Tours to holy places. Holy springs and healing places
- All the Orthodox shrines and relics of Moscow are countless. There are hundreds of them in various temples and monasteries of the city.
- The main place among Orthodox shrines is the miraculous images of the Mother of God.
- The main Orthodox church in Russia is the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Here are the relics of St. Metropolitan Peter of Moscow.
- The Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin contains the relics of Saints Michael and Theodore of Chernigov and the relics of Saint Prince Dimitri Donskoy.
- You will find revered shrines in the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhov, Danilovsky and Donskoy monasteries and many other temples mentioned in this article.
- There is no information in English in Moscow monasteries and churches.
After the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks in the mid-15th century, the idea arose that Rus' was the last stronghold of Orthodoxy, the “third Rome.” The monk Philotheus famously said: “two Romes have fallen, but there will never be a fourth.” This understanding of the purpose of Orthodox Rus' became the basis of Russian politics in the Middle Ages. Since the 16th century, Moscow has become the residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and remains so to this day. Therefore, it was here that the most majestic cathedrals and monasteries were built, in which the most valuable Orthodox relics were collected. Among them, one of the main places is occupied by the miraculous and revered images of the Mother of God, who is considered the patroness of Orthodox Russia.
Shrines of the Kremlin cathedrals and St. Basil's Cathedral
The main and most revered shrine of Moscow is Assumption Cathedral Moscow Kremlin. This is the main Orthodox church in Russia, it is dedicated to the Mother of God. For centuries, the cathedral was the tomb of the metropolitans and patriarchs of Moscow and All Rus'. Here rest the relics of St. Metropolitan Peter of Moscow, who moved the once Orthodox metropolitan see from Kyiv. The relics of the Metropolitans Theognostus, Cyprian, Photius, Jonah, Macarius of Moscow and Philip, who followed him, as well as the relics of the Holy Hierarch Patriarch Job (the first Russian Patriarch) and the Hieromartyr Patriarch Hermogenes also rest in the Assumption Cathedral. Many miracles and healings occurred from their holy relics.
In the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin there is the staff of St. Metropolitan Peter, ancient icons of the 14th-15th centuries (Savior “Ardent Eye”, icon of the Holy Trinity, icon of the Dormition of the Virgin). Access to all shrines is possible during infrequent services, which are held with the blessing of the Patriarch. During normal times, the cathedral operates as a museum.
Located on the same Cathedral Square of the Kremlin Archangel Cathedral in the shrine are the relics of Saints Michael and Theodore of Chernigov, as well as the relics of the Holy Blessed Prince Demetrius Donskoy. Representatives of the grand ducal and royal houses traditionally rested in this cathedral. Among the burials, a shrine with the relics of the holy noble prince Demetrius of Uglich stands out. The son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who tragically died in 1591, was canonized at the beginning of the 17th century. In the Orthodox tradition, he is considered the patron saint of children. In the Archangel Cathedral, services are performed on patronal holidays and with the blessing of the Patriarch; the rest of the time the cathedral operates as a museum.
Probably the most famous Moscow temple in the world is considered Intercession Cathedral or St. Basil's Cathedral (Red Square, 2). The cathedral was originally built as a sign of gratitude after the capture of Kazan by the troops of Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century. The temple got its second name from Saint Basil, Christ for the Fool's sake. His relics rest in the chapel of the Intercession Cathedral.
St. Basil early accepted the feat of foolishness - a special path to God, known in Christianity. Wandering, he had neither shelter nor clothing. So he lived for 72 years, prophesying, instructing and correcting people who revered him immensely. Tsar Ivan the Terrible himself carried his coffin to the burial place. Many healings are known from the relics of St. Basil.
Shrines of ancient monasteries of Moscow
Saint Alexy also founded the first convent in Moscow, not far from the Kremlin - Zachatievsky(2nd Zachatievsky lane, 2). Destroyed during the years of Soviet power, the Conception Monastery was restored in the 21st century. In it you can find the burial places of St. Juliania and Eupraxia - the founders of the monastery and sisters of St. Alexia. 
Its main shrine is the “Merciful” icon of the Mother of God, which is considered miraculous. People resort to her with prayer in sorrows and illnesses. This icon can be found in the main cathedral of the monastery - the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Before the restoration of the monastery, the icon was in the neighboring Church of Elijah the Ordinary(2nd Obydensky lane, 6). It is known that during the Soviet era, Kremlin cathedrals and monasteries were closed and turned into museums, and many were completely destroyed. The Temple of Ilya the Obydennogo is the closest Orthodox cathedral to the Kremlin, which continued to operate during the years of Soviet power. During these years, shrines from destroyed neighboring monasteries and churches were secretly collected there. This temple has a special, “praying” atmosphere. The temple shrines are the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” ,
as well as a particle of the belt of the Virgin Mary, particles of the relics of saints, including St. Stefan.
Among the most famous active Moscow monasteries is Pokrovsky (Taganskaya St., 58). It contains relics of St. Matrona of Moscow. From her youth, Matrona had the gift of prophecy; people from all over the area, and later from all over the country, came to her for advice. Her earthly life is held up as an example of a great feat of spirit, compassion, self-denial, love and patience. Matrona died in 1952, and in 1998 her relics were found, which are now in a shrine in the Intercession Church of the monastery. They pray to St. Matrona for a successful marriage and the preservation of the family.
The oldest Moscow monastery is the stauropegial one (Danilovsky Val, 22). It was founded more than seven centuries ago by the first Moscow prince - St. Prince Daniil of Moscow. It was from here that the revival of Orthodox Moscow began at the end of the Soviet period: in 1983, the ruined monastery was transferred to the Orthodox Church and became the residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The monastery now houses the Department for External Church Relations and the Synodal Residence.
Several churches have been opened in this ancient monastery, the oldest of which is the Church of St. Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, in which in the shrine there is part of the relics of St. Prince Daniil of Moscow. They were found incorrupt in the middle of the 17th century. In the Trinity Cathedral there is an ark with particles of the relics of St. Prince Daniel, and in the Intercession Church - icons of St. Prince Daniel with particles of relics. Among other shrines of the monastery is a particle of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, relics of George, the revered icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” and others.
Pilgrims should also definitely see the Danilov Bells .
These bells were saved from being melted down in 1930 by American industrialist Charles Crane, who bought them for the price of scrap bronze and donated them to Harvard University. For many years they were installed on the Lowell House student dormitory tower. In 2008, the original bells were returned to Russia, and Harvard now has exact copies of them. The monastery offers excursion tours including visits to the bell tower and inspection of the famous bells. There is also a pilgrimage center, an Orthodox literature store and the Danilovskaya Hotel at the monastery.
One of the famous Orthodox monasteries of the capital is Donskoy Monastery(Donskaya sq., 1-3). In it in 1925, the holy Patriarch Tikhon was buried, who led the Orthodox Church during the years of trials, endured oppression by the Soviet rulers and unwaveringly defended Orthodoxy. His relics were miraculously found in 1992 and now reside in the Great Cathedral of the monastery.
The shrine of the Donskoy Monastery is one of the most revered shrines in Rus' - Don Icon of the Mother of God, who was considered the intercessor of Russian soldiers. It is kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery at 10 Lavrushinsky Lane, in the hall of ancient Russian art. Every year, on the day of the icon’s celebration, this ancient image is delivered to the Donskoy Monastery and takes part in the solemn service.
Famous icons of the Mother of God in Moscow
In Moscow there are icons that are traditionally resorted to at certain moments in life. For example, Iveron Icon of the Mother of God(Voskresensky Proezd, 1) is considered the intercessor of the city of Moscow. They pray before her when they begin an important, difficult task or a long journey. Her image can be seen in the chapel restored in the 1990s at the Iversky (Resurrection) Gate of Red Square.
On Ordynka Street there is a beautiful classicist church of the Icon of the Mother of God of All Who Sorrow, Joy of All Who Sorrow, built by the architect O. Bove (B. Ordynka Street, 20). Its main shrine is the temple Image of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”. Near this icon they pray for health and healing of the sick. Nearby, in Church of Gregory of Neocaesarea(B. Polyanka St., 29). there is an ark with a particle of the relics of St. Gregory, Bishop of Neocaesarea. He became famous as a fighter against paganism and, according to legend, it was he who wrote down the Creed - the foundations of Orthodox teaching. It is known that in this temple 
The parents of Tsar Peter I, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna, got married. The temple is decorated with wonderful tiles and is considered one of the most beautiful in the city.
Icon of the Mother of God “Sovereign” is in Kazan Church on the territory of the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve (Andropova Ave., 39). This icon was miraculously found in this former country royal residence in 1917. According to legend, this happened on the day when Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the throne. In the icon, the Mother of God sits on a throne in the image of the Queen of Heaven with the attributes of royal power - a scepter and an orb. With her appearance, she seems to indicate that after the renunciation of God’s anointed one, she becomes the main intercessor and patroness of Russia.
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In the department of the Tretyakov Gallery - Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi(M. Tolmachevsky lane, no. 9) there is one of the most revered images of Russia - the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. According to legend, this image was painted by St. Evangelist Luke. In the 12th century, this Byzantine icon was transferred from near Kyiv to St. Vladimir. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, son of the founder of Moscow, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. In the 14th century, the icon was solemnly transferred to Moscow. For a long time, this icon was associated with the victories of Russian weapons over the invaders. The Tretyakov Gallery also houses a number of other ancient icons, including the famous “Trinity” of the 15th century by Andrei Rublev.
In the church of St. Trinity in Nikitniki (Nikitnikov Lane, 3) is a revered Icon of the Mother of God "Georgian". It was brought to Russia in the 17th century from Persia, and after a prayer service at this icon in Moscow, the terrible plague epidemic stopped. On August 22 every year the day of this miraculous icon is celebrated.
In the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign (2nd Krestovsky Lane, 17) there is kept a revered copy of the icon, with which numerous miracles have been associated in Rus' since ancient times. This image of Our Lady of the Sign. His intercession saved Veliky Novgorod during the siege in 1170. Lists of the “Sign” icon are widespread in Russian churches. In the church on Krestovsky Lane there is a list dating back to the 16th century. Also in the temple there is a miraculous image of St. Tryphon with part of the relics. This temple has also never been closed and is famous for its “praying”.
One of the most famous Moscow churches is Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhov(Spartakovskaya St., 15), which during almost the entire Soviet period (since the 1930s) was the cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In the cathedral there is a miraculous icon of St. Nicholas and the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The most revered relic of the cathedral is the relics of St. Metropolitan Alexy. He was the Moscow Metropolitan at a turning point in Russian history, on the eve of the liberation of Rus' from the rule of the Golden Horde. Alexy fought for the unity of the Orthodox Church and was actually the ruler of Muscovite Rus' during the childhood of Prince Dmitry Donskoy. His relics rest openly in a shrine. Interestingly, they were moved to the cathedral in 1947 with the personal permission of Joseph Stalin.
In Moscow Church of the Resurrection of the Word on the Assumption Vrazhek(Bryusov lane, 15/2) there is a miraculous icon “Recovery of the Dead”. This icon is dated 1802. She became famous for her numerous miracles and healings; those who were prone to drunkenness, fell into poverty, or found themselves in difficult life situations turned to her. She is revered by parents who pray in front of this image for happiness and direction to the true path of their children.
And, of course, when visiting Moscow it is impossible to ignore the restored churches of the Orthodox Church. Kazan Cathedral on Red Square (Nikolskaya St., 3) was founded in the 17th century. Completely destroyed in the 1930s, it was restored to its original form in 1993. Using his example, you can imagine the typical decoration and appearance of a 17th-century Muscovite Rus temple. It stores a list Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Shrines of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and other temples
The cathedral church of the Russian Orthodox Church is Cathedral of Christ the Savior(Volkhonka st., 15). It was also restored at the end of the 20th century. The temple that stood on this site, built by the architect K. Ton in memory of the Patriotic War of 1812, was barbarically blown up by the Bolsheviks in 1931. The current Cathedral of Christ the Savior is one of the largest churches in the world; it can accommodate almost 10 thousand people. Like the original temple, it is richly decorated with valuable finishing materials and paintings. You can take a tour of the temple or go up to the observation deck of the upper tier, which offers a wonderful view of the center of Moscow. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior contains the most important relics: the relics of St. Philaret of Moscow and other saints, particles of the Robe of the Lord and the Robe of the Mother of God, the Nail of the Cross of the Lord, the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, the icon of the Nativity of Christ and others.
Church of the Resurrection in Sokolniki(Sokolnicheskaya Square, 6) became a place in the east of the capital where shrines were transferred from churches that were destroyed during Soviet times. These are the Iverskaya, Passionate, Bogolyubskaya, Georgian icons of the Mother of God, the image of St. Panteleimon, the ark with particles of the relics of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste and other revered shrines.
Saint John the Warrior one of the most beautiful churches in Moscow is dedicated (Bolshaya Yakimanka St., 46). People resort to his intercession in everyday troubles. According to legend, the temple was built according to the design of Emperor Peter I himself in memory of the victory over the Swedes at Poltava. This temple also did not close during the entire existence of Soviet power. Its beautiful decoration is an example of Moscow Baroque of the early 18th century. In the altar of the temple there is kept a part of the finger with the ring of St. Great Martyr Barbara.
“Church embassies” are represented in Moscow. These are the courtyards of other Orthodox churches: for example, Serbian(Church of Peter and Paul, Petropavlovsky lane, 4-6), metochion of the Orthodox Church in America in Moscow (Church of St. Catherine on Ordynka, Bolshaya Ordynka St., 60/2), patriarchal metochions: Antioch(Arkhangelsky lane, 15a) and Alexandria(Slavyanskaya sq., 2), etc. Jerusalem Patriarchal Compound(Church of the Resurrection of the Word, Filippovsky Lane, 20) the right hand of St. is kept. Eustathius Placidas, martyr of the 1st century. AD, as well as rare Jerusalem and Akhtyrskaya icons of the Mother of God.
The heart of Russia, which sets the rhythm of the country’s life, is Moscow, which for centuries has been considered the soul of Orthodoxy, containing the main Russian churches and shrines. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock here every year; grace, peace, and admiration for the feat of the great companions prevail here.
And no matter what construction concepts modern urban fashion dictates for familiarization, Orthodox excursions around Moscow are of constant interest among a wide variety of segments of the population.
The site company offers walking and bus tours to the most “protected” places of Orthodoxy. Our guides are ready in any weather to tell fascinatingly and in detail about the shrines, guiding travelers through traditional and little-known sacred places of the city.
You will see a collection of miraculous icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, visit the Intercession Convent, get a unique opportunity to venerate the holy relics of the righteous Matronushka, visit the most famous temples and monasteries, chapels and churches. Orthodox excursions around Moscow pursue not only educational goals, they provide an opportunity to rest your soul, shake off the hustle and bustle of everyday life, touch history, and look at the materialistic world through the eyes of eternity and faith.
When ordering Orthodox excursions around Moscow in our company, you can choose any places to visit or walk along an already drawn up route. Our guides are fluent in theory, knowing not only well-known facts about Orthodox Moscow, but also points that can only be read about in ancient tomes. Contact us, in company with us time will fly by, and your soul will be filled with light!
Excursions around Moscow
Bus tour
This excursion route can be classified as a classic one - it will help those visiting the capital for the first time to get acquainted with the main attractions of the city, and for those who are already familiar with Moscow, put together an image into a single whole.
Duration of the excursion: 1.5 hours
An object
Experienced Mosfilm guides will be happy to introduce you to one of the largest and most advanced film studios not only in Russia, but also in Europe. Our excursionists will walk through the territory of the legendary Mosfilm film studio, get acquainted with its interesting past and see its present with their own eyes.
Duration of the excursion: 4 hours
Bus tour
When the bustle of the day goes away and twilight falls on Moscow, the city becomes especially beautiful - the unusual and colorful lighting of many objects presents the architectural ensemble of the capital in a new guise.
Duration of the excursion: 4 hours
Bus tour
On frosty winter days, when the whole country is enjoying the long-awaited New Year holidays, we invite you to a fascinating bus excursion “Lights of New Year's Moscow”, which will give you a unique opportunity to contemplate all the beauty of the festive capital, the grandeur of Moscow Christmas trees strewn with bright lights, the splendor of New Year's illuminations and ice figures .
Duration of the excursion: 4 hours
Bus tour
We invite everyone who is interested in unusual phenomena and believes in the existence of the otherworldly to go on an exciting journey through the most mystical areas of the capital. Our theatrical bus tour will allow you to touch the mysterious world in which ghosts and phantoms live, to feel its frightening and at the same time attractive atmosphere.
Bus tour
The sounds of revolutionary explosions that captured the birth of the first workers’ and peasants’ state on the pages of our history have long died down. The shock wave of Soviet reforms turned Moscow life upside down once and for all. Having brought down the walls of Orthodox churches, Moscow raised the ideas of new leaders skyward.
Bus tour
Every person has desires. Material ones, which come to life, you just need to make some effort, or secret ones - they don’t even talk about those to loved ones and secretly hope for their miraculous fulfillment. Did you know that absolutely any dream can be realized by correctly using the sacred forces that literally surround us on all sides?
Tour duration: 3.5 hours
Bus tour
Moscow is one of the most extraordinary cities in the world. Its appearance was formed over many centuries, and historical cataclysms and fatal events made their own adjustments to the overall picture. The capital that we know now has its own character, sometimes unpredictable and even shocking.
Duration of the excursion: 3 hours
Bus tour
The royal Romanov dynasty is today one of the most mysterious in Russian history. Over the course of several centuries, the Romanov family has acquired numerous mystical and mysterious legends. However, is it possible to say with one hundred percent certainty that all these myths are true?
Duration of the excursion: 3 hours
Bus tour
Moscow is an ancient city in which dozens of styles and images are intertwined. Now no one can confidently identify the dominant style of the Russian capital. Graceful, ornate mansions in the Art Nouveau style, trying to merge with nature, coexist with Gothic, glorifying the decay of all material things and the greatness of heaven.
Hiking
The Novodevichy Convent is a beautiful architectural ensemble in the Moscow Baroque style. It was built in 1524 by order of Grand Duke Vasily III. The complex is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and tops the list of the most famous active monasteries in Russia.
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
Everyone has their own Moscow. There is Vladimir Gilyarovsky's Moscow, Alexander Pushkin's Moscow, Joseph Stalin's Moscow. We invite you to walk around Moscow by Mikhail Bulgakov, a writer who created his own unique image of Moscow, filled with mystery, mysticism and love.
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
A visit to the capital's Red Square is a tradition that developed at the dawn of the existence of the Moscow State. Having reached the middle, every self-respecting tourist stops his gaze on the dominant feature of the square - the Lenin Mausoleum, whose harsh red and black granite facade hides, perhaps, the “main body” of the Land of the Soviets, which outlived its owner for many decades.
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
We invite you to visit one of the most mystical places in Moscow - the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve - together with our guide. “Come on, what mysticism!” - the inexperienced tourist will exclaim. However, those who have ever been to Kolomenskoye will only smile mysteriously in response to this remark and send you on this excursion, because there are few places in the capital more covered in legends than Kolomenskoye.
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
If you love mysticism and secrets, or perhaps you have a cherished desire, then you definitely need to visit the walking tour “In the Footsteps of Moscow Ghosts,” which will take you into this mysterious and mystical world where the evil spirits of Moscow live.
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
Many noble estates located in the central regions of Moscow are placed at the disposal of foreign embassies. Despite the fact that these beautiful examples of ancient architecture have lost their intended purpose, they continue to decorate the capital.
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
The mystery of the most closed society in human history has been exciting the minds and imagination of the uninitiated for many centuries. “Freemasons” are credited with supernatural abilities and a powerful influence on all processes occurring in the world. Be that as it may, traces of their presence are everywhere; all of Moscow is literally dotted with Masonic symbols!
Duration of the excursion: 2 hours
Hiking
Kitay-Gorod is one of the most ancient districts of Moscow. It is adjacent directly to the Kremlin and is not very large in size. But still, China Town is practically the entire history of the capital, contained in a few streets.
Posted Mon, 02/22/2016 - 14:59 by Cap
No matter where we go in our vast country, bell towers and church domes greet us everywhere. Almost each of them has its own special story.
Somewhere this is a white stone cathedral of the 12th century, somewhere the incorruptible relics of a saint rest, and somewhere there is a Holy spring with fertile and healing water. Nearby is a miraculous icon of the Mother of God or a revered saint! But here is a completely new temple, money for the construction of which was collected by the whole world.
The nomads on their campaigns visited many interesting and beautiful places of the ancient holy Rus': from the Caucasus to the White Sea!
Let's talk about the most famous shrines of Russia.
In the 17th century, the beginning of the end of the Great Troubles, which threatened to destroy Russian statehood, was laid in the Ipatiev Monastery. In 1613, the monastery sheltered young Mikhail Romanov within its walls. The glorious three-hundred-year reign of the House of Romanov began in the holy monastery. From that moment on, the name was assigned to the monastery - “the cradle” of the House of Romanov.
Located in one of the most picturesque corners of Kostroma. Since ancient times, the people of Kostroma called the place where the Kostroma River flows into the Volga “the arrow”, and with the appearance of the monastery here it received the name “Ipatievsky (Ipatsky) Cape”.
Currently, transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church at the end of 2004, the monastery is being restored, spiritual and prayer life is being revived, without which all other types of monastic activities required by modern reality will not be able to bring real benefit. Both mission and social work here begin with prayer.
The small brethren of the monastery actively support youth projects of the diocese and participate in the work of the diocesan media.
The Holy Archimandrite of the Holy Trinity Ipatiev Diocesan Monastery is His Eminence Ferapont, Bishop of Kostroma and Galich, and his Vicar is Hegumen Peter (Yeryshalov).
In the summer of 1397, two monks of the Moscow Simonov Monastery, Kirill and Ferapont, appeared on the shores of Lake Siverskoye. They came a long way, overcoming forest thickets, swamps and rivers. The final destination of the journey was known to Cyril in advance; it appeared to him in a vision one night when the elder was praying to the Mother of God. During the reading of the akathist to the Most Pure One, when Kirill came to the words: “Having seen a strange Christmas, let us rest in peace and put our minds to heaven,” he heard a voice: “Kirill, get out of here and go to Beloozero, for there will be a place prepared in which you can be saved.” " This voice was accompanied by a bright light penetrating through the window of the cell. Looking out, Kirill saw that the glow was coming from the north, where Beloozero was located. Great joy overwhelmed Cyril, for he realized that the Most Pure One had heard his prayers.
Soon after this amazing night, the monk Ferapont returned to the Simonov Monastery, making a business trip to the north by order of the archimandrite. Cyril asked Ferapont in detail about the unknown region, he was especially interested in whether there were any suitable for desert living. Fera-pont not only confirmed that there were enough such places, but also agreed to accompany Kirill, since he had long wanted to get away from the bustle of Moscow.
For the settlement, the monks chose a high hill on the shore of Lake Siverskoye. On the slope of this hill they dug a dugout in which they lived for a year. In 1398, Ferapont left Cyril and went further north, where he chose a place for his own monastery, which was later named after him.
Already during the life of the founder, the development of two nearby hills on the shore of Lake Siverskoye and the construction of wooden churches, cells, office premises, and fences began, which were replaced by stone buildings in the next two centuries. But the location of the main monastic territories, the cathedral, and the principles of the formation of the monastic complex were carried out in strict accordance with the place once determined by the founder.
After the repose of St. Cyril in 1427, his monastery became the place where many of the founders of the northern monasteries were comprehended and tonsured: Nil of Sorsky, Cornelius of Komel, Alexander of Oshevemsky, Ignatius of Lomsky.
Kirillo-Belozersky (also Kirillov) monastery is a male Orthodox monastery on the shore of Lake Siverskoye. It is located within the city of Kirillov, Vologda region, which grew out of a settlement at the monastery. In the XV-XVII centuries - one of the largest and richest monasteries in Russia, the center of the spiritual life of the Russian North. Since 1924, a historical, architectural and art museum-reserve.
The monastery arose in the wake of the founding of new monasteries at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries by the followers of Sergius of Radonezh. In 1397, monk Kirill Belozersky dug a cave on the shore of Lake Siverskoye, from which the history of the future monastery began. His companion Ferapont Belozersky subsequently founded the Ferapontov Monastery nearby. The charter of the Belozersk monasteries was particularly strict.
Over time, the Kirillov Monastery found itself in the center of a whole network of monastic monasteries: Ferapontov, Goritsky Resurrection Monastery (7 km from Kirillov), Nilo-Sorskaya Hermitage (15 km), etc. These sparsely populated lands relatively recently became part of the Moscow Principality, which was interested in their speedy economic development. The Moscow princes traditionally maintained close ties with the Belozersk monastery; The messages of St. Kirill to the sons of Dmitry Donskoy.
The eyes of travelers along the Volga are involuntarily drawn to the beautiful white stone monastery located on its left bank, not far from the ancient city of Yaroslavl. The history of the founding of the monastery takes us to the distant past, to the time of Tatar domination in Russia.
The constant civil strife of the princes, during which Russian blood was continuously shed and Russian power weakened, was the reason why the Tatars lay under the rule of the Tatars for many times over Russia, and in particular over Yaroslavl, under a heavy oppression that is now difficult to imagine. Huge hordes of nomads roamed the Russian land, betraying everything to fire and sword.
The silent northern chronicle rarely goes into detail, but on its pages we too often encounter brief but ominous notes, such as, for example, “and there was a fierce languor,” or “the great destruction (the Tatars) did to people”; From time to time a cry of indignation breaks through, behind which one can feel terrible, wild scenes, such as, for example, near 1283: “It’s a shame and great horror to see the curse from those accursed to Orthodox Christianity and bread not coming into the mouth from fear.”
In addition to physical and moral torment, the cruel yoke of the Tatars caused enormous spiritual harm to the Russians. Eternal fear raised a physical and spiritual slave, eternal blood hardened and hardened people. In view of the general shame and death, faith and hope disappeared, replaced by a feeling of indifference or despair. A Russian man could finally become coarsened by the eternal sight of blood and fire, could degenerate spiritually, forget his honor under Tatar oppression, if he did not have a treasure left that he could not transfer to the enemy either for money or for torment, the possession of which saved him from moral death, this is the faith of his ancestors, which he kept as the only inheritance, which placed an impassable gap between him, a defeated slave, and his conqueror, “a filthy Tatar, a damned raw-eater.” “Most Holy Lady Theotokos,” the Russian people then cried out in a cry of despair, “You delivered the Christian race from the torment of hell and now deliver us from finding the filthy and evil and unholy captivity and beheading!”
Under such circumstances, a most joyful event took place for the physically and morally exhausted inhabitants of the Yaroslavl country, living in eternal fear and sadness. In August 1314, under the ruler of Yaroslavl, the holy noble prince David Feodorovich, in a dense forest, in the midst of the August darkness of the night, the light from the newly appeared icon of the Most Holy Theotokos began to shine, illuminating the entire surrounding country, pouring a life-giving balm of faith and hope into the suffering heart of man, giving him new strength to endure new suffering. On this occasion, and in that holy place chosen by the Mother of God Herself, a monastic monastery was founded. This is how this remarkable event in the history of our Church and ever-memorable event in the history of the Yaroslavl region took place. Tolga Monastery .jpg)
Information about the first nuns dates back to the 30s of the 19th century.
The girl Evfemia Gerasimovna OVSYANNIKOVA, who lived from an early age in the monastic cells of the city of Kirsanov, Tambov province, for twenty years, was forced to come with her parents to the village. Mikhailovka, Buzuluk district, when they moved here for permanent residence. But she could not live in peace and went to Buzuluk.
About 10 women gathered around her, inclined towards monastic life, and, having united, they began to follow the monastic rules, teach the children to read and write, read the Psalter for the dead, intending to establish a nunnery.
Where is it and how to get there:
Address:
Orenburg region, Buzuluk, st. Sergo, house 1
Monastery type:
female
Status:
active
Language of services:
Church Slavonic
Mother Superior:
Abbess - Abbess Panteleimon (Krivenkova)
Patronal holidays:
Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God - July 9 [according to modern times]
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Shrines:
Icon "Mammal"
ICON of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called with a piece of relics
Icon of the Great Martyr. healer Panteleimon
Icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov with a piece of his St. relics
icon of St. Theodosius of Chernigov
icon of St. Nicholas
A pebble from the place of the martyr’s suffering. Basilisk
Cross reliquary
The grave of Schemamonk Maxim
Shrine from Pochaev
Tabyn Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Tikhvin Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In February 2005, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' and His Eminence Longin, Bishop of Saratov and Volsky, the Irgiz Resurrection Monastery began to restore its former power and beauty.
Here the lamp of spiritual life was lit. On February 12, 2005, the first prayer service was served within the walls of the former chapel, and three weeks later, on March 6, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated. At the same time, two ancient shrines appeared at the monastery: the icon of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, in whose name the temple restored from the ruins was consecrated, and the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Three-Handed”.
In this, the inhabitants of the monastery see God’s blessing on their restoration work. On August 7, the first Sacrament of Baptism took place. In September, at the turn from the Balakovo-Pugachev highway, near the road leading to the monastery, a worship Cross was installed and consecrated. .jpg)
Now the only church of the monastery, consecrated in the name of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, is the soul of the monastery, restored and decorated. An iconostasis with patterned carvings and painted icons was installed, one of which is the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. In 2007, the external decoration of the temple was completed: a dome was installed, the roof and porch were decorated with the same patterned carvings.
Much work is being done to clean up Monastic Lake, upon completion of which a chapel will be erected on its shore. Already now the descent to the proposed chapel is equipped with a multi-stage wrought-iron staircase. But this descent to the lake is not the only one. Recently, through the efforts of novices, of whom there are not so many here, another road was built through the forest, and through the efforts of two pious laymen, a source of clean drinking water appeared in the monastery - a well.
After minor renovations, the two-story cell fraternal building became suitable for the accommodation of pilgrims who come here for prayer and to help restore the monastery from different places in Russia.
On its ground floor there is also a large winter refectory. Why winter? Because in 2007, a small, cozy summer refectory, located in a separate house, was renovated. In the summer of the same year, during the construction of the shore of the Monastic Lake, an ancient wall of the monastery and the burial place of the monks of the Irgiz monastery were discovered.
The celebration in honor of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Three-Handed” on July 11 became a special event in the life of the monastery. In 2006 and 2007, the Divine Liturgy on this day was led by Bishop Longin of Saratov and Volsk (before this, there had been no Hierarchal service in the monastery for 150 years). Afterwards, in front of the temple, before the revered icon, Vladyka served a solemn prayer service. The last visit to the monastery was doubly remarkable: Bishop Longin performed the first monastic tonsure in the modern history of the monastery.
Easter, the Holy Resurrection of Christ, after which the monastery is named, is also considered a double holiday in the monastery. By tradition, on this day many believers from Saratov, Samara, Pokrovsk (Engels), Balakovo, Pugachev and surrounding villages come here. It seems that the temple cannot accommodate everyone, but what is impossible for man is possible for God. The first, night hours of Easter for almost everyone standing in the church end with the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. And the next morning the bell does not fall silent, bringing the Easter joyful news to the whole area, Christ is Risen!
In 2007, one of the oldest monasteries in Russia, the Holy Bogolyubsky Monastery, located on the territory of the ancient Vladimir land, celebrated its 850th anniversary.
This anniversary is a particularly significant event for us, because the future glory of Vladimir, as the capital of the ancient Russian state, began precisely from here - from Bogolyubov Grad, the Bogolyubov Monastery.
In 1155, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, obeying a revelation from above, left Kyiv for the northeast of Rus'. Having passed through the small, “pinky” as it was called in those days, city of Vladimir, the prince was soon forced to stop. 7 versts from the city, on the steep bank of the Klyazma River, the horses that were carrying a cart with the miraculous icon of the Mother of God suddenly stopped and could not move further. Having ordered a halt, the prince spent the whole night in prayer in front of the icon. At midnight, the Most Holy Theotokos Herself appeared to him and commanded to place Her miraculous icon in Vladimir, and on this place to build a temple and found a monastery. The prince carried out the command of the Mother of God exactly - in 1157 the construction of the monastery began. The miraculous icon was named after the city - Vladimir and from that time to this day it has been the main shrine and symbol of Holy Rus'. In addition, by order of the prince, an icon of the Mother of God was painted in memory of the night vision, called God-loving or Bogolyubskaya.
This icon is the first painted in Rus', for until then all icons were brought from Byzantium. Over the centuries, many miracles occurred from the icon, the main of which was the salvation of the inhabitants of the city of Vladimir from a pestilence in the fall of 1771, in memory of which an annual procession with the God-loving icon was established in 1772, currently held on July 1.
The Holy Blessed Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky was the first after St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, the creator and organizer of the Russian land. From his famous grandfather Vladimir Monomakh, Prince Andrei inherited many character traits: courage, nobility, generosity towards enemies, integrity of nature and perseverance in achieving his goal. For his wondrous piety, Prince Andrei received the nickname Bogolyubsky.
He knew by heart the entire church liturgical circle (saints), was an eyewitness to the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos and gave Rus' two miraculous Her icons, built over 30 churches and monasteries. The prince also had the gift of a commander - he made several military campaigns against Volga Bulgaria, which made devastating raids on the Vladimir-Suzdal land. The Lord miraculously helped the prince win, and in honor of this, the celebration of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos was established on August 1 (14 BC). In addition, in memory of his eldest son Izyaslav, who died in battle, Prince Andrei built a temple in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos at the confluence of two rivers - the Nerl and Klyazma. He himself established the celebration of the Protection of the Mother of God on October 1 (14 BC) to commemorate the fact that the Mother of God accepts the Russian land under Her omophorion, Her protection. (Later, a nunnery was established at the temple, which existed until 1764, and then there was a skete from the Bogolyubsky Monastery.)
In the 19th century, one of the most beautiful and richest monasteries in the Lower Volga region was the Belogorsky Kamennobrodsky Holy Trinity Monastery (Olkhovka), standing among the picturesque chalk mountains with their mysterious caves, among the ancient mighty oak trees.
It dates back to 1860, when the Holy Trinity Kamennobrodskaya women's community was founded in Kamenny Brod (Olkhovsky district), when the landowner and court councilor Pyotr Ivanovich Persidsky allocated 455 acres of his land with an old oak forest for the establishment of it (officially this land will be donated later by his wife).
This place is surrounded on all sides by white chalk mountains; on the banks of Ilovlya there were centuries-old oak trees and juniper trees. On the northwestern outskirts of the Olkhovka settlement there is a mound called the Holy Mountain or Holy Grave, and near it there is a spring. Old-timers say that once there was a church here, which went underground due to earnest prayers. .jpeg)
The history of the future monastery began with the fact that P.I. Persian travels from Olkhovka to Moscow, where he acquires three icons: the Transfiguration, the Mother of God and the Mother of God of All Who Afflict, and two large icons of the Trinity in silver and gold frames. Upon returning, the landowner shared with his wife Seraphima the idea of founding a community, and she, supporting her, got involved in the work herself. She went to Saratov to see Bishop Ioannikiy and received a blessing for construction. Vladyka offered her the first abbess. At first, community members numbering up to 60 people lived in a private house in the village. Kamenny Brod near Olkhovka. But soon the number of sisters increased to 90 people.
Near Olkhovka they discovered a non-freezing healing spring; in total they counted 9 springs (even radon and hydrogen sulfide), the water of some of them filled a special pool. Construction continued - the nuns erected a cattle barn, a stable, a pigsty, a poultry house, a bakery with a cell and a hut for bakers, and a hotel for pilgrims appeared. The monastery settlement grew, where pilgrims and local servants and clerks lived.
As of 1887, there were 9 nuns and 7 novices working here. Strengthening the spiritual, economic and human base of the community led to the consideration of the case to rename the Kamenno-Brod women's community into a cenobitic monastery named after Belogorsky Nikolaevsky. But they returned to this issue later - only in 1903 did the spiritual authorities approve the change in the status of the community in Olkhovka and the name Belogorsky Kamennobrodsky Holy Trinity Monastery.
In the 30s, the Belogorsky Kamennobrodsky Monastery (Olkhovka) was in an abandoned state, but, according to the stories of local residents, several monks were hiding here. Later the temple and many buildings of the monastery were destroyed. On the territory of the monastery, in the baptismal building, there was a MTS with a fleet of tractors, and livestock were kept in the refectory building. During the war they set up a hospital, and after that a state stud farm. .jpg)
If you drive from Astrakhan to the sea, towards the village of Tsvetnoy, not far from the village of Bolshoy Mogoy, on a hillock planted with trees, you can see several abandoned stone buildings. This is all that remains of the once famous Vysokogorskaya Uspensko-Nikolaevskaya Churkinsky hermitage. The history of this monastery goes back centuries.
In 1568, Churkinsky Island, with the nearby uchug, was transferred into the possession of the Astrakhan Trinity Monastery. According to monastic tradition, the first church here was built by the founder of the Trinity Monastery, Rev. Abbot Kirill. The church was consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the patron saint of all those who sail the sea. The Monk Kirill himself donated the image of St. Nicholas for this temple. This icon later became famous for many miracles and healings.
In the middle of the 17th century, another shrine appeared here by the will of God - the miraculous icon of the Smolensk Mother of God. As legend tells, in 1669, when Stepan Razin’s band of robbers was robbing the lower reaches of the Volga, some of the robbers stopped on a hillock near the Churkinsky Uchug. Among the loot was an icon of the Smolensk Mother of God, which the villains, having torn off its robe, wanted to burn. But as soon as they lit a fire on the icon, the fire spread to them, blinding the robbers, who fled in horror. The icon miraculously floated on the water and ended up on the monastery’s wall, where the monks honorably placed it in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Subsequently, many miracles occurred from this icon, so that residents of surrounding villages often took it to their homes to serve prayers in front of it. .jpg)
In the 17th century, the Churkinsky uchug came into the possession of the Astrakhan Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, which bore the title of patriarchal. The monks lived here permanently at the church, which stood on the banks of the Churka River.
In the 70s of the 17th century, a new unusual inhabitant appeared here. As the monastery legend tells, having taken part in the execution of the hieromartyr Joseph, Metropolitan of Astrakhan, the executioner Larka, who burned him at the stake, unexpectedly received admonition through illness, and, realizing that he was punished for his sins, withdrew from everyone here, in the lower reaches of the Volga, digging himself a cave on hillock, located near the Churkinsky uchug. Having received the nickname Churki for torturing the saint tied to a log (chock), this former executioner remained in the people's memory with this name. After laboring for many years in fasting and prayer, the cave dweller Churka died here and was buried by the monks.
From that time on, other ascetics, following him, began to dig caves in the mound, and now, according to local residents, many passages have been dug inside the mound, the passage to which is closed from prying eyes. At the beginning of the 18th century, the St. Nicholas Church itself was moved to the “High Mountain,” as the Churkinsky hillock was popularly called, for its superiority over all other hillocks in the area.
The temple is located on the Beshtaugorsky ring surrounding the mountain - it is very convenient to get here by car.
The Second Athos Monastery was founded in 1904 by Russian monks from Athos. The monastery was founded on the site where a Byzantine temple existed in the ancient times of Alanya (9th century). After the consecration of the monastery, which took place on November 28, 1904, more than 50 monks came here.
Due to the revolution of 1917 and the civil war that broke out in the country, many residents became victims of repression, some were simply expelled from the monastery. In 1927, the Second Athos Monastery was finally closed. In subsequent decades, it slowly collapsed: first the temple disappeared, then the rest of the buildings disappeared. But despite the devastation, people regularly gathered at the ruins for common prayer. .jpeg)
The monastery began to prepare for the solemn day long ago. First of all, Grand Duke Dmitry Konstantinovich was informed about the upcoming important event. Unfortunately, he could not come to the consecration of the temple, but responded with a congratulatory telegram. On the eve of the holiday, the monks greeted distinguished guests. A religious procession arrived here from the Pyatigorsk Spassky Cathedral. And then the Hieroschemamonk Gerasim was elected rector of the Second Athos Dormition Monastery.
The celebrations began on November 28, 1904 at 9 am. All the clergy gathered in the temple. According to the bishop's order, they met at the entrance His Grace Gideon, Bishop of Vladikavkaz and Mozdok, as well as all the high-ranking guests.
A religious procession began around the newly created temple, which presented a majestic spectacle. Banners were carried in front, followed by icons and crosses. Next walked 16 priests in light vestments, two in a row. The procession was concluded by the archpastor, who carried a reliquary with holy relics on his head. They were supposed to be placed on the throne of the newly created temple. They also carried myrrh to anoint the throne and the antimension. The archpastor was followed by officials in full dress uniform, two in a row.
According to generally accepted Orthodox custom, the procession walked around the new church, stopping in front of the western entrance, where a litany was pronounced, the people were blessed with holy relics, and the Gospel was read.
The most exciting moment came when the Lord, with the gates of the temple closed, exclaimed: “Take the gates, your princes! And take the eternal gates, and the King of glory will come in!” And in response, a choir sounded from inside the temple: “Who is this King of glory?” These words were repeated twice, and then the doors opened and the procession ended with a prayer.
The consecration of the temple began with the singing of psalms. They consecrated the throne, set it up, washed it and vested it. Holy relics were placed in the upper part of the cross under the altar, and the names of benefactors were placed under the cross. They were also recorded in the Synodik for eternal remembrance.
And then His Grace Gideon solemnly celebrated the first liturgy in the church, at the end of which he thanked the builders, patrons, benefactors and visitors. “Despite any difficulties,” said the Bishop, “the monastery has been revived, and now, like a young child, it needs constant support.”
On the significant day of consecration, the new monastery received great blessings from many monasteries of Athos and Russia. The elders of the Hilandar Lavra on Athos blessed the brethren with the icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kiss”, the Patriarch of Jerusalem - with the icon of the Resurrection of Christ; Metropolitan at the Holy Sepulcher - the image of the Dormition of the Mother of God from the Sepulcher of the Queen of Heaven; Archbishop of Mount Sinai Porfiry - an icon of the Mother of God and the righteous Elizabeth; abbot of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Athos Nifont - an icon of the Great Martyr Panteleimon; abbot of the Russian St. Andrew's monastery - an icon of St. Andrew the First-Called; abbot of the Russian Ilyinsky monastery - an icon of St. Prophet Elijah; the elders of the brotherhood of the Athos monasteries - the icon of the Mother of God "Quick to Hear"; abbot of the monastery of St. Trinity on Athos, Hieromonk Nifont - the icon of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos; the rector of the monastery in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord Sophony - an icon of the Iveron Mother of God; rector of the desert, St. Mitrophania Thaddeus - icon of St. Mitrophania of Voronezh; rector of the desert, St. Dmitry of Thessalonica - icons of the Pochaev Mother of God and Dmitry of Thessalonica; rector of St. He donated 12 large-sized icons (from 2 arshins and less) to the Theological Hermitage on Mount Athos. Among them is one of the main shrines of the new monastery - the ancient miraculous icon of St. John the Baptist.
One of its main attractions is located - the active Holy Vvedensky Convent, created in 1685 and having a long and glorious past. Initially, he settled on the left bank of the Orlik River, where there was an ancient Afanasyevsky churchyard.
A terrible fire in 1843 destroyed everything to the ground, leaving two hundred inhabitants homeless, and the monastery was moved to the southeast of Orel.
Its opening on the edge of the city took place on October 31, 1848. In the 60s. In the 19th century, the Vvedensky Monastery was expanded to 75 cells, and the gate church was consecrated in the name of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God (1865). In 1870, a refectory was built from wood, a hospital was opened, an almshouse was set up in the monastery, which was later turned into a girls' school, and even later rebaptized into the parish St. Olga two-year school for one hundred and twenty students (free). The temple (already made of stone) with a chapel-tomb in honor of the Resurrection of the Word was built and consecrated in 1885.
Orthodox relics are kept here: a copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, donated in 1712 by Archbishop John (Maximovich), a piece of the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, an ark and more than fifty icons with pieces of the relics of saints.
Already by 1901, the monastery had become one of the best and equipped monasteries in Russia, in which there were 583 people (nuns, ryassophores, novices).
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Over the years of its existence, the Holy Presentation Convent was honored with visits from prominent personalities: empresses Elizabeth (1744) and Catherine II (1787), the martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna Romanova, the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, and the religious writer Sergei Nipus.
In the post-revolutionary period, the monastery, like many others, was banned and destroyed. The Church of the Resurrection of the Word, in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, and two chapels have partially survived. In the post-war years, there was so much here: an artel, a workshop, a warehouse, a rubber products factory, and also ordinary people lived in cells.
In 1993, Archbishop of Oryol and Livensky, His Eminence Paisius, gave his blessing - and the revival of the monastery began. Today the Holy Vvedensky Convent is closed to visitors, it is very difficult to get inside, and it is generally prohibited to take any kind of filming there.
You can get into the temple to see the miraculous list from the Balykinskaya Icon of the Mother of God only during divine services, between which the temple is closed. The church shop near the monastery has everything you need.
Orthodox shrines were and are kept here: the unpreserved icon of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary into the Temple from the city of Karachev (17th century), a list of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, donated in 1712 by Archbishop John (Maximovich), a particle of the Tree of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, an ark and more than fifty icons with particles of saints' relics.
The monastery is the religious educator of special hospitals, colonies (women's and children's), kindergartens and boarding schools, nursing homes and veterans' homes.
Having visited, if possible, the Holy Vvedensky Convent, getting into its church for a divine service, you can feel the former greatness and calm, blissful atmosphere of this ancient place, leading to thoughts about the eternal.
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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads.
websites of these monasteries and temples.
Holy places of Russia.
Temples and monasteries of Russia.
Monasteries and churches of Central Russia.
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At the service of modern pilgrims are 88 pilgrimage services and organizations established in dioceses, parishes and monasteries, as well as about 8 dozen pilgrim-class hotels and hospice houses. There are 29 public Orthodox organizations in Russia and a huge number of secular travel agencies that also deal with pilgrimage trips.
When planning a pilgrimage tour, you must first decide: who to choose as the organizer of the trip - a secular travel agency or a church pilgrimage service? Travel organized by religious organizations will cost about 25–30 percent less. This is explained by the fact that church services do not try to make money on such tours and organize trips on the verge of recouping their cost. But with travel agencies, where professionals work not ascetics, problems are less likely to occur. And the cultural program - if, of course, you are interested in something other than the pilgrimage itself - theirs, as a rule, is richer. And on Valaam, for example, believe me, there is something to see. Otherwise, the conditions for tourist pilgrims are approximately the same: intercity bus, reserved seat carriage or boat, half board, two-three star or monastery hotel. The situation, as you can see, is quite spartan.
What awaits you?
When planning a pilgrimage tour, you should imagine what awaits you. Namely: early rises, overnight stays in spartan conditions, long hours of church services, long bus rides and tiring walks - such a load for several days can be very difficult even for a physically strong adult. Therefore, it is worth thinking about how necessary it is to take sick people or a small child with you.
But the main thing, of course, is not the level of comfort of such a trip, but the spiritual component - the introduction to Orthodox culture, in divine services and conversations with clergy. Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad once said that people going on pilgrimage trips should get on buses as tourists and get off them as pilgrims.
What do you need to know?
When going on a pilgrimage tour, you will have to follow some rules. Of course, women should not wear provocative clothing and jewelry, or use bright cosmetics. When entering the temple, women must cover their heads. Men, on the other hand, must take off their hats. For long walking excursions, it is better to take comfortable shoes with you. But visiting temples in sportswear is not allowed.
Photography and video recording are carried out only in places where they are permitted. If the rules for photography and video shooting in a given temple or monastery are not specifically stated, it is still better to ask the priest for permission.
How to communicate with clergy?
Approaching the priest, bow to him and ask him to bless you. To do this, fold your palms in a cross: right over left, palms up and bow your head. The priest will sign you with the sign of the cross. Having received the blessing, kiss the hand of the priest, blessing you, like the invisible hand of Christ.
If you don’t know the priest’s name, you can simply address him as “father.” If the name of the priest is known, you can call him, for example, “Father Boris.” A similar form of address is possible in relation to a deacon, but it is not customary to call him “priest”. The now widespread appeal to priests “holy father” is also not accepted.
Where to go?
The most popular pilgrimage destinations are quite traditional. These are, first of all, the largest and most famous monasteries - Solovetsky, Valaam, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Optina Pustyn. And also ancient Russian cities - Vladimir, Novgorod, Uglich, Suzdal, Rostov the Great.
Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra
The Lavra was founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh in 1337 and today it is one of the most revered all-Russian shrines.
On the territory of the Lavra you can see the oldest one - the Trinity Cathedral, built in 1422-1425. It is in it that the holy relics of the Hegumen of the Russian Land, St. Sergius of Radonezh, are located. The iconostasis of the temple is famous for its icons painted by Andrei Rublev himself. The years 1559–1585 were marked for the monastery by the fact that Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of the Assumption Cathedral here, near which the tomb of Tsar Boris Godunov and his family is located. In the vicinity of the Lavra, in the 18th–19th centuries, the Bethany Monastery, Bogolyubsky, Chernigov-Gethsemane monasteries and the Paraclete monastery arose, in which ascetic elders lived.
You can get here by train from the Yaroslavsky station in Moscow, by bus from the VDNKh metro station to the city of Sergiev Posad. The Berezka and Zagorsk hotels operate here. If you plan to travel in a group, it is better to notify the administration of the Pilgrimage Center in advance. The monastery provides free meals for pilgrims. In order to get into the refectory, you need to get a coupon, which is issued if you have a passport.
Optina Pustyn
The Monastery of the Holy Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage is one of the most famous monasteries in our country. The exact time of Optina's founding is unknown, presumably the 15th century. Back in 1773, only two monks lived here. And at the end of the 18th century there were already stone buildings, a mill and farmland. People who spent many years in complete solitude settled in the Optina Hermitage - “hermits”. At this time, Optina became one of the main spiritual centers of Russia.
In 1821, a monastery was built, located behind the monastery grove. Many buildings have been preserved here, including the houses where Gogol and Dostoevsky stayed, as well as the wooden Church of John the Baptist, cut down in 1822. Famous Russian writers immortalized Optina in their works: Leo Tolstoy described her in Father Sergius, Fyodor Dostoevsky made Elder Ambrose the prototype of Elder Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov.
How to get there: Kaluga region, Kozelsk (280 km south of Moscow). From the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station a bus leaves daily on the route Moscow - Kozelsk. From the bus station in Kozelsk to the monastery it is about three kilometers.
Balaam
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery on the island of Valaam is the oldest monastery in the Novgorod land and one of the most revered in Russia. Discussions regarding the founding date of the monastery are still ongoing. The church is oriented towards the 10th century. It was then that many missionary monks came to Rus'. And in the 14th century, the Valaam Monastery became a “great honorable monastery.”
Sometimes doctors just shrug their shoulders in bewilderment when looking at pictures or tests of a person whom they declared terminally ill some time ago. And when they start asking questions, it turns out that their patient turned to higher powers and received healing.
What is more here - the healing power of holy places, relics and icons or processes launched by the subconscious - everyone can decide for themselves. Although there is no doubt that there are places in Russia that restore health. There is too much real evidence of miraculousness and creative power that defies logical explanation.
the site will tell you where in our country you can find help and get rid of various ailments with the help of Christian relics. Unfortunately, it is simply unrealistic to mention all such places, so we will limit ourselves to listing only a few of them.
Holy springs and healing places
Diveyevo holy springs
The village of Diveevo, located in the Diveevo district of the Nizhny Novgorod region, is famous primarily for the fact that Seraphim of Sarov lived and preached here, and for the fact that his relics, which have incredible healing powers, rest in the Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery.
However, they are not the only ones that attract the suffering here. On the territory of the village there are also holy springs, each of which is endowed with special healing properties. From some bodies of water you can only drink , and some are equipped with comfortable baths. People come here with a variety of illnesses, and, according to those who have visited here, those who pray receive not only physical healing, but also relief from mental anguish.
In general, in Diveevo there are several relics that are considered miraculous. These are the relics of the elders of the Glinskaya heath (desert), and the relics of Martha of Diveyevo, and a copy from the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness”, and the famous Holy Canal (editor’s note - for Christians, the path along which the Queen of Heaven passed). And all these shrines are credited with the ability to heal.
Alexander-Oshevensky Monastery
Holy places of Russia: where and how to ask for healing and health
The Orthodox monastery is located in the village of Oshevenskoye, Karpogol district, Arkhangelsk region. Unfortunately, it has not been completely preserved. Some buildings are being restored, but some, alas, cannot be restored. However, on the territory of the monastery there are several places overshadowed by the grace of the founder of this monastery - Alexander Oshevensky.
The first such notable place are two trail stones. It seems that a man stood on the boulders and left his footprints on them. According to legend, these are the footprints of Alexander Oshevensky. It is believed that if you step on the trail, all ailments will disappear.
There is also a holy spring over which there is a cross. People believe that if you drink water from this spring, your sorrows will be quenched, fatigue will go away and melancholy, depression will stop. Once upon a time, the Monk Alexander rested next to this spring and gained strength and spiritual humility.
And under the destroyed Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary the relics of Alexander Oshevensky himself rest. And, they say, if you stay there for a while, then any physical pain goes away.
Miraculous spring, village of Aleshnya
In the Dubrovsky district of the Bryansk region there is the village of Aleshnya. And in it is a holy spring. They say that once upon a time at this place, wandering pilgrims stopped for the night under a large spreading tree. But then one day lightning struck it, and it crumbled overnight. However, where it grew, there was a spring with healing powers.
It is believed that its waters especially help those who have problems with the musculoskeletal system and heal wounds received during travel. This source is called the Thunder Well. Some time ago he was consecrated, that is, he received the blessing of the church.
Ullu-tau - mountain range of the central Caucasus, Mount Adyrsu
Holy places of Russia: where and how to ask for healing and health
Locals say that angels live on Ullu-tau and give healing to those who need it. And the most miraculous place is considered to be the foot of Mount Adyrsu. It was here that many generations of Aboriginal people brought the terminally ill and left them for a while. Miraculous healings occurred so often that it ceased to be surprising. Mothers who gave birth to weak and sick children also came here - and the babies also recovered.
Another famous copy of this icon is located in the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Nadezhda, Lyubov and Sophia at the Miusskoye Cemetery in Moscow. And here its myrrh-streaming is often observed (editor’s note – the appearance of oily moisture on icons), which is considered a sign of special miraculousness and healing power.
Savva Storozhevsky (Savva Zvenigorodsky)
Holy places of Russia: where and how to ask for healing and health
The relics of Savva Storozhesky, the first and most significant student of Sergius of Radonezh, rest in the Savvino-Starozhevsky Monastery in Zvenigorod. Even during his lifetime, the Monk Savva was famous for his healing gift. Both ordinary people and influential Moscow nobles came to him. He never refused help or healing to anyone. And to this day such miraculous power emanates from the shrine (editor’s note – box, coffin) with his relics that physical and mental ailments go away.
