy was erected between 1774 and 1780. The present brick church was begun in 1851 and built over eleven years by priest Pavel Petrovsky, church elder Pyotr Nikiforov and peasants Roman Yeremenko and Andrei Volkov with parish funds. Bishop Sergius of Kursk and Belgorod consecrated it on 17 (29) September 1862.
The church's north side altar was consecrated for the Pasovskaya (Tsaregradskaya) icon of the Mother of God, brought to the church by the time of its 1862 consecration and venerated as wonder-working. The south altar was never consecrated and served as a sacristy. A women's parish school opened at the church in 1896, teaching 45 to 55 pupils a year.
The church can be reached via main roads running through Sudzhansky District and is accessible from established travel routes in the region. Visitors should plan to explore at a comfortable pace and take time to observe the surroundings.
The main altar's table was made from three woods — cedar, pevga and cypress — sent from an Athonite monastery in 1860; the timber travelled by sea to Odesa, then overland to Sudzha. The church also kept the venerated Pasovska (Tsaregradska) icon of the Mother of God, in whose honour the north chapel was consecrated.
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