Penza, 18 July 2012. PenzaNews. Fire completely destroyed the Temple of Sts. Unmercenaries and Martyrs Cosmas and Damian located in Teshnyar village in Sosnovoborsky district of the Penza region early on Wednesday morning, July 18.

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According to the preliminary version, at about 7.00 the church was struck by lightning which led to the fire of its wooden structures.

The fire brigades of 41st fire department as well as from Nikolsk and Kuznetsk were unable to cope with the fire.

According to the regional newspaper “Trudovoi Put,” the temple was burned to the ground by 8.30.

The wooden Temple of Sts. Unmercenaries and Martyrs Cosmas and Damian was built in 1897 in Teshnyar instead of a small church built in 1757.

The project of a new church was made by diocesan architect Erenberg and approved on February 20, 1893.

The main altar of the church was consecrated on November 1, 1901 in memory of the Protection of the Mother of God.