The city of Murom is deservedly considered the heart of Russian Orthodoxy. Thousands of tourists come here every year not only from our country, but also foreign guests to enjoy the atmosphere of cleanliness and peace.
Today we will make a virtual trip to the Annunciation Monastery, which is located next to the Trinity Monastery. Compared to the latter, the Holy Annunciation Monastery in Murom is more strict and ascetic. Its territory is small, but it is well-groomed, decorated with flowers. An amazing atmosphere of peace and tranquility reigns here.
Annunciation Monastery in Murom: history
The monastery was founded by decree of Ivan the Terrible. This happened in the middle of the 16th century. Previously, this place was the Annunciation Church, where the relics of the holy princes of Murom - Konstantin and his sons Fedor and Mikhail were kept. Prince Konstantin received Murom as an inheritance and his name is inextricably linked with the history of the baptism of the townspeople.
The "Tale of the establishment of Christianity in Murom", which dates back to the 16th century, says that pagans who refused to accept Christianity were brutally killedson of the prince's son - Michael, and came close to his chambers. Prince Konstantin came out to meet them, who held in his hands not a weapon, as enemies expected, but an icon of the Mother of God, which later became known as Muromskaya.
The image in the hands of the prince shone, and the pagans, amazed by this miracle, unquestioningly accepted Christianity. Those who survived the necessary fasting were baptized by Murom Bishop Vasily in the Oka. Prince Konstantin and his sons were canonized at a church council in 1547, but even before that they were considered saints in Murom.
Proceeding from this, it becomes completely clear why Ivan the Terrible, who before the legendary campaign against Kazan prayed to these saints in Murom, immediately after the victory in the campaign ordered to found a monastery on the place where they were buried.
From the first days of its existence, the monastery was not deprived of royal favors: by a letter of 1558, she received a monetary salary, as well as a bread ruga from the customs revenues of Murom, a large collection of unique church utensils was sent from Moscow to the monastery, and a solid financial assistance from the treasury, donated several villages.
Annunciation Cathedral
The cathedral was erected on the site of an old demolished temple. During the dismantling of a wooden structure, the Annunciation Monastery in Murom found the relics of the holy princes. This temple has not been preserved in its original form to this day, since it was rebuilt several times and today, unfortunately, in itsin appearance, almost nothing resembles a structure that was erected by Moscow craftsmen sent by Ivan the Terrible.
The Annunciation Cathedral rises on a high basement, and is a rectangle, elongated from south to north. Such a layout is quite typical for religious buildings of the 16th century. The architectural details of the cathedral are close to the architecture of Moscow architecture. The cathedral is distinguished by monumental proportions and strict forms. The building is vertically divided by wide pilaster blades into three equal parts. The bases of the drums are a high cornice with denticles. Kokoshniks rest on pilaster blades.
The walls of the Cathedral of the Annunciation are a complex sculptural structure, which consists of differently processed window casings: a jagged crown or a keeled kokoshnik. The columns of the architraves are represented by capsules and beads of different colors. The architectural details of the cathedral have much in common with both Murom traditional monuments and examples of Moscow architecture of the 17th century. However, the Murom temples, by the nature of the patterns, constitute a separate, special group in the history of Russian architecture.
Architecturally, the southern façade can be considered exceptional. Thanks to very strict proportions, preserved from the 17th century, a perfect and harmonious composition has been created here. There is a basement, which in fact is a powerful plinth, the entrance to which is framed by pilasters. They are supported by a pediment of complex design. In the side parts there are arched windows,recessed in niches.
During the invasion of the Polish-Lithuanian troops of Pan Lisovsky (1616), the monastery suffered a lot. The cathedral was ruthlessly destroyed and plundered. After the end of the war and the turmoil, the monastery was not immediately restored, and again it was not without the favors of the king. At the same time, the main funds for the restoration of the cathedral and the monastery were allocated by the Murom merchant T. B. Tsvetnov, who at the very end of his life in the monastery took tonsure, receiving the name Tikhon. Here he was also buried.
Although the cathedral is one-story, two rows of windows give the unusual impression that it is two-story. This interesting technique was used in many temple buildings of the 16th-17th centuries.
Recovery
In 1664, the main cathedral of the Holy Annunciation Monastery in Murom was actually rebuilt: only the basement survived from the previous building. Today it is a lavishly decorated building in the style of Russian patterning, with five domes, rows of kokoshniks located on top of the quadrangle, a beautiful hipped porch and a bell tower.
A watch was installed on it at the expense of Tarasy Tsvetnova. Initially, the domes of the temple had a helmet-shaped form, but later they were made onion-shaped. The walls are decorated with magnificent carvings - carved cornices, semi-columns, platbands.
Iconostasis
In the Annunciation Monastery of Murom, more precisely, in the cathedral of the same name, an amazing six-tiered baroque iconostasis has been preserved. It was installed in the cathedral in 1797 and probably survived only due to the fact that inSoviet times the temple was not closed. It has preserved unique icons of the 16th-18th centuries.
The interior of the cathedral is also quite consistent with the iconostasis: the magnificent portal, which adorned the entrance from the porch, amazes with a variety of decorations. After the Lithuanian ruin of the Annunciation Monastery in Murom, only this cathedral remained stone. In 1652, an entry about the stone church of John the Theologian was preserved in the annals, which has not survived to this day. Other buildings were still wooden.
Stefani Church
The Holy Annunciation Monastery in Murom in 1716 was replenished with another stone building. They became Stefanievskaya gate church. The exact date of its construction is questioned by some experts, since the inventory of 1678 already mentions a stone church, presumably Stefanievskaya.
It is notable for its rather modest and at the same time graceful architecture: the quadrangle crowns one row of kokoshniks, and the drum, located under the only cupola, is decorated with fine beautiful carving. Everything in this temple is reminiscent of the architectural traditions of Murom churches dating back to the 17th century. Despite some changes made in the 19th century, the temple has not actually lost its original appearance.
In 1811, the Annunciation Monastery in Murom was surrounded by a stone fence with towers. Around the same time, the gate church was renovated.
Moscowshrines
During the war with Napoleon's army, relics from Moscow were brought to the Annunciation Monastery of Murom. These were the icons of the Iberian and Vladimir Mother of God. They were kept in the cathedral, and then they were transported to Vladimir. Stone temples were not erected in the Annunciation Monastery of Murom. Only in 1828 was a cell building built, and in 1900 a house for the abbot was erected.
Monastery in Soviet times
In Soviet times, the monastery, like most religious buildings, was closed, the brethren moved to live in city houses, but, oddly enough, the Cathedral of the Annunciation remained active: divine services were still conducted there.
In 1923, a shrine with the relics of Murom princes was opened. After that, they were transferred to the museum as exhibits. The cathedral was still closed in 1940, but not for long - until 1942.
Return of the ROC
In 1989, the holy relics were returned to the temple, and in 1991 the Annunciation Monastery in Murom began to live a measured life again. Its address is st. Krasnoarmeiskaya, 16. Today it is visited by numerous tourists and pilgrims to bow to the shrines stored here.
These include:
- Raku with the relics of Princes Konstantin, Fyodor and Mikhail of Murom.
- The icon of the holy princes of Murom.
- Icon of Elijah Muromets.
- Icon of Saints Peter and Fevronia.
- Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.
- The Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign.
- Icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Iveron Mother of God Icon
This icon is considered miraculous. She is in the cathedralMonastery of the Annunciation in Murom. The icon is located on the right side of the temple, by the window, next to the right altar. This image is a copy of the world-famous among Christians all over the world of the Athos Icon of the Mother of God, as well as a copy of the Iberian Icon, which was brought to the monastery as a gift in 1812. Pilgrims claim that this is an icon of extraordinary strength and beauty.
Under the glass are stored numerous gold and silver jewelry, with which people thanked the Mother of God for the speedy and miraculous fulfillment of requests heard in prayers. Next to this icon is another shrine - the image of Ilya Muromets and a particle of his relics. This icon was donated to the Annunciation Monastery in Murom by the monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In its caves there is a Russian hero.
Monastery burials
On the territory of the Annunciation Monastery in Murom, ancient burial places have been preserved to this day: the grave of one of the first abbots of the monastery, Archimandrite Alexy, in the world of Andrei Polisadov, great-great-grandfather of the famous poet Andrei Voznesensky, who dedicated the poem "Andrey Polisadov" to his memory.
On the territory of the Holy Annunciation Monastery there is another shrine that pilgrims always visit - the grave of Elder Apollonius. Today, a chapel has been built on the site of his burial, in which pilgrims pray for the repose of the elder's soul. They are sure that Apollonius hears them well, and therefore he fulfills the requests addressed to him so quickly.
Annunciation Monastery in Murom: service schedule
Daily
- Start of Midnight Office - 5.30.
- Morning prayers - 6.00.
- Compline - 20.00.
- Prayers for the coming dream - 20.40.
Tuesday
Prayer service with akathist to St. Lazar of Murom the Wonderworker - 12.40
Friday
Prayer service before the icon "The Tsaritsa" (for the suffering and sick) - 12.30
Saturday
- Requiem service (commemoration of the dead) - 10.00.
- Evening service - 16.00.
Sunday
- Divine Liturgy - 9.30.
- Prayer for the blessing of water - 12.30.
It is necessary to clarify the schedule of services on holidays in the Annunciation Monastery of Murom. Phone numbers of the information service are on the official website. We hope that if you manage to visit this Murom monastery, you will truly enjoy the tour.
