The Zadonsky Monastery. Monasteries of the Lipetsk region. Zadonsky Monastery: how to get there

With the revival of Christianity in Russia, more and more people are striving to learn the history of the emergence, the formation of their own Orthodox faith, and also to see and experience the beauty and strength of our spiritual culture with our own eyes. The Lipetsk region is a fine example of the development of Orthodoxy in Russia, where, after a prolonged spiritual devastation, the ancient traditions of this faith were successfully revived.

History of Orthodoxy in the Lipetsk Region

On the Lipetsk land Orthodoxy came in the days of Kievan Rus. At the turn of the XIV-XV centuries, all the Upper Don region as a result of permanent Mongol-Tatar raids turned into wastelands. Only in the middle of the XVI century the Orthodox population returned here, and with the advent of the clergy and the construction of the first temples, faith began to revive. At this time there are Zadonskiy Bogoroditsky, Donkovsky Pokrovsky, Elensky Troitsky Orthodox monasteries of Russia. In the XVII-XVIII centuries, the Lipetsk region belonged to the Voronezh and Ryazan dioceses, and then, until the events of 1917, its Orthodox history is connected with the Orel, Tambov, Tula, Ryazan ecclesiastical districts. At the beginning of the twentieth century, around ten monasteries and five hundred temples operated in the present borders of the region.

After the revolution, during the Bolshevik persecutions, most of the temples were destroyed, and the shrines acquired over the centuries were plundered or destroyed. Since then, Orthodoxy in the Lipetsk land has been revived several times with the establishment of the Lipetsk Diocese in 1926, but the constant repression and persecution of the clergy led the church to utter decay. Only in the 1980s, when the state's attitude toward faith changed, a new stage in the development of Christianity begins. Restored temples and monasteries in the vicinity of Lipetsk, as well as actively built new ones. At the same time, the real gem of the Orthodoxy of the Lipetsk region-the Zadonsky Monastery-was restored.

Lipetsk monasteries

The Lipetsk region is rich in historical cult buildings, belonging to Orthodoxy. In the territory of the Lipetsk region there are 9 functioning monasteries, 281 parishes, 316 churches, 34 chapels, and the number of clerics is 365 people. Such spiritual wealth, naturally, can not but attract pilgrims and tourists. Some go here, hoping for a miraculous healing, others - for advice or blessing, others just admire the monasteries of the Lipetsk region. The following monastic monasteries located in this region can meet the spiritual needs of the suffering today:

• Zadonskiy Christmas-Bogoroditsky Monastery;
• Zadonsky Holy Trinity Monastery of Tikhon;
• Zadonsky Theotokos-Tikhonovsky Tyuninsky Monastery;
• Zadonsky Tikhonovsky Transfiguration Monastery;
• Troitsky Yeletsky Monastery;
• Znamensky Yeletsky Monastery;
• Troekurovsky Dmitrievsky Illarionovsky Monastery;
• Troitsky Lebedyansky Monastery;
• Uspensky Lipetsk Monastery.

The most popular among pilgrims and tourists deservedly enjoyed is the Zadonsk Monasteries. Photos of these works of architecture can be seen in this article, the schedule of divine services and news of the spiritual world can be viewed on the website of the Lipetsk Diocese.

Russian Jerusalem

A small town Zadonsk is located in a picturesque area 60 kilometers from Lipetsk, on the left bank of the Don, near the federal highway Rostov-on-Don-Moscow. This settlement originated at Teshevsky (from the name of the Teshevka River) monastery in 1620. Later, in 1779, the settlement became known as Zadonsk, and the local monastery acquired the name Zadonsky Monastery. The glory of "Russian Jerusalem", as Zadonsk is also called, is associated with St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, who appeared here in 1769 and dedicated his life to the revival and formation of Orthodoxy in these parts. In 1861, Tikhon, who gave a spiritual beginning to the Zadonsky monasteries, was canonized. The main attractions of the Zadonsky district and the city itself, which has become the largest center of the Orthodox faith and spiritual Christian culture, are three active and one preserved monastery.

St Tikhon

The future hierarch and bishop was born in 1724 in the village of Korotsko in the family of the deacon. In the world, Tikhon Zadonsky was named Timothy Sokolov. His father Savely died early, and given that the family lived very poorly, after fulfilling his son for 14 years, his mother sent him to Novgorod, where Timothy was admitted to the Theological Seminary. Having shown good knowledge, he was transferred to state security, and in 1754, after the end of the training course, he remained a teacher of rhetoric at the seminary, but more and more he was visited by thoughts of monasticism. After one mysterious incident, when Timothy miraculously escaped the fall from the ladder, he finally decides to serve God, and in 1758 she was cut into monks named Tikhon. In the same year he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and appointed rector in the Tver Seminary.

Three years later, by the decision of the Holy Synod, Tikhon became Bishop of Novgorod, and in 1763 received a referral to Voronezh. At that time, the Voronezh diocese was not going through the best of times: the Don steppes were inhabited by various sectarians and Old Believers, and among the educated people most of them worshiped pagan gods. There is a known case when the bishop learned about the celebrations in honor of the god Yarila in the very center of Voronezh. He personally arrived at the square and made a speech, from which part of the crowd fled, and another part knelt with a petition for pardon. After this event, all pagan celebrations ceased. Caring for attracting the population of the Voronezh lands to the Orthodox faith, Tikhon opened new schools, read sermons, and taught the congregation to honor the Church and the clergy. At night he wrote his works devoted to the Orthodox faith.

Over time, Tikhon's health began to deteriorate, and he was forced to retire, retiring to the Zadonsky Monastery and giving away all his possessions. But here the saint continued to work. He wrote the book "Spiritual treasure, collected from the world", "True Christianity", "Letter of the Cells", which in the future will play an important role in the formation of Orthodoxy. Tikhon had a unique perspicacity, which enabled him to predict the war with France, the fire in Petersburg and the end of Napoleon. After the lapse of 15 years, lived in the monastery, the prelate, broken by paralysis, fell down, but continued to pray until his last day.

In 1783 Tikhon Zadonsky died. He was buried in a special crypt under the altar in the Cathedral Church of the Zadonsky Monastery. In 1846, during the construction of the church, a stone altar was dismantled, under which Tikhon rested. Despite the destroyed crypt and the time that has passed since the bishop's burial, his body remained imperishable, as well as his vestments. About this amazing fact, the Archbishop of Voronezh Antony reported to the Holy Synod and Emperor Nicholas I with the aim of discovering the relics of the hierarch. In 1861, the opening of the holy relics of the bishop took place, which was attended by more than 300 thousand pilgrims. In the same year, Tikhon Zadonsky is glorified in the face of saints.

Male Zadonskiy Christmas-Bogoroditsky Monastery

Historical sources indicate that in 1620 two monks - Gerasim and Cyril of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery, wanting privacy, crossed the Don and settled in a remote deserted desert, inhabited by only wild animals. With themselves, the elders had only a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. It was these God's people who laid the first Zadonsky monastery. The wooden buildings of the monastery were burnt to ashes during a fire in 1692, but the icon brought by the elders survived miraculously.

Since 1798, the monastery begins to rebuild, the first stone buildings appear, such as the Vladimir Church, and in 1824 buildings were built according to the plans of Voronezh architects. The best times of the monastery come in the years of Tikhon Zadonsky's reign, when the monastery gained unprecedented popularity among pilgrims from all over Russia. Continuing to recover, by the beginning of the twentieth century, it was a whole complex consisting of 6 temples, a hospice, a bell tower, a pharmacy, a hospital, a brick and candle factory.

In the post-revolutionary period, the monastery was completely looted and partially destroyed. On its territory there were various city services and offices. The desolation of the monastery continued until 1990, when its territory was transferred to the disposal of the Orthodox Church. With the restoration of the main temple of the monastery - the Vladimir Cathedral - a new era in the history of the Zadonsky Monastery began. Today, restoration work is nearing completion, and new buildings are being actively built. Part of the money for reconstruction is allocated by special federal and local programs, but most of them are own funds and donations.

The Zadonsky Monastery has 500 hectares of land, which allows it to grow a good harvest. Practice here is also cattle breeding, there is own apiary. Managed with this economy are 500 people who also conduct and construction work. In addition, about 50 people come from Lipetsk daily, mostly women, who are engaged in gratuitously farming, canning, harvesting mushrooms and berries. The Zadonsky monastery provides for itself completely, and besides, arranges free meals for pilgrims. There are no centers to help drug addicts and alcoholics, but such persons are accepted for obedience.

St. Tikhon's Transfiguration Monastery

The monastery is located 7 kilometers north of Zadonsk, on the ruins of a former monastery. In 1865, with the receipt by Archimandrite Dmitry of permission to build a monastery, monks began to live here. Tikhon Zadonsky loved to visit the monastery for a while. It was here that he wrote his main book - "The spiritual treasure, collected from the world", and also dug a well by hand on the bank of the river Prokhodni, where today there is a healing spring. Before the 1917 revolution, about 100 novices lived in the monastery, but after the October events the monastery suffered the fate of most of the religious buildings - at first it was closed and later looted and destroyed. Only in 1991 the territory was returned to the ROC. Now the St. Tikhon's Transfiguration Monastery is here, or as it is also called the Zadonsky Convent.

The main temple of the monastery is Troitsky, beside it towers the bell tower and the Transfiguration church. In memory of the stay of Tikhon Zadonsky in one of the towers, a separate cell was set up, where the icon of the saint, who was in 1998, was found. On the perpetual storage in the monastery is a particle of his relics. In 2000, on the Day of All Russian Saints, during the prayer before the eyes of pilgrims in the Trinity Church, the Cross Crucifixion blew. Particles of blood trickling from the crown of the Savior survived in the temple until today. Currently, 82 nuns live in the monastery, engaged in subsistence farming, sewing and icon painting. Zadonskiy nunnery, as well as men 's monastery, provides free shelter and a meal for the pilgrims. In summer, about 80-90 people eat here daily, and in winter - up to 1000 people.

Zadonsky Theotokos-Tikhonovsky Monastery

Another monastery is located in the village of Tyunino in the vicinity of Zadonsk. It was founded at the time when Tikhon Zadonsky ceased to head the Voronezh diocese and retired. Here, in the village of Tyuninka, at the source, the saint liked to retire for prayer. At the beginning of the XIX century, the local landowner A.F. Vikulin, inspired by the reflections of Vladyka Anthony, who visited these places, laid and built the temple of the icon of the Mother of God "The Life-giving Spring", and in 1814 in the buildings attached to the church began the hermit's life of 30 nuns. In the 1820s, A.F. Vikulin began to build another church - in honor of Alexander Nevsky. After the death of the patron, his son Vladimir began to oppress the monastery, and soon closed the main temple of the monastery, and the Nevsky church turned into an almshouse. In 1860 the monastery acquired the status of a monastic monastery, and with it the abbess. She became a nun of the Intercession Monastery of Polixenia, which from the first days of the active mansion began to work, and in 1889, through her efforts, the Ascension Church was laid.

At the beginning of the 20th century the monastery consisted of 86 novices and 45 nuns. At first the Bolsheviks did not change anything in the life of the monastery, but already in 1919, after the death of the abbess, all lands and property were confiscated. Melitina became the abbess of the empty monastic refuge, thanks to which the community could survive for more than 10 years. In 1930, local authorities decided to transfer the sacred territory for the benefit of councils and the eviction of nuns. In response, novices resisted, for which they were convicted and sent into exile, and Melitina was shot in the prison Yelets. The revival of the monastic monastery, initiated by the inhabitants of the neighboring Nativity-Bogoroditsky monastery, began only in 1994.

At the moment, the restoration work is being completed. The Cathedral temple of the monastery is Voznesensky. Next to it is a sister building with a refectory and the adjoining church of Alexander Nevsky. In 2005, the accomplishment of the holy spring of Tikhon of Zadonskiy was completed, and the pilgrims and tourists aspire to bathe in the healing waters. Today the monastic order has become stronger here. The community is headed by the prioress Arseny. As well as it is necessary in monasteries, novices are occupied on an economy, and also constantly pray to God, the Theotokos and prelate Tikhon. Five times a week there is a Divine Liturgy, daily prayers are performed.

Zadonsky Holy Trinity Tikhon's Monastery

The Holy Trinity nunnery, formerly called Skorybyshchensky, is located 90 km from Zadonsk, in the town of Lebedyan - the district center of the Lipetsk region. The monastery originated at the turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries from the monastic community founded by Matrona Popova, who, having just begun a charitable deed, died. The embodiment of the dream of Matrona was continued by her executor, Protopriest Peter, who built the church of the icon of the Mother of God to the funds left by the nun. In 1860, the church was consecrated by Bishop Joseph of Voronezh, and with him began the community of sisters of mercy named after Tikhon of Zadonsk.

In the 1870s a stone fence was built around the community buildings, as well as a bell tower. In 1889, by the decision of the Holy Synod, the community was erected in the Zadonsky Holy Trinity Tikhonovsky Women's Monastery, which, successfully developing, existed until 1917. After the revolution, the buildings were gradually taken away, and in 1929 the community ceased to exist. Today on the territory of the monastery there are office spaces of Zadonskgaz and a bakery. From the whole complex, only the Holy Trinity Cathedral was placed at the disposal of the Church.

Pilgrimages to Zadonsk

Every year thousands of pilgrims rush to Zadonsk. Most visitors come here during the celebration of great Orthodox holidays: Easter, Christmas, Intercession. Most often the motive of pilgrimage is the desire to confess, pray, touch imperishable relics or a miraculous icon, gain grace, receive a blessing, bathe in a sacred source, and make donations or even take a vow. Many Orthodox people come here to order the treasures in the Zadonsky Monastery.

It is believed that the sacraments performed here are of great strength. Independently setting off on such a trip, it should be borne in mind that on holidays it is almost impossible to settle in Zadonsk, the city is filled with visitors, so they agree on settlement in advance, having booked accommodation by phone or via the Internet. There are practically no problems with visiting monasteries. The Zadonsky Monastery is a place where no one will be refused, and maybe even fed. Here you can buy goods and organic products produced by community members, from kvass and milk to utensils and wood products, not counting souvenirs and objects of worship.

How to get to the monasteries

Getting to Zadonsk is a simple matter, because it is located near the Rostov highway M-4. Right in the center of the city is the Nativity-Bogoroditsky Zadonsky Monastery. How to get there? Or get off the Rostov highway, anyone will tell you, including not the local one. From Zadonsk to Tyunino, where the Virgin-Tikhon monastery is located, you can get by bus, minibus or, as a true Orthodox, on foot. The distance between the villages is just over 2 km. A bit further, about 7 km from Zadonsk, is located the St. Tikhon's Monastery, which is accessible by public transport or taxi. It is more difficult to get to Lebedyan. There is the Holy Trinity Monastery of Zadon. A map of highways or car navigation will help in this. It is more convenient to get to and from Lipetsk. Given this location, one day to visit all the Zadonskiye monasteries is quite problematic.