Diocese of Neftekamskaya: description, temples

At the end of December 2011, a meeting of the Holy Synod dedicated to the issues of managing internal church life took place, at which it was decided to withdraw from the Ufa diocese two independent administrative-territorial structures. These new formations were named Neftekamsk Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church and Salavatskaya. According to the decree of October 4, 2012, the word "Birskaya" was added to the name of the first one.

New Head of Neftekamsk Eparchy

Both these dioceses in administrative division are part of the Bashkortostan metropolia, which was entrusted to the ruling bishop of the Ufa diocese, Metropolitan Nikon (Vasyukov). At the same meeting of the Holy Synod, it was decided that the Diocese of Neftekamskaya was entrusted to His Eminence Ambrose (Munteanu), Bishop Neftekamsk and Belebeyevsky.

On that day, the divine service was headed personally by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. It was called the week before. Already in the middle of the month, Reverend Ambrose, arriving at a new place of service, began to fulfill his archpastoral duties.

Geography of the Neftekamsk Diocese

It should be noted that the work was very important for him, since the diocese of Neftekamsk is very extensive and extends to the territory of twenty-six administrative districts that make up the Republic of Bashkortostan, among which are Askinsky, Baltachaevsky, Bakalinsky, Belebeyevsky, Belokotaysky, Blagovarsky, Birsky, Buraevsky, Boozdyak, Dyurtyuli, Duvansky, Ilishevsiy, Ermikeevsky, Karaidelsky, Kaltasinsky, Krasnokamsky, Kiginsky, Mishkinsky, Mechetlinsky, Salavatsky, Nurimanovsky, Tuimazinsky, Tatyshlinsky, Sharansky, kmagushevsky and YANAULSKY.

The Neftekamsk Birsk Eparchy includes six deaneries - the territories on which the parishes located in close proximity are located and headed by clergymen appointed by the diocesan bishop, in this case, His Grace Amvrosiy. Among them - Belebeevo, First Birsk, Second Birsk, East, Neftekamsk and October Deanery.

The monastery is the repository of miraculous relics

Diocese Neftekamskaya is famous throughout the country for the holy monasteries located on its territory. The most famous of them is the women's Virgin-Tikhvin Monastery, located in Belebeevsky district, in Priyutovo settlement. Hundreds of pilgrims annually flock to him to pay homage to the relics of the holy blessed Varvara Skvorchikhinsky, celebrated in 2001 in the face of local saints.

This ascetic, who chose her ascetic feat of seclusion by retiring from a world full of vanity and unbelief, spent about forty years in a cramped village barn adapted for her cell. Days and nights the blessed spent in unceasing prayers, finding nevertheless time to accept all who went to her for spiritual instruction. After her death, which followed in 1966, miracles began to be performed at the grave of the righteous, which was an indisputable proof of her holiness.

Monastery in Birsk

Another famous and highly revered abode, which is famous for the Diocese of Neftekamskaya, is the Holy Trinity Convent in Birsk, headed by the abbot Filaret (Gavryushenko). His fame he received thanks to the numerous miracles revealed through prayers before the icon of the blessed Matrona of Moscow with the holy relics.

Monastery in the Name of the Prophet Elijah

Also widely known is the Prophet-Elias Monastery in the village of Mesyagutovo, Duvan district. His rector is personally the head of the Neftekamsk eparchy, His Grace, Ambrose. The monastery was founded in 1998, and its center was a miraculously preserved rural church, built in 1826 and closed and defiled in the years of Soviet power, like many shrines of Russia.

Today, the monastery's residents have developed a wide church-enlightenment work aimed at filling the gaps in religious knowledge, which were the result of decades of nation-wide atheism. In addition, the monastic brotherhood also provides practical assistance to all those in need, supplying them with products, warm clothes and essential necessities as far as they can. The whole diocese of Neftekamsk helps them in this charitable cause.

Revival of the spiritual life of the province

In addition to the above, another women's monastery is being built on the territory of the diocese, located in the village of Bugabashevo, Bakalinsky district. Currently, it is under construction and consists of only one wooden housing block and a small house church.

In the years that followed the restructuring and establishment of democratic governance in the country, numerous churches were revived, previously closed, abandoned or used for various economic needs. This beneficial process affected the temples of the Neftekamsk eparchy. Those of them that were to be restored, were restored and consecrated, and the destroyed ones are newly rebuilt.

Temples returned from nonexistence

The main temple of the diocese is the Petropavlovsk cathedral of the city of Neftekamsk, built in 1845. After his return to the church in 1992, it took a whole decade of restorative and restoration work before he re-opened his doors to the parishioners.

Also, the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Birsk is recognized as an outstanding monument of church architecture of the past centuries. Built and consecrated in 1841, it became the main spiritual center of the region. During the years of communist rule, the temple was closed and only thanks to perestroika returned to the believers. In the process of restoration on its walls, under layers of plaster, found unique frescoes, which are a valuable monument of temple painting.

Church services in the Neftekamsk and Bier Diocese are daily held in the temples around which more than a hundred parishes are formed. The spiritual care of such a large flock is occupied by the numerous army of clerics, which is the true Christ's army, which has entrusted itself with the great mission of the revival of Russian Orthodoxy.