This is one of the most amazing spiritual places of the Russian North.Solovetsky Islands fascinate and attract not only for its beauty and vast open spaces, but also unique history.Local
walls remember a lot of grief, but not less and joys.Coming here, you will plunge into fairy tale and get acquainted with the wonders of the very essence of the Russian soul.
Pearl Orthodoxy
Planted three hermit's cell after many centuries has turned into a global treasure.Millions of pilgrims come each year to see the amazing land.This temple during its existence had time to visit a military fortress, a prison and camp, where experimented on human beings.
But nothing could break the spirit of the monks.Today, after many years in the monastery undergoing restoration, produced a variety of products for worship and pilgrims pass service and carried the word of God to the laity.
Geographical location
Solovetsky Monastery is located on four islands of the archipelago in the White Sea.Different buildings, premises and monasteries are located on the large and small pieces of land.
stark beauty of the landscape automatically adjusts the human mind to the spiritual.No wonder, according to legend, all the buildings in the monastery stand in the place where the miracles and revelation occurred.
So, on the Big Solovetsky Island and Ascension are Savvatiy Skit and Filippovskaya, Makarii and Isaakovskaya desert.
At Big Muksalma located Sergius monastery.It put church of St. Sergius of Radonezh.There is also a monastery and farm buildings for employees.These two islands are connected by a causeway called "Stone Bridge".
On Anzere are Eleazar desert, the Trinity, and Golgotha-Crucifixion Skete.
Big Rabbit Island St. Andrew gave refuge desert.
bulk of the buildings relates to 17-18 centuries, but they were built under the supervision of monks on the site of the old dilapidated buildings.
Also Savior Transfiguration Solovetsky monastery, if based on historical documents belonging to fourteen farmsteads.They are located mainly in the northern parishes of the Russian Empire.
Compound - a semblance of a branch monastery.The community is separated from monopolies and living outside the canonical territory.But they honor the charter of the main monastery.
To date, only four functioning monastery - in Moscow, Arkhangelsk and Kem Faustian (village located not far from Moscow).
for pilgrims, it is important to know that permission is required for the trip to the Solovetsky monastery.How to reach it?Paperwork and other care typically take on the agency.Therefore, there are two options: to pay an experienced tour operator, resulting in all the work done for you, or to go, trying to get everything yourself.The first way is expensive and faster, second - and longer for less.
history
Solovetsky monastery Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky monastery dates back to the 15th century.It was in 1429 laid the three monks and built the first cell.After a while one of them, Savvatii, reposed, and two others - Hermann and Zosima - returned to the Big Solovetsky Island.
Shortly after that, they had a vision of the magnificent church on the eastern edge of the island.It was built a wooden church, and in the sixties of the same century, Zosima was awarded the diploma of the Novgorod Archbishop Jonah.According to the document, now the island, the surrounding land and the future of the monastery were given possession of the monastery in the timeless.
During the following years peacefully expired saints Zosima and Herman.The monks of the Solovetsky Monastery was transferred their power in a specially arranged by the monastery, as well as the remains of Savvatii, who passed away in 1435 in the village of Soroca, close to the coast.
At the end of the fifteenth century here already beginning to flock gifts by those in power and turn the eyes of biographer.Thus, the oral legend of St. Herman was the basis for the records of the founding of the monastery Dosifeya.On the basis of this document in 1503 was the beginning of the compilation of the lives of the Solovetsky pervonachalnikov.
In 1478, the monastery received as a gift "captured German casting a bell," which is today one of the oldest known Russian war booty.
And in 1479 Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible personally approves the authenticity of certificates of ownership and assures it of its timelessness complain.
What if Russian tsars
similar structures in the White Sea was the trump card in the hands of Moscow rulers.First, with the help of the companions of the Solovetsky Monastery tidies the economic life of the region.Mastering Pomerania without a abode would not be so quickly and efficiently.
Accordingly, to render all assistance to the monastery.His highest status can be seen on the cards at the time.Not all were marked by fairly large city, but the Solovetsky Monastery on the map invariably portrayed.
also the founder of the monastery in the Moscow cathedral were recognized as saints, and the participation of the royal court offering gifts.All this was a downside, unfortunately.
Starting from the 16th century on the shoulders of the inhabitants of this land lies a challenge.In addition to cases related to the usual work of the monastery, had to deal with the erection of the fortress.Mid-century stone buildings dating back to the first.Anyone in charge of the construction of the abbot Philippe, it was his hermitage is located on the Big Solovetsky Island.
In the years 1560-1570 the monastery is proclaimed "the great strength of the state", here is sent to the elder Trifon (Kologriv in the world), one of the most gifted architects and military engineers of that time.It was he who oversaw the creation of most of the buildings and fortifications on the island, dating from the sixteenth century.
Being a northern outpost of Orthodoxy and the border area with the European countries, the Solovetsky Islands repeatedly deposited enemy fleet.Initially, the British ships came a few years later the Swedish armada attempted happiness.All were discarded.
addition, the secular authorities tried to use the strong walls of the monastery to the fullest.Therefore, from the end of the sixteenth century, here are beginning to banish unwanted figures.Thus, the island is partially take over the functions of the prison.
Compound Solovetsky monastery houses the more than one thousand armed archers.Such power needed to maintain, so the king's decree to the monastery acted labor service and rents.All accented only the maximum offline.That is, this fortress was to function for a long time in siege mode until help comes.And aid to go far!
However, the kings and did not anticipate that will create itself a problem.It all started with church reform and the split.Most of the monks refused to accept the new rules, the Solovetsky monastery transformed into a bastion of the old faith.Later they joined the ranks of the remnants of the defeated troops of Stenka Razin.
more effort tsarist troops in January 1676 the prison was nevertheless taken.All those responsible for the leadership of the uprising were executed, store looted and status withdrawn.Since that time - about twenty - thirty years - the monastery fell into disgrace.
return to the past position only started during the reign of Peter the Great.To this period belongs the construction of Golgotha-Crucifixion Skete.
Synodal period
However, former greatness and military power of the Solovetsky Monastery and has not received.The reform in 1764 was seized most of the lands, villages and estates.In addition, strictly regulate the population of the archipelago.The royal power no longer wanted to deal with inaccessible fortress, which would have disgraced the monks sat down.
In 1765, he became stavropegic and became subordinate to the Synod, but still had priors archimandrites.
In 1814 Solovetsky monastery courtyard was released from guns, cut down the number of members of the garrison, and the monastery itself excluded from the list of existing strongholds.
Nevertheless, constructed in the era of the New Age wall weathered the Anglo-French siege during the Crimean War.It was the latest attack external enemies on the walls of the monastery.
After the mid-nineteenth century, the monastery is becoming a main attraction of the region for the pilgrims.Here comes the king himself and his entourage, artists and diplomats.Constructed the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
In 1886, the threshold of the monastery came the last soldier of the garrison.From this time on the status of any fortress could not be considered.Abode became in the full sense of the spiritual center of the Russian North.
twentieth century to Solovki started very successfully.In their possession were more than a dozen churches, thirty hours, two schools, a chorus of Solovetsky monastery, a botanical garden.In addition, the abode of the six mills, a mill, more than fifteen different craft workshops.
on its territory to work more than one thousand employees and several hundred salaried artists.During the year the monastery hosted more than fifteen thousand believers, and women were not allowed inside.They lived in the suburbs.On top of that, the monastery was in possession of the ship 4.
Soviet power
Like all signs only joyful and happy life for the monks.Money - not to count the bins are full of products and goods.Sated, comfortably, carefree.
However, the end of a heavenly life put the October Revolution of 1917.Came authorities openly declared war on the church and its ministers.In 1920, the Commission of the Red Army led by the Cedar, abolished Solovetsky monastery, but the farm is declared and the camp for forced labor "Solovki".
Since 1923, many buildings became operational ELEPHANT - "Solovki prison camp."It locked all politically objectionable.Per square meter of the prison bishops was more than in the whole of Russia at large.
Horror imprisonment supplemented by frequent shootings and murders.Bullying and torture did not stop, day or night.A camp hospital in Golgotha-Crucifixion monastery, fully consistent with the title.
For the first time the service had been allowed in a church for the rest on their own associates, who worked at the farm, but in 1932 the last monk was exiled to the mainland.
During the mid-thirties are an incredible number of people were killed, most of which were in no way to blame.
From 1937 to 1939 there was located STON - prison of special designation, fully lives up to its name.And during World War II there was a teaching corps of the Navy of the Soviet Union.
Recovery
The restoration of the monastery complex started in the sixties of the twentieth century.In 1974, there were established the historical and natural reserves.
Very interesting and unusual attraction has grown on the island of Anzer.As if by divine providence in a place where the authorities were forbidden to give up, there is such a miracle.Look closely at the picture, the Solovetsky Monastery - the only one who can boast of a birch tree.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union and is reviving the monastic cloister of the population.October 25, 1990 was officially proclaimed the restoration Zosimo-Savvatiy Solovetsky Monastery Stavropegic.When you first became a monk under the name given lot.Now it has become an integral tradition.
In 1992, the historical and architectural monument listed among the UNESCO World Heritage.
continue restoration work and memorial crosses erected on the sites of the greatest tragedies.Many of the early martyrs were canonized by the Soviet Union.
In 2001, the Patriarch of All Russia Alexy II personally consecrated the Solovetsky monastery.
How to reach it, is now concerned about the many pilgrims, for namolennoe through suffering, and so the place has an incredible energy.
For information: You can reach the island either by water or by air.There are two main routes used by residents, pilgrims, tourists - in Arkhangelsk and in Kem (the latter only in the navigation period).
Base monastery in Moscow
second title sion monastery - Church of St. George the Victorious in the valley.It is located over the Moscow River.This area is called the Lower Gardeners.
first church made of wood was founded here in the days of John Vasilyevich Grozny.But at the request of Archbishop Elassonskogo, who arrived with the embassy to the court in 1588, in its place was built a stone church.
In the early seventeenth century, as in many churches in this jail was created for the "troublemakers."
Temple grew with time.For a century, from the mid 17th century, there were added two chapels - in the name of the Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas.
proleganiya However, due to channel groundwater under the bell tower, it is the end of the eighteenth century, he collapsed and fell to the refectory.Nearly half a century, the monks do without these two structures, is one of the parishioners did not set out to put the bell tower.
It was built on a solid place, so farmstead Solovetsky Monastery in Moscow was a little distance from the turret.
The porch, which today operates in the monastery was built in 1836.
In 1908 the church again experienced a catastrophe.Because of the flood were flooded foundation cracks on the walls.
paintings, which began to crumble, were restored only after two years.
In addition, the conduct of the temple were an infirmary, a school and a hospice for ex-military.
church operated until 1935, and during the years of the Soviet Union, there is an art department.
realities of the present day
Solovetsky Monastery in Moscow today revived under the main monastery of the monastery on the White Sea.Recovery occurred in 1992.
Mainly its activities related to the support and maintenance of the monastery on the islands.In the early 1990s there was a preparation for service in connection with the transfer of the relics of saints to Solovki.Further areas were restored, put in order.
Ten years after its discovery were sanctified all the rooms, worship cross was erected, height of ten meters.
In 2003, held a great celebration of 350 anniversary of the founding of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which gave the foundation for the subsequent development of the temple.
But on Easter 2006, was presented to the public display novosdelanny iconostasis in five tiers.
main shrine is the icon with the relics of the miracle workers of Solovki.Each service is crowned appeal to him, and the congregation applied to the image.
Also here is the printing house, engaged in release of "Solovetsky messenger", postcards and other printed materials on the festive Christmas and the other major religious holidays.Calendars contain photos, Solovetsky Monastery makes a very beautiful and original.
Life arrival
core activity of the Moscow farmstead of education and training of younger parishioners.On the territory there is a Sunday school, where children learn together from 6 to 13 years.The planned schedule of activities drawn up in accordance with the Christian canons and timed for all religious holidays.
parents are satisfied with the meal for students.
also works fotokruzhok, cooperates with the Moscow film school.
In addition, since 2011 arranged walking and bus tours of Moscow sights.One of the trips, for example - Ivan the Terrible and St. Philip.
Visits take place in the adjacent courtyard in Faustovo and in Kolomenskoye.All trips are associated exclusively with the history and functioning of the monastery.Also, every few months companions carry pilgrims to the Solovetsky Islands.
The purpose of these trips have not only educational, but also spiritual.After the tour, everyone can stay and minister to ask all the questions.He will respond to them, or, or invite to the event.
worship is held daily, and Liturgy - several times a week.And in Lent, on Thursdays, there is Extreme Unction.
