Unique “holy doors” created for an Armenian church in Krasnodar

A unique work of Armenian ecclesiastical art – “holy doors” – has been created in Krasnodar. They symbolize the passage from the secular world into the spiritual realm. A team of craftsmen spent a year and a half bringing them to life, studying the traditions of Armenian architecture before putting them into practice.

This is a large-scale project: every detail, every transition has been executed with filigree precision, clean lines, smooth transitions, and carving depth calculated down to the millimeter. Georgy Ponomar, who not only oversaw the entire process but personally studied Armenian architecture, traveling to Armenia with his team to see examples firsthand, spoke about the year-and-a-half-long work.

“We traveled across Armenia, gathered a great deal of information, and looked at similar works in Moscow. But this is an even more ambitious project than what was presented there,” said Georgy Ponomar, head of the Marquetry enterprise.

The nearly four-meter-tall doors are made of ash wood, known for its durability and attractive grain, which lends the composition added expressiveness. A special place is occupied by an icon of the Mother of God, crafted from pear wood, entirely by hand. According to Georgy, this is one of the most important and, at the same time, most challenging elements of the work.

“We tried machine work and finished it by hand, but the meaning was still lost. The warmth of the hands and the professionalism of our carver produced a good result,” he said.

Every detail carries deep symbolism, even the ordinary door plugs hold their own sacred significance. “The Armenian cross is framed by 40 drops, representing the 40 days Christ spent in the desert. This underscores the sacred nature of the work,” Ponomar noted.

The doors remain in the workshop until construction of the new Cathedral of the Armenian Church is completed. It is set to become a destination not only for members of the diaspora and residents of the regional capital, but also for tourists of many different faiths from around the world.