Minsk. The Church of Alexander Nevsky.

In April 1896, the construction department of the Minsk Provincial Government approved an estimate for the construction of a new monument temple for a total amount of 11.227 rubles and 39 kopecks. The troops of the local military garrison and private individuals, mostly relatives of the fallen soldiers, donated considerable funds for the construction of the temple. Archpriest Pavel Bogdanovich, dean of the 30th Infantry Division, actively helped in this matter. The solemn consecration on February 2, 1898 was led by the Bishop of Minsk Simeon. Initially, the church, like the cemetery itself, belonged to the military department. The church and cemetery were transferred to the jurisdiction of the diocese and the city in 1915.

In February 1938, the authorities ordered the church to be closed. After its closure, not a single functioning church remained in Minsk.

In the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, on June 24, 1941, the area of the military cemetery was subjected to a particularly brutal bombing. A ring of fire engulfed the cemetery. More than twenty high-explosive bombs were dropped here. One of them got into the temple. Having pierced the vaults, the bomb fell in front of the altar opposite the icon of St. Nicholas, but there was no explosion. As a result of the bombing, the main dome was demolished by an explosive wave, the roof caught fire, but soon the flames extinguished themselves.

Already in the first days of the war, the church was opened by parishioners. Divine services resumed on July 5, 1941, and the church was consecrated again at the all-night vigil. In the autumn of 1944, the right side chapel appeared in the church in honor of The Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, decorated with a fresco of this holiday. Frescoes depicting the evangelists are placed under the main dome, and an image is placed in the altar The Transfiguration of the Lord.

In 1951, the temple was repainted inside and out in white. During the execution of the work, some frescoes in medallions and stencil painting turned out to be painted over. In 1955, the military cemetery was closed for burials. In the early 1960s, the secular authorities intended to close the church again and set up a workshop for making coffins in it, but thanks to the opposition of the rector of the church, Archpriest Viktor Bekarevich, the temple was defended. Extensive restoration work was carried out under the leadership of Father Victor. New stainless steel crosses were made and gilded together with the domes.

In 1982-1983, extensive restoration work was carried out: the central dome was completely restored, new crosses made of stainless metal were made and gilded together with the domes, the outer walls were freed from previous layers of paints and re-painted with a special coloring compound. Asphalt has been laid on the territory adjacent to the temple. In 1985, internal repairs and restoration began, the vault above the main altar was decorated with newly painted frescoes.

In 1991, a church house was built next to the temple for the celebration of the sacrament of Baptism, Sunday school classes, and conversations with parishioners. There is a belfry at the top. The rooms on the second floor were painted, and a Sunday school was opened.

The military relics of the temple have been restored: the marching church and the regimental banners of the 119 Kolomna Regiment, donated in 1878. On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the church, the parish has landscaped 40 graves around the temple, renovated the belfry, and installed six new bells on it. In the jubilee year, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II visited the church and gave the parish an icon of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky. Since the consecration of the temple, funeral services have been held here four times a year (on Universal Parental Saturdays), at which fallen soldiers are commemorated by name.