Monasteries- these are communal settlements of believers who live together, withdrawing from the world, while observing a certain charter. The oldest are Buddhist monasteries, which arose in India in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. In the Middle Ages, Christian monasteries in Europe were built as fortresses or castles. Since ancient times, Russian Orthodox monasteries have been characterized by a freer, picturesque layout.
Monasteries began to appear in Rus' at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century. One of the first - Kiev-Pechersk- was founded by Saint Theodosius in 1051 on the banks of the Dnieper in artificial caves. In 1598 it received the status of a monastery. The Monk Theodosius laid down a strict monastic rule according to the Byzantine model. Until the 16th century, monks were buried here.
Trinity Cathedral- the first stone building of the monastery, erected in 1422-1423 on the site of a wooden church. The temple was built at the expense of Dmitry Donskoy’s son, Prince Yuri of Zvenigorod, “in praise” of Sergius of Radonezh. His remains were transferred here. So the cathedral became one of the first memorial monuments of Moscow Rus'.
Sergius tried to spread the veneration of the Holy Trinity as a symbol of the unity of all Rus'. Icon painters Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny were invited to create the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral.
At the end of the 12th century, instead of the ancient chambers, a refectory was erected - an elegant building, surrounded by a gallery, decorated with columns, ornaments and carved platbands.
Trinity Monastery(XIV century) founded by the brothers Bartholomew and Stephen on the northern approaches to Moscow. When he was tonsured, Bartholomew received the name Sergius, who began to be called Radonezh.
“Reverend Sergius, with his life, the very possibility of such a life, made the grieving people feel that not everything good in them had yet extinguished and froze... The Russian people of the 14th century recognized this action as a miracle,” wrote historian Vasily Klyuchevsky. During his life, Sergius founded several more monasteries, and his disciples founded up to 40 monasteries in the lands of Rus'.
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was founded in 1397. Legend has it that during a prayer, Archimandrite Kirill of the Simonov Monastery was commanded by the voice of the Mother of God to go to the shore of White Lake and found a monastery there. The monastery developed actively and soon became one of the largest. From the first half of the 16th century, great princes came here on pilgrimage. Ivan the Terrible took monastic vows in this monastery.
Rizpolozhensky Monastery was founded in 1207. This monastery is the only one that has brought to us the names of its builders - “stone builders” - Suzdal residents Ivan Mamin, Ivan Gryaznov and Andrei Shmakov. The Rizpolozhensky Monastery played a major role in preserving the topography of ancient Suzdal: the oldest Suzdal road passed through the monastery gates, coming from the Kremlin through the settlement along the left bank of the Kamenka River. The double-tented Holy Gate of the monastery, built in 1688, has been preserved.
Church of the Assumption of Gethsemane Skete- one of the most interesting buildings of Valaam. It is made in the “Russian style”, which has undergone changes under the influence of the architecture of the Russian North. It stands out for its complex decor.
March 14, 1613 representatives Zemsky Sobor announced to the person in Ipatiev Monastery Mikhail Fedorovich about his election to the throne. This was the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty. Associated with his name is the feat of the peasant Ivan Susanin, who led Polish soldiers into the forest who were looking for the way to the monastery in order to take the young king prisoner. At the cost of his life, Susanin saved the young monarch. In 1858, at the request of Emperor Alexander II, the monastery cells of the 16th-17th centuries were rebuilt. The emperor ordered the creation of a family nest for the reigning dynasty here. The reconstruction was carried out in a style stylized in the 16th century.
Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma was founded around 1330 by Khan Murza Chet, who converted to Christianity, the ancestor of the Godunov family. The Godunovs had a family tomb there. The most ancient part of the monastery is Old city- has existed since the day of its foundation.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery on Valaam was a major center religious life. It is believed that it was founded no later than the beginning of the 14th century. The monastery was repeatedly attacked by the Swedes. After the end of the Northern War, according to the Treaty of Nystadt in 1721, Western Karelia was returned to Russia. The buildings of the monastery belong to different eras and styles.
Monastery in Optina Hermitage founded in the 16th century. In 1821, a monastery arose at the monastery. This event predetermined his future fate and fame. In the second quarter of the 19th century, such a phenomenon as “elderhood” arose here. Among the elders there were many educated people occupied with religious and philosophical problems. The elders were visited by N.V. Gogol, F.M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, A.A. Akhmatova.
Archipelago Lake Ladoga Balaam- an amazing corner of Karelia. Everything here is unusual: boulders, mighty trees, rocks... Each of the ensembles has its own appearance, interesting architectural structures and agricultural buildings, dozens of chapels, crosses. IN clear weather the outlines of the archipelago are visible from afar.
The architects of Valaam knew how to reveal the character of nature, and modest buildings turned into memorable landscapes. The painting of the cathedral is close to the naturalistic art of Western countries.
Emergence and initial construction Resurrection Monastery near Istra is associated with Nikon - the Orthodox reformer churches XVII century. Voskresenskoye was purchased by Nikon in 1656. In addition to the serfs of the patriarch himself, craftsmen from all over the country were involved in the construction. The white stone was delivered from the village of Myachkova along the Moscow River and its tributary Istra. Nikon set out to create a semblance of the Jerusalem Temple (hence the second name - New Jerusalem).
One of the most famous monasteries - Joseph-Volokolamsky- founded at the beginning of the 15th century in the city of Volok Lamsky, known since 1135. The city was founded by Novgorodians on the site of an ancient portage (dragging overland) of ships from the Lama River to Voloshna.
Spaso-Borodinsky Monastery- one of the best monuments to the War of 1812. Architect M. Bykovsky organically integrated the fence, bell tower and tomb of General Tuchkov into the monastery.
Literature
- Russian Great Children's Encyclopedia, Modern Writer, Minsk, 2008
Murom Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery (“Spassky on the Bor”) is a monastery located in the city of Murom, on the left bank of the Oka River. The oldest monastic monastery in Rus' was founded by Prince Gleb (the first Russian saint, son of the great Baptist of Rus' Prince of Kyiv Vladimir). Having received the city of Murom as his inheritance, the holy prince founded a princely court higher up the Oka River, on a steep, forested bank. Here he built a temple in the name of the All-Merciful Savior, and then a monastic monastery.
The monastery is mentioned in chronicle sources earlier than all other monasteries on the territory of Russia and appears in the “Tale of Bygone Years” under 1096 in connection with the death of Prince Izyaslav Vladimirovich under the walls of Murom.
Many saints stayed within the walls of the monastery: St. Basil, Bishop of Ryazan and Murom, holy noble princes Peter and Fevronia, Murom wonderworkers, Venerable. Seraphim of Sarov visited his companion, the holy elder of the Spassky Monastery, Anthony Groshovnik.
One page of the monastery's history is connected with Tsar Ivan the Terrible. In 1552, Grozny marched on Kazan. One of the routes of his army lay through Murom. In Murom, the king reviewed his army: from the high left bank he watched as the warriors crossed to the right bank of the Oka. There, Ivan the Terrible made a vow: if he takes Kazan, he will build a stone temple in Murom. And he kept his word. By his decree, the Spassky Cathedral of the monastery was erected in the city in 1555. The sovereign donated church utensils, vestments, icons and books to the new temple. In the second half of the 17th century, the second warm stone Church of the Intercession was built in the monastery.
Not in the best possible way The life of the monastery was affected by the reign of Catherine the Great - she issued a Decree according to which the monasteries were deprived of property and land plots. But Spaso-Preobrazhensky survived. In 1878, the icon was brought from Holy Mount Athos by the rector, Archimandrite Anthony, to the monastery. Mother of God"Quick to Hear." Since then, it has become the main shrine of the monastery.
After the revolution of 1917, the reason for the closure of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery was the accusation of its rector, Bishop Mitrofan (Zagorsky) of Murom, of complicity in the uprising that occurred in Murom on July 8-9, 1918. Since January 1929, the Spassky Monastery was occupied by the military and partly by the NKVD department, at the same time the destruction of the monastery necropolis began, and access to its territory for civilians was stopped.
In the spring of 1995, military unit No. 22165 left the premises of the Spassky Monastery. Hieromonk Kirill (Epifanov) was appointed vicar of the reviving monastery, who was met with complete devastation in the ancient monastery. In 2000-2009, the monastery was thoroughly restored with the support of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Hesychasts(Greek - peace, silence) - silent people, silent people. Their appearance is contemporary with the emergence of monasticism. The theories of hesychasm were most fully formulated by Saint Gregory Palamas in the 14th century.Trial(test) - established for persons wishing to enter monasticism: the subject is required to perform for a certain period of time, at the discretion of the abbot of the monastery, one or another monastic “obedience”.
Cell(Greek – room) – living room monk in the monastery. Sometimes - a small separate house.
Lavra(Greek - street, village) - a large and important Orthodox monastery in its position. Currently, there are two Lavras in Russia: in Sergiev Posad near Moscow and in St. Petersburg. Two more Lavras: and - are located on the territory of Ukraine.
Mantle- monastic robe: long, sleeveless, cape with one fastener - at the collar.
Silent Man- a person who has taken a vow of silence.
Monk(Greek - lonely) - a person who has abandoned worldly life for the sake of serving God and taken vows of chastity, non-covetousness and obedience.
Vow- a promise made to God.
Abode- monastery.
Novice- a person preparing to accept. He has not yet taken monastic vows, does not belong to the monastic brotherhood, is not called a monk, and does not wear monastic vestments. His duties are to perform obediences with the blessing of the abbot: to help during divine services, to perform work on the monastic household.
tonsure- a divine service performed upon acceptance of monasticism.
Deserts- a secluded monastic settlement.
Skeet- a small secluded monastery where monks live, struggling in prayer, fasting and labor. The rules of monastic life, in comparison with the general monastery, are distinguished by greater severity.
Stavropegial Monastery- a monastery reporting directly to the patriarch.
Schima(Greek - monastic vestments) - the highest degree of monastic feat, prescribing seclusion in a monastery and adherence to especially strict monastic rules.
Beads– glass, wood, bone, plastic, amber, thread and other balls strung on a cord or connected to each other with loops. Serve for counting prayers and bows. In the Orthodox Church they are a mandatory accessory for monastics.
Avraamiev Pokrovsky Gorodetsky Monastery- a monastery, near the city of Chukhloma, Kostroma region. Founded in the 14th century by the Monk Abraham of Chukhloma (Galich). During the years of Soviet power it was severely destroyed. Returned to the Church and being restored.
– male Orthodox monastery, founded in St. Petersburg in 1710 by order of Peter I.
St. Andrew's Transfiguration Monastery- a male monastery founded in 1648 in Moscow, at the foot of the Sparrow Hills. In the 17th century, the first school in Moscow was located here, and at the beginning of the 18th century - a shelter for foundlings and street children. The monks were translating books from foreign languages. Currently returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Athos(Holy Mountain) is a narrow mountainous peninsula in the Aegean Sea. One of the most revered places in the entire Orthodox world. This way is ok. 44 years ago, the Mother of God Herself arrived to preach the gospel teaching. According to legend, She ended Her sermon with the words: “Let this place be My lot, given to Me by My Son and My God! May His grace rest upon this place and on those who live here.” Presumably, the first monks began to settle here in the 7th century, and the 9th century is the official time of the establishment of monasticism on Athos. Now there are 20 large monasteries here, and among them is the Russian monastery of the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon (founded, according to legend, during the time of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir after the Baptism of Rus'), 12 hermitages and up to 700 individual cells. There are several thousand monastics. There are no cities or villages on the peninsula. Women are not allowed on Mount Athos.
Valaam Monastery, Spaso-Preobrazhensky - located on the island of Valaam, in the northwestern part of Lake Ladoga. Founded in the 12th century by the holy monks Herman and Sergius. Located on the border of the Novgorod and Swedish possessions, the monastery was often attacked by the Swedes, who ravaged and burned it to the ground, but each time it was restored to become even more majestic and beautiful.
Vysokopetrovsky Monastery- male monastery in Moscow, on the street. Petrovka. Founded in 1380 by Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy after the victory on the Kulikovo Field. The ancestral tomb of the Naryshkin boyars, relatives of Peter I, who made many donations to the monastery.
David's desert- a monastery, located eighty-five kilometers from Moscow and twenty-four kilometers from Serpukhov, not far from the city of Chekhov. Founded at the beginning of the 16th century by the Monk David, who labored in the monastery for more than half a century.
Pilgrimage trip to David's hermitage in August 2005
Danilov Monastery(St. Danilov) is a monastery founded at the end of the 13th century by Prince Daniil of Moscow. The monastery-fortress defended Moscow from the Serpukhov direction, from where the Horde usually came. Already in 1293, the monastery was plundered and burned by the Tatars, in 1606 it defended the city from Bolotnikov’s troops, and in 1610 it was fired upon by the troops of False Dmitry II. There was a small cemetery at the monastery, where they found N.V.’s final resting place. Gogol, poets M.A. Dmitriev and N.M. Yazykov, artist V.G. Perov, Slavophile A.S. Khomyakov. In 1931, the cemetery was destroyed, the ashes of Gogol, Khomyakov and Yazykov were transferred to the Novodevichy Cemetery, the ashes of Perov were transferred to the Donskoy Monastery. In 1929, the St. Daniel Monastery was closed, and a children's reception center was set up on its territory. In 1983, the monastery was restored and reopened; on its territory is the residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
Donskoy-Bogoroditsky Monastery- a male monastery in Moscow, founded by Tsar Theodore Ioannovich in 1591. It was closed in 1921. In 1922-1925, Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', was detained here. In the 1950s, the Museum of Architecture was located in the premises of the monastery. Currently returned to the Church. Many prominent figures of Russian culture are buried in the old monastery cemetery, including the writer A.P. Sumarokov, philosopher P.Ya. Chaadaev, historian V.O. Klyuchevsky, architect O.I. Bove, artist V.G. Perov and others .
Joseph-Volokolamsky Monastery- one of the largest and richest Russian monasteries. Founded among the forests near Moscow in 1479 by the holy Venerable Joseph of Volotsky. Pilgrimage trip to the Joseph-Volotsky Monastery in June 2007
Ipatiev Trinity Monastery- in Kostroma. Founded approx. 1330 at the site of the appearance of the Mother of God to the Tatar Murza Cheta (in holy baptism of Zechariah) - the ancestor of the Godunovs, who subsequently contributed greatly to the splendor of the monastery. It gained historical fame due to the stay of Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov, who agreed to accept the royal crown in 1613.
- the oldest of Russian monasteries, founded under Yaroslav the Wise in 1051. In the artificially created caves, to which the monastery owes its name, monastic cells and underground temples. The burials of the dead inhabitants of the monastery were also carried out here. Later, above-ground structures were also erected. In the caves of the monastery rest the relics of the holy monks Anthony and Theodosius - the founding fathers of the monastery, St. Elijah of Murom, St. Nestor the Chronicler and many other Russian saints.
- a convent on the western outskirts of Vladimir land. The emergence of this monastery is inextricably linked with the name of the great ascetic and abbot of the Russian land - St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Pilgrimage trip to Kirzhach in the summer of 2005 Pilgrimage trip to Kirzhach in the summer of 2007
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery- a men's monastery on the shore of Lake Siverskoye outside Vologda, founded in 1397 by St. Cyril of Belozersky. This monastery quickly became a center of education, a zealot of Orthodoxy and a model of community life. The monastery fortress withstood the siege of the Polish-Lithuanian invaders in 1612-1613.
Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent– convent, community of sisters of mercy. Founded in 1908 by Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna. The Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary, the walls and buildings of the monastery were built in 1908-1912 according to the design of the architect A.V. Shchusev, who used elements of medieval Pskov-Novgorod architecture. In 1926, the monastery was closed and has now been returned to the Church. Inside the temple, frescoes by M.V. have been preserved. Nesterov and P.D. Corina.
- a monastery on the Stolobny island of Lake Seliger, a few kilometers from the city of Ostashkov. Founded at the end of the 16th century on the site of the exploits of St. Neil of Stolobensky. Pilgrimage to Seliger in the summer of 2006
- a convent on the banks of the Moscow River, in Luzhniki. Founded in 1524. In 1812, retreating from Moscow, Napoleon tried to blow up the monastery churches, but the nuns managed to defuse the planted charges. The monastery cemetery has long been a particularly honorable burial place for noble residents of the capital.
- a monastery near the city of Voskresensk (Istra). Founded in the 17th century by Patriarch Nikon. The main cathedral of the monastery (Resurrection) was copied from the Resurrection Cathedral in Jerusalem - hence the name of the monastery. In 1941, the cathedral, like other buildings of the monastery, was blown up by the Nazis; currently restored. Pilgrimage to New Jerusalem in May 2007
Novospassky Monastery- a men's monastery in Moscow, founded in the 14th century, initially (until the end of the 15th century) was located in the Kremlin, then was transferred beyond Taganka. One of the Moscow fortress monasteries, covered Moscow from the south and southeast. It was rebuilt in the 17th century.
Optina Pustyn Vvedenskaya- a monastery near the city of Kozelsk, near Kaluga, a famous center of spiritual life in pre-revolutionary Russia, famous for the restoration of eldership and holy elders. Gogol and Dostoevsky came to Optina Pustyn for prayer help and spiritual strengthening. Tolstoy also visited (the latter, unfortunately, only to present Saint Ambrose with the “gospel” of his own composition). The monastery was actively involved in book publishing, with the help of the Kireevsky brothers, writers Konstantin Leontyev and Sergei Nilus and other writers and journalists. Currently returned to the Church and is a favorite place of pilgrimage.
- a monastery in the town of Pochaev (Ukraine), famous for its shrines: the miraculous Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God and the relics of St. Job of Pochaev. Pilgrimage trip Kyiv-Chernigov-Pochaev in July 2000
- a monastery in the city of Pechory, not far from Pskov. The first inhabitants of the caves (around the middle of the 15th century) were hermits: in 1473, the Orthodox priest John, who fled Dorpat (Tartu) from the oppression of Catholics, founded a church here in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Located on the western approaches to Pskov, the monastery was repeatedly attacked and sieged. However, in the history of our Fatherland, the monastery became famous not as a fortress, but as an important spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Pyukhtitsa Assumption Monastery- a convent founded in 1891 with the active participation of John of Kronstadt as a stronghold of Orthodoxy in northwestern Russia. Now - on the territory of Estonia. The main shrine is the miraculous Pyukhtitsa Icon of the Mother of God.
Savvin-Storozhevsky Nativity of the Bogorodsky Monastery- a men's monastery near Zvenigorod, founded by the Monk Savva around 1380. It reached a special peak after the appearance of the relics of St. Savva in 1652. In 1812 it was destroyed and plundered by the French. Restored. IN Soviet time- museum. Now returned to the Church. Pilgrimage trip to the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery in May 2007
Sarov Desert- a monastery founded in the 17th century. The hermitage gained fame primarily thanks to St. Seraphim of Sarov, who asceticised there for many years.
- a monastery located seventy kilometers north of Moscow in Sergiev Posad. Recognized spiritual center of Russian Orthodoxy. Founded in the 14th century by St. Sergius of Radonezh. In 1380, Dimitri Donskoy received the blessing of St. Sergius at the Lavra for the Battle of Kulikovo, and two monks, Peresvet and Oslyabya, went with him. In 1608, the monastery withstood a long siege by the Poles, playing important role in the war against them, since he helped Moscow with prayers, money, and people. Peter fled here, fleeing from assassins sent by his sister, Princess Sophia. And many times during the most difficult days for our Fatherland, both prayer and material aid the monastery turned out to be literally saving. The Lavra houses several churches, a museum, the Moscow Theological Seminary and the Moscow Theological Academy.
Simonov Monastery- a monastery in Moscow, founded in 1379. It served as a fortress protecting the approaches to the city. During the XIV-XVII centuries it was one of the most famous and influential monasteries in Russia in church affairs. From among his monks came four Patriarchs of Moscow and All Rus' (Job, Hermogenes, Joseph II and Joseph). Monk Kirill became the founder of the monastery. Among the monks of the monastery were famous spiritual writers Vassian Patrikeev and Maxim the Greek. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, in which Peresvet and Oslyabya were buried, has survived to this day.
- a male monastery founded by Saint Savvaty (see Zosima and Savvaty) in 1429 on the Solovetsky Island of the White Sea. A major spiritual center of Russian Orthodoxy and an important defensive point that repelled attacks by the Swedes, Finns, and British. During the years of Soviet power - a camp for prisoners, the first of whom were several bishops and hundreds Orthodox priests- they were all shot at the end of the twenties. Currently returned to the Church. Pilgrimage to Solovki in August 2005
Spaso-Andronikov Monastery- a male monastery founded in the 14th century in Moscow. Served as a fortress to protect against raids by nomads. Named after the first abbot, Abbot Andronik, a student of Sergius of Radonezh. Spent here last years and Andrei Rublev, who painted the Spassky Cathedral of the monastery, was buried.
Sretensky Monastery- a male monastery in Moscow. Founded in 1395 on the spot where the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was met. Currently returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. He is actively involved in book publishing.
Tikhvin Dormition Monastery- a monastery in the city of Tikhvin, founded in the 15th century. In 1611 it was occupied by the Swedes, but in 1613 the monks rebelled against them and, with the support of the Moscow army, drove the invaders out of the monastery.
Tolga Monastery- a convent near Yaroslavl, on the left bank of the Volga, at the confluence of the Tolga River. Founded in 1314 in the place where the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God was revealed.
Miracles Monastery(Miracle of Michael the Archangel) - a monastery located in the Moscow Kremlin. Founded in the 14th century. It was a major center for the translation and rewriting of books.
Solovetsky Monastery - an independent monastery of Russian Orthodox Church. It is located in the White Sea on the Solovetsky Islands. The foundation of the monastery dates back to the 40s of the 15th century, when the Monk Zosima and his friend chose Bolshoi Solovetsky Island as their place of residence. He made such a choice not by chance - the monk saw a church of unprecedented beauty. Recognizing his dream as a sign from above, Zosima began building a wooden temple with a chapel and a refectory. With its construction he honored the Transfiguration of the Lord. After a short period of time, Zosima and German built a church. With the appearance of these two buildings, which later became the main ones, the arrangement of the monastery territory began. Subsequently, the Archbishop of Novgorod issued a document to the monastery confirming its eternal ownership of the Solovetsky Islands.
The Holy Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage is a stauropegial monastery, the servants of which are male monks. Its creator was the robber Opta, or Optia, who at the end of the 14th century. repented of his actions and accepted monasticism. As a clergyman he was known under the name Macarius. In 1821, a monastery was established at the monastery. It was inhabited by the so-called hermits - these are people who spent many years in complete solitude. The mentor of the monastery was the “elder”. Over time, Optina Pustyn turned into one of the leading spiritual centers. Thanks to numerous donations, its territory was replenished with new stone buildings, a mill and land. Today the monastery is considered a historical monument and has a different name - “Museum of Optina Pustyn”. In 1987, it was included in the list of objects of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Novodevichy Convent, built in the 16th century, was at that time located on Samsonov Meadow. Nowadays this area is called the Maiden Field. The cathedral church at the monastery was built in the likeness of the Assumption Cathedral - the “neighbor” of the Moscow Kremlin. The monastery walls and towers were built in the 16th – 17th centuries. In general, the architecture of the monastery conveys the “Moscow Baroque” style. The monastery owes its fame to the Godunov family. Boris Godunov lived here before his election as king with his sister Irina. Irina Godunova took monastic vows with the name Alexander and lived in separate chambers with a wooden tower. At the end of the 16th century. the territory of the monastery has been replenished stone walls and a dozen towers. In appearance, they resembled Kremlin buildings (there were square towers in the walls, and round ones in the corners). Their upper parts were decorated with teeth. Today the Novodevichy Convent combines both a museum and a monastery.
The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery is located on the shores of Lake Siverskoye. It owes its appearance to St. Cyril, who founded it in 1397. Construction began with the arrangement of a cell-cave and the installation of a wooden cross over it. In the same year, the illumination of the first shrine took place - it was a wooden church built in the name of the Assumption Holy Mother of God. By 1427, there were about 50 monks in the monastery. In the first half of the 16th century. begins at the monastery new life- All Moscow nobles and kings began to regularly come to it on pilgrimage. Using their rich donations, the monks quickly built up the monastery stone buildings. Its main attraction is the Assumption Cathedral. Appearing in 1497, it became the first stone building in the North. The monastery complex underwent various architectural changes until 1761.
The Valaam Monastery is a stauropegic institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, which occupied the islands of the Valaam archipelago (Karelia). The first mentions of it are found in chronicles of the 14th century. Thus, “The Legend of the Valaam Monastery” informs about the date of its foundation - 1407. Within a couple of centuries, 600 souls of monks lived in the monastery, however, due to repeated invasions by Swedish troops, the island began to decline. After another 100 years, the territory of the monastery began to be filled with cell buildings and auxiliary premises. But the main buildings of the monastery courtyard were the Assumption Church and the Transfiguration Cathedral. Wanting to create the New Jerusalem from their own monastery, the Valaam ascetics used the names of the New Testament period when arranging its sites. Over the years of its existence, the monastery has undergone many changes, and to this day it remains one of the most attractive historical monuments Russia.
The Alexander Nevsky Lavra was founded in 1710 at the junction of the Monastyrka River with the Neva. The decision to build it was made by Peter I himself, who wished to perpetuate the victory over the Swedes in 1240 and 1704 in this area. In the 13th century Alexander Nevsky fought against hordes of Swedes, so he was subsequently canonized for good deeds before the Fatherland. The monastery built in his honor was popularly called the Alexander Temple, and with its construction the expansion of the territory of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Monastery, or Lavra, began. It is noteworthy that the monastery buildings were located “at rest”, i.e. in the shape of the letter “P” and were decorated with churches in the corners. The landscaping of the yard consisted of a garden with a flower bed. The main holiday of the Lavra is the day of September 12 - it was on this date, back in 1724, that the holy relics of Alexander Nevsky were transferred.
The Trinity-Sergius Lavra was founded in the first half of the 14th century. Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, the son of an impoverished nobleman. According to the clergyman’s plan, the monastery courtyard was arranged in the form of a quadrangle, in the center of which the wooden Trinity Cathedral rose above the cells. The monastery was fenced with a wooden fence. Above the gate there was a small church honoring St. Dmitry Solunsky. Later such architectural plan adopted by all other monasteries, which confirmed the opinion that Sergius was “the head and teacher of all monasteries in Rus'.” Over time, the Holy Spirit Church appeared near the Trinity Cathedral, the building of which combined a temple and a bell tower (“like the bells”). Since 1744, the majestic monastery was renamed Lavra.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is a monastic monastery in Murom, founded by the passion-bearer prince Gleb. Having received the city as an inheritance, he did not want to settle among the pagans, so he decided to establish a princely court above the Oka. By selecting appropriate place, Gleb of Murom built his first temple on it - this is how he immortalized the name of the All-Merciful Savior. Later he added a monastic monastery to it (the premises were used to educate the Murom people). According to the chronicle, the “monastery of the Savior on the forest” appeared in 1096. Since then, many clergy and miracle workers have visited its walls. Over time, the Spassky Cathedral appeared on the territory of the monastery - through its construction, Ivan the Terrible immortalized the date of the capture of Kazan. To furnish the premises of the new temple, the tsar allocated icons, church utensils and literature, and clothing for ministers. The Church of the Intercession with chambers, a bakery, a flour shed and a cookhouse was built in the second half of the 17th century.
Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery is a convent founded in the 2nd half of the 18th century. At Mother Alexandra's own expense, the foundation of the Kazan Church was first laid. Pachomius, a master famous for the construction of the Sarov Desert, was in charge of its consecration as construction was completed. The church premises were equipped with 2 chapels - in the name of Archdeacon Stephen and St. Nicholas. Then the Trinity and Transfiguration Cathedrals appeared in Diveevo. The latter was built with substantial donations, because reinforced concrete was used in its construction for the first time (previously such material had not been used in the construction of shrines). But the main temple here is considered to be the Trinity Cathedral, in which the relics of Seraphim of Sarov rest. Everyone who wants to receive grace-filled help and healing specially gathers at the shrine with the relics of the monk.
Monastery of St. Catherine
The very first Christian monastery, known and existing to this day, is the Monastery of St. Catherine, formerly it was called the Monastery of the Transfiguration. Located in the center of the Sinai Peninsula, it is located at an altitude of 1570 meters. It is believed that the monastery was built during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justician in 527-565, on the site where, according to the Old Testament, the Lord spoke with Moses.
Place of pilgrimage
The Martyr Saint Catherine was born in 294 in Alexandria, her name was Dorothea, she was rich, beautiful and educated. In 305 she was executed for attempting to convert Emperor Maximius to Christianity.
In the tenth century, Egypt was Islamized and a mosque was built on the territory of the monastery to prevent its plunder. Previously, the monastery was a traditional place of pilgrimage for Russian Christians, but now this tradition is returning again.
A model of Christianity and faith
The monastery almost always had great patrons, for example, Ivan the Terrible, who sent money for donations, Napoleon, who protected the monastery from raids, etc.
There are many buildings on the territory of the monastery, among them you can find a chapel built in 324, in which there are two golden vaults for the relics of St. Catherine. Also one of ancient buildings located on the territory of the monastery, is a granite church built in the form of a basilica. It has remained virtually unchanged. The monastery also houses many ancient books, icons, and church utensils. The collection of relics of the monastery is considered the most extensive, after the Vatican.
This building is truly an example of Christianity and faith.
Alexander Ozerov, Samogo.Net