7 places an Orthodox must visit. Places of power in Russia: where people go for healing and energy (photo review)

The world is full of secrets and mysteries, one of them is the miraculous deliverance from diseases and ailments through prayer in holy places. Therefore, the lines of suffering people or simply curious tourists stretch out to unusual places, monasteries, closer to holy sources, in order to strengthen or gain faith in a miracle, cleanse the soul, and improve health.

The territory of the Russian Federation is not an exception, but a confirmation of this rule. There are hundreds of natural springs and thousands of man-made shrines with miraculous powers.

The vastness of the country with age-old traditions of ancient beliefs closely intertwined with Christianity, are filled with strong energy emanating from Mother Earth in the form of clean springs, stone ledges, mountains.

Uniting with the light of heaven and human prayer, it acquires life-giving power.

Holy places that exude positive power are:

1. Sources (Rattlesnake, Saint David);
2. Deserts (Root Christmas-Mother of God Hermitage, Optina Hermitage, Ksenofontova, Mikhailo-Athos Zakubanskaya);
3. Monasteries for men and women (Kosmo-Damianovsky in the Crimea, Valaam, Aleksandro-Svirsky, Anthony-Siysky, Achairsky and others);
4. Graves (hieromonk Mardarii, holy father Nikolai Guryanov);
5. Sketes, caves (St. George's);
6. Lakes, mountains (Irgen, Pyukhtitsa)
7. Churches, temples, laurels.

Most of the temples and monasteries, built at different times, appeared where the faces of saints appeared or unusual phenomena of icons, crosses occurred, holy springs began to beat. Thus, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Malinniki was built on the site of the miraculous appearance of the icon with the image of the holy elder. The image was found in a haystack.

The chapel of the Assumption of the Mother of God was erected at the foot of Zhuravlinaya Gora. According to legend, four centuries ago, the appearance of the Virgin Mary took place here, who showed people a healing source.

The overwhelming majority are Orthodox holy places. Their stories of origin are associated with the names of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, apostles or martyrs, church ministers, holy ascetics. The lists of guidebooks often mention the prayerful abodes of monks, places of spiritual exploits, which are strengthened by many hours of prayer vigils.

Visiting holy springs and monasteries occurs for several reasons, the main ones:

• spiritual enrichment, familiarization with the sources of faith;
• hope for physical and mental healing;
• acquaintance with Russian shrines.

Organizational services are provided by 88 pilgrim services that work in dioceses, monasteries, 29 public organizations, more than 80 hotels and houses, and receive pilgrims. There are also a myriad of travel agencies that can create comfortable conditions and provide a rich program of excursions to holy places.

Travelers should study the difficulty and distance of routes before traveling in order to calculate their strength. We must be ready for long journeys, pedestrian crossings, Spartan living conditions, many hours of services and sermons. Observance of some rules of conduct and at least minimal theoretical training will be required.

The most popular pilgrimage destinations were and remain: Solovki, Valaam, Optina Pustyn, Lavra of Sergius of Radonezh, temples of Rostov the Great, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir, Suzdal, Uglich.

Over the centuries of existence, new shrines arose around the ancient places of worship, gradually growing into complexes.

For example, the Trinity Cathedral of the early 15th century is considered the center of the Lavra, a century later (1585), at the behest of Ivan the Terrible, the Assumption Cathedral was erected, later supplemented by the burial vault of the family of Boris Godunov.

The surroundings are famous for the Bogolyubsky, Paraklitovsky, Chernigov-Gethsemane sketes and the Bethany monastery of the 18th - 19th centuries.

We also venerate among the pilgrims the island of Valaam with its Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery, the origins of which date back to the 10th century. There are also little-known areas that have an individual purpose.

It's important to know! It is better to plan a pilgrimage tour through the territory of Russia in advance, taking into account the peculiarities of the climate, the possibility of transporting sick people, their accommodation and meals.

Moscow and Moscow region

This region is home to the largest number of man-made shrines and healing springs. The capital and the suburban area are located at the junction of a large earth fault, therefore there are many so-called geopathogenic zones with powerful energy charges.

On the territories of the outlets of positive earthly energies, religious buildings were built.
The pilgrimage to the city of Dmitrov with its large and small churches will be significant and eventful.

The temple complex in Sergiev Posad is worthy of attention. Zaraysk, Zvenigorod, Volokolamsk, Kolomna, Klin stand out for their Christian domes.

The Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery is of interest to believers, which is famous for its healing power, thanks to the monks ascetics and a wonderful source that gives peace of mind and drives away diseases of the body and spirit. This is the favorite abode of the royal family of John IV.

Each monastery must have holy springs with baths and specially equipped places for collecting holy healing water. There are more than 30 holy springs in Moscow and its environs.

The well-known and revered source "Cold" is located in Teply Stan. It is convenient to get to it from the Konkovo ​​metro station. Water is drunk on an empty stomach at the hour of sunrise. It cures kidney and liver diseases, headaches, and strengthens the immune system.

The Gremyachy Spring is the source of Sergius of Radonezh; according to legend, it made its way from the bowels at the place where the monk elder prayed for the unification of the Russian people. The water temperature is always +4 °, the stream falls from a height of 35 meters in 3 jets, named after the saints Faith, Hope and Love.

Many believe that the first of the jets helps the heart, the second helps the female organs (gives the joy of motherhood), and the third drives away ailments from the head. In fact, all the water from the spring is the same. Experts examined the composition of the liquid in the laboratory and attributed the water to conditionally drinking, since the radon contained in it exceeds the established norms, and an overdose of this substance is not desirable for the body.

Informative! What is a report from and how to get to it

There are places in Russia for healing ailments and holy springs in many remote areas, in the Ural Mountains, Siberia, the Volga region and even in Kamchatka.

Ural and Sverdlovsk region

The city of Alapaevsk, where several revered objects are located, has become significant for believers in the Sverdlovsk region:

• the convent of Princess Elizabeth Romanova with a miraculous mine;
• the monastery of the Russian New Martyrs;
• Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Martyr. Euphrosyne.

It is worth visiting Verkhoturovye with its Nicholas Monastery, where the relics of Simeon Verkhoturovsky are kept, the elder, to whom prayers are made for physical and spiritual health, peace of mind. There is also a newly opened Pokrovsky Convent, where the icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness" is kept and the relics of the holy fool Christ rest for the sake of Cosmas.

The city of Yekaterinburg, with its cathedrals and the Church on the Blood, built in honor of the murdered members of the family of Tsar Nicholas, is worthy to top the list of Ural shrines.

In the Urals, the temple in Verkhoturye stands out for its beauty, lush decoration and extraordinary energy, and one more - on the very bank of the Tura River. The village of Merkushino, the homeland and place of residence of Simeon Verkhotursky, the holy righteous man who helps people, is famous for its miracles. His relics, buried near the church, 50 years after the burial, began to rise from the ground, exuding a fragrance and healing people.

Interesting! To whom and to find a good and profitable job

Within the walls of the Central Ural Women's Monastery, you can not only take a break from the hustle and bustle, but also forget about the ailments forever, healed with the water of sacred springs and the prayer word of the abbot. No wonder a children's rehabilitation center was built on this land.

The springs of the village of Taraskovo will cure diseases, heal wounds, stop bleeding. For the first time, their abilities were noticed by residents after healing animals that drank this water. Another miracle of the Ural Mountains is the Platonis spring, enriched with natural radon. Its fame has long stepped over the borders of the country, and its origins are overgrown with legends.

The Ignatieva Cave is the oldest temple-sanctuary with rock paintings dating back 14 thousand years. In the 19th century, the holy righteous Ignatius settled here, healing people. The cave is located on the right bank of the Sim River, near the village of Serpievka.

Other holy sources

The holy springs of Russia, the life-giving power of water, its invaluable grace amaze people everywhere, and especially in places where life-giving moisture is combined with light thought and the word of prayer - in monasteries.

In addition to the springs described above, it is necessary to highlight another source in the Tatar ravine (Moscow region) near the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, which heals mental disorders. There are 20 keys in Kolomenskoye.

Water from a spring called Kadochka near the Church of the Ascension saved the wife of Ivan the Terrible from infertility.

Muranovsky spring of the Pushkin district near the village of Gribanovo became famous for the crystal clear water. Its water is able to regenerate integumentary and epithelial tissues, which means it can heal any wounds, rejuvenate the body, giving growth to new cells. It has a beneficial effect on all living things. Holy water from the monastery in Davydova Hermitage will help the eyes, stomach, intestines.

Holy places and monasteries that heal people are actively developing, equipped with baths, swimming pools. Trails are laid to distant holy springs. The only threat to ground and surface waters is the growing impact of industrial and human waste on their condition, pollution, depletion.

Important to remember! Traveling to the holy places of Russia, it is necessary to use the gifts of nature consciously, carefully, without harming the surrounding world.

Useful video: Holy sources of Russia

Conclusion

You can preview the holy places, photos and descriptions, in online guidebooks, there you will also find information about the location, methods of travel, modes of transport, routes. There are many holy sources in Russia, they are ready to give the joy of healing to everyone in need, but everything depends on the desire of people to get well and the degree of their faith.

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For some, pilgrimage is a journey and worship of shrines, for others it is just a fashionable trend in tourism. Although the word “pilgrimage” itself comes from the custom of bringing a palm branch from Palestine, trips to the holy places of Russia are no less popular than trips to biblical places. How to choose a route for a pilgrimage tour? What is it like to live in a Russian monastery for at least a few days, and will it be expensive? Read in our review ...

Who organizes the tour?

There are 88 pilgrim services and organizations created in dioceses, parishes and monasteries at the service of modern pilgrims, as well as about 8 dozen pilgrim-class hotels and hospice houses. In Russia, there are 29 public Orthodox organizations and a huge number of secular travel agencies that also deal with pilgrimage trips.

When going on a pilgrimage tour, you must first decide: who to choose as the organizer of the trip - a secular travel agency or a church pilgrimage service? Travel organized by religious organizations will cost about 25-30 percent less. This is explained by the fact that church services do not try to make money on such tours and organize trips on the verge of recouping their cost. But travel agencies, where not ascetics work, but professionals, are less likely to have overlaps. And the cultural program - if, of course, you are interested in something other than the pilgrimage itself - they, as a rule, are richer. And on Valaam, for example, believe me, there is something to see. Otherwise, the conditions for tourists-pilgrims are approximately the same: intercity bus, reserved seat carriage or boat, half board, two-three-star or monastery hotel. The setting, as you can see, is rather Spartan.

What's in store for you?

When going on a pilgrimage tour, you must imagine what awaits you. Namely: early waking up, spending the night in Spartan conditions, many hours of church services, long bus trips and tedious pedestrian crossings - such a load for several days can be very difficult even for a physically strong adult. Therefore, it is worth thinking about how necessary it is to take sick people or a small child with you.

But the main thing, of course, is not in the level of comfort of such a trip, but in the spiritual component - in the introduction to Orthodox culture, in divine services and conversations with clergy. Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad once said that people traveling on pilgrimage trips should board buses as tourists and leave them as pilgrims.

What do you need to know?

Going on a pilgrimage tour, you will have to follow some rules. Of course, women should not wear provocative clothes and jewelry, as well as use bright makeup. When entering the temple, women must cover their heads. Men, on the other hand, must take off their hats. For long walking tours, it is best to bring comfortable shoes. However, visiting temples in sportswear is not allowed.

Photographing and filming shall be carried out only in places where they are permitted. If the rules for photographing and filming in a given temple or monastery are not specifically stipulated, it is still better to ask the priest for permission.

How to communicate with clergymen?

Approaching the priest, bow to him and ask him to bless you. To do this, fold your palms in a cross: right to left, palms up and bow your head. The priest will overshadow you with the sign of the cross. Having received the blessing, kiss the priest's hand, which blesses you like the invisible hand of Christ.

If you do not know the name of the priest, then you can simply refer to him - "father". If the name of the priest is known, you can call him, for example, "Father Boris". A similar form of address is possible in relation to a deacon, but it is not customary to call him "priest". The now widespread appeal to the priests "holy father" is also not accepted.

Where to go?

The most popular pilgrimage destinations are quite traditional. These are, first of all, the largest and most famous monasteries - Solovetsky, Valaam, Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Optina Pustyn. And also the ancient Russian cities - Vladimir, Novgorod, Uglich, Suzdal, Rostov the Great.

Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra

The Lavra was founded by the Monk Sergius of Radonezh in 1337 and today it is one of the most revered all-Russian shrines.

You can see the oldest on the territory of the Lavra - the Trinity Cathedral, built in 1422-1425. It is in it that the holy relics of the Hegumen of the Russian land, St. Sergius of Radonezh, are located. The iconostasis of the temple is famous for the icons painted by Andrei Rublev himself. The years 1559-1585 were marked for the monastery by the fact that Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of the Assumption Cathedral here, near which the tomb of Tsar Boris Godunov and his family is located. In the vicinity of the Lavra in the 18th-19th centuries, the Bethany monastery, the Bogolyubsky, Chernigov-Gethsemane sketes and the Paraclite skete, in which the ascetic elders lived, arose.

You can get here by train from the Yaroslavsky railway station in Moscow, by bus from the VDNKh metro station to the city of Sergiev Posad. The hotels "Berezka" and "Zagorsk" work here. If you are planning to travel in a group, it is better to notify the administration of the Pilgrimage Center in advance. Free meals are provided for pilgrims at the monastery. In order to get to the refectory, you need to get a ticket, which is issued with a passport.

Optina Hermitage

The Monastery of Svyato-Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage is one of the most famous monasteries in our country. The exact time of Optina's foundation is unknown, presumably the 15th century. Back in 1773, only two monks lived here. And at the end of the 18th century, there were already stone buildings, a mill and grounds. People who had spent many years in perfect solitude - "hermits" settled in Optina Pustyn. At this time Optina became one of the main spiritual centers of Russia.

In 1821, a skete was established, located behind the monastery grove. Many buildings have survived here, including the houses where Gogol and Dostoevsky stayed, as well as the wooden church of John the Baptist, cut down in 1822. Famous Russian writers immortalized Optina in their works: Leo Tolstoy described her in Father Sergius, Fyodor Dostoevsky made Elder Ambrose the prototype of Elder Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov.

There are places in Russia that literally breathe holy power and a healing spirit. In such areas, a person feels freer, easier, and even those who consider themselves to be unbelievers recognize the pacifying properties of such places. Despite the fact that virgin lands and territories are under attack from technological progress, and wilderness is giving way to fields and vegetable gardens, the spirit of such places does not age and even after years they will retain their healing properties.

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A rational view of the question

Orthodox holy places seem to many to be archaism, a relic of the past and are not recognized as healing in the circle of a large public, including young people. It should be noted that, first of all, such protected areas are good for their own microclimate, which has developed over several centuries of respect for nature. In addition, a tour of the holy places of Russia is interesting in itself, as it allows you to learn much more about the history of your own country.

So, for example, it includes several of the largest monasteries, which are an example of the lost skill of artists and sculptors of the past. Treatment with beauty and peace has the same positive effect on the human body and consciousness as therapy, therefore, you should not neglect the opportunity to combine a historical tour with a visit to protected places and springs, at least immediately and categorically.

Monastery of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra

This monastery belongs to the category of not just old, but age-old. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra remembers the formation of Peter the Great, the monks of this monastery blessed Dmitry Donskoy for the upcoming battle, the saints brothers stood at the embrasures along with the soldiers, protecting the temple from the invasion of the Poles. In these places, all buildings breathe history, and the tour allows you to visit all the buildings of the temple complex, including the cells and the refectory.

The monastery is located in the Moscow region, on the Konchura river in the very center of the city of Sergiev Posad. The city belongs to the category of small, but rich in history, it is pleasant to wander along its streets, thinking about the sublime. The monastery itself is considered the oldest in the Russian Federation and heals human souls.

The relics of Matrona of Moscow

the holy great martyr Matrona are in Intercession stavropegic convent, which, along with the Lavra, has earned world recognition. Russians from Moscow and the Moscow region know that Matrona will not refuse help, will help to cope with the disease and bless for new achievements. The petitioners advocate healing from diseases, helping to ensure a successful pregnancy and educating negligent youths.

As for the rest, the Orthodox believe that the patron saint is able to heal from such ailments:

Among the truly holy places where a person feels better and is able to cognize unity with the holy spirit, the relics of Matrona occupy one of the leading and leading places in the entire CIS. A tour of the monastery is also interesting because of the ancient architecture and the way of life of the nuns that have been preserved unchanged over the centuries.

The source of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo

It is considered one of the most healing places in all of Russia. Those who have lost faith in themselves, have no homes and suffer from diseases make pilgrimages here. The monastery also accepts women who hope to become pregnant and pin their hopes on the help of God. As the holy brothers say, the saint does not refuse to help all those who are faithful to the commandments of God and keep His word.

Gives intercession to all believers, the waters of its source are able to relieve such misfortunes:

The spring is clean, the water from it is incredibly tasty, it has healing properties outside the monastery. The waters of the Sarov spring strengthen health, help to cope with diseases of the joints and muscle tissues. The holy brothers are ready to help those who participate in the pilgrimage stay at a monastery or hotel nearby. A tour of these places offers the most beautiful views, as the nature around the monastery is truly virgin and magnificent.

Source of St. Sergius of Radonezh

The source of Sergius of Radonezh is located in the village of Vzglyadnevo, Sergiev Posad district of the Moscow region... The monk is the defender of Russia, the shield of believers from adversity in the form of evil tongues and enemies. The waters of the spring, named after the monk, are healing both for the body and for the soul. They make pilgrimages here in search of intercession against slander and intrigues, including curses and the evil eye.

Known for his intercession over the sick, the waters of his source give deliverance to all those who suffer, especially for such diseases:

A tour of "Malinniki", as the local Orthodox call the source, involves not only a visit directly to the most holy place, but also to nearby forests, which have preserved their former beauty and healing spirit. This Orthodox holy place is unique in nature, as it allows you to touch the holy spirit and feel its response outside the walls of a monastery or church.

Spring ring in the Ivanovo region

The source was named in honor of St. Alexander Nevsky... There are confirmed precedents when the source saved people from all sorts of ailments and misfortunes, helped to heal the soul and body. There is a temple near the spring ring, which houses the relics of the saint himself. The tour, which includes a visit to the source and the monastery, takes place in the Ivanovo region, here, to the attention of pilgrims, wonderful nature and an example of ancient architecture, since the temple was built in ancient times.

Those who make pilgrimages to these holy places count on the help of the saint in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. You can swim in the waters of the spring, admission is free. Many of the Orthodox, who entered the waters of the spring, take with them the T-shirts and shirts in which they bathed.

Kirillov town

It is difficult to find this holy place, since the city is located among the lakes of the Vologda region and is hidden from the eyes of the curious by dense forests and impassable paths. Kirillov is, according to many Orthodox Christians, the spiritual center in the north of Russia. The city is located Kirillo-Belozersk monastery, which has earned the status of the largest monastery in Europe.

The monastery is rich in antiquities and examples of the architectural skill of the craftsmen of the past. The monastery is rich not only in history, here you can touch many eminent icons, see how the saints live. There is no tour as such in the dungeons of the monastery, but you can come here on your own. Those who keep the word of God in the monastery are always welcome.

The Sverdlovsk region of Russia is rich in springs and holy places with a long history. One of these places is considered to be one of the best in the Urals region... Every person in that area has heard about the many precedents for curing parishioners and Orthodox Christians from all sorts of ailments and misfortunes.

The waters of the spring are famous for helping to get rid of problems with the musculoskeletal system and promote early healing of wounds. Many residents of the Sverdlovsk region, Yekaterinburg and tourists from the Urals come here alone or with their children. Pilgrimages are also made here in search of spiritual knowledge and healing of the soul. As for the monastery, which is located next to the source, it is just a small church, which many Orthodox consider more a plus than a minus, since it makes it possible to enjoy virgin nature and achieve unity with thoughts.

True believers and Orthodox people of Russia have heard a lot about Solovki, this almost mythological holy place is known for its own, inner culture, beautiful nature and the purest, healing air. The holy monastery is located on the Solovetsky archipelago, which is located in the middle of the White Sea. These places literally breathe history, since the archipelago has been considered one of the most sacred places on the map of Russia since ancient times.

In ancient times, there were many temples here, pagan rituals were held. Later, a temple and a complex around it arose on the archipelago. Later, a small settlement appeared and the monastery began to grow. The waters of the White Sea are healing in themselves, as they are rich in iodine. Those who make a pilgrimage to the complex look forward to a speedy recovery from diseases of the musculoskeletal system and muscle tissues. Now such a pilgrimage is considered one of the most serious, since the complex is far enough away from civilization and the path to it runs through the wild.

Verkhoturye and the patron saint of the Urals

Verkhoturye remains one of the few poorly popular places in modern Russia because it is not famous. Meanwhile, it was here that he lived wonderworker Simeon Verkhotursky, whose relics come to venerate from all over the Urals. He is considered the patron of this region and helps the local Orthodox with spiritual and healing touch.

In 1913, on Verkhoturye appeared the third largest cathedral in Russia, called the Exaltation of the Cross... The relics of the miracle worker are kept in the temple complex, there is a belief that the confessor even after his death protects Verkhoturye, and bestows healing from diseases to all the righteous.

Church of St. Nicholas on Three Mountains

St Nicholas belongs to the category of the most beloved saints among the Orthodox people of Russia. They turn to this intercessor for a variety of requests, from a little help in everyday life, to curing diseases and even helping people with disabilities. The temple belongs to the category of conditionally young, but is interesting as an example of architecture. The pilgrimage to the saint takes place daily.

As for the nature surrounding the temple, the tour to this place can be called picturesque. The location of the monastery allows you to take a look around the vastness of the hill. A good view also complements the healing air.

Holy Vedenskaya Optina Hermitage

The origin of this temple complex remains unknown. The monastery is located near the city of Kozelsk and belongs to the category of one of the oldest in Russia. Historians admit that the monastery was built by parishioners, illuminated by holiness of spirit. Now the complex is a small town that lives on its own.

A tour to this holy place gives you the opportunity to get acquainted with the unique life of the monks, and those who make a pilgrimage to the temple believe that grace, peace and tranquility will descend on them here. The monastery remains one of the most remote from civilization, so a journey here should be suitably prepared.

Valaam archipelago

The tour to the holy places of Russia should be finished in the most remote regions of the state. The archipelago is located in South Karelia, its population does not exceed several hundred monks, fishermen and foresters, who, however, do not enter the temple and practically do not contact the clergy. The pilgrimage to Balaam is performed primarily for the sake of themselves and their pacification. This temple complex is large and covers several islands at once. It is beautiful in itself, but together with the beautiful and wild nature of South Karelia, it is simply magnificent.

The monks of Balaam live in isolation, but they will readily accept pilgrims traveling in the name of God. The complex is interesting as an example of architecture, in particular, you should pay attention to the prayer cathedral. You can stop in local villages where fishermen and hunters live. The archipelago is also rich in game, here you can come across wild animals, which for many pilgrims is both happiness and a reason for fear, since the beast remains unafraid. For such a trip, you should also prepare as carefully as possible.

The holy places of Russia, healing people, are scattered throughout the country. Seeing all of them is a feat in itself, since only a few are ready for a long journey of hardship and self-denial. But even if you come to one or two such places, you can fully feel the power of the holy spirit and come to grace, a healthy body and strong faith.

Baalam Archipelago

The article indicates the holy places of Russia, healing people and helping to live with faith, hope and love.

Orthodox believers worship miraculous icons, ask them for a speedy recovery and resolution of everyday problems. The holy springs in the Krasnodar Territory are famous for their healing properties.

No wonder they say in Russia: "A holy place is never empty!" In every region of the Russian Federation - in Sverdlovsk, and in Novgorod, and in Yaroslavl, and in Tver, and in Rostov, and in Saratov ... and in many other places, there are active prayed holy places - churches and monasteries that can be visited. Orthodox people have a place to turn in the hour of adversity - there are many places on the map of our country where you can pray, take excursions, or even live as a laborer or pilgrim, if the monastery is accepted with accommodation. And sometimes God's grace can be found not in a huge church, but in a small chapel, as in the one in the Smolensk cemetery from St. Petersburg, where the relics rest and the icon of St. Xenia of Petersburg is located. Since 2018, Anton and Vika Makarsky have been talking very interestingly about the sacred places of their native land in the educational television project "Shrines of Russia".

List of Holy Sources

The source of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo

Seraphim of Sarov is the founder of the Diveyevo Monastery, where the Sarov spring is located. Healing water helps with various ailments, as well as strengthens health.

In the monastery you can pray and venerate the icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov. It is also recommended to come to the morning Liturgy, which takes place every Sunday. You can stay in a monastery or in a hotel.

Women who want to get pregnant and have children, who are suffering, who do not have their own homes and are weak people go to Saint Seraphimushka. The elder never refused help, especially to those who keep the word of God, constantly go to Church and live according to the commandments.

To write the article, information from the site molitva.guru was used.

Source of St. Sergius of Radonezh (Gremyachiy Klyuch waterfall)

The source is located in the village of Vzglyadnevo, and the Orthodox call this place "Malinniki".

The Reverend Wonderworker Sergius of Radonezh is the defender of Russia, the defender from the misfortunes and treachery of enemies.

Many believers make a pilgrimage to him, asking for intercession and help, as well as protection from witchcraft spells.

It's important to know: He should pray when a relative is in custody, hospital or on the road. Likewise, Sergius of Radonezh heals the possessed and gives them the strength to fight their passions.

The monk heals from ailments, admonishes children and protects them from evil people, helps with childbirth.

Spring ring in the Ivanovo region

The healing spring is named after St. Alexander Nevsky, who was famous for his purity of thoughts and righteous life. Nearby is the Temple, which contains the Holy relics.

The source saved people from terrible misfortunes, cholera and plague epidemics. Alexander Nevsky protects and covers entire settlements of Orthodox Christians, helps them in their hard work, intercedes before God for the sick.

You can come to the spring at any time and swim in the font. Many parishioners take clean bathing clothes (nightgowns, long T-shirts) with them to take with them.

The water from the spring has medicinal properties, relieves stomach diseases, gastritis, duodenal ulcers. But we must remember that everything is given according to the Orthodox faith.

The source of St. David in the village of Telezh

The source is located 30 km from the village of Novy Byt in the Moscow region, in a male monastery.

On the territory of the monastery there is a small chapel named after the Monk David, who helps people, prays to God for the sins of others.

He lived in a monastery for many years, led an ascetic and secluded life. They pray to the Monk David for children and ask for help in their upbringing. You can also pray to wives for your husband, for the restoration of the family.

A visit to the source is allowed from 8 am to 9 pm. Those who want to get married or baptize a child come here.

The source of the Healer Panteleimon in the village of Kalozhitsy

Healer Panteleimon heals possessed, possessed people, as well as those who are engaged in magic, occultism, or resorted to the help of sorcerers.

You can dip in the spring and take some water with you. The water gushes with an open key and tastes good.

Arriving home, you should sprinkle the corners of the apartment with water from a source and put the Icon of Panteleimon on the iconostasis.

It is interesting: he is asked to intercede for those who fell into a sect or lost their minds. The healer Panteleimon protects virgins, sick children, frail old people.

Spring in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God "Odigitria" (Vologda Oblast)

The source is located in the direction of the Vologda – Kirillov highway.

There is a chapel on the territory where you can put candles and kiss the icon. Near the spring there is a font where you can plunge headlong.

Also, the Miracle-working stone, located near the source, is considered a Shrine. The Smolensk Mother of God should pray for healing from ailments and intercession. She is the patroness of all Orthodox families and orphans.

They pray to her and ask for the appearance of children, and she also heals women's diseases. The Mother of God "Odigitria" is the patroness of the entire Vologda region.

Holy spring of St. Mitrofan of Voronezh

Saint Mitrofan of Voronezh spent a lot of time in solitary prayer. Now there is a source at this place - a sacred place.

Many believers received healing there from chronic and inflammatory diseases. Likewise, Saint Mitrofan treats infertile couples who do not have children.

Headaches, pains in the back and joints - everything goes away, one has only to plunge into the holy water.

Saint Mitrofan cures pneumonia, colds and even relieves fever. It is necessary to give the sick person some water from the source and wipe his body with a cloth soaked in it.

Holy key (Spoon) in the city of Iskitim

In the small village of Lozhok, Novosibirsk Region, there is a Holy Spring. During the war, there was a prisoner camp there, and a spring was opened at its location.

It is said that prisoners "discovered" it with their prayers. Now many believers from different cities and villages make pilgrimage here to gain strength.

Those who come in faith receive healing. The holy key helps people with skin diseases, gives strength, strengthens faith, heals diseases associated with the stomach.

Miraculous spring in the village of Aleshnya

Located in the Bryansk region, the water heals purulent, open, cut wounds, postoperative sutures, has an anti-inflammatory effect.

You can wash your face with holy water if you have problems with your facial skin, or, for example, make homemade ointments based on natural herbs.

The holy spring also has a strong bactericidal effect on trophic ulcers caused by diabetes mellitus.

Likewise, water lowers blood cholesterol levels and lowers blood pressure. Families with sick children often visit here.

List of Orthodox churches and monasteries (miraculous icons and relics of saints)

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Stogovo

Once, an icon of St. Nicholas miraculously appeared right in a haystack. The locality and the village began to be called Stogovo. In the 17th century, a Temple was built, into which believers flock every day to venerate the miraculous icon.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, like Seraphim of Sarov, led a hermit life for many years. The Lord gave Saint Nicholas the gift of helping people. And now the Saint, hearing the prayers of the Orthodox, intercedes before God and asks for intercession for the entire Russian people.

Note: Saint Nicholas should pray if there are problems with buying a home, before a long trip, during a lingering illness. The saint helps orphans, mothers raising children alone, and gives consolation to the terminally ill.

The miracle worker protects people from witchcraft and sudden death, families from divorce and children from evil eyes and intent. The Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is truly a prayer place, here you can bow to the relics and venerate the icon. It is located at the following address: Moscow Region, Sergiev Posad District, Malinniki village.

Holy Mountain Pyukhtitsa (Crane Mountain)

Although this is not Russia, but Estonia, it is still a very popular place for pilgrims.

Even the guidebooks indicate this great place. On the Holy Mountain, which was called Zhuravlina, there is a Temple named in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God.

The miraculous appearance of the image of the Mother of God converted many to the Orthodox faith and gave strength to fight against unclean spirits. Now Orthodox parishioners pray in front of a miraculous image in the Pukhtinsky Assumption Monastery and ask her for deliverance from illness, help in childlessness and help in difficult life circumstances.

Also, unmarried girls ask for a good groom and a successful marriage. In this Temple, people get married and venerate the icon of the Assumption Mother of God as their intercessor.

Monastery of Alexander-Svirsky

The men's monastery, located in the Leningrad region, near the town of Lodeinoe Pole, is the abode of St. Alexander-Svirsky.

The pleasing of God, the Monk Alexander, lived almost his entire life in a monastery and always helped people. He, by the will of God, built the Temple in honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Now pilgrims visit holy places and kiss the relics of the Holy Elder.

The Monk Alexander of Svirsky possessed the gift of admonition and instruction. Both ordinary people and the clergy came to him for advice - he never refused to help anyone. They pray to him when there are unresolved problems or difficult life circumstances, when a person does not know what to do in a particular matter.

Assumption Cathedral in Moscow

The Assumption Cathedral is located in the Moscow Kremlin. Today, services are held there on certain days. But for those who want to worship the shrines, the entrance is always open.

In the Assumption Cathedral, there is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which helps the peasants grow a good harvest, is an intercessor for those who work on the earth, and protects Orthodox Christians from gentiles and persecution.

Also, in the Cathedral there is the Nail of the Lord and the staff of St. Peter. Saint Peter protects people from hunger and poverty, helps to find work, to buy housing. Saint Peter should pray during Lent - he helps to cope with temptations and gives strength to resist evil.

Alexander Oshevensky monastery

The monastery is located in the village of Oshevenskoye, Arkhangelsk region. On the territory of the monastery there are many Shrines: stones bearing the footprints of St. Alexander, the Holy Spring and a lake, as well as the Halui River, which goes underground in one place and goes out in another.

There is also a well dug by Alexander Oshevensky himself.

They pray to Saint Alexander at the onset of war, as well as for safe trips and travels. Alexander Oshevensky heals people with blood diseases.

"Quick to hear" icon of the Mother of God

It is located on the Holy Mount Athos in the Dochiar Monastery.

The miraculous power of the icon heals the blind and puts cripples on their feet, helps with difficult childbirth, relieves of cancer, rescues from captivity and covers children during the war.

Women pray to the Holy Icon of the Mother of God for the restoration of peace in the family, prosperity and resolution of internecine strife. The holy "Hurry to hear" intercedes before God for the weak and sick, lonely old people, invalids.

Also, "Skoroposlushnitsa" helps with natural disasters, floods, fires. She covers with her Grace and saves from sudden death.

Savva Storozhevsky (Savva Zvenigorodsky)

Wonderworker Savva Storozhevsky, Russian ascetic of the faith of Christ, patron saint of all suffering and defender of the fatherland. The monastery, named after Savva Storozhevsky, is located in the suburbs of Moscow.

Everyone who prays to the Miracle Worker is healed: he helps with cancer, chronic pain, kidney and liver diseases.

In addition, Savva Storozhevsky should pray for the resolution of any conflict situations. The old seer-seer always helped people and gave advice, was a mentor to all sinful parishioners.

The Monk Sergei of Radonezh often communicated with the Wonderworker and shared his spiritual experience with him.

Matrona of Moscow

Saint Matronushka is the patroness of all women who want to have children. They pray to her, asking to protect the family from ruin, to be healed from an illness, to get rid of an addiction - Elder Matrona always responds to prayer!

Often they pray to her that the child would do well at school, ask for help and admonition before entering the university. In front of the icon, you can ask for blessings for marriage or divorce, for the purchase of housing or a car.

Small children should also be applied to the Miraculous Icon - Matronushka covers from sudden illnesses and early death.

Church of the Matrona of Moscow, located on Taganka, in Moscow. There are always long queues, and sometimes pilgrims wait for 5-6 hours to venerate the Shrine. You can come and pray at the Temple from 6 am to 8 pm.

Temple of St. Panteleimon

A small Temple, named after Saint Panteleimon, is located in Moscow, on Nikolskaya Street, but the relics of the Healer are in the Penza Intercession Cathedral.

Saint Panteleimon was a real companion, the patron saint of all the sick and needy. Having sold all his property, he began to help people, healed them and instructed them on the right path.

The Great Martyr Panteleimon heals incurable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, recovers from a stroke or accident, protects pregnant women from premature birth, protects babies from sudden death.

Pokrovo-Tervenichesky Convent

Located in the Leningrad region, in the small village of Tervenichi. The patron saints of the nunnery are the Holy Martyrs - Faith, Hope and Love.

On the territory there is a shrine - the Tervenic icon of the Mother of God, as well as a healing source. Pilgrims can stay at a monastery, work in a courtyard, or pray with the sisters. Services are held every day, the schedule can be found on the official website.

The Tervenic Icon of the Mother of God blesses all women who have decided to spend their lives in a monastic skete. She protects from devilish temptations, shelters from infidels, wars and attacks on the Orthodox faith, saves people from spiritual destruction, teaches with the Word of God.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Chimeevo

The appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God took place on a river in a remote Siberian village in the Kurgan region, in the Urals.

The miraculous icon protects Orthodox Christians from demonic attacks, children from witchcraft, and men from death in war.

It is important: the icon of the Mother of God covers monastic cloisters, people praying in solitude, Christians living far from civilization.

Our Lady of Kazan is the intercessor of all Christians before God! She asks every day on her knees for Russia and the Orthodox people. Thanks to her prayers, the Lord shows mercy and bestows grace.

St. Nicholas Monastery "Holy Caves" in the village of Pokrovka

The monastery is located in the Orenburg region, in the village of Pokrovka. In the "Holy Caves" there is a Miraculous source that heals those suffering from mental illness.

Thousands of believers come to the Nikolsky spring, asking St. Nicholas for a miracle. There is a swimming pool nearby, where everyone can completely plunge into the Holy Water.

Before that, you need to read the Akathist to Nicholas the Wonderworker, and then cross yourself 3 times. The Orthodox faith is the most powerful weapon against evil. It lifts the spirit of every person, strengthens faith in God and helps to do good deeds.

Sincere prayer addressed to God from the bottom of your heart will always be heard!

About the holy places of Russia, see the following interesting video:

Photo gallery

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Orthodox places are valuable because people, coming there, feel spiritual peace. You have probably heard more than once stories about how people with health problems or conceiving a child turned to holy places and relics. And more than once we heard that an inexplicable miracle was taking place. Throughout history in Russia, people who gave their lives for the glory of the Christian faith, devoted themselves entirely to serving and helping people, deserved respect. They were counted among the saints, and the places where they are buried always radiate love for people and help those in need. This is a real miracle. The holy places of Russia are called prayed. The energy of the holy places is mesmerizing, you are saturated with the power of the faith of a saint whose relics belong to this land.

Probably many will be interested to know how should one distinguish between temples and cathedrals? For this there is a very simple classification, which can even suggest the name of the temple, at least approximate. So, the meanings of the colors of the domes:

The golden color of the domes- the most solemn color associated with Christ, eternity and heavenly glory, as a rule, these churches are dedicated either to Christ himself, or to one of the twelve holidays, which in turn are timed to some event from his biography;

Blue domes- most often with stars and are always dedicated to the Mother of God, the color here symbolizes purity and purity;

Green domes- are dedicated either to the Holy Trinity or to a certain saint; in general, the Orthodox tradition interprets green as a symbol of the Holy Spirit;

Silver or grayish color of domes- the temple is dedicated to a certain saint;

Domes black- the color of monasticism, therefore such domes are created in monastic churches.

The value of the number of domes

The number of domes also matters. If he one, then symbolically indicates the one Almighty, if the domes three- The Holy Trinity, five- Christ and the Evangelists, seven- the sacraments of the church (in total there are seven main sacraments, including communion and priesthood, repentance and wedding, baptism and chrismation, blessing) nine domes indicate the number of angelic ranks, of which there are only nine (thrones, angels, archangels, cherubim, seraphim, and the like) thirteen point to the apostles and Christ. There are also unique temples with thirty three domes according to the number of the earthly life of the Savior.

Temple color meaning

At the end of this topic, the colors of the temple itself should be noted, which also indicate the saint or event to which the temple is dedicated:

· temple white- can be a temple of Ascension or Transformation;

· temple blue- the temple is dedicated to the Mother of God, as you remember, this color symbolizes purity;

· temple red- dedicated to some kind of martyr or martyrs, because this color can be considered as the color of suffering;

· temple green- the temple was consecrated in honor of the monk;

· temple yellow- the temple was consecrated in honor of the saint.

After this classification has been mastered, the journey along the golden ring of Russia can become more meaningful, since it will not be difficult to determine which temple is dedicated to what. Nevertheless, it should be understood that this classification refers to traditions, but there is no super-strict canon. Sometimes material conditions or some other factors, and not the specified classification, can determine the appearance of the church.

The spiritual wealth of Russia is undeniable. Of course, each country has a specific religious culture, but the scale may differ. If we are talking about Russia, then more than a thousand-year history of the Christian faith saturates and permeates the country. Today we will talk about the Golden Ring of Russia.

It is the current Orthodox tradition that is one of the most canonical and authentic in the world. It is in Russia that the very Christianity of the Greek persuasion is preserved, which was guided by the unchanged teaching of Christ. Over such a long history, Russia has acquired its own saints and ascetics, and a considerable number of holy spaces have also appeared:

• Diveevo;
• Optina Hermitage;
• Balaam;
• Verkhoturye.

In fact, it is possible to list further and for a long time. Many holy settlements and religious monuments have one thing in common - they are located within the so-called Golden Ring. It is after going through the journey along the Golden Ring that one eats the opportunity to touch and feel the holiness of Russia, but this will require sensitivity and an appropriate attitude.

Tourist Golden Ring.

The attitude was not said without reason, since at this period the Golden Ring is the main element of the tourism industry in the central part of the country. Yes, and it appeared, in fact, artificially, as you know, with the light words of the writer Yuri Bychkov.

Readers liked the travel essays of this writer in the newspaper Sovetskaya Kultura. It described cities near Moscow, all of them of historical value, magnificent religious monuments and rich cultural significance. So, the cities included in the Golden Ring of Russia:

• Sergiev Posad;
• Pereslavl-Zalessky;
• Rostov;
• Yaroslavl;
• Kostroma;
• Ivanovo;
• Suzdal;
• Vladimir.

After a relatively short amount of time, a tourist route appeared, which offered to touch that very Russia, with temples, holy meekness and spirituality. Accordingly, the cities included in the golden ring of Russia have acquired a significantly greater tourist value and popularity.

That is why the small Golden Ring appeared in the future, and many cities began to rapidly look for opportunities to join the tourist route. After all, this cultural phenomenon gives not only abundant impressions to tourists, but also a very significant profit for, let's say, members of the cooperative. At the same time, the route from eight cities is still classic (they are very conveniently united by automobile and not only roads), but one should not forget about the conventionality of such, because the Golden Ring is not a thousand or even two hundred years old, we are talking about a relatively new cultural phenomenon.

On the other hand, this fact does not diminish the value of the cities themselves. Many of them have a thousand-year history and keep wonderful monuments of history and culture. Thus, which route to choose is a purely personal matter, travel companies offer a huge number of options.

About the Golden Ring of Russia. Cities included in the Golden Ring of Russia.

As trite as it may be, but to describe this part of Russia briefly is possible only if you make a short story about each city. Such a description will allow you to understand the content of the route a little better, but it is unlikely to give an opportunity to feel it. The Golden Ring - you just need to visit, there you need to take a ride on:

• ferry or steamer;
• car;
• tourist bus;
• trains.

You should choose the most interesting option on your own, determine the purpose of the trip and even the content. Indeed, in this small area of ​​land it really becomes possible to drink the concentrated juice of the goodness and holiness of Russia. Part of the route is Sergiev Posad, that is, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra - the center of Russian Orthodoxy. And where else to drink goodness? But first things first.

Pereslavl-Zalessky

It is rich not only in churches and temples, but also in many different museums, the largest of which is dedicated to narrow-gauge railways. In addition, there are a wide variety of museums from the museum of the iron to the museum of records.

Nevertheless, the city is also attracted by its historical value, founded in the middle of the 12th century, it may well now rival Suzdal in beauty and grandeur. In an amazing way, Christianity and paganism are combined here, some after the temples visit the so-called blue stone - a local attraction. As they say, the stone (which is actually blue) helps to fulfill the plan.

Rostov

It should not be confused with the one on the Don, this Rostov is the Great. By the way, the epithet is not far-fetched, the city has something to boast and be proud of. Many of the best sights of the golden ring of Russia are located here, in particular the famous belfry and the metropolitan courtyard, which many remember from the famous comedy Gaidai.

Yaroslavl

Part of the city center is protected by UNESCO. It is in the center that the greatest concentration of the rich cultural heritage, which many people know about thanks to the denomination of a thousand rubles. It depicts the temple of John the Baptist with fifteen domes, which is a unique building of incredible beauty.

In the very center of the city, there are buildings mainly of the 16-17 centuries, but there is also an older building - the female Svyato-Vvedensky monastery. The white stone building is now over 700 years old. In another Yaroslavl monastery - Spaso-Perobrazhensky, the Word about Igor's regiment was found.

The city is considered by many to be the capital of the Golden Ring. There are grounds for this, but still such a status is nothing more than a convention.

Of the sights besides temples and monasteries, the Volga embankment should be advised, where an indescribable spaciousness is felt.

Sergiev Posad

The pearl of this city is the unique complex of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Pilgrims from all over the country flock here, and the atmosphere of the city seems to be subordinated to some kind of Christian austerity and light humility. The relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh are preserved here.

Kostroma

According to legend, Catherine pointed out the plan of the city by spreading her own fan. Indeed, the streets of the city run like a fan from the center to the river, but the story about the fan is most likely a legend. Moreover, it is quite possible that this legend hides another fact, which many may regard with distrust.

We are talking about encrypted Masonic symbols. In fact, if you look at the layout of the city, then before us is the All-Seeing Eye from which the rays diverge. A similar scheme was used during the construction of St. Petersburg, where three streets diverge from the Admiralty, which form a triangle, and the fountain at the Admiralty serves as an eye in the center.

Ivanovo

Quite a young city on the Uvod River. As you know, the city can please with an abundance of brides. Such an association is associated with garment and textile enterprises, where many women have historically worked.

People go to Ivanovo not only to admire the beauties, but also to visit various museums that reproduce the life of the past years. There are not many churches in the city; most were destroyed during the Soviet period.

Suzdal

The city has one of the oldest Kremlin in the country, at least the tenth century AD. There are ancient ramparts and ditches, the bishop's court. Most of the buildings date back to the 17-19th centuries.

Like Ivanovo, there are also many museums created here. In fact, the city itself is a museum. Travelers can visit here and in reproduced huts and manufacturers' houses.

Vladimir

This city often completes not only the Golden Ring of Russia route, but also the free residence of some citizens in the country. It is here that the famous Vladimir Central is located - to some extent also an attraction. Especially if we take into account the often respectful attitude in the minds of the man in the street and towards the holy ascetics and criminals.

Of course, Vladimir is beautiful not for the backyards of the prison, but for the masterpieces of white-stone architecture:

• Golden Gate - created by Andrey Bogolyubsky in the 12th century, a cross between a triumphal arch and a defensive structure;
• Assumption Cathedral - a monument to UNESCO, a monument of the pre-Mongol era;
• Dmitrievsky Cathedral is famous for its amazing carved decorations.

In addition, it is interesting to visit the water tower here.

Video: The Golden Gate of Ancient Rus. Secrets of the Big Golden Ring of Russia.

"Whisper" - said the hero of the famous comedy film, looking at the vastness of the new Moscow. And, perhaps, the frozen ensembles of high-rise buildings and industrial zones are coma, but if we are talking about beautiful architecture, something really beautiful and valuable, then most often we turn our own eyes towards the bygone times. After all, it was they who left for us, modern people, evidence of the amazing creative potential of mankind.

A typical example is the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, which is currently protected by UNESCO and is considered a valuable heritage for all mankind. The monastery complex is really incredibly beautiful and harmonious.

The interweaving of buildings and architectural elements is combined here with the interweaving of the historical canvas associated with this territory. The history of the monastery reflects the history of the entire country, the royal dynasties and the development of culture. That is why it is so interesting to learn about this space.

A bit of history ...

From the very beginning of its creation, the monastery became to a significant extent a state institution. Women from various noble families were sent here - a very common practice for that period, examples of which we will give below. In this sense, such a Moscow monastery had a very convenient applied function. There has always been an opportunity to remove unwanted women, but at the same time act humanely and not harm communities close to power.

Although in monasteries for the most part they try to acquire spiritual rather than earthly riches, this also had a very noble material support. After all, each newcomer had a high social status and significant wealth. That is why the monastery never needed anything, had the opportunity to collect various relics and for many years was considered (and may well continue to be considered) the richest in the territory of Russia.

About Basil III

The foundation of the monastery dates back to 1524, ten years after Tsar Vasily the Third took Smolensk, he fulfilled his promise, that is, he built a church to the glory of the Most Holy Theotokos and a nunnery. This was the vow he made when he was standing near Smolensk.

After the icon of the Smolensk Mother of God was in Moscow, the city passed for 110 years into the possession of the Lithuanians. Only Basil the Third managed to repulse it, and then, having given a vow to the Almighty. Therefore, the tsar later returned to Smolensk his icon and thus divine protection.

In fact, it was thanks to this temple and monastery that Ivan the Terrible was born. After all, Vasily, having sent his wife to the monastery, got the opportunity to marry again and entered into a new union. It was from him that the notorious king appeared, who also said - babble, in the notorious cinema.

Vasily the Third created the Smolensk Church on the territory of the monastery, dedicating it in many respects to the miracle of conception. Until now, the church has the opportunity to see many stories on the theme of St. Anna and Joachim (the parents of the Virgin Mary) who also could not conceive for a long period. There is also information about the attraction of 18 virgins to the monastery so that they "pray for a child" for Vasily.

The icon of Our Lady of Smolensk is sent back to the conquered Smolensk and gives the name to the first temple on this territory. Also, the first example appears here, when a spiritual building perfectly contributes to state needs. We are talking about the tonsure of the nun Solomonia Saburova (she left for the Suzdal monastery, later became the Monk Sophia of Suzdal), who at that time was the wife of Vasily III.

The king's divorce was not approved by all the clergy. Therefore, the tsar had to exile Metropolitan Barlaam and other clergy. In response, the king was sent curses about a new child, which will be a grief for the country.

As a matter of fact, the confessors really prophesied to the king. Ivan the Terrible not only became a painful burden for the country, but actually the beginning of the end of the Rurik dynasty. Such is the paradox, Vasily the Third tried so hard to prolong the dynasty, but in the end he did the opposite.

About the development of the monastery

After the death of Fyodor the Blessed, his wife was tonsured and locked up within the walls of the monastery with her brother, Boris Godunov. Only through the efforts of Metropolitan Job, Empress Irina released Godunov into the kingdom.

For the monastery itself, one of the most significant periods was the regency of Princess Sophia, the elder sister of Peter the Great. Sophia created the complete look of the architectural ensemble, thanks to her there appeared:

• Assumption Church;
• bell tower (one of the tallest in the capital);
• refectory.

As if the princess created this monastery for herself. As a result, she really ended up there under not the most pleasant circumstances. Peter executed the rebellious archers (who supported Sophia) right under her cell.

Oddly enough, Princess Sophia is still respected among the residents of Moscow, in particular, people who want to calm family quarrels or conceive children turn to her. The messages to the princess are left right on the walls of the Naprudnaya Tower, although Sophia was not there at all in prison.

The Novodevichy Convent in Moscow after the war of 1812 could not have pleased the eye, if not for the nun Sarah. She remained there when the city was taken and Napoleon himself came to the territory, who ordered the burning of churches and the blowing up of buildings. After the French left, the nuns managed to extinguish the buildings and pour water over the barrels of gunpowder left there.

20th century

There was no opportunity for the nuns to continue their own activities under the new government, and the government did not need to exile some women as nuns (other, more radical and effective ways to get rid of unwanted ones were popular) and the monastery acquired other functions. Nevertheless, the women who lived there did not want to part with the monastery and got a job as anyone possible, from restorers to laundresses.

By the way, under Soviet rule, there really were laundries, and nurseries, and even gyms. Only during the Second World War there was some revival of the monastery, which blossomed in full, only after the collapse of the Union.

Now the monastery is one of the most significant sights of the city, it keeps magnificent works of Orthodox art, a necropolis with the remains of great people and a rich atmosphere of the multifaceted history of Russia.

Photo of the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow:

One of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Russia is the island of Valaam, where the stavropegic monastery is located. The island is often shrouded in fogs, which only adds to the mysteriousness of Balaam, which is already covered with legends.

Where is Valaam Island located?

Valaam is only part of the Valaam archipelago, which is located in the water area of ​​Lake Ladoga, which is located in the Republic of Karelia. On the island there is a village of the same name and the famous men's monastery, built in the 16th century and which is a monument of Russian architecture.

Getting to the island is not easy, but possible. You can get to Valaam only by the lake and in the summer period - in August strong waves begin on the lake and until spring there is practically no connection with the mainland.

From the coastal cities of Sortavala and Priozersk, meteors and troughs go to the island, and you can get to the towns themselves from St. Petersburg by train or bus. You can also get to the island of Valaam as part of an excursion.

Balaam's story

The very name of the island comes from the Finno-Ugric word “valamo”, which means “high mountain”. Later the name was mixed and assimilated with the name of the prophet Balaam. Another version of the origin of the name is associated with the name of the Slavic god Veles, to whom the pagans sacrificed at this place.

According to legend, Andrew the Primordial One himself put his hand to the construction of the monastery, although historians differ on the date of foundation of the monastery - some believe that the monastery community was founded in the 10-12 centuries, while others - in the 13-14 centuries.

During the wars, the monastery cloister was repeatedly destroyed and then rebuilt again. In 1887, the cathedral stone of the main monastery was illuminated.

In the 20th century, the island was the territory of Finland for some time, and then it was again annexed, first to the USSR, and then to the Russian Federation. During the aggravation of Russian-Finnish relations, the monastery and other buildings were bombed.

Since 1979, the monastery buildings have been actively restored. Now the island of Valaam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Karelia.

Pilgrimage trip to Valaam

The Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is one of the most valuable shrines in Russia and the “northern” center of Christian pilgrimage. Several thousand tourists from all over Russia and even foreign countries visit the island annually for pilgrimage purposes.

The Valaam Monastery stood at the origins of Russian Orthodoxy - for many centuries monks and monks built temples and hermitages, preserved and created monuments of Christian literature, and ennobled the island. The monastery still has an ancient archive with ancient writings, a publishing and manuscript department, a library and a school for monks.

The island of Valaam and the monastery located on it, from ancient times to the present day, are the fruits of enlightenment and spirituality of the northwestern part of Russia.

Where to stay on the island?

It is very difficult to fully enjoy the beauty and visit all the sights of the island in one daylight, so many tourists stay on Valaam for a couple of days. Especially for this, there are hotels and several camping areas on the island, where there are equipped places for a fire and firewood. The island is a protected place, so there is no need to worry about the safety of your property.

Upon arrival on the island, you need to contact the police department, where they will explain how you can get to this or that object.

Attractions of Valaam

The entire ensemble of Valaam attractions mainly consists of churches, hermitages and unique natural sites. It is impossible to see all the sights in one day, which is why there are so many hotels on the island.

The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is the main cultural and religious site of the island. It is located on a small hill, so you can get to the monastery by the stairs, which starts at the Monastyrskaya Bay itself. No photographs may be taken on the property of the monastery;

Resurrection skete - it consists of two parts - the lower and upper churches. According to a well-known legend, it was here that Andrew the First-Called put the cross;

The Gethsemane Skete - made of bricks on the outside and wood on the inside. The chapel of the same name is located opposite the skete;

Konevsky skete - built of wood and located inside the forest at the edge. Creates the impression of something primordial and even fabulous;

Vladimirsky skete - built at the beginning of the 21st century and is considered the "youngest" skete. It is the residence of the Patriarch of Russia and is strikingly different from other sketes for its architecture;

the chapel of Xenia of Petersburg - a wonderful view opens from the chapel, and around there are many benches for tired travelers;

Skitsky island - you can get to the island only through the Vladimirsky bridge. There are many beautiful natural sites on the island: an oak grove, a monastery garden with grapes, apples, melons and watermelons, coastal rocks and much more;

the skete of all the Saints is the first skete of Balaam, which is distinguished by its silence and lack of people. Next to the skete there is a chapel of the Holy Cross;

Museum of Local Lore - exhibits that tell about the life and occupations of the local population are collected here. There is also a souvenir shop and an administrative service, with the help of which you can order transport or excursions;

the chapel of the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” - was built in honor of the visit by Emperor Alexander II of the island;

Nikonovskaya Bay - located in the western part of the island. Large ships and even motor ships can moor here. Near the bay there is a hill, from which a wonderful view of the surroundings opens;

The Forerunner Skete - built on the site of a fishing village in the 19th century. Now the monastery is inhabited by monks who are forbidden to communicate with the laity, so the access to the monastery is closed for tourists.

Do not forget that Valaam is a monastery island, therefore, visiting many sites is prohibited due to the violation of the foundations of the life of monks and monks. However, no one forbids walking in the picturesque places of the island, which nature itself has endowed with tranquility and beauty.

For the first time on the island, a tourist may come in handy with the advice of "seasoned" travelers:

• The island is home to a large number of snakes, so you need to be very careful. This is especially true for those who decide to spend the night in Valaam in a tent camp;
• choose comfortable shoes, because you will have to walk a lot in the surroundings, and there are no alternatives in the form of transport on the island;
• to address clergymen only as “father” or “father”;
• do not forget about water and food - although there are hotels on the island, you will not find a stall at every step where you can buy everything you need. Therefore, it is better to stock up on provisions in advance;
• plan a route in advance so as not to bother the brothers with unnecessary questions.

In addition, there are rules for visiting the island:

• open and beachwear is prohibited - including shorts and short skirts;
• women are admitted to churches only in a headscarf and in a skirt (in many churches they are issued at the entrance), and men - without headdresses;
• the use of alcoholic beverages and drugs on the island is prohibited, as well as being in a state of intoxication of any kind. Smoking is also prohibited on the island;
• it is forbidden to laugh loudly, shout, talk, sing, turn on music and use other “noisy” equipment. Silence must be observed;
• pets are not allowed;
• it is forbidden to photograph or film any spiritual activity without permission. In many temples and hermitages, photography is strictly prohibited;
• flora and fauna, as well as objects of cultural and religious significance must not be damaged.

Real monks live on the island who fulfill their spiritual duty, so the mission of tourists who come here is not to disturb their peace in any way.

Balaam in ancient times was a place for pagan rituals. The largest pagan altars of the northern west of Russia were located here.

The founders of the main monastery of Valaam, Sergius and German, were miracle workers - they healed many diseases and inspired their compatriots to spiritual life. However, the saints were left without compiling their lives - only a few references to the activities of the monks have been preserved in archival documents.

For a long time Valaam was the only fruit of Orthodoxy in Finland.

Attempts at blasphemy do not go unpunished - all those who encroached on the desecration of the shrine await ailments as punishment from heaven.

A large number of fruits and berries grow in the monastery gardens - even watermelons and melons grow in greenhouses.

There is a military unit on the island, in which young novices can pay their debt to the Motherland.

The Valaam Monastery has official accounts on social networks, where all the news and opportunities for pilgrimage and educational events are published.

In addition to gardens and groves, the island also has its own mechanized farm for 70-80 heads.

There is a lot to say about Valaam, but it is best to visit the island at least once in order to feel this indescribable atmosphere for yourself.

Solovetsky Monastery. Story.

The Solovetsky Islands is an archipelago that consists of a huge number of islands of various sizes. The largest of them is the Solovetsky Island itself. The islands of Anzersky, Bolshaya Muksalma, Malaya Muksalma, Bolshoy and Maly Zayatsky are much smaller in size, but they also have buildings.

Nature

The nature of the Solovetsky Islands is amazing and unique. Unusual beauty! Solitude with nature! Story! The taiga zone, in which the archipelago is located, leaves its harsh imprint on the beauty of the islands. The purest icy lakes, high hills, meadows covered with lush grass, boggy swamps and, of course, the majestic northern forests. The small area of ​​the islands presents an amazing variety of landscape.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery, top view:

Solovetsky Monastery - briefly

The legendary monastery was founded at the beginning of the 15th century. Three fearless ascetics - Savvaty, German and Zosima - set up the first cell on a cold island in the White Sea. Soon the monks were visited by a vision - a divinely beautiful temple, standing on the outskirts of Bolshoy Solovetsky Island. At the cost of incredible efforts, the church was built, the monks were awarded a diploma, granting them the island and all the surrounding lands for eternal use. After the death of the founding monks, their relics were transferred to a special monastery.

Very quickly, a temple on the distant islands of the ice sea became the place of numerous gifts from the rulers of the state. The special attention to this monastery is easy to explain - the monastery helped to consolidate the position of the Russian autocrats in this region. After all, Pomorie is a source of valuable fish, fur, salt, river pearls, the most valuable Vazha resin, and the skin of sea animals. The Solovetsky Monastery became the conductor of the royal power in this rich, but remote from Moscow region. That is why the monastery on the islands has always received various assistance from the central authorities. Its unusual status is confirmed by maps of those years - it is always marked on them, and after all, not all cities were awarded this honor. This special situation led to the fact that already in the 16th century, a stone fortress began to be erected on the island. Elder Tryphon, who is a military engineer and architect at the same time, turned the monastery into a real fortress. This was not superfluous, since the Solovetsky Islands were under siege many times, both by the Swedes and the British. The buildings on the islands quickly became not only a monastery, a fortress, but also a prison. Everything changed after the reform of Patriarch Nikon. The monks did not accept the innovation and remained faithful to the faith of their fathers. For almost 10 years the northern monastery was under siege by government troops. After the capture of the fortress, all adherents of the old faith were destroyed. For several decades, the monastery was in disrepair. Only the visit of Peter I to Solovki raised the monastery to the rank of significant again.

Until the Revolution of 1917, the Solovetsky Monastery, along with the Valaam Monastery and the Optina Hermitage, was the most revered and visited by all the Russian people. They also tried to get there as monks, novices, laborers, and pilgrims. The strict charter of the monastery served as a model for people, the monks of the Solovetsky monastery evoked respect and veneration.

Tragedy of 1920

The tragedy broke out in 1920, when the property of the monastery was confiscated and the century-old monastery was destroyed. For almost 20 years, the Solovetsky Monastery served as special camps. It was one of the largest camps in Russia at the time. A wide variety of people served their time here - ministers of the church and yesterday's nobility, intellectuals and criminals.

During the Second World War, a boy's school and a training detachment worked on the Solovetsky Islands. In 1967 it was decided to organize the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve on the islands. A new page of the Solovetsky Monastery opened in 1988, when a parish was opened. If earlier the spiritual life on the island was conducted, but secretly, now Hieromonk Herman, with a large crowd of people, openly consecrated the chapel of St. Philip. Already in 1990, the monastery received its first novices. And two years later, the relics of the first Solovetsky ascetics Zosima, Savvaty and German returned from St. Petersburg to the Solovetsky Monastery.

Solovetsky Islands today

The Solovetsky Islands attract thousands of tourists every year. Some follow the call of faith, others are attracted by mysterious labyrinths, and still others just want to enjoy the unique nature.

Solovetsky Monastery - an architectural complex

The Solovetsky Monastery is a unique ensemble, striking with power, beauty and unique unity with the harsh nature of the Russian North. Contemplating the unique result of the labors of man and nature, you believe in the ancient legend, which says that all the buildings of this monastery did not appear by chance. The places for their construction were indicated from above, miracles were performed on them and revelations happened. The Solovetsky Monastery is a rare union of the creations of human hands and elemental forces of nature.

There are buildings belonging to the monastery on all four of the largest islands. But the ensemble of the Solovetsky Monastery is located on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island, in the bay of the Blagopoluchiya Bay. The ensemble itself includes:

• Three-domed Assumption Cathedral
• Transfiguration Cathedral
• Church of the Annunciation
• Stone chambers
• Water mill and bell tower
• Nikolaev and Trinity Church
• Assumption Cathedral

Initially, all buildings on Solovki were wooden. The fires that repeatedly happened in the monastery, causing death to people and turning property into dust, led Abbot Philip to the need to build a stone structure on the island. Therefore, in 1550, when he went to Moscow to take part in the "hundred-headed" cathedral, the abbot had another goal - to convince the tsar to help in the construction. The request was granted, and Abbot Philip began construction. It should be noted here that those 18 years while Philip was abbot, radically changed the life of the monastery. A rational mindset led the abbot to the idea that the prosperity of the monastery, the successful conduct of the Christian mission in the pagan wilderness is not possible without the economic independence of the monastery. Leatherworking, pottery, brick workshops, blacksmiths began to appear on the island, and salt production was actively carried out. All this will be complemented by large herds of cows and reindeer. Of course, the stone structure of the developing monastery was simply necessary. The construction of the church was supervised by craftsmen from Novgorod.

Uspensky refectory complex

It is not distinguished by its large size or ceremonial appearance. This is a "working" church for the daily service. The building does not surprise with either lightness or airiness. This is a bulky, complex, large building in the northern style. Thick walls were ready to protect the monks not only from the devilish temptations of the outside world, but also from completely earthly enemies. Steep and very narrow staircases wound inside the church. The building, consisting of 3 floors, included both the Assumption Church itself with the Refectory and Kelarskaya Church, as well as various household services located on the ground floor. A strong impression is made by the Refectory, a place where all the monastic brethren of the island gathered for more than four hundred years to taste the fruits of their labor. A large, bright room with rows of windows adjusts to a joyful and at the same time deanery. The third floor towered only above the church itself; there, at the behest of Abbot Philip, the chapel of St. John the Baptist.

Transfiguration Cathedral

The construction of the Transfiguration Cathedral was completed in 1566. This cathedral can be called the standard of construction in the middle of the 16th century. Russian craftsmen managed to combine in one building everything that had been accumulated over the past centuries. There is also a lot of appearances, a classic marquee wedding, a symbiosis of Moscow and Novgorod traditions. The majestic cathedral consists of several tiers. The first, as was traditionally done, was the utility rooms. The second tier is the very premises of the church. The interior of the cathedral amazed contemporaries with its beauty and, at the same time, strict brevity.

Currently, the Transfiguration Cathedral is a functioning church. Since 1992, divine services have been held in it again, however, only in the summer.

Church of the Annunciation

This church is located in an unusual place. It is located above the main gate of the monastery, called the Saints. It was built in 1601. Elder Tryphon supervised its construction. This church was seriously damaged in the previous centuries, it was rebuilt and restored many times. However, despite this, the Church of the Annunciation is the only church on Solovki that has preserved wall paintings, an iconostasis and other details of the furnishings. Today, the church serves on the patronal feast, during Great Lent. You can visit the temple during the summer months.

Water Mill

The water mill is a unique structure of the Solovetsky ensemble. Today it is the oldest stone water mill in Russia. Its construction dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. It should be said that the mill is a whole complex of buildings. In addition to the mill itself, it included a grain storage, a laundry and a bathhouse. The mill functioned for its intended purpose until the 30s of the XX century. It is now open to the public.

Solovetsky bell tower

It belongs to the late buildings, its construction was completed in 1777. Its construction finally shaped the existing ensemble of the monastery. The style of the bell tower differs from the original buildings and relates to the Western European Baroque.

Map of the Solovetsky Monastery and Fortress.

Solovetsky Islands Map

Scheme of the ensemble of the Solovetsky Monastery (Compound of the Solovetsky Monastery)

Solovetsky Islands - how to get there and where to find a job

The Solovetsky Monastery is located on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. A trip to the Solovetsky Islands is best planned during the season, which lasts here from early summer to September. In the summer you can visit all the buildings of the monastery, as in the summer they are open to visitors. If the trip is in winter, keep in mind that you will have to get here exclusively by plane, which lands in the village of Solovetsky. The weather on the Solovetsky Islands is not stable, therefore, flights in winter and summer are very dependent on weather conditions. In addition, the planes themselves leave only from Moscow and Arkhangelsk. Replacing air travel is a trip by sea. Motor ships leave from the ports in the city of Kem and Belogorsk. Again, it all depends on the weather - a 4-point storm will be the reason for canceling the flight.

The Solovetsky Islands are a fairly popular place for both tourists and pilgrims. Therefore, the problem with accommodation has been resolved here long ago. You can settle in a hotel. But this option requires advance booking. There are not so many hotels and they are designed for a small number of people. The next option is to settle in the private sector. Given the large flow of visitors to the islands, the locals will readily welcome you to their homes. You can rent not only a house, but also a room, and just a sleeping place in the form of a bed. The last and most extreme is the tent. However, here it must be borne in mind that this will require a permit in the leshoz. The tent can then be set up in specific locations. Cooking bonfires are also allowed only within the campground. The Solovetsky archipelago is a nature reserve, therefore it is strictly forbidden to set up tents outside the campsite.

Solovetsky Monastery official website solovki-monastyr.ru

Kizhi Island has an area of ​​5 sq. Km and is located in Lake Onega. The beauty of the area is the wooden churches of the Kizhi island. It is 68 km away from the capital of Karelia - Petrozavodsk. There is an open-air museum-reserve with architectural monuments, household items and icons collected over several centuries in Russian, Karelian and Vepsian villages. The museum is surrounded by a natural labyrinth of many picturesque islands and bays. More than 160 thousand tourists from all over the world come here annually. Tour service is conducted in 8 languages.

Kizhi island photo: churches and bell towers of Kizhi island

Brief historical background

The term "Kizhi" comes from the Karelian word "kizat", which translates as "merrymaking". In ancient times, pagan rituals were held on the island. Later, a settlement appeared here, two churches were built (Preobrazhenskaya and Pokrovskaya), which were first mentioned in the scribes of the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Church of the Transfiguration on the island of Kizhi was struck by lightning and burned down. The village gathering decided to build a new church, but one that the people had never seen before. Work on the construction of the church did not stop for 10 years. Legend mentions a certain master named Nestor. When the church was finally completed, he threw his ax into the lake and said: “There has never been such a thing - and there will be no more!”.

In 1966, the island was awarded the title of the open-air museum "Kizhi". The museum funds contain more than 40 thousand exhibits that tell about the life of local peoples - Karelians, Russians and Vepsians.

By the second half of the twentieth century, the island consisted of many scattered villages, which in 1972 were united into a settlement called Kizhi Island. This city was subordinated to Petrozavodsk. In 2004, Kizhi Island was included in the Velikogubsky rural settlement.

REFERENCE: There is a restaurant on the Kizhi island. In the cold season, here you can warm up and drink a mug of fragrant tea with a bite of Karelian folk pastries

Kizhi island photo: Main attractions of the museum

What you can see on the island

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is a kind of model of Karelia in the diversity of its historical, architectural and ethnographic features. Sectors of the museum are equipped with residential, religious and household buildings, which are periodically brought to the island. The museum funds contain 87 architectural monuments, more than 500 unique icons.

Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Kizhi Island

Kizhi Island photo: Transfiguration Church

The heart of the museum is the cold pyramidal Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, built at the beginning of the 18th century. The crown of creation is an intricate system of 22 large scaly domes arranged in four tiers. The height of the church is from an 11-storey residential building. The entrance is closed inside the church. Therefore, tourists can only admire the exterior of the building.

Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin

Kizhi Island photo: Church of the Intercession

To the south of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, you can see the Church of the Intercession, which traces its history back to 1764. The church has 10 chapters, which echo the chapters of the Transfiguration Church, ensuring the unity of the architectural ensemble.

Kizhi Island photo: Icons inside the Church of the Intercession

Inside the church there are exhibitions of religious content. Mainly icons are presented here.

Kizhi island photo: Tent bell tower

The ensemble is closed by a hipped-roof bell tower - the youngest of the three buildings. The ringing competitions are regularly held here, and in the near future they plan to open a school. An exhibition of bells is organized inside the bell tower.

Kizhi Island photo: Wooden Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus

This is one of the oldest iconic wooden buildings in the northwest of Russia. She arrived in Kizhi from the Murom monastery, where she was personally built by Lazar Murom for the monastery cemetery. The structure, modest in appearance, is famous for its miraculous healing properties.

Wooden Chapel of the Archangel Michael

Kizhi island photo: Wooden chapel of Michael the Archangel

The construction of the chapel was timed to coincide with the day of the Archangel Michael. The facades of the chapel were decorated with rosettes, rhombuses, suns and circles. We have equipped our own bell tower. The original interior has been preserved inside the chapel.

Windmill

Kizhi island photo: Windmill building

Like other mills of the North it has 8 blades. Inside there is a chest for finished flour and a device for grinding. The mill is active. Arrived in Kizhi from the village of Volkostrov.

Water Mill

Kizhi island photo: Water mill: inside view

This is the only water mill on the Kizhi island. She was brought from the village of Berezovaya Selga.

The old peasant houses of Elizarov, Oshevnev, Shchepin and Sergeev are open for tourists. Here you can get acquainted with the objects of the interior and everyday life of the inhabitants of the island of Kizhi. Most often, tourists are taken to the house of a wealthy peasant, Oshevnev.

Kizhi island photo: Wooden house of the peasant Oshevnev

Under one roof is not only the residential part of the house, but also the barnyard, as well as outbuildings. In the cold season, the owners could do household chores without going outside. The facades of the dwelling are decorated with carvings.

Kizhi Island photo: Oshnev House - inside view

During the excursion, you can get acquainted with traditional Karelian crafts (see table).

Kizhi island photo: Traditional crafts of northern peoples: woodcarving

Demonstration of traditional Karelian crafts

Kizhi island photo: Traditional crafts of the peoples of the North: weaving jewelry

Demonstration of handicrafts is carried out using old techniques, clothing and tools.

It is impossible to inspect all the objects of the island museum in one day. Therefore, the minimum program includes the churches of the Transfiguration and the Intercession and the bell tower. Also, tourists are shown Oshevnev's house.

How to get there

The island of Kizhi Karelia can be reached from the city of Petrozavodsk or from the village of Velikaya Guba.

From Petrozavodsk

From May to October from the Water Station of Petrozavodsk to the Kizhi Island, the river ships "Meteor", "Kometa" with hydrofoils circulate. In order not to adapt to regular ships, you can hire a water taxi from private carriers. Typically, these boats can accommodate 5 to 10 people. The journey takes 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From October to January, when the period of winter navigation on the lake is not yet open, they get to Kizhi from the village of Velikaya Guba, or they take off by helicopter MI-8 from the Besovets airport.

From January to March, the transport accessibility of Kizhi is provided by hovercraft and off-roader pneumatic all-terrain vehicles. Fans of outdoor activities set out on dog sleds, snowmobiles, skis.

From the Great Lip

From May to October, you can use the services of local carriers from the village of Velikaya Guba and get to the island by speedboat with a capacity of 5-10 people.

From December to April, the Khivus-6 hovercraft circulate from Velikaya Guba to Kizhi. Such ships can accommodate up to 4-5 passengers.

ATTENTION! Smoking areas and heated bathrooms are equipped on the Kizhi island. But there is no hotel here. You can stay overnight in guest houses near the Kizhi skerries

When is the museum open

The security zone and the Kizhi island are open to tourists all year round. The opening hours of the Museum-Reserve are shown in the following table.

Opening hours of the Kizhi Museum

IMPORTANT! All excursions around the museum are pedestrian. Therefore, the tourist should have comfortable shoes with him, and in the summer, a hat and a bottle of drinking water.

Kizhi Island is located in Karelia, on Lake Onega.

Museum Code of Conduct

Visitors are prohibited from:

• inspect exhibits during non-working hours;
• by their actions create a threat to the preservation of monuments and the surrounding nature;
• smoking in unauthorized places;
• kindle fires;
• bring animals to the island.

By prior agreement with the administration, you can:

• leave at the parking lot water, air and land transport, delivering tourists to the security zone;
• live on the island;
• provide trade and household, hotel or other paid services;
• to make special film-video-photography of historical and cultural monuments.

On the island of Kizhi, Karelia, temple festivals are held, as well as the traditional Bell Ringing Festival for the best bell ringers of Russia.

History of the monastery

One of the most famous monasteries for men, the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, is located 50 km from Pskov. Thousands of people flock here from all over the Motherland to personally enjoy the beauty of the notorious sight. The Pskov-Pechersky Monastery attracts not only with its external beauty, but also with its history.

The Pskov-Pechersky Monastery was founded in 1473, in the same year, on the day of the great feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Assumption Church was consecrated. Both events are associated with the name of the Monk Jonah. The former Pskov priest settled in a cave called "God-given", and later founded the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, near which the history of the monastery began. It is curious that the very name of the city of Pechora comes from the word Pechora (pecher) and literally means "caves".

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery top view

The monastery was located next to Livonia, where at that time the Germans reigned. The monastery was attacked by the Livonian, Germans, Poles and Swedes. Wooden buildings were burned, the monastery was plundered and destroyed. The raids and devastation continued until the 20s of the 16th century. Under the monk Cornelius, a new stage in the history of the monastery begins - it becomes a fortified fortress, replacing Izborsk. In addition, the people who lived in this area were baptized - the Chud. Having appeared on a foreign land, the monastery was able to bring here a particle of the Russian soul.

The Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery is the only monastery that has never stopped working in the entire history of its existence. In the 20th century, a policy of severe persecution of the church and militant atheism was actively pursued. Fortunately, at that time the monastery was located outside the Soviet Union. In 1920, the Bolsheviks signed an armistice with Estonia and donated, among other things, Pechora. In 1940, Estonia joins the USSR, but this did not prevent the monastery from continuing to live its normal life. It was part of a small number of monasteries operating on the territory of the Soviet Union at that time. In the 20th century, the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery became the center of the revival of Orthodoxy and the traditions of the elders.

Monastery guide

On the territory of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery there are many buildings with their own history, which are worth visiting.

Assumption cave temple

This is the oldest and main temple of the monastery. The church was consecrated twice - in 1473 and 1523. The temple is located in the mountain. The vaults are lined with bricks and rest on thirteen pillars. In the 16th century, merchants Vasily and Fyodor ordered from the icon painter Alexy Maliy the icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Life, which they placed in the church. The chronicle records many cases of miracles associated with this icon.

Belfry

Photo: Belfry - Pskov-Pechersky Monastery

To the east of the Assumption Cathedral is the main bell tower, another name for which is the belfry. This is one of the largest buildings of this kind, not only in the Pskov land, but also in the North-West of Russia. The modern set includes 17 bells made by Pskov craftsmen in different historical periods.

Sretensky temple

Photo: Sretenskaya Church - Pskov-Pechersky Monastery

The building of the Sretensky Church was erected in 1670, and consecrated much later, after 2 centuries, in 1870. The building was built of bricks in the pseudo-Russian style. All walls and ceiling are decorated with sacred images. The icons of the Mother of God "Three-handed" and "Seeking of the lost" are kept here.

Church of the Intercession

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Pokrovsky Church

The second name of the temple is the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. The church was built during the reign of Hegumen Joseph in the middle of the 18th century. The Church of the Intercession was built over the place where the Assumption Cathedral was previously located. You can enter the church directly from the caves. The iconostasis located here is especially beautiful.

St. Michael's Cathedral

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Mikhailovsky Cathedral

This largest building of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery was erected in 1827 and timed to coincide with the expulsion of Napoleon from Pskov. Unlike other buildings, St. Michael's Cathedral is built on a hill, so only its dome topped with a cross can be seen from afar. The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Tenderness" is kept here, as well as the icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria". In addition, there is another shrine here - the right hand of the martyr Tatiana.

Fraternal corps

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Fraternal Corps

To the east of the Annunciation Church there is a two-story building on four columns, erected of stone - this is a fraternal building. Upstairs there are cells and a dining room, on the lower floor there is a kitchen.

God-made caves

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Caves created by God

The caves are actually the monastery's cemetery. More than ten thousand people are believed to be buried here. For strength, the walls of the cave near the entrance are lined with bricks. In the caves themselves, there are many slabs with inscriptions, which were created as gravestones and are of great value both in artistic and historical terms. Many are buried here elders of the Pskov-Pechersky monastery- Metropolitan Benjamin, Archimandrites Seraphim and John, Valaam elders and others. A large number of believers come here to remember them and ask for help in their prayers.

Lazarevsky temple

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Lazarevsky Church

Opposite the Assumption Church, in the north, is the Church of Righteous Lazarus, built of stone. This is also where the monastery hospital used to be. In the Lazarevsky Church, the Unsleeping Psalter is read around the clock. Even the chimneys of the church are elegantly finished, and there is nothing to say about the beauty of the church itself - all that remains is to silently admire.

Nikolsky temple

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Nikolsky Church

To the left of the entrance, on the mountain, is the church of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker of Mirlikia, which was built on the initiative of the Monk Cornelius in 1565. Many pilgrims come here to see the carved image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, in which he is in holy vestments, with a sword in his right hand, an overhead miter and with a three-domed church in the other hand. This temple is located above the holy gates.

Holy gates

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Holy Gates

To get to the lower monastery, you need to go through the Holy Gates - the main gates of the monastery. A particularly interesting story is connected with them. The gates themselves are curved. After them, a long road begins, leading down. The road is called the "Bloody Path", and for a reason. It is believed that Cornelius met Ivan the Terrible at this very gate. The king did not like how proudly Cornelius behaved, then the monarch swung his saber and cut off the head of the unwanted monk. Ivan the Terrible repented and carried the lifeless body of Cornelius to the Dormition Church. Nowadays, rowan trees grow here, which, with their bright red berries, seem to remind of a bloody event left in the distant past.

Annunciation Church

Photo: Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Annunciation Church

To the east of the Assumption Church is the Church of the Annunciation of the Mother of God. It was created under Cornelius in 1541 and was originally a refectory. In 2013, unique ancient frescoes that date back to 1547 were discovered inside this temple.

Holy hill

Photo: Holy Hill of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery

After visiting the caves, where the spirit of death soars, you can visit the Holy Hill. It seems to be in opposition to the caves - there is a garden with fruit trees on it, here you can calmly breathe and feel peace.

Fortress walls

Photo: The fortress walls of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery

In 1558, the first stone fence was erected to protect against invasion. The monastery became an impregnable fortress with seven towers and three gates. Now there are 9 towers within the walls, each of which has been given its own name. In the 20th century, the coverings of the towers and walls were replaced with copper ones.

How to get to the monastery

You can get to Pskov both from Moscow and from St. Petersburg. The Moscow-Pskov train departs daily from the Leningrad railway station. Get to Pskov-Pechora Monastery from Pskov you can take a bus or a taxi. If you are facing the railway station, then the bus station will be on the left behind the square, a 5-minute walk. By car, you can get to Pechory in 40 minutes, the bus takes about an hour (the bus passing through Old Izborsk takes longer) and arrives at the central city square. You can get from St. Petersburg to Pechory by minibus, which follows from the Rossiya Hotel and takes about 5 hours. Trains from St. Petersburg to Pskov go with transfers.

Anyone can help the monastery. Workers are assigned to the women's refectory, to the pickles warehouse, to the kitchen, and so on. You will need to get a blessing in advance in your parish and contact the guard of the Brotherhood Corps.

Photo: Optina Pustyn Monastery.

There is such an expression: a prayer space. We are talking about a certain atmosphere, supportive, inspiring. Most often, such sensations arise where spiritual work is taking place: in temples, monasteries and other holy lands.

The history of Russia is closely connected with Orthodoxy, great ascetics who have guarded and preserved their homeland from century to century. Special is Optina Pustyn, a monastery whose saints have become famous for centuries and also glorified the Orthodox faith. People from all over the country still go there, and this territory is still considered a key stronghold of Orthodoxy in the country.

What is a desert?

In general, a small settlement where monks are located is called a desert. As a rule, there is only one temple, or there are no temples at all and monks perform work on altars and in other available ways, the territory is partially isolated or at least located far from people. These characteristics make it possible to understand what the deserts are - the space where the ascetics leave in order to live as a hermit, maximum interaction with a small community of the same ascetics.

Etymologically, the word probably refers to the desert, in particular to the desert beyond the Jordan, where a considerable number of ascetics were sent at the beginning of the heyday of Christianity. It was these hermits that largely created the tradition of Christian saints.

Of course, at this period Optina Pustyn does not quite correspond to its own name, since the space has been actively developing and now includes a large-scale infrastructure, both of a purely material sense (economy, tourist infrastructure, etc.) and, say, spiritual. Now the desert is one of the most popular pilgrimage centers in Russia, but the monks to this day cherish their own solitude. The territory includes two levels: visitors and pilgrims are allowed in the outer one, and only monks can stay in the inner one (the so-called skete).

Optina Hermitage Monastery and history

Regarding when the first settlements appeared, there are different versions. More precisely, it is difficult to say exactly when the first ascetics appeared here, because according to legend, at the end of the 14th century, a robber named Opt came here, who repented and took monastic vows, becoming Macarius. At the same time, written evidence of the community dates back to the 15th century, and there is also a version of the founding of the community by Prince Vladimir the Brave.

Towards the end of the 17th century, the construction of the first stone church begins, and after a short amount of time, Peter the Great first imposes a heavy tax on the desert, and then the community is abolished in order to become part of the Belevsky monastery. Nevertheless, Catherine the First almost immediately restored the status of the desert. It took about a hundred years for the territory to turn from a small settlement into a flourishing spiritual center, which it became in the twenties of the 19th century.

Although there was almost always a relatively small number of monastics on the territory (often literally from two to ten people) there was the rector of Optina Monastery - an elder who possessed holy gifts and instructed others. In fact, it is precisely from the development of the institution of eldership and leadership in the desert that it is possible to begin the countdown of the modern history of this monastery.

Rogozhskaya Sloboda from the first days of its existence was closed from the capital and its stormy life in every sense. This historic district was not only two miles away from Moscow (as the sign of 1778 stated) - people lived here who jealously preserved their customs and way of life, which did not imply openness to newcomers or everything new. However, now Rogozhskaya Sloboda is almost the center of the city. Still - local merchants and landowners, the descendants of coachmen who were involved in the delivery of government mail, were Old Believers. This meant that their faith preserved the ancient customs and rituals of Russia from the time of its baptism. Naturally, the Russian patriarchal church could not come to terms with this state of affairs and excommunicated the Old Believers. Despite this, Rogozhskaya Sloboda is famous for its magnificent temples, monasteries and special architecture.

photo: Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Rogozhskaya Sloboda

Away from the world

The history of the Rogozhskaya Sloboda begins at the end of the 16th century, when settlements of coachmen - peasants engaged in the transportation of mail - began to appear on the left bank of the Yauza River. The first temple, built of wood, appeared in the settlement at the beginning of the 17th century and was named after Sergius of Radonezh. A century later, the Old Believers built a church in the name of Nicholas the Wonderworker on this site, which was destroyed in the 1950s. last century. The temple gave its name to the street; the oldest buildings of the 18th-19th centuries have also been preserved here.

90s The 18th century was marked by the appearance in the settlement of the Intercession Cathedral - a summer church erected by the architect Matvey Kazakov in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God. The peculiarity of this temple was that it had no equal in terms of area in Moscow at that time: it surpassed even the Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral. The temple was modified at the direction of Catherine II: instead of 5 chapters, one was left in it, and the altar ledges were dismantled.

Later, in 1804, a church in the name of Christ's Nativity appeared in the Rogozhskaya Sloboda, the architect of which was I.D. Zhukov. His style was pseudo-Gothic. Inside there were two independent chapels: in the name of Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Archangel Michael. The decoration was luxurious: the walls were painted in the ancient style, and ancient icons were placed on them. The invasion of Napoleon in 1812 did not spare these valuable collections, therefore icons with traces of sabers on the surface have survived to this day.

Before the revolution, Old Believer ceremonies were held in the church in the name of the Nativity of Christ. In 1929 the Soviet authorities closed the shrine; here the rotunda and the dome were destroyed, but in 1995 the temple again became part of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church.

The focus of wondrous icon painting Rogozhskaya Sloboda

Photo: Rogozhskaya Sloboda. Old Believers

Almost any temple in the Rogozhskaya Sloboda is an icon-painting museum. The shrines also contain church utensils, books and old manuscripts, icons of unprecedented beauty in gilded and silver vestments. But the main value of the icons lies in their originality and primordiality: these works belonged to the masters of Pskov and Novgorod writing, therefore there are no prints of late stylistic influences on them.

The most famous and ancient icon is the Savior, the Terrible Eye. Old Believers in the Rogozhskaya Sloboda also had the Bogolyubsk and Smolensk icons of the Mother of God. By the way, the authorship of the latter is attributed to the famous Andrei Rublev, the revered master of icon painting of the Moscow school.

The Pokrovsky Cathedral, located at the Rogozhsky cemetery, has preserved icons from the Soldiernkovsky and Rakhmanovsky collections to this day, which are of great value and antiquity. The cemetery archive and library could boast of unique early printed books and ancient manuscripts, which are now kept in the Rumyantsev Museum.

A temple of unprecedented beauty. Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Rogozhskaya Sloboda.

The Old Believers had to experience the injustice of government decrees regarding their faith. In 1856, the altars of the winter and summer churches (that is, the Nativity of Christ and the Intercession of the Mother of God) were sealed. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker became one of the same faith. In 1905, the Tsar's manifesto on religious tolerance came out. Thanks to this document, the Old Believers of the Rogozhskaya Sloboda were able to visit the churches again, since they were now printed.

In memory of this important event, a church was built in the name of the Resurrection of Christ in 1912-1913. The architect was Fyodor Gornostaev from the dynasty of Old Believers. The old Russian pillar-like temples were taken as a model, so the church received a very beautiful architecture: its facade was decorated with relief images of a pelican and fairy-tale birds of paradise, and the bell tower was rich. Inside the church there was a painting of the 16th century in the Novgorodian style, and the iconostasis was decorated with icons of the 14th century.

Legend has it that the Old Believers received permission to build a church, the bell tower of which will be only a meter lower compared to the construction of Ivan the Great in the Kremlin. There is no evidence of this, and the height of the bell tower of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ is approximately 80 m.

Until 1924, there was a book depository and an archive in the shrine, until they were confiscated by the Bolsheviks. The bell tower did not have an antimension, so in 1949 it was decided to rename it in the name of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. In 1988, the bells sounded here again, and in 1990, a consecrated bell weighing more than 4 tons, which was previously kept in the Moscow Art Theater, was raised on the construction. In February 2015, the temple was returned to its historical name and consecrated.

Cemetery history

The Rogozhskoe Old Believer cemetery appeared in the 70s. XVIII century, when a plague epidemic began in Moscow, brought by troops from the Russian-Turkish war. Catherine II ordered the closure of all cemeteries within Moscow, so as not to spread the epidemic further. Old Believers could bury their own in the territory of the almshouse.

This is how the Rogozhskoye cemetery was formed. Over time, women's monasteries, Nikolskaya chapel, a hospital (now named after S. Morozov), and cells appeared here. This is how the village of the Old Believers was formed. By the end of the 18th century, more than one and a half thousand people lived in this area on an area of ​​about 24 hectares.

The decline of the "golden age" of the Old Believers

After the October Revolution, the Moscow Old Believers began to be eradicated by the Soviet regime. In 1930, many graves and monuments were destroyed, the metal from which was melted down to decorate the Moscow metro and the river embankment. It is suspected that victims of the regime's repressions were buried at the Rogozhskoye cemetery in 1940.

Nowadays

Today Rogozhskaya Sloboda lives its own, active and full-blooded life, where the Old Believers remain the main priority. Old hospitals, old temples, a necropolis, which once came into being thanks to the financial support of many merchant dynasties: Ryabushinsky, Mamontovs, Morozovs, have been revived. Thanks to the nature of their activities, the Old Believers were able not only to assert the right to believe, but to create a unique architectural ensemble, similar to which there is no. The village seemed to have frozen in time - it still remains the spiritual center of the Moscow Old Believers, its stronghold, hidden from the eyes of the rest of the townspeople.

Memo for tourists

Divine services in Rogozhskaya Sloboda take place every day: the morning service starts at 7:30, and the evening service starts at 15:30. Before the holidays, the evening service takes place at 14:00. All temples are open to tourists. There are some dress and behavior requirements. Men must wear full body clothing (pants and long sleeves). The same requirements apply for women: a skirt that covers the knees, outerwear with sleeves and a headscarf. Representatives of other confessions should not perform prayers or similar actions, and when they come to the temple, they need to stand at the western entrance (at the vestibule).

You can get to the village using the metro stations "Rimskaya", "Taganskaya", "Aviamotornaya" and "Marksistskaya". The shortest way from "Rimskaya" and "Aviamotornaya" will be on foot. Buses No. 15, No. 169 leave from "Marksistskaya"; from "Taganskaya" - trolleybuses №№ 16, 26 and 63. It is enough to get off at the stop "Ulitsa Staroobryadcheskaya", and you can find yourself in Rogozhskaya Sloboda. It is worth taking a tour not only of the temples, but also go to church shops, Sunday schools for adults and children, shops selling folk costumes. The restaurant of the original cuisine of the Old Believers is also of tourist value.

Rogozhskaya Sloboda official website: rpsc.ru/rogozhskaya-sloboda/

There is a small town in the Sverdlovsk region - Verkhoturye. It is located approximately halfway between Yekaterinburg and Perm. There are not so many people living here - only ten thousand. The town has existed for four hundred years. This is not bad, and not a small age - closer to the average.

Temples and churches are countless here. in Verkhoturye, there are monasteries both for men (St. Nicholas Monastery) and for women (Holy Protection Monastery for Women in Verkhoturye).

Today Verkhoturye is a favorite place for pilgrims and those interested in the history of the Urals. It is not forbidden to book a city tour here to imbue the spirit of the town and see the sights.

A bit of history

This Ural city was built on the Tura river, which flows in the Sverdlovsk region. A little earlier the city belonged to the Perm province.

The history of the emergence of Verkhoturye dates back to one thousand five hundred and ninety-seven, when Yermak conquered Siberia and the Urals. There was originally a fortress of the Maxi people. Then it was transformed into a prison. Then Verkhoturye was made customs. During those years, in the middle of the seventeenth century, the city flourished. All goods, for which Siberia is rich, passed through this settlement.

The flourishing of the city was facilitated by two state decrees:

By decree, the Russian state monopolized the fur trade. All transactions with the Russian merchants, maxi and local residents were made here, at the Gostiny Dvor.

By decree, the Yamskaya service was established, the paths of which, again, crossed the Verkhoturye. It was very profitable for the city - the construction of other means of communication nearby somewhere else in the same area was prohibited.

In the middle of the seventeenth century, at the peak of its prosperity, the city was intensively developed and built. The population grew, residential areas were filled, temples and monasteries were erected. Trade flourished.

In one thousand seven hundred and fifty-three, trade gradually subsides - due to the abolition of duties. And by the middle of the nineteenth century, Verkhoturye ceases to be a trade center. Now this area is becoming a spiritual center: the number of monasteries and temples is growing.

Infrastructure of entertainment, attractions, leisure in the city of Verkhoturye

Despite the modest size of the town (you can get around in an hour on foot), there is something to see here. Verkhoturye, its attractions immediately attract attention upon arrival. This is the original Ural Kremlin, and temples, and museum buildings, and two monasteries. There are other interesting neighborhoods here - Aktay and Merkushkino.

Photo: Verkhoturye St. Nicholas Monastery

St. Nicholas Monastery in the Urals is the oldest and largest. Founded in one thousand six hundred and four. The seven-domed Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross is located on the ground of the monastery. It is the third largest cathedral in Russia.

The monastery contains the miraculous relics of a local saint from the village of Merkushkino. Pilgrims kiss the relics of Simeon of Verkhotursky in a silver shrine. The relics have shown miracles before: in one thousand six hundred and ninety-two, the coffin with the relics came out of the earth, a source was hammered on the grave, people began to heal in an amazing way. Today Simeon Verkhotursky is the spiritual patron of Siberia and the Urals. His relics heal diseases of the legs, eyes, infertility.

Photo: Verkhoturye Monastery. The relics of Simeon of Verkhoturye.

There is a unique painting in the Simeon-Anninsky church. Here are the remains of monks who were not identified during excavations.

Photo: Verkhoturye Monastery. Church of Simeon Verkhotursky.

The Intercession Convent is the first Trans-Ural monastery. Founded in one thousand six hundred and twenty-one. It used to be made of wood, now it has been reconstructed and made in stone. Miraculous icons are kept in the palaces of the monastery.

Photo: Pokrovsky Convent

The "Tenderness" of the Mother of God is an icon especially revered here. It was written at the beginning of the twentieth century by Mother Angelina. This is the abbess of the neighboring Assumption Monastery. Mother loved to visit Diveyevo. Impressed by the face, I strove to create this Image for my monastery as well. Mother Angelina, according to oral tradition, treated the image of the Mother of God as if it were alive. She consulted with her, talked, decorated for the rest of her days. Together with the sisters of the monastery I sewed a robe for her. The robe has survived to this day: velvet decorations are folded, embroidered with beads and stones.

In the years of disbelief, the icon "Tenderness" was hidden for a long time, even buried in the ground. Today the Image of the Mother of God "Tenderness" is kept under the arches of the New Intercession Church. The image of the Mother of God gives an ambulance to everyone in need and asking for it. She especially helps those women who dream of safely giving birth to a baby.

Before this miraculous image, every Sunday Paraclisis of the Mother of God "Tenderness" is performed.

The venerable relics of the righteous Cosma are also buried in the Intercession Convent. You can defend the liturgy in the monastery and bow to the tomb where the relics of St. Kosma of Verkhoturye are located.

There are several churches and cathedrals in the city, including historical monuments: Holy Trinity Cathedral in Verkhoturye, Spaso-Resurrection (historical monument - the bell tower and church wedding have been lost), Znamenskaya (historical monument), and Uspenskaya.

Photo: Holy Trinity Cathedral Verkhoturye

Photo: Spaso-Resurrection Church Verkhoturye our time

Photo: Znamenskaya Church Verkhoturye

Photo: Assumption Church Verkhoturye

The Kremlin in Verkhoturye is studied with pleasure by tourists, and all because it is the smallest Kremlin of all Russian. In addition, this is the penultimate castle built in Russia. This Kremlin was erected as a fortification for the house of the local governor.

The local history museum is dedicated to the history of the region, urban architecture and the local skate factory, which has not been functioning for a long time. The originality of the museum is that it looks really ancient, because it exhibits things and objects that have not been updated for a long time - at least thirty years.

The village of Merkushkino is located fifty kilometers from Verkhoturye. The village often hosts expositions and exhibitions. The main attractions of the settlement for visiting pilgrims are the Simeonovskaya Church, the Simeonovskoye courtyard of the Novo-Tikhvin women's monastery, the Mikhailo-Archangel church, buildings of the nineteenth century.

If you go on an organized tour, Verkhoturye cooperates with many travel agencies in Yekaterinburg, offering tourist services in the Urals. The duration of the trip is almost six hundred and fifty kilometers. Sending from Yekaterinburg. The duration is about fourteen to fifteen hours. On the way, the guide will tell you a lot of fascinating things: about Yekaterinburg, about the Sverdlovsk region and the cities passing by.

The saints of Verkhoturye and their ascetic way of life are of great interest to pilgrims. The village of Merkushino is a very holy land. Here the holy righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye performed his ascetic feat.

On the way, there is a picturesque place on the banks of the Tura. The saint here prayed to the Lord and caught a fish. In good condition there is a large white stone on which Saint Simeon performed ascetic. The saint combined his prayer with exploit - he was kneeling on a stone in the dense taiga. On the banks of the Tura River, ten kilometers from Merkushin, Simeon Verkhotursky had a secluded place where he fished. But even in this place he showed abstinence: he caught only as much fish as was required for the day's meal.

Above, in a clearing, there is a beautiful wooden church of All Saints. Once in a week, on the night from Friday to Saturday, the monks of the Holy Kosminskaya Hermitage are serving in it. The Svyato-Kosminskaya Hermitage itself is a completely closed monastery. Monks are ascetic according to the Athonite charter. They complete the full circle of worship. Pilgrims are not blessed to visit the deserts.

Often the excursion to Verkhoturye includes a visit to Aktay. There is a healing spring there.

Purchase of souvenirs and church utensils

The building of St. Nicholas Monastery has a church shop. There is a wide selection of church things, books on Orthodoxy, images, Ural souvenirs.

Photo: Verkhoturye church shop

Type of clothing

Photo: clothes for visiting church

In general, special clothing is not required to visit Verkhoturye. One has only to remember that if you go to monasteries or churches, you need appropriate clothing: men only wear trousers (shorts will not work), women and girls need to be in long skirts and headscarves. If for some reason you did not take such clothes with you, they are given at the entrance to the monasteries for the duration of your visit. Shoes are both better and more comfortable without heels - you will have to walk a lot and stand on your feet. The use of lipstick and any other cosmetics is not recommended for girls. it is forbidden to touch Simeon Verkhotursky's cancer and icons with makeup on his face.

Where to stay in Verkhoturye or take a meal

You can stay for the night at a male monastery (it is better to agree on this in advance). There is also a Sobol hotel in Verkhoturye.

You can dine at a number of food outlets: this is the Anastasia diner, the Marilena and Sobol cafes, the Monastery Tea tea house at the Nicholas Monastery.

The history of the Nilovaya Pustyn, a monastery complex located a few tens of kilometers from Ostashkov on Lake Seliger, dates back to the 15th century. It was at that time that a hermit named Nile appeared on the deserted island of Stolbny, which gave the name to the desert (also called Nilovo-Stolbnoy).

The famous Reverend Nile

Little is known about the early years of Nil Stolobensky. He was born near Veliky Novgorod, at first he stayed in the Pskov Krypetsky monastery, where he took monastic vows and took the name in honor of Nil Postnik. At the beginning of the 16th century, the hermit moved to the Rzhev forest near the Seremkha River. There he equipped a cell and spent all the time in prayers. Once robbers came to the Nile and decided to kill the monk. He, praying, went out to the villains with the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. It seemed to them that an armed army stood behind the Nile, and, repenting, they fell on their faces before the monk.

Gradually, the fame of the Nile spread among the believers. Many people came for prayers and instructions, but the hermit was too burdened by this, so he moved to Stolbny Island, located ten kilometers from Ostashkov. The monk equipped a dugout, and over time he built a cell and a chapel. Legends say that the Nile overcame devilish misfortunes - attacks of robbers and fires - thanks to unyielding faith and prayers.

The Nile's life on the island lasted 27 years. Before his death, the monk bequeathed to build a monastery on this place. The hermit departed into another world in 1555 and was buried on Stolbnoye, and after more than 40 years a monastery appeared here, whose founder was Herman, hieromonk, and many hermits who began to settle near the grave of the Monk Nile.

Beginning and flowering

At first, the Nilova Hermitage on Seliger was extremely poor, until Nektarios, who had been brought up in the monastery since childhood, became the instructor of the shrine. After the death of Herman, there was no livelihood left in the desert. In addition, the island was periodically attacked by enemy Lithuanian troops. At that time, a wooden church, a chapel and a tomb of the Nile, a granary and 6 small cells were built in the desert.

The abbot Nektarios appealed to famous people of that time: princes, archimandrites and metropolitans. The abbot received special favor from Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, to whom he predicted the birth of a son. It did come true in March 1629. The hegumen became the successor of the prince, and the monastery began to receive money and food from the income of the royal family every year.

From then until the beginning of the revolution, the Romanov dynasty was especially guarded by the Nilov Monastery. Over the years, it was visited by the royal persons Alexei Romanovich, Fedor Alekseevich, Natalya Kirillovna, Peter I, Catherine II, who presented the monastery with a bell, a bowl for the consecration of water, a robe, a gospel with decorations, a veil, etc. Emperor Alexander I showed particular interest in the desert. , who, after the victory over Napoleon's troops, began to travel a lot in Russia. He brought gold panagia and a cross. One of the Emperor's gifts was truly unique: these are diamond panagias that could be worn by all the abbots of the monastery. The unusualness of this right was that only certain spiritual persons could wear panagia.

Alexander I made generous gifts to the monastery, blessed large-scale construction. The emperor was especially fascinated by the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The church was built at the end of the 18th century. The interior of the wall was decorated in the style of Catherine's Baroque, the iconostasis was made lightly and gracefully, and the wall paintings were colorful. The king was interested in absolutely everything that was connected with the temple. Thanks to him, the masters who worked on the decoration became famous: Kondraty Konyagin and Ilya Verkhin.

Troubled years

The beginning of the twentieth century was marked by the flourishing of the monastery on Stolbnoye Island, where about 1000 hermits lived, and the monastery itself consisted of a whole complex of cells, temples, chapels. Even a hospital was built here. But the revolution of 1917 brought devastation to monastic life and decades of oblivion. In 1919, the relics of the Monk Nile were transferred from here, and all church valuables were seized. Until 1927, life in the monastery was somehow led, then it was closed.

Until 1939, a labor correctional column for minors was located within the monastery walls. It was convenient to place her here, since there was already a similar establishment on the island. As a punishment, juvenile prisoners were given the task of ripping off unique frescoes and stucco moldings from the walls of temples. The next year, from 1939 to 1940, a camp for prisoners of war from Poland was set up in the desert. During the Great Patriotic War, the monastery complex became a hospital, and after its end until 1960 - again a colony, until 1971 - a nursing home. Until 1990, a tourist base was set up on the territory of the desert. At this time, the years of oblivion are a thing of the past, and the complex was revived again: in 1990 it was handed over to the Orthodox Church. In 1995, the relics of the Nile were returned here.

Revival

It was extremely difficult to restore the destroyed Nile complex, where before the revolution there were 25 buildings and 5 temples. In the old days, the Epiphany, Holy Cross, Gateway, the Church of All Saints, the Church of John the Baptist and other temples were located here. Some of them were mostly destroyed, in others the decoration was lost. The craftsmen had to work hard to restore the shrine, since there were no photographs or sketches of frescoes and stucco moldings left. The Church of John the Baptist was razed to the ground in 1939, so now excavations are being carried out in its place.

Nowadays

Now the monastery is inhabited by 50 hermits. The dairy, candle and carpentry shops, an apiary, a cowshed and a stable, as well as a jewelry workshop have been revived here. There is a church shop where you can buy honey, bread, medicinal teas, fish, mead, knitted goods and various souvenirs; there is also a water tower.

The entrance to the monastery is free for tourists, but you must adhere to the dress code. Men need to be in trousers, and women in a headscarf and skirt.

Tourists can get here by three routes: by boat departing from Ostashkov; by bus, following the direction Ostashkov - Troeruchitsa; by car, turning at the sign "Svetlitsa".