In 1914 a special census took place.Its goal is the functioning monasteries of Russia, their number, as well as the number of people living in them. At that time, there were 1025 active monasteries. Under Soviet power, there are 16. According to 2013, there are about 700 monasteries in Russia, but this figure is changing, as new monasteries are constantly being opened.
Monasteries of Moscow: history
For the appearance of the Russian capital is very characteristicmajestic buildings of cathedrals, temples, monasteries. The oldest of them - Bogoyavlensky and Danilov, were founded in the second half of the 13th century. Large-scale monastic construction began in the late 14th century. At this time in the city appeared Chudov, Andronnikov, Simonov, Sretensky, Christmas monasteries. Most of Moscow's churches appeared in the 16th-17th centuries. It should be noted that at this time the monasteries not only appeared, but also closed. For example, in 1626 the Ilyinsky monastery ceased to exist. Several monasteries were closed under the reign of Peter I.
The first geodetic plan of the city, published in 1739, showed all the monasteries of Moscow (acting). At that time there were 28 of them. Four of them were closed in the same century.
Lost monasteries
After the revolution (1917).) all the monasteries of Moscow were abolished. Some of them were completely destroyed, new buildings were built in their place. So Voznesensky and Chudov monasteries disappeared, as well as Zlatoust, Strastnaya and Nikitsky. Some (a very small part) have become museums. This is the Don, Novodevichy monasteries. Only in the late 90's the situation of church monasteries began to improve. Most of the surviving monastic buildings were returned to the church. In many monasteries, restoration work is still underway. Today in Moscow there are 22 functioning monasteries. We will introduce you to some of them today.
Operating monasteries in Moscow
First of all I would like to talk aboutSt. Danilov, or Danilovsky, as it is often called, the monastery. This is the residence of His Holiness the Patriarch. It is the oldest Moscow monastery, founded in 1282 by the son of Alexander Nevsky, Daniel. After his death, he was buried in this territory. Almost four centuries later his remains were moved to another place, and in the 80s they returned to the Danilov Convent.
In 1812 the monastery was ruined by the French,then restored. In the years of power, the Bolsheviks closed it and demolished the churchyard. The burials of the famous people of Russia - Nikolai Gogol, Nikolai Rubinshtein, Nikolay Yazykov were transferred to the Novodevichy Convent. From 1931 to 1983 there was a colony for juvenile violators of the law on this territory.
In 1983, the holy monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church and completely restored.
It is located at the address - Danilovsky Val, 22 (metro station "Tula").
Male Donskoy Monastery
Founded in 1593 by the son of Ivan the Terrible, FedorIoannovich. Before, in its place, during the battle with the Crimean khan Girey, there was a marching church. According to the existing legend, the victory of the Russian army helped to win the icon of the Don Mother of God. Now she is in the Tretyakov Gallery.
The Don monastery was plundered and destroyed - in the early 1600s and with the withdrawal of French troops, in 1812.
In 1917, it was closed, and on its territory the Museum of Architecture was founded.
In 1991, the Donskoi Monastery, unfortunately, was sent with great delay to the Moscow Patriarchate. This date can be considered the day of his second birth. Since then, the monastery has been functioning again.
The abode is located at the address - Don Square, 1 (metro station "Shabolovskaya").
The Novospassky Monastery
He is also called Tsarist, because he iscenturies on its territory were buried royal persons and representatives of grand dukes. It was founded in the XIII century by Prince Daniel. He was transferred several times. The current monastery, the photo of which you see in our article, was rebuilt in 1645.
After the revolution, the monastery, like many others,was closed. On its territory, they organized a prison for the NKVD. The pogost with the burials of the Zakharins, Romanovs and other princely families was barbarously destroyed. After the Second World War, a sobering-up place was located here. Since 1968, the Monastery housed the Museum of Restoration. Since that time, restoration work has begun in the surviving buildings.
In 1990, it was returned to the Orthodox believers and again began to exist as a functioning monastery.
Its address is Peasant Square, 10 (metro stations Proletarskaya, Krestyanskaya).
Monasteries of Moscow (working) women
Pre-revolutionary Moscow was rightfully proud of its church buildings. Temples and cathedrals delighted the overseas guests. Below you can see the women's monasteries of the capital.
Alekseevsky Monastery
Старейшая женская обитель, основанная в 1360 году Metropolitan Alexis in Chertolia, on a hill above the Moska River, at that time was called by his name. The stone cathedral church was built by decree of Ivan the Terrible, who prayed for the birth of the heir, in 1514. The monastery burned several times, but it was restored. In 1547, he burned to the ground. In 1584, Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of the Alekseevsky Monastery in a new place where the Cathedral of Christ the Savior is now located. Some novices did not want to leave the ashes of the burned-out monastery, and on this site the temple was rebuilt and named Zachatievsky. Until now, thousands of believers have been praying diligently about the long-awaited conception.
In Soviet times, many of the premises of the monastery were blown up, some destroyed. On the territory of a children's colony and a prison.
In the 90s the monastery was returned to the OrthodoxChurches. By 2010, it was fully restored and re-acquired the status of a functioning monastery. You can see the photo in our article, and its address is 2nd Zachatievsky Pereulok 2 (Park Kultury and Kropotkinskaya metro stations).
Novodevichy Convent
It was erected by Prince Vasily III on the occasion of the return of the ancient city of Smolensk to the Moscow principality, in 1524.
In the old days it was the most privileged and very rich monastery in the country. Women of noble birth came to him and before the tonsure they sacrificed their jewelry, gold, pearls, silver.
By the beginning of the XVII century, was already formedmagnificent ensemble, created in the style of Moscow baroque. The openwork crowns decorated the towers, the second tallest bell tower in Moscow was built, as well as the Assumption Church and the refectory.
The history of the Novodevichy Convent keeps the secrets of novices who got into it against their will. Here, the first wife of Peter I, Evdokia Lopukhina, the boyarina Morozova, the princess Sophia, languished in captivity.
By a happy coincidence, the monasterysurvived in 1812. However, after 1917, he did not escape the fate that awaited all the monasteries of Moscow. The new authorities in those days closed it in 1922. The Museum of the Emancipation of Women began its work here, which was later transformed into an art museum. You can find it at - Novodevichy passage, Building 1 (metro station "Sportivnaya").
Virgin Mary-Christmas monastery
All the monasteries of Moscow - active and already lost - are very different. Not only in its "age", but also in architectural style.
In 1386, the mother of the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo Field, Vladimir the Brave, Princess Maria Serpukhov founded the Mother of God Nativity Monastery. It was erected in honor of the victory on the Kulikovo field.
The first sisters of the monastery were orphans and widows.killed on the battlefield warriors. It is necessary to say that since the ancient times of the Baptism of Russia, the Orthodox have reverently honored the Queen of Heaven with special reverence. Her earthly life was dedicated to the temples and monasteries of Moscow. The current monasteries, to one degree or another, keep the bright memory of the Mother of Theotokos. In memory of her temples were built in the pre-Mongol period. One of the first was the Virgin-Rozhdestvensky Monastery.
Over time, it has grown.In 1505, the stone Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God appeared, in the following years it was rebuilt several times. In 1687, the Church of St. John Chrysostom appeared on the territory of the monastery. In 1836, the bell tower and church of Eugene of Kherson were built. According to the project of architect P. Vinogradov, in 1906, the Church of the Kazan Mother of God was built.
In 1922 the monastery was closed, and until the 70s allthe premises of the monastery were occupied by communal apartments. At the very end of the 1980s, the cloister was returned to the Moscow Patriarchate. Worship began in 1989, and the first monks appeared here in 1993. Since then, the monastery began to live a normal measured life. Its address is Rozhdestvenka Street, house 20.
We have presented you only some monasteries.Moscow (acting). We have indicated the addresses of the monasteries here for your convenience. If you want to see them with your own eyes - come, you will always be happy.
