In a hundred and fifty miles south of the city of Voronezh is the monastery of St. Saviour.This is one of the oldest Russian cloisters, founded even before the adoption of Christianity by Rus.It is situated in Kostomarovo.The monastery is located in the caves.There is a temple and the Savior, which is deep in the limestone rock and is able to hold up to 2 million people, as well as the small church of St. Seraphim of Sarov.The chalk hills, there are about forty caves, eight of them and placed Spassky Monastery Kostomarovo.This place deeds and works of generations of monks and Christian ascetics.
legend and history
According to legend, the first cave temple was built on the banks of the Don before the adoption of Christianity.To avoid persecution, hid in the caves of the monks, and in the XII century monastic cloister was founded in Kostomarovo.The monastery was built so that the people in case of attack enemies could it not only shelter, but also to withstand a long siege.The cells of the monks have been made inside the walls, and for contact with the outside world in a rock cut a small window.
seen a lot during his long and eventful history of the monastery in Kostomarovo.The monastery underwent various design changes throughout its existence.In the early twentieth century, it was organized by the construction of the cave temple of St. Seraphim of Sarov.However, it was completed only in our days.Since coming to power of Communists of monks were executed, and the complex is closed.From that time began a difficult period for the monastery in Kostomarovo.The monastery, however, has not been forgotten by the faithful.
war and postwar years
During WWII the monastery caves served as a refuge to civilians and Soviet soldiers who fought against Hitler's troops.After Stalin met with Metropolitan Sergius in 1943, the Soviet government allowed to reopen many of the Orthodox churches.In 1946 he was registered and the Church of the Saviour.The reconstruction of the church quickly moved forward.But in the early 60s on the orders of Khrushchev authorities were stopped all work on the pretext of unfitness church premises.The caves were flooded, outer buildings burned and partially confiscated property.Orthodox community who reside in the convent, was forced to leave the holy abode.However, the preserved information that the faithful in small groups continued to meet secretly at prayer in a hidden cave in 60-70 years.They spent several days there.
Our days
In 1993 he built a modern Saviour Nunnery Kostomarovo.Thanks to the efforts of believers, the cave complex was cleaned and electrified.In 1997, there were living quarters, refectory, chapel and housing for nuns.Now, Spassky monastery became a place of pilgrimage, where people come from all over the CIS.Pilgrims venerate the icon "Blessed Heaven", dedicated to the Virgin Mary.It is made of an iron (for the cave temples of icons often written on the metal) as a man in the style of the artist Vasnetsov.She survived the bullet holes that are left shots godless, tselivshihsya in divine faces.However, none of the bullets hit the target no.
