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1. History of the Cathedral 2. Restoration chronology 3. State before the restoration 4. Restoration. First photos 5. Restoration. Color photos 6. Frescos by Aliaksandr Pushkin

Cathedral of Ascension restoration history and chronology (1992-1996)

The first restoration research of the cathedral’s frescos was made by U. Rakitski in 1982. Since 1988, the archives were moved to another building, and Belarusan State Restoration started working on interior and exterior of the cathedral. U. Rakitski and Y. Malinouski were the first restoration supervisors until 1990, when M. Zalatukha began to be in charge.
Y. Myadzviedzieu, A. Astraukh, S. Dzyanisienka, P. Prokharau, I. Knysh, A. Khadyka (ideologist), M. Zalatukha were working on the central nave plafond restoration. The Catholic church in Mahilyow became the owner of the cathedral on July, 13 1991 according to Minsk executive committee decision, and the exterior and interior restoration began under the supervision of deacon Uladzislau Blin. The Restoration atelier of Belarusan Catholic Gromada (head – F. Yanushkievich, architect – U. Papruha, scientific supervisor – V. Lukashevich) started conducting restoration works on January, 7 1992. The artists A. Lipski, A. Pushkin, A. Pashkievich, R. Tabolich, H. Matusievich, S. Rabchonak, V. Yanushkievich, P. Luk, L. Ramanchyk were working on the site. On July, 18 1992 the commission including D. Bubnouski, N. Vysotskaya, U. Blin, M. Zalatukha, V. Lukashevich, F. Yanushkievich, U. Papruha, V. Hlinnik, A. Lipski, S. Dzyanisienka, A. Astaukh, I. Knysh and A. Pushkin decided to conduct joint wall-painting restoration by restorers of Belarusan State Restoration and Belarusan Catholic Gromada. Belarusan State Restoration restored the central nave plafond in 1992, and Belarusan Catholic Gromada – other frescos.
A. Pushkin is the author of the wall-painting restoration project. U. Papruha designed the floor, which was installed by Mahilyow firm “Archica” in 1992.
The restoration work was conducted in the following way:
August, 25 1992 – intensive cleaning of baroque paintings from the oil coloration of the XX ct. The frescos of presbytery and choir loft (15 new images altogether) were opened. The choirs and support in the whole cathedral were restored till March 1993.
March, 3 1993 - July, 17 1993 – side frescos of the central nave were cleaned and restored, 2 later frescos “Epiphany” and “Lazar’s Resurrection” were removed, and the scaffolding in the central nave were dismantled. The frescos of presbytery and the main altar were restored in August-September 1993.
October-November 1993 – the frescos of side naves were restored, and the paintings of all the restored and opened images scaled 1:10 were prepared before Christmas (December, 25).
December, 7 1993 – the State historical legacy protection inspection prohibited the further works on the cathedral baroque interior restoration because the scientific supervisor from Belarusan State Restoration instituted proceedings in connection with the removal (destruction) of two XX ct. frescos in the central nave (“Epiphany” and “Lazar’s Resurrection”).
The work was stopped for 5 months, meanwhile 2 volumes of documentation were prepared.
April, 8 1994 – the commission of the Republican Restoration Council took place and allowed the further restoration and appointed the new scientific supervisor. The criminal case was closed on April, 22 1994 and the atelier of Belarusan Catholic Gromada got the license to conduct all further restoration works.
June, 1 1994 – the cleaning of fresco paintings in the chapels of St. Antonio and St. Josef began. A. Pushkin made the copies of XIX ct. oil paintings on the ceiling in the chapel of St. Antonio. It was found out that there is a baroque fresco of ca end of XVII – beginning of XVIII ct under the XIX ct. oil painting.
September-October 1994 – A. Pushkin made new painting of columns bases in the whole cathedral and in August he prepared the cardboard of new frescos “St. Archangel Michael” and “St. Cecily” in the supports of side naves and first columns in the beginning of side naves.
November-December 1994 – the stucco molding near the chapel of St. Antonio was restored, the chapel walls were cleaned of oil, the graphical fixation of the newly opened paintings was made, and the ceiling cleaning began.
January, 20 1995 – A. Pushkin made new project of wall paintings restoration in the chapel of St. Antonio. The cardboards of the new frescos “St. Archangel Michael” and “St. Cecily” for the left side nave were finished.
April, 12 1995 – an exhibition in Polatsk Sofia cathedral took place. A. Pushkin finished the frescos St. Archangel Michael” and “St. Cecily” and F. Yanushkievich – the frescos “St. Kazimir of Yahajlavichy” and “The Creation of Adam and Eve”, as well as the icons for wooden side altars – “Suffering of St. Andrew Baboli” and “Blessed Balieslava Lyamant”.
July, 11 1995 – V. Lukashevich and A. Lipski finished the gilding and restoration of the main altar’s upper part – “The Ascension”.
November, 1 1995 – the main cathedral’s altar is gilded till the lower bases, the walls in the chapels of St. Antonio and St. Josef are prepared, the ceiling in the chapel of St. Antonio is almost cleaned of XIX ct. oil paintings, the frescos “The Separation of the Light from the Darkness. God Savaof”, “The Picture with a Castle”, “Unknown Coat of Arms”, “Crowns on the Ceiling”. No traces of frescos were found in the chapel of St. Josef, and it was plastered anew.
November, 12 1995 – bishop Wroclaw Bronislaw Dombrowski and deacon U. Blin consecrated the fresco “St. Cecily”. During November A. Pushkin painted the fresco “St. Apostle Juda Tadeusz”, and F. Yanushkievich – the fresco “Heart of Jesus”.
December, 25 1995 – four side altars are gilded, the ornamental paintings (except the new fresco “St. Antonio”) and the plafond in the chapel of St. Antonio were restored. Besides, the project for new paintings in the chapel of St. Josef was designed.
December, 26 1995 – Cardinal Kazimir Swiatek blessed A. Pushkin to start wall painting in the chapel of St. Josef according to the project.
February 1996 – A. Pushkin wrote the fresco “St. Antonio of Padua”.
March, 1996 – the cardboard for the plafond “Glory to Cardinal Swiatek” in the chapel of St. Josef is made. F. Yanushkievich started writing frescos “St. Archangel Gabriel”, “St. Josef” and “St. Virgin Maria with Jesus”.
April, 9 – May, 30 1995 – A. Pushkin paints the plafond in the chapel of St. Josef (40.5 m2, 44 persons). The paintings in the whole chapel were finished by June, 30.
July, 10 1995 – the molding and gilding of side wooden altars is made, the furniture was brought, the Tabernacle of the main altar is made, and the Crucifixion is put on the main altar. The sculpture “Jesus, hope for you” was installed, the main altar’s lamps were gilded, all the imperfections in the wall paintings were corrected, everything was cleaned and painted in the whole cathedral and in the end the names of the restorers were written in the chapel of St. Josef.
July, 13 1996 – Cardinal Kazimir Swiatek consecrated the Cathedral of Ascension, a lot of people present.
August, 15 1996 – Cardinal Achilles Silvestrini, the prefect of eastern churches Congregation in Vatican, was present in the cathedral.
November, 16 1996 – F. Yanushkievich and Natalia Rasolka got married in the cathedral.