This strange place with a confusing history is located five minutes from the not-so-remote Moscow metro station. At the same time, it is little known, in any case, my husband, who lived in these parts for a long time, knew about it at the level of “yes, there seems to be something there.”
I have no enthusiasm for a full historical reference, and my level of knowledge in religious matters is low. Therefore, please forgive me if I confuse something slightly.
This place is one of the centers of the Moscow Old Believers. First there was a cemetery, which appeared here in 1771 during the plague epidemic. Under the pretext of plague quarantine, almshouses were created. All this was organized and financed by the Old Believer merchant Kovylin. At the turn of the century, male and female Old Believer monasteries appeared (with a cemetery between them), houses, shops, factories were located around: the community numbered about 10 thousand people.
In the mid-19th century, a new round of persecution of Old Believers began. They left only the former convent. It was closed under Soviet rule, but then was restored (though part of the territory of the former monastery is occupied by the Preobrazhensky Market); Entrance there is closed to outsiders (you can get there with a guided tour).
And on the territory of the former monastery, the St. Nicholas Monastery of Edinoverie was created (the fellow believers retained the old rituals, but recognized the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church). It existed until 1923. In recent years, its churches belong to the Orthodox parish, but it shares the main church with the Moscow Pomeranian Old Believers community.
This is such a confusing story. Having understood it in a first approximation, you can finally take a look (shooting in mid-April).
The most beautiful and harmonious thing we saw was the chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker at the Preobrazhenskoye cemetery. Built in 1805, Bazhenov was supposed to be the architect (and it’s not surprising - the style is similar, and the hand of an extraordinary master is felt), but the authorship belongs to Fyodor Sokolov. This is the style of “Russian Gothic”; it was believed that the design of the Tsaritsyn Palace served as a model. The chapel was restored in 2002, is now in good condition and belongs to the Old Believers.
As I already said, there is almost no access to the current Old Believer monastery; you can only admire the fence with turrets (early 19th century).
And the second half of the territory is available for visiting.
The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was built in 1784-1790. The architect is also Fyodor Sokolov, although Bazhenov’s hand was also assumed here.
The second church - the gate church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - was built in 1801, also by F. Sokolov. Under Soviet rule, all five chapters of it were broken. In post-Soviet times, they were restored; now there are icon painting and restoration workshops here.
And finally, a very beautiful bell tower. Built in 1876-79. received the unofficial name "Preobrazhenskaya candle". It was restored under Soviet rule, but there are no bells on it.
This is such a strange place. It seemed gloomy, but beautiful and unexpected. So much luxurious “Russian Gothic” in one place, I don’t know if there is anywhere else in Moscow
And this is what it all looked like in 1882 (photo from Wikipedia)
If you think deeply about why a person lives on earth, you begin to realize that everything in this life is vain and fleeting. Life sometimes consists of completely worthless, endless acquisitions and very frequent disappointments. With age, one involuntarily remembers the words more and more often: “If we have acquired the whole world, then we will move into the coffin.”...And, if you think about all this even a little, you can conclude that everything material is not the main thing. Man is initially endowed with the need to communicate with God. And therefore, every soul, to a greater or lesser extent, is drawn to the spiritual.
Faith in God and trust in God, life according to the commandments and the fight against passions - this is the main purpose of man on Earth.
Thinking about all this, we again decided in the summer to go to our Old Believer monastery, which is located in the village of Kitaevskoye, Stavropol Territory.
Two years ago we already... This is such a desirable place for spiritual acquisition that having been there once, you cannot help but come again. As soon as we set foot on the territory of the monastery, all four of us take turns approaching Fr. Andrey. His kind, slightly reserved smile makes it clear that guests are always welcome here.
Father Andrey first of all draws our attention to the fact that in the courtyard, on the site of the log-frame church where we prayed two years ago, a new wooden church is already rising. Of course, we couldn’t help but notice this from afar.
The new temple is much more spacious and taller than the previous one. This is the main joy and hope of everyone who lives in the monastery. For the new church of our workshop, an iconostasis has already been designed and several icons have been painted: the Royal Doors, two icons for the local row and two icons for the festive row, and an altarpiece has also been painted.
Material difficulties and lack of funds do not stop the monks. They have the main thing: hope in the Lord and His help. And, of course, for your daily, selfless work. Everything here is done with your own hands. Everyone works to the best of their ability. An amazing atmosphere of friendliness and goodwill is observed in the daily life of the monks. Here you become especially aware of your weakness, your spiritual imperfection.
A particularly reverent feeling takes over during the Divine Service with Father Andrei and all the monastics.
It was a joy to meet here two former parishioners of the Old Believer community of the city of Rostov-on-Don. Not long ago they took monastic vows. And by all appearances, they don’t regret it. Quite the contrary.
In the third part we will talk about Old Believer churches of other consents. In the first and second parts, I talked about the churches of the Belokrinitsky consent, the largest among the Old Believers. Their spiritual center on Rogozhskaya was founded in 1771 in connection with the plague epidemic. In the same year and for the same reason, the Preobrazhenskaya community of Fedoseevites arose. A special role was played by one of the courtyard people of the Golitsyn princes, the merchant Ilya Alekseevich Kovylin, who organized an almshouse and sponsored large-scale construction. And since Kovylin was a Fedoseevite (one of the largest confessions of non-priesthood), the Preobrazhenskaya community became the center of this confession, and indeed of non-priesthood in Russia in general. In 1784-1811, according to the design of the architect F.K. Sokolov (with funds and under the leadership of the merchant Kovylin), a large complex of buildings (which included male and female monasteries) was built in imitation of the Vygoretsk Hermitage.
Fedoseevsky Monastery, later Nikolsky Edinoverie
In and around the cemetery, Ilya Alekseevich Kovylin gradually built houses, shops, factories and chapels. At the beginning of the 19th century there were about 10,000 parishioners. And in the surrounding shelters there were up to 1,500 people. Thus, the community became the largest charitable institution in Moscow.
“To limit the activities of schismatics,” on the orders of Emperor Nicholas I, on April 3, 1854, the Assumption Church was transferred to co-religionists (that is, Old Believers who recognize the power of the Moscow Patriarchate). In 1866, the men's courtyard was moved to the women's courtyard, where the Old Believer community was preserved, and the St. Nicholas Edinoverie Monastery was opened on the territory of the former men's courtyard. At the Preobrazhenskoe cemetery there was a rich library of works on the schism, collected by the merchant A.I. Khludov; ancient icons were kept (including 1,300 icons collected by E. E. Egorov), works of ancient Russian art. In 1920, all Fedoseev chapels, except for the Exaltation of the Cross, were closed, and those in need were evicted. In the early 1920s. Nikolsky Edinoverie Monastery is closed. Khludov’s library and part of Egorov’s collection were transferred to the State Historical Museum, ancient icons were also transferred to the Historical Museum, from where some of them later ended up in the Tretyakov Gallery and a small amount in the Kolomenskoye Museum. In the 1920s A labor school was opened in the building of the former monastery school and in the cells of the monastery, and later various institutions were located, for example, a dormitory for the Radio factory.
The entrance to the monastery is through the Gate Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, rebuilt in 1854 (the domes were added) from an Old Believer prayer house (i.e. prayer house) built in 1801.
Old Believers (Fedoseevskaya) Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Opposite the Holy Cross Gate is the oldest temple of the Transfiguration community: St. Nicholas Church of the Assumption. The temple was built in 1784, and was originally dedicated to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The St. Nicholas Church was reconsecrated in 1854, at the same time it was rebuilt, including receiving an apse unnecessary for the Bespopovites. The architect of the cathedral was previously supposedly considered to be V.I. Bazhenov, but according to the latest, most reliable research, the project was F.K. Sokolov. Nowadays in the church building there are two churches of different denominations, separated by a blank wall: St. Nicholas Church of New Believers in the western part, and the Assumption Pomeranian Church in the eastern part. Actually, an unprecedented case!
Old Believer (Pomeranian) Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas Church
Eastern, Old Believer part of the temple
The bell tower, built already under the co-religionists, in the 1870s, although designed in the same style as the original buildings, is slightly different from them:
Initially, not a single temple of the Transfiguration community was called a “church” - there were either prayer rooms or chapels. The Assumption Chapel became a church, apparently only with fellow believers, receiving an apse, and then this name spread throughout the entire community.
After the Great Patriotic War, “Preobrazhenskoe” became the de facto center of all Russian non-priesthood; the spiritual centers of three concords were located there - the Old Pomeranian (Fedoseevsky), the Marriage Pomeranian (DPTs) and the Filippovsky.
The Preobrazhenskoe cemetery next to the monastery was for a long time exclusively Old Believers. There are many merchant burials in the cemetery. During the Great Patriotic War, active civil burials began. At the military site there are graves of more than 10 thousand soldiers and commanders of the Red Army.
Old Believer (Fedoseevskaya) Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker "On Nine Crosses" at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery
Old Believer (Fedoseevskaya) Chapel of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery
Another one Fedoseevskaya gravestone chapel at the Preobrazhenskoye cemetery
Fifty meters north of the Nikolsky Monastery, there is Preobrazhensky Old Believer (Fedoseevsky) almshouse. In the usual sense, this is a monastery. Now it is called the pilgrimage center of the Pomeranian Old Believers named after Archpriest Avvakum. The architectural ensemble of this part has been preserved almost unchanged since its construction, and the women's part itself was more extensive and orderly. Nowadays it all belongs to the Fedoseevites - the second in time of origin (1706) and the largest current of priestlessism, which broke away from the Pomeranians due to the fact that they collaborated with the “power of the Antichrist” - for example, they prayed for the Tsar. The Fedoseevites (or Staropomorians) are a more radical wing, they retained only 2 Orthodox rites (Baptism and Repentance), rejected marriage, and their principled position was rejection of any existing government.
Vozdvizhensky Cathedral
Prayer room of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Prayer room of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Prayer service of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Prayer of the All-Merciful Savior
Prayer room of the Prophet Elijah
In addition to the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery, there are several other Old Believer sites in Moscow that I did not talk about in the first two parts. ABOUT Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Zamoskvorechye already discussed in the second part. It was consecrated on September 26, 1910 as Belokrinitsky. Closed in the 20s. And in 1990, the temple was transferred to another denomination of the Old Believers - the Ancient Orthodox Church (DOC).
The first Old Believer church of the Pomeranian community, built immediately after the release of the Tsar’s manifesto on religious tolerance in 1905. The idea of building the temple belonged to long-time and close employees of V. E. Morozov and his sons: I. K. Polyakov, director of the board of the V. Morozov Manufactory Partnership with sons,” as well as I. I. Anufriev, a member of the board of the partnership. Built in 1907-1908. in the ancient Pskov style with the introduction of features of Pomeranian architecture, which was expressed not only in the absence of an altar, but also in the severity and modesty of architectural forms and interior. On the pediment of the belfry were placed the figures of two angels supporting the icon of the Savior (not preserved). In 1930 the temple was closed. It housed a children's theater, a library, a factory... Since the 1960s. The church was occupied by the workshop of the Cosmos garment factory. Active restoration is currently underway.
Photo from 1991 (by aj1972)
Housed in a former transformer room Fedoseevskaya prayer house on Semenovskaya
And now a little about the buildings in which there were Old Believer churches or prayer houses.
Anyone driving along Baumanskaya Street could not help but notice what remained of the former bell tower Old Believer Church of Catherine the Great Martyr. It was located in the house of the merchant of the 2nd guild I.I. Karasev since 1872, on the second floor. In 1915, according to the design of N.N. Blagoveshchensky, the same free-standing bell tower was built. The church belonged to the Nikolsko-Rogozhskaya Old Believer community (the so-called “Beglopopovskaya”). It is believed that the upper part of the bell tower is a miniature copy of the bell tower at the Rogozhskoye cemetery. In 1979, Karasev's house, where the Church of St. Catherine was located, was demolished, but the bell tower was preserved.
Not far from the Kursky railway station, in Podsosensky lane, building 21, building 3, there was Old Believer (Pomeranian) prayer house in Morozov's house
In Zamoskvorechye, on Bakhrushina, in a building that is now equipped and has a cinema in it, in the former house of Lubkova there was House Old Believers (DOC) Kazan Church
Above I mentioned fellow believers. Edinoverie cannot be called Old Belief in the literal sense. Although they recognize the ancient liturgical rites (two-fingered, service according to old printed books, etc.) and the way of life, BUT they also recognize the hierarchical jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Still, I will tell you about their Moscow churches.
I talked about the Nikolsky Edinoverie Monastery above. I’ll tell you about three more temples.
On Taganskaya street, lom 20a is located Edinoverie Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, on Studenets. It was built as a “New Believer” in the center of Semyonovskaya Sloboda in 1672-1673. (according to other sources 1699-1702) on the site of a 16th century temple. Rebuilt in 1712 (architect O. Startsev). The temple was closed in the 1920s. It was destroyed and remodeled. The factory dormitory was located here. In 1965, they were going to destroy the church, but this was avoided thanks to numerous public protests. In 1966-1969. restoration was carried out. The church was returned to believers in 1992. It was reconsecrated in 1996 as the center of the Moscow Edinoverie community.
In Lefortovo, on Samokatnaya there are two large churches nearby. Trinity and Vvedenskaya churches. They were built, and until the 1930s of the last century they were of the same faith. In the 1990s, they were handed over to the “New Believer” community for restoration. Edinoverie Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at Saltykov Bridge was built in 1817-1819. like a summer temple. A little later, in 1829, a winter (warm) Church of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple was erected next to it. The church belonged to the Trinity-Vvedenskaya (Newly Blessed) Old Believer, Edinoverie community. In 1931, the temple was closed. The temple building was successively occupied by housing, a warehouse, premises of a scientific institute, and a production workshop. Worship services were resumed in 1992.
, was located near the Rogozhskaya outpost, on the Vladimir highway (now the Entuziastov highway, the territory of the Hammer and Sickle plant). It was founded at the Newly Blessed Edinoverie Cemetery in 1862 in memory of the liberation of peasants from serfdom. It was finally established in 1866. In 1922 the monastery was closed. The territory was included in the Hammer and Sickle plant (former Goujon plant), the churches were destroyed in 1934. The only surviving building is the one founded in 1873 St. Nicholas Church(Shosse Entuziastov, no. 7).
Currently disfigured and devoid of signs of the temple. Located at the intersection of the Third Ring Road and the Enthusiasts Highway. St. Nicholas Church was privatized in the early 1990s and is used as an office building.
Extensive material about the only Old Believer convent in Russia, a citadel of Orthodoxy, located near the city of Uglich, in the picturesque village of Uleime. About life in the monastery, which takes place in accordance with ancient monastic rules, as well as interviews with its nuns.
Our Mother Church has a precious treasure, little known to many, living a quiet, inconspicuous life, every day feeding the body of Christ, you and me, with the great power of night prayer. It is located on holy land, abundantly watered with the blood of martyrs - our ancestors, Russian Orthodox Christians. It was founded back in the 15th century by the grace of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. “The grace of God and my prayers will be here,” the saint of God revealed to the God-loving monk Varlaam and glorified this place with his miraculous image, giving countless healings to believers.
This treasure is the only Old Believer convent in Russia, located near the city of Uglich, the citadel of Orthodoxy, in the picturesque village of Uleima. The life of the monastery proceeds in accordance with the ancient monastic rules, which means that the main part of the daily cathedral service is performed at night, instead of sleep, which is so necessary for the flesh.
A great thing is prayer in the dead of night, say the holy fathers.
Kneel, sigh, pray to your Lord to be merciful to you; He especially bows (to mercy) with night prayers, when you turn the time of rest into a time of weeping (St. John Chrysostom).
Believe me, it is not so much fire that destroys rust (of metal), but night prayer that destroys the rust of our sins (St. John Chrysostom).
May every prayer that we perform at night be more honorable in your eyes than all the deeds of the day (St. Isaac the Syrian).
The nuns of the Nikolo-Uleima Monastery, despite their advanced years, diligently perform this angelic work. Truly, the power of God is made perfect in weakness!
The doors of the monastery are open to all pilgrims, Orthodox Christians, who are ready to put aside worldly affairs for a while and taste the fruits of night prayer. The phone number and address of the monastery can be found at the end of the publication. A bank card number is also posted there for those who wish to provide financial assistance to the restoration of the decoration of the ancient Russian shrine.
***
Interview with the abbess of the monastery, Mother Olympias
Mother, tell me, for Christ’s sake,
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. How did I end up in the monastery? The question is both simple and complex at the same time. We came here in 2003 with my sister Eugenia, the now deceased nun Eusevia, may she rest in heaven. She was 17 years older than me. As long as I remember her, she worked hard for the glory of God, loved God and cared about true life.
We lived in Siberia, in Omsk, a city of almost 1.5 million people. There has not been a temple there since 1937 - since it was broken down and a bathhouse was built from these bricks. Many Old Believers lived in Omsk; on major holidays we went to Novosibirsk to pray, confess and receive communion to our spiritual father Mikhail Zadvorny. There we met with believing fellow countrymen. Once Father Mikhail blessed me to create a church in Omsk: “ God bless you, Olga Ivanovna, so that you have your own temple in Omsk!».
By profession I am a civil engineer, I worked as the head of a production department in a good place - in the Capital Construction Department of the City Executive Committee. There were many relatives, acquaintances, friends, and colleagues who later diligently helped me in the construction of the temple. And most importantly, there was a great desire to work in such a godly work.
A year later, with God's help, our only Orthodox Old Believer church in Omsk was consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. We purchased basic liturgical books, learned to read, sing in hooks, and conducted all holiday and Sunday services. All my numerous relatives supported me and helped me. Old Believers from the entire Omsk region began to gather. What wonderful years these were in my life! What kind, God-loving people there were in the parish, led by our confessor Father Mikhail!
Years passed, I buried my parents, whom I had brought to live with me, since they were already elderly. She gave away her daughter down the aisle. I buried my husband. Sister Evgenia also remained a widow. But the Most Merciful and All-Seeing God was with us.
I would very much like to have worthy power of speech and thought, so that the Lord would vouchsafe me to tell in more detail their virtuous life for the common benefit, to reveal their glorious and blissful paths, narrow and thorny, but decisive and unshakable paths - to God. Save, Lord, all Omsk residents - Orthodox Christians.
I once heard that a parishioner from Novosibirsk went to a monastery and lived there for six months. Then I learned about the existence of our Old Believer convent since 1998, about which there was never any information anywhere. I went to her, asked everything and was eager to see everything with my own eyes, although she really dissuaded me.
Traveling alone with my sister Evgenia was not difficult: she was easy-going. Having been blessed by Bishop Siluyan for the trip, we were already at the monastery on Radunitsa. We lived here for 20 days: we prayed, worked, and got acquainted with monastic life. Here I first read books about monasticism, about real ascetics who left everything and everything they had in the world and followed Christ. At that time, the monastery was headed by Mother Barsanuphia, now a schema nun. Three elderly women lived with her at the time.
She “grabbed” me and began to persistently persuade me to leave the world and go to a monastery. For me, such an offer was very unexpected. How can I give up everything, I have such a wonderful temple, a good job, a position, complete prosperity. Three years left until retirement. Daughter, relatives - and give it all up, because no one will understand me...
At that time I could not say anything definite to Abbess Barsanuphia. And my sister Zhenechka was immediately ready to stay in the monastery... But she did not insist, realizing that it was difficult for me to decide to take such a step.
We got on the train. In my head and before my eyes is Mother Barsanuphia with her request to move to the monastery and help her. I understood that I had to step off the train onto Omsk land with a firm decision: Lord, Thy will, I surrender myself into Thy hands, lead me according to Thy providence! I lay down on the shelf and began to remember my entire life: I lived poorly, I lived richly, without denying myself pleasures. At first it was interesting, but then this wealth began to weigh on me. It’s not my thing, it’s not to my liking. The words from the Holy Gospel came to mind not to seek wealth on earth, but to seek the Kingdom of Heaven. As it was written for me. Truly, there are no people closer to destruction and more unhappy than those who do not have a Mentor in the path of God.
And it felt somehow easy and calm for me. I fell asleep and got up with a firm decision - to leave the world and go to a monastery.
Six months later, I accepted the monastic rank - a second birth - with the name nun Olympias. A new life began for me. I described this event in poetry.
tonsure, or rebirth
Temple of the Most Holy Trisvelline Trinity,
Wonderful Temple, nuns pray here.
But for me today it is especially great, -
I am an Angel here accepting the rank.
The lamps are lit, the candles are burning peacefully,
My loose hair covers my shoulders.
I'm standing barefoot, I'm wearing only a black shirt,
From the icon the Lord Himself kindly looks at me.
Prayers are being read, I can barely hear them.
Everything is in a fog, tears crush my soul.
Give me a sheet, please, O God!
To destroy the sins of my youth.
The Lord saw my sorrow and sent me joy
And he gave tears of repentance.
The Gospel mother barely audibly consoles,
The abbess looks sternly and shakes her head.
Enlightenment has come, I understand and see everything.
I reproach and hate myself for my life in the world.
Maria, a spiritual sister, is standing with me in her shirt.
So that means I’m a twin again!
They put on a kamilavka and cassock.
To the Gospel believing voice:
We ask Your, O Christ, promise
And we ourselves make a vow before You with an answer.
Bishop Siluyan is calm, he knows his business.
He says this so that every word sticks in the soul.
He is in no hurry, he does everything that needs to be done:
And decorously, faithfully and sedately.
Here he tonsured my head,
But the main thing is what awaits us at the end.
The Apostle of the Gospel mother put on,
And paramand, as a Shield and Symbol of the Right Faith.
Sandals - for the preparation of the world:
May the foot of pride not come to me, Lord.
Let not the sinner's hand move,
The river of Gehenna will not drown.
And the singers sing, the readers read,
The candle in my hand is already burning out,
I really want to hurry things up!
But passions must be tamed!
The singers sang “Holy God.”
It's finished! Put on the robe!
That is a great betrothal - of the rank of angels,
Clothes of purity, incorruption and joys of the abyss.
And I exclaim in delight:
“O Mother of God, I place all my hope in You,
Don't let me perish in the pit of sin,
But keep me in Your shelter!”
The mothers rejoice with me. I'm very happy!
From now on, I am a nun, Olympias.
They named their twin sister Mother Manefa,
After all, we were tonsured at the same time.
Vladyka Siluyan is pleased: no matter how you marvel at it,
With his zeal, two nuns were born.
Holy Bishop, we sincerely thank you for this.
God bless you and have a long summer!
The lamps are dimmed, I invisibly feel the Holy Spirit...
We bow to the abbess on earth.
“It is worthy to eat” ends the chorus,
And with candles we are led into the seclusion.
How was life here at that time?
There was complete devastation here. The largest building of the monastery is the five-domed St. Nicholas Cathedral. The middle part of the structure - between the temple and the bell tower - was completely destroyed, and what remained from 1609, from the time of the Polish-Lithuanian intervention, was in a deplorable state. Other churches were not in the best condition - the Most Holy Life-Giving Trinity and the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1917, the Soviet government closed the monastery, transferring the property to museums. And then it housed a granary, a school, a prison camp, an orphanage and a psychoneurological boarding school.
In 1992, the authorities transferred this monastery to the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. While on the outside the buildings still retained the appearance of church buildings, on the inside everything was completely destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed. There were heaps of broken bricks, glass, stones, and reinforced concrete all around.
Rolling up our sleeves, we began, with God's help, to clear the territory and cultivate a vegetable garden with an area of 1 hectare. They worked from dark to dark with breaks for prayers. Work and prayer, prayer and work - such is monastic life. And the Lord told his disciples not to look for easy ways to salvation.
The most important thing in the monastery is the daily service according to the rules: a full circle of worship with evening and night congregational prayer. According to the holy fathers, great power rises from the place where the prayer of God's servants is offered to God for the whole world. I am sure that the Lord will hear and have mercy on us. This is how we, monks, add our two mites, like the widow of the Gospel, in the hope of pleasing the Lord, Who gives us humility and strength, reason and patience, a crown and joy.
That is, the center of the entire life of the monastery is prayer?
Undoubtedly. The most important thing for a Christian is prayer. Prayer is unity with God, and he who loves it certainly becomes a son of God. Warm, sincere prayer with tears and pure repentance is the remission of sins, love for sorrows and difficulties, suppression of battles, food and enlightenment of the soul, the work of Angels.
That is why Christ invites us:
Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls...
Divine services in the monastery begin in the evening with the four correct canons - this is a daily monastic rule. Additionally, on Friday we pray the canon of Sophia to the Wisdom of God and on Saturday the canon to the Angel the Terrible Voivode. Then we perform Vespers and Vespers. The night prayer sequence consists of the Midnight Office, Matins and the Hours. If the service is with a priest, then the divine liturgy follows, which, unfortunately, is rarely celebrated in our country, only on major holidays. As long as we have lived here, we have grieved so much that we do not have our own permanent priest. After all, with a good shepherd it would be good for us too.
Our monastery nourishes Bishop of Yaroslavl-Kostroma Vikenty (Novozhilov). Kind, God-loving, tireless man of prayer. But his workload is very heavy, so he can only come to us 5-6 times a year for confession and communion. And for this, glory to God, and to Bishop Vincent many, many years of good health and spiritual salvation. About once a month, Father Anatoly Nosochkov comes to us from near Yaroslavl for the twelve holidays.
In addition to the cathedral service and the monastic rule, we would like to pray for all our relatives, for the children we have left in the world - with the Psalter, canons, and lestovkas. The world is the world. It entangles people like a spider's web. So we need to pray and pray... That’s why we are here, this is our main responsibility. The nun must also have some kind of needlework. I personally really like weaving ladders. It's good for your soul to read a lot. Thank God, there is now a lot of literature! A very useful book is “100 Sermons of Metropolitan Cornelius.” Indeed, this is a book for every day, like, indeed, another work by Bishop “Speeches and Articles of Metropolitan Cornelius.” Save Christ, Lord of the Saints!
They say that this place is holy, that during the Time of Troubles, enemies brutally dealt with local residents on the territory of the monastery...
Yes, the place, of course, is holy, it is drenched in the blood of innocent people. Two thousand people - the inhabitants of the monastery and residents of surrounding villages - were buried alive in the St. Nicholas Church when Polish-Lithuanian troops blew it up at the beginning of the 17th century. The thunder from this explosion could be heard ten kilometers around. We are still removing stones from the garden. This is truly holy ground. There is such grace here! And such beautiful temples!
How does the Lord reward a monk for his vigils and labors?
If a monk keeps all God's commandments, fulfills all the rules and sincerely prays to God, tearfully and bowing his head, then he atones for the sins of his relatives to the seventh generation. This is the grace given to a monk! A man came to a monastery, dedicated himself to God, and took monastic vows. He makes a vow to God to hate his parents - father and mother, to hate his children, all his relatives. Hate the world. Only in this case does the monk completely devote himself to God and have fear of the Lord. And over time, this fear will turn into love for the Almighty. Of course, this is difficult and does not come right away. But with God's help everything will come.
It is the world that needs to be hated. This is difficult for a worldly person to understand. This word hurts his ears. But it is said absolutely correctly. You can't find another word. How can you not hate the world? If, when we get up for vigil, we think instead of praying: how are our children doing, are they healthy, have they gone to church? Having gone to the monastery, the monk left both his family and children to the mercy and will of God. Can we, people, do something better than the Lord God, if we have already missed something while we lived in the world?
I left my children in the arms of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This is our family patron. He saved my parents. They were drowning and their horse and sleigh fell through the ice. And they only remember how they shouted: “Nicholas the Wonderworker, help!” We woke up on the shore. The horse is standing, covered in frost. They are sitting in a sleigh, wet to the skin. Well, who could get them out? They completely went under the ice! Dad regained consciousness first. I touched my mother and she began to move. Alive! The horse was whipped and it brought them home. As soon as they entered the yard, they told us: “Girls, unharness the horse and don’t ask us anything! Take her to the cow to warm up and give her warm water!” And they immediately went to the red corner, water flowed from them, and they prayed until the morning. Then they told us everything.
So the Lord rewards us sevenfold and a hundredfold according to His mercy. If only we prayed earnestly to God, if only we lived according to His commandments. But the devil tempts, watches day and night, every hour and every second. So you need to constantly be vigilant, constantly control yourself, pray and protect yourself with the sign of the cross.
Mother, how old are you?
What parting words or advice would you give to young people around the world?
So that the path of every Christian from home to church does not become overgrown. Visiting church, bringing your children to congregational prayer, confessing, receiving communion - this is the most important thing. After all, only sincere confession with great faith and prayer can save a person. We sin at every step. Nowadays, computers are everywhere in the world, the Internet and so on. There is a lot of entertainment. And these are all the devil's snares. Under no circumstances should children be allowed to watch whatever they want. Only programs that are acceptable for a Christian are at the discretion and under the control of parents.
What should one be and what should one do in order to be called an Orthodox Christian and be worthy of salvation?
This question seems to be superimposed on the previous one. If a person goes to church, if he loves his children, gives them communion, and not just feeds them. After all, a sow also fattens her piglets, but she is called a sow. Forgive me for Christ's sake for such a comparison. The love of Christian mothers for their children is certainly greater than this. As the Lord God himself bequeathed, we must live according to the commandments. Pray to God and confess more often. More than once a year. At least in each of the four posts, if possible. And give the children communion more often. Babies - even more so.
Mother, and the last question: can anyone come to the monastery?
Of course, any sensible Old Believer can come to pray and help with the housework. Everyone will certainly receive great benefit from God for the soul if they pray diligently and with faith in the monastery. You just need to notify us of your arrival by phone in advance, otherwise we have an influx of guests that there isn’t even room to accommodate everyone. Welcome!
Interview with the first abbess of the monastery, schema-nun Barsanuphia
Mother, our first question is this: why do people leave the world and go to a monastery?
A monastery is a house of prayer, and people who love prayer come here so that no worldly concerns distract them from this work. We pray daily, according to the rules, and the main part of the service is performed at night. You can’t pray like that in the world; night prayer is higher, stronger. Previously, all monasteries prayed at night. The Lord was born at midnight, rose again at midnight and will come at midnight. Therefore, night prayer is a great thing. People go to a monastery to devote as much of their time as possible to God for the salvation of their souls.
And I just had a question: why the main part of the service takes place not in the evening, but at night. Now it is clear.
Yes. Previously, in secular churches they prayed at night, especially during Lent. There is a lot of work in the monastery, so if we sleep at night and come to the temple in the morning, we will not have time to do anything with the housework. And you also need to pray as a rule.
The monks pray a lot: the service, the rule, and the Psalter with canons. Why is it important to pray so much?
How so - why? This is a bit of a strange question for me. How else? The ancient hermits prayed to God day and night. We prayed constantly. And our whole life and activity is spent in prayer. That's why people leave the world - to be able to pray more. Worldly, and especially urban worldly life creates many obstacles for this. In a monastery everything is simpler; here all life has one goal - unceasing prayer.
Why is it important to pray? Because we are temporary residents on earth, we want a future life, and in order to deserve it, we need to beg God for the forgiveness of sins. How do we read the Creed several times a day?
I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century.
That is, I want to be resurrected and receive the life of the next century, and not this life. These words are the meaning of our life. To despise this earthly life for the sake of the future life. Well, until earthly life ends, until the Lord gives us death, we need to pray a lot for ourselves and people in order to beg God for the grant of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Often people say the lines “I believe” without thinking about their meaning, but they have a very deep meaning. This temporary life is given to us in order to prepare ourselves for the future life.
When is the best time to come to a monastery if you decide to devote yourself to monastic life?
Any age. Previously, people lived in monasteries from the age of 15. This is how people were raised. At the age of 20-25 they took tonsure. There are still 20-30 year old nuns in the Romanian monastery. There monastic life did not stop, but here in Russia it was destroyed. Until 1998, there was no nunnery in the Church. How many of them were there in the forests before? They were all closed.
I knew a schema nun who entered a monastery at the age of 20 and lived as a monk during the most terrible years of persecution from the Soviet regime. After the destruction of the monastery, she did not end up in prison or camps, but was taken in as a nanny by a military family. She lived to be 98 years old, having lived in the monastic rite for 78 years!
You can become a monk at any age, from young to the end of your life. Some, just before their death, think about accepting the monastic rank, since tonsure covers all sins, just like Holy Baptism. The monk receives a new sinless life in Christ and a new name. Of course, the sooner a person comes to the monastery, the better, so that he can work hard, atone for his previous sins, and then begin a new, pure life.
The first time I saw nuns was in Altai when I was 20 years old. Their God-loving lives and sincere desire for God fueled my desire to follow their path. But my life turned out in such a way that I took monastic vows only at the age of 54. My husband, Bishop Siluyan, accepted monasticism and became a bishop (Bishop of Novosibirsk and all Siberia Siluyan (Kilin). — Approx. author). Naturally, I cut my hair too. Metropolitan Alimpiy blessed me to come here to head the monastery. And now I have been living a monastic life for 25 years.
Is the monastic path more reliable for the salvation of the soul than worldly life?
Of course, because a person commits fewer sins, he becomes closer to God. There is a lot of bustle in a big city, you run to work or to the store, when do you think about God? All thoughts are occupied with everyday worries. There is no hurry here. Pray, work, read. A Christian cannot live without reading spiritual books. In the morning I read the lives of the saints of this day, a good lesson - I took it as medicine for the whole day. I set myself the right direction of thoughts from the very morning. The soul becomes enlightened, becomes more collected, and remembers God. There were no books before, but now they are available to everyone.
What spiritual dangers are there in monastic life?
If you pray and are obedient, then there are no dangers. If a monk is in a humble state of soul and obedience, then he is saved.
There is an opinion that not everyone needs to go to a monastery. Someone needs to continue the human race, to live a worldly family life?
Monasticism is not for everyone - it is for those who can accommodate it. Choosing family life is also an achievement of heroism. We have to raise children, and this is a lot of work. But if you live a family life and do not give birth, as is now fashionable, and “protect yourself,” then this is a great sin - worse than anything.
We will all come to the same finish line - death. No one has yet remained to live on earth forever, no one. The most direct path to salvation is a monastery. But there are other ways; Yes, someone devotes themselves to family, raising children, this is a roundabout path, through mountains, rivers and ravines. Family people endure everything in life. Someone devotes himself to science, which God does not need. The paths are different, the ending is the same - the Last Judgment. If a person wants to save his soul, then he needs to strive to give himself over to the power of worldly concerns as little as possible, and for this it is not necessary to go to a monastery. And at home you can pray a lot and do good deeds. Only life in the world is structured in such a way that a person often does not even have time to begin to pray before he already has to run to work, earn money to feed his family. And in a monastery, whole life is dedicated to God. In this regard, of course, this path of salvation is more convenient. But again, the finish line is the same, only the paths to it are different. There are different ways to be saved.
I wonder if monasticism is a calling, a talent given by God, or is it available to everyone?
I think that it is available to everyone, if there is a desire to devote oneself to God. Previously, of course, people went to monasteries more, they wanted to be with God more, because they were raised by pious parents, and not by television. The current generation knows nothing about monasticism, and, one might say, there are no monasteries left.
People's faith was taken away. Monasteries were closed and destroyed. I also found the Kazan Convent, which was located in Moldova, in the large Old Believer village of Kunicha. I prayed there during Easter week in 1958. More than 30 nuns lived in the monastery, they had their own priest, Hieromonk Hippolytus, and liturgy was celebrated every day. What beauty there was! White adobe cell houses on the slope, with brick-lined paths between them. Apples, apricots, and cherries were blooming. Everything is white and white! A piece of paradise!
During the Khrushchev persecution of faith, the monastery was destroyed. The nuns dispersed throughout Moldova and Russia, some of whom had relatives where. The church was closed and a rural hospital was set up in it; The adobe houses in which the nuns lived were bulldozed into a ravine. Now this monastery has been restored, but there are only three nuns in it. People don’t go to monasteries, they are afraid of monastic work, everyone is immersed in everyday troubles. There is little faith.
What parting words can you give to modern Old Believer youth?
Pray as much as possible! Read more, fortunately now there are a lot of spiritual books that you should definitely read.
Blitz interview with schema-nun Afanasia
Why did you despise the world and come to the monastery?
Because I finished working and I think: I need to go to a monastery.
Why did they decide this?
But because old age has already arrived. I worked for 40 years, even more, in the Metropolis. How many primates have changed under me! I came to the Metropolis under Archbishop Joseph. Somehow it happened that I visited him, although I was not specifically looking for this meeting. Well, I visited and okay, and left. Then I got married. I had a baby. And suddenly one woman who looked after Vladika Joseph comes to me and says: “ The lord is calling you. Let's go to" And he says to me: “ We need a typist». « Dear Lord, what kind of typist will I be when I’ve never seen a typewriter?“I was surprised. And here comes Klavdia Artemovna. He says: “ Here she will show you" Klavdia Artemovna brought me into the room and said: “ Well, do you see the car? Here, put a piece of paper there. Do you see the letters? Here you go, print it».
So, on the appointed day I came to work. I inserted the sheet of paper into the typewriter and typed out the bishop’s sermons, one after another, with one finger. It took probably a week or two to print the minutes of the Council. That's how I learned over time.
Under Bishop Joseph, I worked in the Metropolis for six years. Then she helped Vladyka Nikodim, Vladyka Anastasy, Vladyka Alimpiy, and Vladyka Andrian. When Metropolitan Cornelius, the sixth bishop in my memory, headed the department, I was already more than 60 years old.
They began to say that Anna Vasilyevna would die here. And I think, no, I don’t need this. I decided that as soon as my mother died, I would go to a monastery to save my soul - that’s why I came here.
I buried my mother. She raised two sons. What can I do? Just go to the monastery.
But only a few go to the monastery, even in old age. In the world, at home, life is easier, more convenient.
What should I do there, in Moscow? Buses and trolleybuses have changed. We used to just get on the bus. Now there are “traps”: you enter only the first door, you only exit through the others, you definitely need special cards. It had a great effect on me, very much. I didn’t issue these cards, I don’t need it. I think I’ll go to a monastery and live here peacefully. To get to the temple in Moscow, I had to wait for transport for at least half an hour, or even an hour or more. Therefore, I can no longer come to the temple every day. I asked Father Victor for his blessing to go to the monastery, in the second year I received it and ended up here, as I remember now, on March 1, 2006. I met Mother Superior back in Moscow, when I visited her in the hospital, where she was lying with a broken arm. She then told me - come to the monastery. He says that on the 5th we will be bringing out two hermits, you’ll see. And after this trip I already had one monastery in my mind, I liked it here so much.
And how old are you?
Why did you accept the schema?
Because my health has deteriorated greatly. I thought I would die today or tomorrow. So I asked both mother and the bishop. They took it and cut it in 2012. But here I am, still living and living. This is the sixth Great Lent since I accepted the schema. The schema-nice must pray incessantly and be in solitude as much as possible. And I have poor health. I had to have surgery. But I try. How will the Lord accept it?
Don't forget God. Go to church, at least on holidays. Not only in church, but also at home to pray, even if only a little, but we must pray so that the Lord does not leave us.
Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me... Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation.
If possible, of course. The world is very rich now. Pulls towards himself. Rarely does anyone live on a small salary; they try to earn as much as possible, perhaps playing a trick here and there. The world is the world, what will you do? But still, you can die in a monastery, and you can be saved in the world. I don’t know how it is with young people now; for example, I had such an upbringing. Mother said: when you walk, say the prayer to Jesus, when you sit, say the prayer to Jesus. Wherever you are, whatever you do. Nowadays, all women in a row wear pants. What is this for? It is better? Under no circumstances should we wear men's clothing. A woman must wear her own clothes. And then she walks, either a man or a woman. Everyone goes without a scarf. I don’t want to brag, but no matter what I am, I never went anywhere without a headscarf when I was married. I always wore a headscarf, always.
I don’t know what other advice you can give to young people? Definitely, don't forget God. Of course, if possible, if a young girl wishes to remain a girl, that would be a great thing. Of course, if there is no temptation. But if you are tempted, then it is better to get married. And to get married, you need to ask God. You can read the Psalter: 40 Psalms or as many as you can. It will be a good thing. Well, if you find one, then one that will keep him up, so that the union will be strong. Otherwise, it’s better to endure it. Of course, I know it's very difficult. But St. John Chrysostom writes this: it is good to give in marriage, but it is better if you do not give away. It's hard to say how life will turn out. Moreover, now is such a difficult time. And it will continue to get harder and harder. The Antichrist will come and will not go away. And it is written that people will want it that way. Because the world is completely empty, people do not want to fulfill God’s commandments. So what now? Got up, ate, went. No fasting, no prayer, nothing.
Do not talk to anyone about anything unhelpful. If we speak, then only sensible things. Walk around less. This is completely unnecessary. Try to be in solitude as much as possible. Don't judge. First of all, do not forget God. And the Lord will not forget and will not allow such a person to perish. If you strive only for God and think about salvation, then, of course, the Lord will definitely help. Good deeds need to be done. Work. I got up at home and prayed, thanking God that the day had begun, that you were alive. When you go to work, you pray. At work, don’t be rude to anyone, don’t do anything bad, help. When you return home, you also thank God. And the Lord will help you in everything.
Blitz interview with schema nun Anna
Why did you despise the world and go to a monastery?
Well, how can I say... I had never thought about a monastery before, although my dad was a priest, he served in Balaki, in Udmurtia (Priest Moses Smolin - Author's note). My mother was hit and killed by a car. This got me thinking. At that time I worked at the temple, first in Izhevsk, then near Izhevsk. And I asked the priest if I could become a nun. He says, why not? Bishop Andrian tonsured me. That’s how I became a nun, because there are many sins. And I heard that monastic tonsure covers them all.
Were you a novice before being tonsured?
When I retired, I immediately went to church to work. She lit candles, baked bread, and cleaned the church. And so for 16 years. Therefore, there was not even a conversation about the novice. They cut their hair right away. And then a woman from Volgograd came to us. She suggested going to the monastery. We were gladly accepted, and I have been here for 13 years. In the world I was Anna. When she took monastic vows, she became Anatolia. And when she accepted the schema, she became Anna again. In honor of Anna Kashinskaya.
And how old are you?
Now 89 years old. I'm the oldest one here.
What parting words and advice will you give to our Old Believer youth?
I want young people to come here to the monastery. But they don’t go...
How could it not be better for your soul? We are not laypeople. We pray at night too. It is difficult to get up at night to pray. But we get up and go.
What should one be and what should one do in order to be called a true Orthodox Christian and be worthy of salvation?
You must be an honest, fair person. Don't lie and don't take someone else's.
Blitz interview with Mother Valeria
Why did you despise the world and go to a monastery?
Because I have dreamed about this for a long time. Everything didn’t work out, but the Lord still brought me here, I’ve been here for four years now.
What prompted you to go to the monastery?
I wanted to devote more attention and time to the Lord God. And so our life is “vanity of vanities.”
How old are you?
I am 74 years old.
What parting words and advice would you give to today’s Old Believer youth? Based on my experience.
What advice should you give to young people? Go to church, do not forget the Lord God. Observe all fasts and avoid gluttony. Because from gluttony, from oversaturation with food, all evil comes. And then there are no more tears of repentance. There is no sin that the Lord God will not forgive. There is great angelic joy in heaven when we confess, especially when we confess with tears. And then there will be tears when there is no overeating.
The goal of Christian life is to achieve the salvation of the soul. What should you do for this? What is this path to salvation? How to be an Orthodox Christian in truth?
Serve the Lord God, everyone to the best of their ability. Attend church, observe all holidays, and do not forget to tithe. To fulfill all the commandments of the Lord God. They have everything you need. The Lord is always with us. He is only waiting for our voice. When we say from the heart: “ God help me!“He will always help. It seems like such a simple prayer - “ Alive in help...", and she is saving. How many times do I know that this prayer was saved from death by those who served in Afghanistan, wearing it in their tunic.
Get ready for work, say: “ God bless!"And finished - cross yourself again: " God bless!"The shortest prayers. At least people started with this, and that would be good.
Blitz interview with Mother Augusta (who has now departed to the Lord)
Why did you despise the world and go to a monastery?
I don’t even know how to explain this... I wanted to save my soul, my sins were grave. Because in the world it is very difficult. The abbess of the monastery was a friend of mine and invited me here. I knew that I was a native Christian: both my mother and my grandmother are all Christians. Of course, there was talk that you can save your soul in the world, they pray and work there. But I dont know how. There are many temptations there. Here there is time to pray and the rule, and the Psalter with canons to read for all of us.
When did you come to the monastery?
I came on the first day - there was no monastery yet. Everything here was broken, collapsed, the buildings were in disrepair. Three of us came from Minusinsk. We worked there in the church of Father Leonty: I baked prosphora. But he didn't let me go. He said that it would be difficult for me here. But for some reason I wanted to. I thought that I had to somehow escape.
What parting words and advice will you give to today’s worldly Old Believer youth?
Be modest, kind, and have no grudge against anyone. Someone offended you, called you names, but don’t react to it, don’t be nervous, just say: “ Forgive me, for Christ's sake!" And we arise... There’s nothing to say about the monastery, modern youth cannot stand the severity here. I didn’t even think it would be so hard. We must have our own products, which is why the garden is large. Ten lestovok need to pray at night. I prayed and went to the night service. I rested for an hour, ate, and was off to work, except on holidays. It's hard to get up at night. We are a weak people now.
What should one be and what should one do in order to be called a true Orthodox Christian and be worthy of salvation?
I think it's very difficult. You need to pray a lot, work a lot. Be meek, humble. You can’t even look at anyone with reproach; you can only say good things about everyone. I myself don’t hope for salvation. Sometimes I get offended by someone. Or I’ll have a fight with someone. Thank God that we don’t give up prayer, here we are very strict with this. It’s hard to be saved... Is anyone being saved now...
Blitz interview with Mother Marina (who has now departed to the Lord)
Why did you despise the world and go to a monastery?
Firstly, because at home - in the world - you cannot pray as much as in a monastery, in my opinion. Secondly, there is night prayer here. And at home sometimes you get tired and can’t get up. And here you are already trying to get up. Well, then... They asked me when I was tonsured in Ukraine, in Belaya Krinitsa, in 2004: maybe it was because of your children that you went to the monastery to pray for them? And I answer: at least pray for yourself, for your sins. And for the children too.
What parting words and advice would you give to today’s Old Believer youth?
Pray from a young age. But in old age it’s very difficult. Even since childhood. Even in the womb, if she receives communion, she carries out fasts. The love of prayer should be instilled from childhood, from the cradle, when the little one is brought to Communion. But I don’t know what to do with young people. Young people rarely come to church now. Because it's hard. And disbelief at such and such an age already. And when all this is instilled from childhood, then it’s easier.
What should one be and what should one do in order to be called a true Orthodox Christian and be worthy of salvation?
You must have a great will to force yourself. We are called “needy people” - we must force ourselves. For example, praying sometimes can be such laziness, such weakness. And we must fight this. The most important thing is to cut off your will and force yourself. We must pray and fast—do everything, even if under compulsion. Our body is very demanding. If we work, pray, keep all the commandments and rules, help others, be merciful and humble, then we will be Christians.
Blitz interview with novice Zinaida
Why did you despise the world and go to a monastery?
Because my mother and I lived far from the temple. It sometimes took two hours or more to get there due to traffic jams, using three vehicles. And my mother was already frail and was very worried about me because I was returning late. In general, I have long had a desire to get away from the world, from this bustle. I called my mother, she did not agree. We have earned pensions, but what else should we do in the world? I just wanted to work in the monastery. I still don’t have a goal to cut my hair or devote myself to monastic life, because this is a feat. I just want to help the mothers as a novice, to the best of my ability. I believe that the Lord brought my mother and me here, we did not come on our own. The Lord guides each person and instills desire.
How many years have you lived in the monastery?
We have been here since 2005. On August 10, Bishop Andrian died, and on September 23 we left. I worked for 25 years in the Metropolis as a clerk. I have a medical education, I am a nurse. But I was asked to help Mother Athanasia under Archbishop Nikodim in 1980. And then they asked me to stay.
And how old are you?
I am 63 years old, my mother is 85 years old.
What parting words and advice would you give to today’s Old Believer youth?
Pray, learn church rules, singing. In my time, how difficult it was to find someone to teach you! I wanted so badly to learn hook singing! I was 22 years old then. I'll go to one, then to the other. Nobody can teach me. If anyone taught, it was so that others did not know anything about it. Everything was hidden. For young people, the main thing is to go to church. And the Lord Himself will instruct which way to go in order to save the soul.
What should one be and what should one do in order to be called a true Orthodox Christian and be worthy of salvation? How do you answer this question for yourself?
We haven't achieved this ourselves, how can we give advice? I have so many flaws. What did the Lord say? Keep the commandments. And I break them more. I didn't follow anything, really. We came here to work and pray in the hope of saving our souls.
There are only a few monasteries in our Church. And all of them are sparsely populated. Why do you think?
Because it's not easy here. Not everyone can stand it. And during the Soviet period, faith weakened. People were afraid to wear the cross. There were only pioneers and communists.
Why is salvation in a monastery better than in the world?
We do not know. And here you may not receive salvation, but you can be saved in the world. It depends on how you behave. So it depends not on the place, but on the person. If the nun obeys and does everything that mother says, of course, she will be closer to salvation. And if he condemns or grumbles, then what salvation can there be? Here such a struggle is with oneself... The main thing here is to be obedient to mother, to obey her in everything. There must be obedience in the world too. For example, I worked at the temple and, of course, obeyed. Whatever the priest told us, that’s what we did.
And then, everyone has their own path. When we pray—even if we pray in the world in church—we ask the Lord to have mercy on us. And the Lord shows everyone their own path: some need to go to a monastery, some need to work at a church, some need to work in production. And the Lord can have mercy on everyone, I’m sure of that.
Nuns of the monastery
Up to 15 nuns live in the monastery.
« Today the age of nuns is 50 years and older, says eminent Vikenty, Bishop of Yaroslavl and Kostroma. — There are nuns who are over 85 years old, but all of them, with God’s help, fulfill their Christian duty. I would like to see representatives of the younger generation in the monastery who want to endure the difficult monastic life. The spiritual indicator of Christian society at all times has been the desire of people to devote their lives to God in their youth, and the lives of saints testify to this so richly. If a person has such a desire, then it must be carefully cultivated like a noble tree, so that it will bring a rich harvest in the future, since it comes by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Accepting monasticism in youth is a gracious beginning of spiritual life, because a precious gift is placed on the altar of God - blossoming years of life.
Another side of monasticism is deep repentance for mistakes and unseemly actions committed in life. To be holy is a commandment for all Christians, and in order to fulfill it perfectly, it is necessary to renounce the world and everything connected with it. Only in a monastery with intense prayer is it possible to maintain chastity, forgive grave sins, gain peace of soul and acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit. I call on young virgins and women who have put the desire for monastic life on their hearts to selfless feats within the walls of the ancient monastery, to test themselves in spiritual work following the example of the Venerable Mary of Egypt, Euphrosyne of Polotsk, Anna Kashinskaya and other saints».
History of the monastery
In a picturesque place at the confluence of the Uleima and Vorzhekhoti rivers, 11 km from Uglich, lies the village of Uleima. Here is the Nikolo-Uleyma Monastery. The fortress monastery was founded on the road leading from Uglich to the Borisoglebsky settlements and further to Rostov. The first mention of the monastery dates back to the beginning of the 16th century, and it was founded in the second half of the 15th century, in 1460, 200 years before the schism.
According to legend, the monastery was founded monk Varlaam, who brought here the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the Italian city of Bar. The elder wanderer Varlaam, a Rostov monk, goes to Greece, Palestine and Italy, to the city of Bar, in order to fulfill his cherished dream - to venerate the tomb of St. Nicholas.
During his visit to the city of Bar, he venerated the relics of the saint. After this, the saint of God himself appeared to the monk in a dream and ordered him to buy his image at an auction, promising to bestow grace and protection on the monk. With this image, he ordered him to go to Russia and settle with the icon where he would be shown again. The monk did just that. According to the instructions of the saint of God, he went to the auction and actually bought the image for three pieces of silver and immediately set off with it from Bar to his homeland. With great joy, safely under the protection of the miracle worker, the elder arrived in Russia in the city of Uglich on the very feast of the transfer of the holy relics of the saint on May 9, 1460. Here he stopped for several days, and then set off on the road to Rostov.
However, as soon as he walked 12 versts from Uglich to the Uleyma River, here in a deserted, wooded place he felt very tired, so that he could not continue his journey any further. Then the monk Varlaam stopped, placed the image of St. Nicholas on a pine tree between the branches, and after praying, he lay down on the ground and fell asleep. Waking up after a short sleep, he stood up and wanted to remove the icon from the tree in order to move on again, but as soon as he touched the image, his hands immediately weakened, and the image did not move from the tree.
The second and third time he tried to take the wonderful icon, and all without success. The elder was embarrassed by this and, not knowing what to do, lay down in grief and fell asleep. At night, a new appearance of St. Nicholas occurs to the elder, who hears the words of the wonderworker:
Stop here with my image, I want to glorify this place with my icon, and my monastery will be built in this place, the grace of God and my prayers will be here.
And indeed, as if to confirm the saint’s promise, miracles immediately began from his image.
Not far away, also on the Uleima River, was the village of Dubrovo. His peasants, having accidentally met Elder Varlaam, who had settled near the icon, and having heard from him about the wondrous deeds of the icon, immediately brought many sick people to him, and through the intercession of the wonderworker Nikolas they were all healed.
Residents of the surrounding areas built a chapel on the very road to Rostov, and the image was transferred there.
The fame of miracles from the image of St. Nicholas reached the Uglich prince Andrey Vasilievich. Having joyfully accepted the news of this mercy of God bestowed on his region, the prince himself arrived in a secluded place to the miraculous image to worship it. Here, during a prayer service of thanks to the saint, he was honored to witness that many sick people who prayed with him, through their faith and prayer, became completely healthy. Then Prince Andrei wished that a temple named after the saint be built on this site. He immediately notified the Archbishop of Rostov of his desire. Joasapha.
Attracted by the glory of the miraculous image, the bishop himself wanted to see it and arrived at this place to see the wondrous icon in 1464 and also witnessed many miracles from it. Having honored the wonderful image with a divine service, he joyfully blessed this mysterious monastic place and praised the Christ-loving prince and those who prayed for their diligence in building a monastery on the site of the image.
Thanks to the generosity of many God-loving and wealthy Uglich residents, monastic cells and a fence appeared. A large monastic flock is gathering. Prince Andrei Vasilyevich donates lands, books and other church utensils to the monastery. And the miraculous image of St. Nicholas is decorated with silver, gold and precious stones.
With the beginning of church services, miracles from the image of the saint increased even more. Most of all they occurred during the divine liturgy. And the God-loving monks worked hard and took care of the improvement of the monastery: they dug trenches for the foundations of stone churches, mined clay, cut down forest, and performed many hard jobs.
In 1563, under Prince Georgiy Vasilievich a warm stone church was built in the name of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1589, under Tsarevich Demetrius, a cathedral in the name of St. Nicholas of Christ was built: high, stone, with vaults, cellars, magnificently decorated, where the miraculous image was transferred.
The monastery was surrounded by a wooden wall. By certificates sovereigns Vasily Ioannovich(1505-1533) and Ioann Vasilievich she owned several villages and hamlets. By the beginning of the 17th century, the Nikolo-Uleima Monastery was in such a flourishing state that the chronicler calls it “wonderful and beautiful.” The location of the monastery on a busy road also contributed to its enrichment and prosperity.
In 1609, terrible trials began for the monastery. Together with the entire Russian land, the Nikolo-Uleima Monastery suffered during the Polish-Lithuanian intervention. According to the chronicle, when, having plundered Uglich, the regiments of the Polish king Zsigmont approached the monastery, the monks and residents of the village of Uleima and other surrounding villages, led by Abbot Barsanuphius, closed the gates, preventing the monastery from being plundered. The brethren and other defenders of the monastery closed themselves in the cathedral church, served the liturgy there and received the Holy Mysteries. Hegumen Barsanuphius, wanting to save the civilians who had found refuge in the temple, went out with 27 monks to the enemies. Having chanted a prayer service and kissed each other, they went out the gate. The monks were in ceremonial vestments, carried icons and banners, and walked singing, wanting to reassure the Poles so that they would spare the monastery and people. The Lithuanians rushed like lions towards the abbot and cut off his head. The enemies broke into the open gates and killed the monks, then tried to enter the cathedral. Embittered by the steadfastness of the monastery’s defenders, the Poles and Lithuanians undermined the walls of the monastery cathedral, under which there were deep basements, and blew up the cathedral. The temple collapsed with a deafening thunder that could be heard ten miles away. Two thousand defenders of the monastery died under the rubble of the cathedral: monks, peasants with their wives and children.
These tragic events are captured in the poem "Old Fortress" local poet V. N. Smirnova:
The light in the lamp flickers.
There are children crying and the smell of candles,
And outside the window it splashes ominously
Effervescent alien speech.
There are representatives of Europe there,
Hard work to do,
They are digging under the church,
Kegs of gunpowder are carried.
The time has come for the unfortunate:
Who is the winner - the debate is over,
A heavy explosion shook the area.
Donkey, the cathedral crumbled.
Calm Ulema flows
From the forest swamp side.
Death stares empty eyesores
Because of the destroyed wall.
The entire region was plundered and wounded.
Enemies tear the living body,
Native Rus' on the battlefield
Pozharsky and Minin are called.
The most despicable people of Poland and Lithuania came running to this beautiful and wondrous monastery and, having gathered around it, like bees of a hundred and like wolves, the courtyard of this verbal sheep, under compulsion, wanted to take it quickly. The abbot, the brethren, and the worldly people strongly resisted, but a great number of “all-evil enemies” overcame them. Then we went to the cathedral church, performed the Divine Liturgy, confessed, received Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, and prepared for the hour of death. Hegumen Barsanuphius commanded the brethren and all those who were in the church not to be afraid of death, “but rather to rejoice, as they are worthy of martyrdom, and the martyrs will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, as they say, to those who were beaten.” “The curses of Lithuania, who are on guard, rushed like lions towards the monks and cut off the head of Abbot Barsanuphius.” “Polyakov (...) began to chop the swords of the brothers and cut them into pieces twenty-seven times.”
The execution was deliberate: deep ditches around the cathedral church were trenched and the foundation was broken. The monks and the elite of the world, who were in the church, were all beaten by the falling church building. And the ministers who remained in the monastery say that up to fifty monks who remained in the church were beaten by the stone building, while the worldly people were like 2 thousand. Ten miles away in the forest, the Christians hiding in the forest could barely hear the thunderclap of the church, who arrived in time and reliably said: like thunder rang out through the forests and valleys, and the earth shook to its depths.
The monastery was destroyed and looted. Everyone who enters the territory of the monastery today bows their head before the mass grave of their heroically fallen ancestors, Orthodox Christians. During the explosion of the cathedral, the miraculous image of St. Nicholas is carried half a mile away and appears there on three pine trees, indicating the need to restore the monastery churches.
The miraculous image of St. Nicholas was caught up by an invisible hand, having flown through the air to the melting place of the fallen cathedral church, appearing, being found by the faithful and standing in a miraculous vision.
And 10 years later, when the monastery barely had time to recover, a detachment of Pan Mikulsky took it by storm, killing Abbot Jonah and brethren. And only after the final peace was concluded with Poland in 1620, through the prayers of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the monastery began to be renovated and populated.
Construction of the new St. Nicholas Cathedral on the basement of the previous one began in the 1620s, but the cathedral was consecrated only on May 9, 1677 by the Rostov Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich.
During this period, the monastery was a major feudal lord. He owned the peasants of the surrounding villages of Dubrovo, Nefedovo, Gvozdevo and others. They cultivated the monastery lands and paid rent. In 1799, a mill on the Uleima River was transferred to the monastery. In 1829, the Chistoforovo hermitage was donated. By this time, the monastery had fishing on Ulema, monetary donations and securities.
The largest building of the monastery is St. Nicholas Cathedral. This squat, five-domed cathedral has a cubic volume and is built with two chapels. At the end of the 19th century, a covered porch and a high bell tower were added to it. The facades are almost devoid of decoration, and only the chapter drums have simple decoration. The walls and vaults of the cathedral were covered with paintings.
St. Nicholas Cathedral is now completely under restoration.
Unusual in composition Vvedenskaya Church. It was probably built on the remains of the walls of the first church of the same name, destroyed by the Poles. The building combines: the church itself, living quarters, and a refectory. On the ground floor there was a grain chamber, a kvass chamber, a cookhouse, storerooms and two government chambers for all worldly transfers. Adjacent to the building from the north is an elegantly decorated porch with ramps on two sides. A small but graceful bell tower rises above the western wall, under which in the past there was a “half-hour fighting clock.” From the east it ends with an altar apse.
In the western part of the monastery there is a gate Trinity Church. Residential cells are adjacent to the church and are inseparable from it. There are different information about the time of construction of this building. There are documents that indicate that the gate church with cells was built simultaneously with the fortress walls in 1730.
The stone fence of the monastery dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. It still looks like a battle wall with towers.
The monastery's benefactors were many famous people. Boyar Praskovya Naryshkina donated a piece of the relics of St. to the monastery. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was presented to her, as the mother of Tsarevich Alexei, by Tsar Peter I. In 1713 merchant Fyodor Vereshchagin in gratitude for the miraculous healing, he built stone walls with eight towers around the shrine at his own expense. He also built and decorated the gate church of the Holy Trinity. The Vvedensky Church was painted at the expense of peasants in 1870 Kozlovs from Uleiminskaya Sloboda. In 1838, at the expense of a St. Petersburg merchant F. Ya. Ermolaeva A wooden porch was added to the Church of the Presentation.
In 1710, parts of the robe of the Lord, the belt and coffin of the Most Holy Theotokos, and parts of the relics of St. John the Baptist and other illustrious saints of God. The ark with these shrines was placed in the cathedral church of St. Nicholas.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, the Nikolo-Uleima Monastery became one of the most prominent spiritual and cultural centers of the region. He enjoyed great love not only in the surrounding villages and hamlets, but also among the people of Uglich for the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Myra, the miracle worker, for the solemn service, for the exemplary management of the household, for the wonderful ringing of bells heard in the city.
There was a school at the monastery, the stone building of which has survived to this day.
Monastery today
On February 28, 1992, the authorities transferred the shrine to the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. At first the monastery was for men. But due to the prevailing circumstances, since 1998 it began to be revived as a women's one. The given shrine was in a deplorable condition. The main gate to the monastery - the Saints - has been lost; in front of it there are residential buildings and vegetable gardens. The modern entrance to the monastery is located in the eastern wall of the monastery fence - through the Water Gate.
Having entered them, we find ourselves in the far part of the monastery territory - the eastern one, and not in the main one - the western one. At the same time, you can very well take in almost all the monastery buildings. From the gate, passing an alley of centuries-old linden trees, you will find yourself in the main square of the monastery. You can also get here through an alley of young birches, going around the Vvedenskaya Church on the right.
Daily prayer services are held in the gateway Church of the Life-Giving Trinity. The interior of the church has been completely rebuilt. The cell building has also been improved. In addition to the cells, on the ground floor of the building there is a kitchen and utility rooms. Not far from the western wall of the Church of the Presentation there is a cross and a mass grave of victims of the Polish-Lithuanian intervention. Almost the entire main square of the monastery is a flower garden, the main decoration of which is roses of various varieties and colors.
A lot of work has been done on the restoration of the Church of the Presentation. The interior of the church itself, the refectory, some of the cells, and the entrance to the living quarters with a staircase on both sides were rebuilt. You can climb up the bell tower using a staircase in the wall.
The monastery has been undergoing a rapid revival since 2002 through the labors of its God-loving trustee Lyubov Leonidovna Belomestnykh. On the territory of the monastery there are two wells that supply the monastery with water. The left part of the monastery is a subsidiary farm, which provides the monastery, thanks to the work of the nuns, with the necessary vegetables, berries and apples. Potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cabbage and other vegetables are carefully planted on an area of 1 hectare. Two large greenhouses were built. There is also a small poultry house here.
The day in the monastery begins at 15.30: in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity the correct canons, Vespers and Vespers are read. After the evening service, the nuns work in obedience, perform household chores, and then perform the cell rule until 21 o'clock. From 21:00 to 1:30 there is rest, after which the night service is held until 6:30: Midnight Office, Matins, Hours. From 6.30 - morning rest until 8 o'clock. At 9.00 - lunch. After lunch until 13:00 - chores. Then - cell prayers before the start of the cathedral evening service at 15.30.
There is also time for handicrafts: weaving ladders, sewing, restoring liturgical books. In the forests surrounding the monastery there are a lot of mushrooms, from chanterelles to porcini, as well as berries: blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries. A lot of time is required for household work: gardening, in the flower garden, in the poultry house, on the territory and in cleaning the premises. Each nun bears obedience. It is obedience that leads to one of the highest monastic virtues - humility. Humility attracts God's help. It’s good to get away from all worldly temptations and vanity in this holy place.
Through reading the books available in the small monastery library - the Holy Scriptures, as well as patristic and church writings - the truth of spiritual life and wisdom is learned. From God in the heart of man comes spiritual strength and spiritual consolation. Not only do nuns beg for their own salvation, but also their living and deceased relatives, according to legend, right up to the seventh generation.
The days of the nuns’ name days are not forgotten either. The monastery is spiritually nourished mainly by the Bishop of Yaroslavl and Kostroma himself. Vincent. Metropolitans of Moscow and All Rus' came here repeatedly. Priests come from everywhere and those who want to visit the monastery - to help in any way they can, and simply to set foot on such a sacred monastic ground, watered with the martyrdom of Orthodox Christians.
From Friday to Saturday, we drove around the Yaroslavl lands - Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov, Borisoglebsky, Uleima, Uglich, then through S-Pasad home to Moscow. Since the main goal of our trip is the Old Believer monastery in Ulema, I’ll start with it.
There is no point in dumping photos from my soapbox, especially since life in the monastery is extremely poor and it would be better not to take photos, but to at least help in some way... under the cut I will post old photos from http://www.temples.ru.
The tour was given to us by the abbess of the monastery, Mother Olympias. (I forcibly asked him to take a photo).
This is the porch of the Church of the Presentation, now nuns pray there, formerly in the Trinity Gateway, but there was a fire there, repairs are slowly underway.
The monastery is located in the village of Uleyma, on the river of the same name, 12 km. south from Uglich, and we were driving from Rostov - about 80 km.
According to legend, the monastery was founded in the 15th century by the Rostov monk Varlaam, who brought here the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the Italian city of Bari. In 1469, at the expense of the Uglitsky prince Andrei Vasilyevich, a wooden chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, cells for monks and a fence were built here. In 1563, Uglitsky Prince Yuri Vasilyevich built here the wooden Church of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple. In 1589, the first stone St. Nicholas Cathedral was erected in the monastery.
During the Time of Troubles, in 1612, the monastery was destroyed by the Poles, from whom two thousand peasants and monks defended themselves within the walls of the monastery. The last defenders took refuge from enemies within the walls of St. Nicholas Cathedral, which collapsed as a result of an undermining and buried hundreds of people under its walls. Construction of the new St. Nicholas Cathedral on the basement of the old one began in the 1620s.
Watercolor by V.I. Serebryannikov, 1840s
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Gate Trinity Church and Vvedenskaya Church.
During Soviet times, the monastery was abolished and abandoned; restoration began only in the late 60s.
Photo from 1973. St. Nicholas Cathedral.
In 1992, the Nikolo-Uleiminsky Monastery was revived as a monastery of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church (Belokrinitsky Consent). But due to the small number of inhabitants, it was turned into a female one. By and large, this is the only Old Believer monastery in Russia; the rest live in monasteries.
Once again, friends, I will turn to you with a request, if there is an opportunity to help with even a penny, then believe me, the nuns will pray for your immortal soul, and even the children of the Russian Orthodox Church, it would be a shame not to help the only monastery in Russia.
Account number of the treasurer of the monastery of nun Ilaria (Kiryanova Irina Ivanovna): Sberbank 4276 7700 1709 4019.
The farm is huge, but there are not many helpers...
2002
Now, this year, the road has been poured with concrete... Mother Olympiad has a dream... to change the electric poles, to stick to your word of honor and to the wires
Enter now, through the north gate.
We were met by our old friends Pavel and Elena Karpov and their youngest daughter Anyuta, so they are our parishioners from Belorusskaya, but in the summer they live in Uglich.
The only man is grandfather Mikhail.
I looked into the basement... the potatoes didn't grow this year. As is true for everyone (((.
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