The almshouse is first and foremost God. God's favorite establishment

“It was demons” - the residents of Klykov have only one answer to the question of who could have carried out a brutal attack on the almshouse of the monks on the Feast of the Intercession in 2015. Raiders acted on a tip - it’s unlikely: everyone in the area knew that grandmothers lived in this house, many of whom were bedridden. What to take from them? Random strays? The almshouse is far from the city, away from the highways, try again, find it, look at it. But what strikes people most is the cruelty with which masked robbers attacked elderly women. They pierced their heads, threw them on the floor, kicked them... Six days later, one of the victims - a guest from Krasnodar, Maria Filippovna - died in the hospital. Some time later, Mother Pelageya died: she fell into a stream and could not get up - her injuries took a toll. The health of the other nuns also deteriorated. The attackers took the last of our strength and the last of our money. There was one thing they couldn't take away - love. She is here everywhere and in everyone... Our word will be about her.

Thirsting for eternity

I came here by accident. I was visiting friends near the monastery of the Savior Not Made by Hands. They said that there is an ascetic Marina here, who built an almshouse and now gives shelter to homeless old women. “They are somehow unusual, SUCH LOVE comes from them! Everyone feels it, it’s incredible,” they told me. And they added: “This is who we should write about.” "Go!" - I agreed.

We got into the car and five minutes later we were at the Gate of Love.

Behind them is a large three-story house, built of brick and logs, painted brown and white colors; balconies, sloping roof; the same one, only smaller, covers a porch with railings... As if this is not an almshouse, but an estate from 19th-century novels. If you turn your head to the left, you will see village houses and a monastery with two churches and a bell tower, on the right a cow is peacefully grazing, chickens are mincing... Indeed, it’s as if you were not in our days. Not in our reality.

A gentle conversation can be heard from the porch.

Mother, you’ll freeze, it’s already evening, let’s go into the house,” the woman is trying to convince the little withered old woman to leave the street, “but you didn’t take the wand...

In response, the old woman mutters something affectionately, childishly: they say, I didn’t take it again, what can you do with me.

And then the woman notices us. This is Marina. Middle-aged, beautiful, with wise eyes and a motherly smile. The nun also notices us, she smiles with all her wrinkles and looks straight into our eyes and somewhere deeper. (Later I found out that she was blind.)

Marina invites us into the house. On the ground floor there are cell rooms, all closed. One of the nuns walks towards you at a brisk pace.

This is Mother N., - the hostess introduces, - and these are journalists...

The nun raises her eyebrows in surprise. But then he laments:

Oh, I’m nobody, nobody,” and runs away.

And here comes another mother - she walks slowly, lost in thought. And suddenly, seeing us, he begins to sing: “The grace of the Holy Spirit, the Grace of the Holy Spirit...” Out of habit, it seems that we are facing a holy fool, but this is only at first glance. August's mother, in her early sixties, came here with her own mother, who is already in her nineties. Both have problems with their legs. Before that, they lived at monasteries in the Pskov region, but the local climate undermined their already poor health. And only in Klykovo, twenty kilometers from Optina Pustyn, mother and daughter found shelter and grace.

This is through prayers St. Ambrose. “He picks up everyone, the old, the lame, and the blind,” mother begins to tell, leaning on the door of her cell.

And this is where I myself begin to feel what my friends have been buzzing my ears about. I am covered with invisible waves of love. And it’s as if someone is stroking your soul from the inside with a soft mitten. Churched people probably know these feelings, but I’ll try to explain to others this way: imagine that you are relaxing in velvet Italy, surrounded by your family; The sea splashes, the sun caresses, and you feel so good that you want to hang in this moment forever...

And who would have thought that this fragile old woman had such power of love and, as it turns out during the conversation, the power of thought.

And so the Lord brings people here in different ways. Those whom monasteries no longer accept: they need to work there. And Marina took us. All our relatives are here. We wait forever. And you are looking for God, looking for the salvation of your soul good deeds. A believer is in a hurry to do good deeds in order to be justified in at least something before God. When you do good to others, it’s always joy, okay?

It's clear?" Mother Augusta will repeat it more than once. And, really, everything is clear. He explains better than any sermon about the meaning of life:

“So we often look for God: how, what? We argue, we read, but we have to look for someone to help with, and that’s all!”

So we often search for God: how, what? We argue, we read, but we have to look for someone to help with, and that’s all! And this path will continue! Do you understand?.. Oh, how good it is to get into eternity, I’m already thirsty. Help, Lord!

Today all twelve nuns yearn for eternity in the Klykov almshouse. There was more. But recently during Lent in last way conducted by schema-nun Ksenia, daughter of the famous mother Sepphora. The Bird of Heaven (that’s what people called Mother) lived a few meters from the almshouse, people came to her from all over the world for advice, asking her prayers for healing. Miracles often happen at her grave in the monastery of the Savior Not Made by Hands even today. The revered old woman reposed in the Lord 20 years ago.

But Mother Zipporah is always present with us,” says Marina.

And schema-nun Ksenia was with us through the prayers of Mother Sepphora, I think so,” continues Sister Martha, one of the youngest and most active nuns. “Mother’s prayers were so effective that when I approached Ksenia, my heart even changed.

Here they believe that the mother bird took her daughter to her. There were many signs of this. Shortly before Xenia’s death, an icon began to bleed into her cell. And in the next one - the images of Mother Zipporah and Royal Family. Moreover, the last icon - a photographic one - was always dark, the faces could not be made out, and suddenly everything became bright, colorful.

We thought: My God, what sorrow is this all happening to? - says Marfa. - And then it turned out that it was to mother’s death. And we also had the scent of photographs. Her photographs. Can you imagine?!

They open an album with photographs for me, they find the ones I need somewhere in the middle... and they really smell fragrant.

Meanwhile, Mother Martha in her cell (a small crib and hundreds of icons on the walls) selects for us other photographs from the life of the monastery. Her old laptop keeps turning off.

The first website of the Optina Pustyn was made on this computer,” she hastens to justify the malfunction of the equipment.

Mother Marfa herself lived in Optina for 15 years, but then realized that “the time has come to move on.” She had heard about the almshouse in Klykovo, but had never been here. I went to have a look. I didn't have the strength to leave here. And what else should you look for? They live here according to the same monastic rules, and, as in a monastery, everyone who is healthy has their own responsibilities - she, for example, is a cellarer. Home on skeet. The rest of the time he cares for patients.

Here you can realize yourself in terms of sacrifice, because this is a direct fulfillment of the commandment about love for your neighbors, about how the Lord said: “I was sick, and you visited Me.”

And try to leave here when things like this reign!

On the twentieth anniversary of my mother’s death, May 13, we had absolutely Easter everything here. It’s as if it’s not a death, but as if we’re all rejoicing and celebrating. Very good! - says sister Martha.

And I begin to feel this holiday...

"Fun Place"

In addition to Mother Zipporah, the “almshouse of love” has other prayer books. This place itself was chosen by the Mother of God. Another person who lived in Klykovo before moving to Peredelkino spoke about this.

Elder Eli kept repeating: “What grace is here! Here is the Mother of God Herself! This is paradise!

The former owner of this plot of land told everyone for a long time how at one time the priest often appeared here before dawn and walked (according to the woman - ran) around the garden shouting: “Galya, Galya, what grace is here, here is the Mother of God Herself! This is paradise!

And no one could understand what kind of paradise this strange monk saw here: a dilapidated house in the middle, all around there were sheds, destruction and decline. But Father Eli - today everyone is convinced of this - already knew then that there would be an almshouse here. All he had to do was find someone who could build it and who would be able to bear this cross.

In the early 2000s, Marina Antonova worked as HR director at a real estate agency and trained agents. One day a nun came to them, who was collecting funds for the monastery of the Savior Not Made by Hands of the Hermitage and for Orphanage. We decided to help. And soon Marina and her colleagues went to see what they were donating for. It was then that she met Father Eli. And that meeting forever changed the life of a successful Muscovite.

No one else existed for me, for me there was only one father, my heart responded with such love to him! And the result is obedience with this house - probably out of love for it. Seventeen years have passed since that meeting, and still, when I see him, my heart flutters.

And not to say that before that she was a zealous Christian, no. I went to church, occasionally went to confession, like many people did then... And then everything in my soul turned so upside down that I even decided to buy myself a house not far from Klykov. One day a priest came to her, walked silently for about forty minutes on the floor that had been opened up for repairs, and then pronounced a verdict: the hut was no good. And he left. The surprised woman is behind him.

Then everything is like in a movie. Father comes to the very place where “the Mother of God Herself.” I knelt here and prayed. Marina sat down on the rubble to the side, her head ached from shock, she was in no mood... Then people ran to her and shouted: “Marina, Marina, did you hear what the priest said?”

I say: “No, I didn’t hear anything.” And they: “Father said that this is Marin’s house,” and they point to this place. “It will be a fun place,” he says.

Father Eli did not reveal one thing then - the providence for the almshouse.

“I only understood the spiritual meaning later,” Marina admits. - If he had said right away, then I might not have carried it. Because I have Small child I had a husband, six years old, and a second son. And the priest did everything gradually...

First, Father Eli ordered to burn all the old buildings. This is also a whole story. One day he and Marina are walking along the road, and the spiritual child asks: “Who will destroy all this, father? I can’t, I have work in Moscow.” And they followed them unknown men. “So they will burn it,” says Father Eli. And indeed, as soon as Marina approached them, they already knew about everything and quickly agreed. And soon everything was cleared away for the fun place.

Then the priest said that it was time to pour the foundation. I went and drove in the pegs myself, without any measuring devices, and they poured over them. The construction began to boil for five whole years: there was some evil involved - at first the workers only took money, cheated and did not do everything according to plan. But all this did not upset the woman. She built this house earnestly, as if she had prayed.

“I did everything according to the priest’s words, no matter what he said,” Marina shares with us, “I didn’t even wonder what would happen here. I always knew: this was necessary for my soul and for my family.

Finally - this was in 2008 - the priest called the woman over and asked:

Will you give the house to an almshouse?

Of course I will. With joy!

Father Eli called Marina: “Will you give up the house for an almshouse?” - "With joy!" - “Then this is an almshouse, you are the director”

Then this is an almshouse, you are the director.

And here is another dialogue from that memorable day:

Where can I find people? - asked Marina.

Give an announcement,” answered the priest with his characteristic spontaneity.

Where will I advertise?

Well, in Moscow, give...

Today Marina Antonova talks about all this with laughter, but then she didn’t understand what was happening at all. Her husband didn’t understand either when she, leaving everything behind, went to set up a home for the elderly and disabled. It took time for the family to come to terms with her departure from the world.

Caring for the elderly was not a burden for Marina. She has a medical education. Yes, and I went after my own mother. Then - for my mother-in-law, whom she also loved. Even when there was no talk about the almshouse, Antonova thought that perhaps she had done something wrong to her mothers by not devoting enough time to them... And then she said: “Lord, if there was an opportunity to fix this, I would fix it!” The Lord heard.

And you will be cured!

We enter another cell room. Two nuns live here - Mother Lavrentia and her granddaughter Mother Seraphim.

And again we find ourselves where love can be touched with our hands. The point is not only in joyful greetings, not only in the fact that around the icon (there are many images of new martyrs), something tender and invisible resides here.

Mothers have their own story. The granddaughter (in the world Irina) has been bedridden since childhood; her grandmother worked for 20 years in the greenhouses of a Moscow state farm. Both are churchgoers. They lived and did not grieve, but trouble came. One day, when they were in the hospital, someone told about Marina from Klykov. Let's go without hesitation.

A grandmother and granddaughter are one of the first residents of the Klykovo almshouse.

When we arrived here, there wasn’t even a fence here yet, there was black dead wood, taller than a man. And that’s it,” says the grandmother. - And there was no heating. Gas was supplied and a well was drilled. And now we have batteries, and our own water, and a farm: chickens, quails and even a cow!

And a little later he whispers:

After all, everything was done with Marina’s money; Father Ily only helped with finishing the second floor, and only because she had already run out of her own funds.

What do you live on? - I ask Antonova.

We have pensions, and people help with food. We are provided with food.

And not immediately, with embarrassment, but continues:

And not right away, with embarrassment, but Marina Antonova continues: “Of course, we could use some help...”

Of course, help would be nice, but I don’t have the strength to advertise myself, I don’t even know how to do it. On the other hand, the priest blesses us to build a cowshed, and much more. I wanted to create a foundation, but I understand that I can’t do it alone...

Marina’s house needs good hands now more than ever.

I live sick. If I leave, I constantly think about them, we call each other every minute, but the fund needs to be dealt with separately. And make a website. And so on. There's simply no one to do it.

Mother Lawrence, who is responsible for the accountant, confirms that both assistants and funds are needed.

“And our mother writes stories,” Marina interrupts the conversation about painful issues. - On Orthodox topics. I like very much.

The monastic writer laughs:

Writing! Whoever tells me something, that’s what I write about. About people, about prayers. Maybe it will be possible to publish it somewhere...

And the writer Lavrentia has more than enough stories. Their almshouse is a concentration of miracles. Shortly before my arrival, my mother, the accountant, fell: her head was spinning...

I felt so bad, my blood pressure jumped over two hundred. I seemed to have lost somewhere, but then I see: Father Eli comes up to me, puts his hand and says: “We need to call an ambulance, an ambulance!” But it’s troublesome to call an ambulance here, because it’s far away. By the time he arrives, you can die three times. And he apparently prayed, and then they ran up to me, gave me medicine and helped me get to my feet. Cured!

And Marina tells how the priest always responds to the nuns’ complaints about his infrequent visits to Klykovo: “Yes, I was only with you recently!”

After this you think: where is he wandering around here?

One of my mother’s stories is about that terrible attack on the morning of October 14, 2015. She also suffered greatly in this battle of love and evil.

He threw me and my head was broken. That's why she spins when I walk up the stairs. And now my hand doesn’t rise, I can’t take anything, I take care of both my granddaughter and myself with one hand.

This terrible story began for Marina with the cry of Mother Lavrentia. Running out to hear the scream, she ran into a masked bandit with a pistol in his hands. The “guest” pointed the weapon directly at her. Antonova remembers that at that moment everything seemed to her like a dream or a bad action movie, but an inner voice shouted: “There are people on you, hold on, pray.” She did not yet know that everything on the first floor was literally covered in blood and there were several wounded.

“We came for the money,” the man with the gun kept saying.

There’s an almshouse here, look: we’re all old, all bedridden,” Marina tried to pity him.

In response, the bandit smashed the phone that caught his eye.

At this time, a novice was coming down from the third floor, Antonova tried to stop her: “Calm down, Tanechka, go to your room, everything is fine.” But the enraged raider dragged her too at the point of death.

Finally we managed to reach an agreement: take the money - there are about 40 thousand in the safe - and leave, just don’t touch anyone else.

Having already emptied the safe, the bandit suddenly said: “How much should I leave you?” And he gave Marina 15 thousand.

Who were these two in black? For two years, the operatives failed to get on their trail. They disappeared as soon as they crossed the threshold of the almshouse.

The mothers themselves call the attackers “people who went to the wrong place.” And it seems that they are the only ones who have compassion for them. And they know how to cure it.

Finally, I asked Marina Antonova: what does she feel, looking back at the last almost ten years of her life - joy, or is there at least some regret?

“I don’t regret it at all, on the contrary, I’m happy and thank God,” a peaceful smile closes the words of the ascetic. - Of course, there are difficulties. Everyone has them. Do you think they are not in the family? It's the same here. But all this can be overcome, we cannot despair here. We need to move on.

How the first almshouse in Moscow is settling into a new house on the shore of Cherkizovsky Pond April 14th, 2015

Recently, unusual residents moved into a red-brick three-story building on the shore of Cherkizovsky Pond - elderly people, many of whom no longer get out of bed due to weakness. Here, in a historical building, next to the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Cherkizovo, the St. Spyridon almshouse celebrated its housewarming,project of the Orthodox service “Mercy”.I had a chance to visit this amazing place, which has no analogues in Moscow.

Head of the Eastern Vicariate of Moscowand confessor of the Orthodox help service "Mercy" lord Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevsky Pantele y and Mon spent seven years negotiating with the capital’s authorities to give the almshouse the building of a former orphanage not far from the Preobrazhenskaya Ploshchad metro station and achieved his goal. Colossal work was carried out here: special elevators were installed, ventilation was repaired, and doorways were expanded. New Year The “inhabitants” greeted us at the new place.

We walk through the almshouse, looking into the premises. It smells like pies: dinner is being prepared in the kitchen.

Previously, the almshouse was located in big apartment, now there are many rooms. Here, for example, is a separate room dedicated to laundry.

The team at the almshouse is friendly. And quite a big one. If you collect all the guards, cooks, laundresses, and nurses mercy - there will be more than forty people. The work is hard: almost all the “inmates” in the almshouse are bedridden patients who have suffered serious illnesses. This is one of the sisters. In her free time, she helps cut the curtain :))


Inmates in the almshouse live two to a room. All rooms are spacious, with very light wallpaper and wide windows. Each has its own window and its own decorative flower.

Only the most infirm are admitted to the almshouse, and many here not only do not walk, but also do not speak due to serious illnesses. Everyone has their own story. I slowly get to know all the inhabitants of the almshouse.
There are many books at Lyubov Nikolaevna’s bedside. Among them are books about raising children. On the shelf are photographs of grandchildren. Young Karachentsev is smiling on the TV set opposite the bed.
- How long have you been here?
- About seven years, probably. I came here after a stroke - there was no one to care for me. I have relatives, but they themselves are not very healthy.
- How do you spend your time?
- I watch films. I’m re-watching “The Investigation is Conducted by Experts”, “Liquidation”...

A computer is installed in the room where the youngest occupant, 44-year-old programmer and physics and mathematics graduate of Moscow State University Vladimir, lives. Vladimir's fate was tragic. One day he unsuccessfully dived into Klyazma and broke three cervical vertebrae. He was paralyzed, and his family turned their backs on him. Vladimir ended up in the almshouse thanks to the sister of mercy who looked after him in the hospital...


We're in the living room. There is a frail old woman in a chair by the window. The granddaughter lives in Israel, so a neighbor who took care of her for a long time submitted a request to admit Klavdia Vasilyevna to the almshouse. Next to the grandmother is a stack of books. I wonder how she spends her time. Smiles: “I like to read and solve crosswords. I’m already 96 years old - I need to train my memory.”
Klavdia Vasilievna is one of the new ones. And one of the few that can move independently.

For each ward, the sisters keep a journal in which all their characteristics are recorded. Duty - 12 hours, three shifts a week, salaries - about 25 thousand rubles. However, the sisters do not lose their presence of mind. They stage performances for their students, and organize holidays - they write the scripts themselves...

Now about forty people work in the almshouse: sisters, guards, cooks... The working day begins around eight: at this time, the night sisters take their shift, telling how the night went and what medicines need to be given to the residents in the morning. A separate notebook is kept for each, where all doctor’s prescriptions are recorded. Next - hygiene procedures, breakfast, wet cleaning of the rooms, changing diapers... In general, life goes on as usual, and the sisters work for twelve hours - that’s how long the shift lasts. And the average salary of a sister is about 25 thousand rubles.

House temple...


Maria Mukhtasipova is one of the almshouse employees who volunteered to become a guide for me. Maria is a graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy, a former teacher at the Law Academy. When my mother became seriously ill, she quit her job to care for her, and after her mother’s death she volunteered at the First City Hospital and completed nursing courses at the St. Demetrius School of Sisters of Mercy.
- We created this room with Olga Gennadievna, a sister who has been working in the almshouse since 2004. It was from her that this position initially came - to create a real home for our grandmothers, and a home in which they have everything - the best. When our guests note that they don’t even have such beautiful wallpaper or furniture at home, she always says: “And it shouldn’t exist. But for grandmothers at the end of their lives - it should be. Because they find themselves in a foreign environment, and it’s more difficult for them than for us.”

- How much money does the almshouse exist on? - I asked goodbye.

For donations. Now, during the crisis, many who have supported us for many years have had their opportunities significantly reduced. But let's hope that God will not abandon us.
You can support the St. Spiridonian almshouse by making a donation on the portal Mercy.ru

Our frail sisters consider the almshouse their home, and we try to ensure that their departure to the Lord is accompanied by the parting words of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and the hope of salvation.

A small almshouse at Novodevichy Convent, in which sick elderly women and infirm sisters of the monastery live. Here they receive shelter, food, care and, most importantly, a true Christian attitude towards them. They are looked after by the nuns of the monastery and experienced nurses.

Clergy weekly and holidays they commune the weak with the Holy Mysteries of Christ, the sisters read soul-saving literature to them, and visit them during daily procession with myrrh-streaming Kazan icon Mother of God. Among the nuns of the almshouse there are bedridden patients and those who go to services; they try to be involved church life and the life of the monastery. Their daily routine is coordinated with the routine of the monastery and each nun does what she can prayer rule. The paralyzed novice Zoya carries out the obedience of commemorating the dead during the siege of Leningrad. Among those honored were wonderful women, for example, the perspicacious old woman Alexandra Stepanovna Petrova, who had already died and was buried in the Novodevichy cemetery.

The parishioners of the monastery provide the nuns of the almshouse with all possible assistance they need. We are grateful for the daily support and one-time donation of such expensive drugs and technical means that help make their lives more joyful and painless. We pray that for showing mercy to those in need, the Lord Himself will show them His mercy.

We bring to your attention an essay by Nina Stavitskaya about the monastery almshouse:

Story almshouses at Voskresensky Novodevichy convent in St. Petersburg, its roots go back to the end of the 19th century. One of its bright pages is associated with the name of St. Seraphim Vyritsky. While still a merchant, a very large fur trader, he was a patron of an almshouse. Vasily Nikolaevich Muravyov, together with his wife Olga Ivanovna, constantly made donations for its maintenance. In addition, compassionate towards the grief of others, they visited charity houses, found words of consolation for their inhabitants, and distributed gifts and spiritual books. By the way, here, in the Novodevichy Convent, Olga Ivanovna, years later, accepted monasticism and was given the name Christina (in the schema of Seraphim).

Attached to the cross of the grave of Schema nun Seraphima is a quatrain written by Venerable Seraphim Vyritsky:

The folk path will not be overgrown with grass
To your grave, dear mother.
You loved everyone with your heart and soul,
Your holy love will not be lost.

The current inhabitants of the almshouse of this holy monastery receive the same love and care. Two of them, novices Zoya and Stepanida, have not gotten out of bed for many years: one has been paralyzed for 19 years, the second for 16. However, the statement “do not get out of bed” is not entirely accurate. We entered the novices’ room just at the moment when a dedicated, experienced nurse was putting a corset with metal structures on Grandma Zoya to secure the lumbosacral region in an upright position. Then the corset was attached to the lift, and before our eyes, the lift, controlled by the nurse, raised the bedridden patient to a certain height and moved her to a chair.

Nun Maria (Likhacheva), the eldest in the almshouse, said:
– This lift was donated to us by the Volodarsky Hospital. Of course, it is an old model, as we say, “ancient,” but, thank God, at least there is one. Grandmother Zoya, for example, has multiple sclerosis: her arms and legs are twisted. And since she has been lying in a horizontal position for years, the doctors advised an hour and a half - every day! - sit her on a chair, put lunch on the nightstand in front of her. At least somehow the muscles will be involved!

Mother Maria (in her worldly life, she worked as an ambulance paramedic for twelve years) reported that specialists of various profiles come here from city clinic No. 48. Recently, an ultrasound machine was brought from the clinic to the almshouse, and this made it possible to examine all the grandmothers. If necessary, tests can be taken at the clinic to which they are attached. So, from a medical point of view, there is constant monitoring of those under care.

We couldn’t help but wonder how they care for those in spiritual care. And they heard that the clergy administered the Holy Mysteries to them weekly and on holidays. And the sisters visit their grandmothers during the daily religious procession with the myrrh-streaming Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. We also learned that the paralyzed servant of God Zoya, who smiled at us after successfully moving from bed to chair, commemorates those who died during the siege of Leningrad. This is her obedience. In general, all grandmothers, according to nun Maria, are constantly obedient: they read the Gospel, the Apostle, and the Holy Fathers every day (the almshouse has full of meetings edition of “The Lives of the Saints”), akathists sing together in unison.

In the corridor we met an intelligent woman elderly woman, who, holding on to a walker for people with limited mobility, walked confidently. Then, abandoning the walker and abandoning the cane, she took a few steps to her room without any outside help. And she invited us to her place.

– We recently celebrated Natalya Feodosyevna’s ninetieth birthday, – Nun Maria smiled, nodding towards the hostess of the room.

Natalya Feodosyevna herself said that in the 70-80s of the last century she worked as the head of the office of the Leningrad Theological Academy - even under the ever-memorable Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), ​​who was the ruling bishop. “What an ascetic he was! – our interlocutor said with feeling. – I constantly remember and remember him. I brought his portrait here and put it on the table.”

And the rector of the Theological Academy and Seminary in the city on the Neva in those years when Natalya Feodosyevna worked there was the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill. And she ended up in the almshouse at the Resurrection Novodevichy Convent after conversations with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. Once, in a conversation with him, Natalya Feodosyevna complained that it was becoming difficult for her to make purchases, cook food, and clean the apartment. To which the Patriarch replied that there was an almshouse at the monastery next to her - she would be well looked after there. However, like many older people, she was not ready for change, although she could no longer walk on her own. His Holiness called her on the phone several times and spent almost an hour trying to persuade her. Then the abbess and five sisters carried out a “special operation”: they talked with her in the monastery, drank tea, and all this lasted almost five hours. When did we move on to " decisive action", Natalya Feodosyevna categorically rejected the offer to spend the night in the monastery and ordered her to be taken home. Only later His Holiness Patriarch Kirill found some words that convinced her of the need to move to the monastery. And today she doesn’t regret it.

– It’s quiet, calm, such grace! - said the oldest nun of the almshouse. – The priests come to us, the sisters are attentive and caring. The doctors are also attentive. Everything is fine!

In one of the issues of the St. Petersburg magazine “Bee” there was a publication dedicated to the almshouse at the Resurrection Novodevichy Convent. It contains such succinct, precise words: “Many people misunderstand what an almshouse is. They think that they are simply feeding people here and keeping an eye on them. But the almshouse is first and foremost God. This is the Lord. And herein lies its deepest difference from social institutions for the care of the elderly. It’s already in the name itself.”

...Next to the room where the paralyzed novices lie, there is another cozy room, fully prepared to receive new inmates of the almshouse. Who will take it in the near future? The most important thing is that these will be people whose physical infirmities have not nullified their prayer life. People who cannot think of a day without communion with God.

The almshouse needs to purchase the following medications:

Arbidol adult
Antigrippin-Anvi
Tantum Verde
Fervex, Theraflu
Lysobacter
Paracetamol
Hexoral (spray, lozenges)
Oscillococcinum
Sofradex, Otipax
Tobradex, Albucid
Lactofiltrum, Bifiform
Rennie, Maalox ( in tablets)
Controlok, Ganaton
Omez, Omeprazole
Smecta, Eubicor, activated carbon
Movalis ( in tablets, ampoules)
Nise, baralgin ( in tablets)
Catadalon 100 mg ( in tablets)
Egilok
Propolis tincture
Glucose meter strips: ACCU Chek Performa
Legalon ( in tablets)
Phosphogliv (in capsules)
Noliprel-forte
Bactistatin
Fezam
Atoris
Presturium
Bet-optic, Visomitin, trustopt
Oftan katochrome, View-chest of drawers
Panangin ( in tablets)
Cardio-aspirin

Open All-Russian Intellectual Olympiad “Our Heritage”

School tour 2017/18 (grades 5-7)

TEST

1. B

A. Login

B. Nickname

V. Synonym

A. Zhitkov B.S.

B. Marshak S.Ya.

V. Nosov N.N.

G. Uspensky E.N.

A. Tale

B. Story

V. Roman

G. Tom

4. Capital of Sweden. The famous writer Astrid Lindgren lived in this city:

A. Copenhagen

B. Oslo

V. Stockholm

Helsinki

A. Almanac

B. Atlas

B. Catalog

G. Coloring book

A. “Gelsomino in the Land of Liars”, “The Adventures of Pinocchio”, “The Adventures of Chipolino”

B. “Living Hat”, “Dunno on the Moon”, “Deniska’s Stories”

V. “Holidays in Prostokvashino”, “Crocodile Gena and his friends”, “Mishkina porridge”

A. Aivazovsky I.K.

B. Vasnetsov Yu.A.

V. Malevich K.S.

G. Michelangelo B.

was printed...

A. Ivan Kulibin

B. Ivan Fedorov

V. Kuzma Minin

G. Nikolai Karamzin

A. 1

B. 2

AT 3

G. 4

A. Bambi

B. Leader of the Redskins

V. Mowgli

G. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

LOGICS

1. Six vowels have been dropped from the proverb, restore it:

2. How many quadrilaterals are there in the picture?

_________________________

LIBRARY

IBBLIOTEAK

IBBLIOTAYEK

IBLBIOATEK

____________________________

4. Fill in the blank cells.

2 29 13 (BY L I N A) 10 15 1

19 12 1 (. . . . . .) 9 12 1

7. Arrange the letters in the boxes so that you get the author and the bird, one of the heroines of his works.

A B B C L N O O R R S

________________________

___________________________

10. Solve the metagram by writing both words in the answer

I am a folk creation

Fun for the kids.

Just replace the letter for me -

In the teacher's hand.

___________________

Full name__________________________________________ Class___________________________

READING

Libraries appeared first on ancient East. The first library is usually referred to as a collection of clay tablets dating back to approximately 2500 BC. e., found in the temple of the Babylonian city of Nippur. In one of the tombs near Egyptian Thebes, a box with papyri from time II was discovered transition period(XVIII−XVII centuries BC). During the New Kingdom era, Ramesses II collected about 20,000 papyri. The most famous ancient Eastern library is a collection of cuneiform tablets from the palace of the Assyrian king of the 7th century BC. e. Ashurbanipal in Nineveh. The main part of the signs contains legal information. IN ancient Greece the first public library was founded in Heraclea by the tyrant Clearchus (IV century BC).

The Library of Alexandria became the largest center of ancient books. It was created in the 3rd century BC. e. Ptolemy I and was the center of education of the entire Hellenistic world. The Library of Alexandria was part of the mouseĩon (museum) complex. The complex included living rooms, dining rooms, reading rooms, botanical and zoological gardens, an observatory and a library. Later, medical and astronomical instruments, stuffed animals, statues and busts were added and used for teaching. Mouseĩon included 200,000 papyri in the Temple (almost all libraries of antiquity were attached to temples) and 700,000 documents in the School. Museum and most of The Library of Alexandria was destroyed around 270 AD.

In the Middle Ages, centers of book learning were monastery libraries, which operated scriptoria. There was not only correspondence Holy Bible and the works of the Church Fathers, but also the works of ancient authors. During the Renaissance, Renaissance figures literally “hunted” for Greek and Latin texts preserved in monasteries. Due to the enormous cost of manuscripts and the laboriousness of their production, books were chained to library shelves.

The invention of the printing press and the development of book printing brought enormous changes to the appearance and activities of libraries, which were now increasingly different from archives. Library collections are beginning to grow rapidly. With the spread of literacy in modern times, the number of library visitors also increases.

In total, today there are approximately 130 million book titles in libraries.

Text taken from Wikipedia

1. Clay 2. Cuneiform 3. Papyrus 4. Stuffed animals

Workshop for copying manuscripts, mainly in monasteries.

WORD

"SUBSCRIPTION"

Preview:

KEYS TO SCHOOL TOUR for grades 5-7

TEST

1. B fictitious name with which the author signs the work:

B. Nickname

V. Nosov N.N.

3. Big narrative piece of art with a complex plot:

V. Roman

Capital of Sweden. The famous writer Astrid Lindgren lived in this city:

V. Stockholm

5. An album containing images of various objects (maps, drawings, drawings), serving for educational or practical purposes:

B. Atlas

6. Select the option that shows works written by one author:

G. “Song of the Prophetic Oleg”, “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”

7. Name of the famous children's book illustrator:

B. Vasnetsov Yu.A.

8. The first printed book in Russia “Apostle”, dated 1564,was printed...

B. Ivan Fedorov

9. The works of how many foreign writers are indicated in the presented list: “Wild Swans”, “Uncle Fyodor, the Dog and the Cat”, “Kashtanka”, “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, “The Kid and Carlson Who Lives on the Roof”, “Chuk and Huck” "?

B. 2

10. Based on the quote, determine the title of the work: “- Once you shed your skin, you can’t fit into it again. This is the Law of the Jungle, said Kaa.”

V. Mowgli

KEYS TO LOGIC

_____________________________

2. How many quadrilaterals are there in the picture?

_________________________

3. What combination of letters is the following?

LIBRARY

IBBLIOTEAK

IBBLIOTAYEK

IBLBIOATEK

____________________________

4. Fill in the blank cells.

5. Insert the missing letter so that you can read the name of the literary genre. Write this word.

6. Define the word in brackets.

1 28 12 (BY L I N A) 9 14 0

18 11 0 (. . . . . .) 8 11 0

7. Arrange the letters in the boxes so that you get the name of a famous Russian fabulist and one of the heroines of his works.

A B B C L N O O R R S

8. Guess what word is hidden in the picture (isograph):

________________________

9. Having solved the rebus, write down the title of the work and indicate its author:

___________________________

10. Remembering literary terms, solve the metagram by writing both words that consist of 6 letters in your answer.

The first consists of combinations of the second

The first differs from the second by the penultimate letter

The first one has a note at the end

Reading the letters in them in order 5432, we will see in the first strengthening,

and in the second there is a sports ground.

___________________

Full name__________________________________________ Class___________________________

READING

The reigns of Emperors Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II are the “golden years” of charity and mercy. At this time, a whole system of guardianship begins to take shape. Among the representatives of the reigning House of Romanov there were real devotees of charity and mercy: Empresses Maria Alexandrovna, Alexandra Feodorovna, Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II), Grand Duchesses Elizaveta Feodorovna (now the holy martyr Elizabeth), Alexandra Petrovna (now the holy nun Anastasia of Kiev), close relative of the imperial family, Prince Peter of Oldenburg - trustee of the Kyiv Home for the Poor, patron of the Eye Hospital. Many members of the House of Romanov used their own funds to build charitable institutions, shelters and almshouses, and actively patronized charitable institutions.

The tradition of Russian charity was broken by the 1917 revolution. All funds of public and private charitable organizations were quickly nationalized, their property was transferred to the state, and the organizations themselves were abolished by special decrees.

The Our Heritage Olympics cooperates with Orthodox service help "Mercy".

27 service projects are located in different parts of Moscow, and some programs extend throughout the country. The “Mercy” service is a single organism, a single service for helping the most disadvantaged: lonely old people, disabled people, pregnant women who find themselves without a roof over their heads, orphans, homeless people, HIV-infected people.

One of key features"Mercy" service - the presence of its own infrastructure, thanks to which comprehensive, professional and long-term assistance is provided to permanent wards. St. Sophia Social Home, Rehabilitation Center for Children with Cerebral Palsy, Elisabeth Orphanage, St. Spyridoniev Almshouse, “House for Mom” and many other projects are non-governmental non-profit institutions that are part of the “Mercy” service.

80% of the “Mercy” service exists on donations, so the fate of everyone whom the service helps depends on how regularly funds are received from philanthropists. The "Mercy" service has about 400 permanent clients - those whom the "Mercy" employees take care of from year to year. These are orphans raised in orphanages and state boarding schools, lonely old people in an almshouse, disabled adults in a psychoneurological boarding school and others. In just one year, the Mercy service helps more than 20,000 people in need.

It would be great if at least once a year each participant in our Olympiad consciously refuses, for example, from buying ice cream and transfers these funds to support one of the Mercy services.https://miloserdie.help/projects/ .

Together we can do a lot of good.

1. Fill out the table. Under each word, write down the corresponding word or its number from the list (1 point for matching):

1. Almshouse 2. Monasticism 3. Ophthalmology 4. Home

2. Identify the word by description (2 points):

___________________________ - transfer to state ownership of land, industrial enterprises, banks, transport or other property owned by private individuals.

3. Fill out the table (2 points for correct completion. Words must be in the correct case and written without errors):

WORD

1. Make words from the letters of the word

"MERCY"

according to the number of letters specified in the previous cell. Words must only be nouns, common nouns, in the singular.

Who are the monks, where do they live and what clothes do they wear? What makes them choose such a difficult path? These questions are of interest not only to those who are planning to enter a monastery. What is known about people who voluntarily renounced worldly pleasures and devoted themselves to worship?

Monastery - what is it?

First, it’s worth figuring out where the monks live. The term “monastery” came into our language from Greek. This word means "alone, lonely" and is used to refer to communities or people who choose to be alone. A monastery is a religious gathering of people who have taken a vow of celibacy and withdrawn from society.

Traditionally, the monastery has a complex of buildings, which includes church, utility and residential premises. They are used depending on the needs of the community. Also, each monastery determines its own charter, which all members of the religious community must follow.

Nowadays, several types of monasteries have survived in which monastic life. The laurel is a large men's monastery, which is part Orthodox Church. Kinovia is a Christian community that has a community charter. Abbey - catholic church, who reports to the bishop or even directly to the pope. There are also monastic villages called deserts, which are located far from the main monastery.

Historical reference

Knowing the history of the origin of monasteries will help you better understand who the monks are. Nowadays, monasteries can be found in many countries of the world. It is believed that they began to appear since the spread of Christianity, which happened in the third century AD. The first monks were people who left cities into the wilderness and led the life of ascetics; then they were called hermits. Egypt is the birthplace of monasticism; it was in this country that the first cenobia appeared in the 4th century thanks to Pachomius the Great.

Soon after this, monasteries arose first in Palestine and then in European countries. The first monastic communities in the West were created through the efforts of Athanasius the Great. Fathers Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk came to Rus'.

Who are monks: general information

It's time to get to the fun part. Who are monks is a question that fascinates many people. This is the name given to those who voluntarily rejected worldly joys and devoted their lives to worship. Monasticism is a calling, not a choice; it is not surprising that only a select few become monks, while everyone else leaves the monastery walls.

Monastic vows are available not only to men, but also to women. The latter can also settle in a monastery after making the necessary vows. There were times when there were no women's and monasteries. This practice was introduced in 1504, it was then that joint monasteries were abolished in Rus'.

Life of monks

The above describes who the monks are. What kind of life do people lead who have followed their calling and dedicated themselves to God? To be tonsured does not mean that a person ends life on earth. It continues to satisfy the need for sleep and food. Of course, each monk has his own duties, working for the benefit of people or the monastery, which is called obedience.

Obedience is the work that the inhabitants of the monastery do when they are free from worship. It is divided into economic and educational. By economic work we mean that which is aimed at maintaining order in the monastery. What kind of work the monk is engaged in is decided by the abbot. Educational work is prayers.

Every minute of such a person is devoted to the service of God. He is not bothered by earthly goals and ideals. The monk’s day is spent in prayers, which become for him a kind of meaning of life.

Vows

It's no secret that monks take vows. What is the monastic vow of celibacy? A person who makes such a promise not only gives up the opportunity to get married. This vow implies that gender no longer matters to him. The bodily shell remained in the world that the monk left; from now on, only souls are important to him.

Also, a servant of God must take a vow of non-covetousness. By saying goodbye to the world, the monk also renounces the right to personal property. This implies that he cannot own anything, even a ballpoint pen. A person gives up property because he no longer needs it. Everything that the monks use, such as books, is the property of the monastery.

What is the monastic vow of obedience? This means that a person completely rejects his desires. His only goal from now on is unity with the Lord, to whom he offers prayers hourly. However, willpower remains with him. In addition, the monk is required to unquestioningly follow the orders of the abbot. This is not a sign of submission and servility, but rather helps to find peace and joy in the soul.

How to become a monk

Becoming a monk is a long journey that not every applicant succeeds in completing. Many people realize that they are not able to part with the benefits of civilization, to give up the opportunity to have a family and property. The road to becoming a servant of God begins with communication with a confessor, who gives a person who has decided to say goodbye to worldly life, useful tips.

Next, the applicant, if he has not yet abandoned his intention, becomes a laborer - an assistant to the clergy. He must constantly be in the monastery and follow its rules. This gives a person the opportunity to understand whether he is ready to spend his life in prayer and physical labor, say goodbye to the benefits of civilization, and rarely see his family. On average, a future monk follows the path of a laborer for about three years, after which he becomes a novice. The duration of this stage is determined individually; a person is still free to leave the monastery walls at any time. If he passes all the tests with honor, he will be tonsured a monk.

About the ranks

Residents of our country are accustomed to calling the clergyman “priest.” This common word is acceptable, but you need to know that in the Orthodox Church there is a strict hierarchy of orders. To begin with, it is worth mentioning that all clergy are divided into black (taking a vow of celibacy) and white (having the right to start a family).

Only four are available to family people Orthodox rank: deacon, protodeacon, priest and archpriest. Many people prefer this path because they do not want to completely abandon worldly life. What kind of monastic rank can a person who decides to do this receive? There are many more options: hierodeacon, archdeacon, hieromonk, abbot, archimandrite and so on. A monk can also become a bishop, archbishop, metropolitan, or patriarch.

The highest monastic rank is patriarch. Only a person who has taken a vow of celibacy can be awarded it. There are cases when family clergy, whose children have already grown up, with the consent of their spouses, go to a monastery and renounce worldly life. It happens that their wives do the same, as evidenced by the example Venerable Fevronia and Peter Muromsky.

Cloth

The clothing of the monks also arouses keen interest among the public. A cassock is a long robe that reaches to the heels. It has narrow sleeves and the collar is buttoned tightly. The cassock is an undergarment. If worn by a monk, the item should be black. Cassocks of other colors (gray, brown, white, dark blue) can only be afforded by family clergy. Traditionally, they are made from wool, cloth, satin, and linen.

Of course, the clothing of monks is not only a cassock. The outer garment of a person who has dedicated himself to God is called a cassock. Traditionally, it has long and wide sleeves. Black cassocks are most widespread, but you can also find white, cream, gray, and brown versions.

It is impossible not to mention the monastic headdress - the hood. It appeared in the church environment a long time ago, initially it looked like a soft cap made of simple matter. The modern cap is covered with a black veil that extends below the shoulders. Most often you can find black hoods, but there are also products made in other colors.

Who can't become a monk

Entering a monastery is a decision that not every person can implement. It is believed that people cannot give up their worldly life if they are kept from this commitment to others. Let's say the candidate has small children, elderly parents, and disabled relatives. Also, those who are being treated for a serious illness should not think about tonsure. This is due to the fact that the person would have to give up quality medical care.