Exhibitions: Solovetsky Islands mount “Golgotha and Rebirth” exhibition

“Solovetsky Islands: Golgotha and Rebirth” exhibition opened on July 12, 2011 at Transfiguration Cathedral of Solovetsky Monastery. The exposition dedicated to the history of the Solovetsky Islands is debuting on the islands. Prior to this the exhibition co-founded by Solovetsky Museum-Reserve and Solovetsky Monastery was staged in Moscow and Arkhangelsk.

Collected materials and exhibits show visitors five centuries of Solovetsky Islands’ history: from the monastery’s foundation in 1429 up to present days.

The Transfiguration Cathedral is one of the oldest churches on the Solovetsky Islands. It was erected in the middle of 16th c. during Father Superior Philip. In 19th c. cathedral’s St. Zosima and St. Sabbatius side chapel was rebuilt into Holy Trinity Church. During the time of labor camps the church housed Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp’s quarantine company.      

Part of photographs for the exposition was provided by Solovetsky Museum-Reserve. Museum’s staff members selected materials for show and accompanied the exhibition as it travelled across the country. The exhibition debuted in November 2010 in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. For 7 months of its display in the key Orthodox church of Russia the exposition had attracted about 400 000 people. To the Solovetsky Islands the exhibition arrived from Arkhangelsk, where it had been staged at Northern (Arctic) Federal University.