Zachatyevsky Monastery: risen from the ashes

Sights of the capital are operating women's monasteries of Moscow. Forged many centuries ago, they still give shelter to the nuns and are the pilgrimage centers of believers.

One of the most famous among these monuments is Zachatievsky Monastery. Moscow has repeatedly witnessed the miracles that occurred in it.

In the monastery come women with a terrible diagnosis - infertility, praying about conceiving and bearing a child. Having knelt before the icon of the Mother of God, repented of their sins, praying in the church of the Holy Orthodox Anna, the women miraculously recover, give birth to healthy, strong children. One of the women said that she had gone through 8 IVF procedures, but the doctors could not help. Only after arriving at the monastery and gaining faith in recovery, she was able to become a happy mother.

The monastery helps not only infertile women - there is an almshouse, which provides shelter for the elderly and care for sick nestlings.

Zachatievsky Monastery dates back to 1360. It was at this time that Alexy Moskovsky, the famous prelate of that time, laid the foundation of the church and founded a monastery with her. It is believed that the first his people were the half-siblings of Alexius: the abbess of Julian and a simple nun who bore the name Eupraxia.

In 1547 the monastery burned down. He did not recover, but moved to another place. However, on the ashes remained a small community of monks, which restored burned buildings. 40 years later the Zachatiev Monastery again began to function.

In 1612 the monastery was again destroyed, this time during the Polish invasion, and was again revived after a while.

Gradually the complex begins to increase. There are several new cathedrals, and for the almshouse, which operated at the monastery from the beginning of its history, a new building with its own church in honor of the descent of the Holy Spirit is being built. On the site of the old dilapidated buildings stands the Nativity Cathedral, and on the whole territory new and new residential and farm buildings are growing.

In 1927 the Soviets issued a decree on the closure of the monastery. Zachatievsky monastery ceased to exist. The walls surrounding the monastery were destroyed, the temples and buildings destroyed. On the territory of the monastery a school was opened. Some icons were saved and moved to other churches, but most of the creations of the ancient icon painters disappeared without a trace.

Restore Zachatievsky monastery began only in the 1960s. However, instead of reconstructing the ruins, a "Moscow" basin was built here - this was the second desecration of the holy monastery. Finally, in the 1990s the pool was demolished: it was decided to restore the monastery. And the work began to boil. First, several buildings were rebuilt, then services began, and the sisterhood was given the status of a stauropegic monastery, independent of the diocese.

A religious procession was held, during which the Staff of the last abbess and some icons were returned to the monastery. In 2001, the first inhabitants of the monastery of Julian and Eupraxia were joined to the saints.

Now the divine services are held in several temples operating on the territory: Conception of the righteous Anna, the Nativity of Christ and the Blessed Virgin, the Savior Not Made by Hands, etc.