Holy places of Russia… Probably, there are not so many people who would never have heard of such places. Pilgrimages here are made by both Russians and guests from near and far abroad.
But have you ever wondered what lies behind the popular tourist destination called "Holy Places of Russia"? Why are travelers drawn there with such force and enviable constancy? Is there some mystery or mystery in this?
This article will tell not only about the holy places in Russia themselves, the reader will get acquainted with the nuances and details of this kind of travel, and also find out where to look first of all when visiting a huge country.
General information and relevance of the issue
Before you go on a trip to the holy places of Russia, it is still worth reading some information.
There are places on the Russian land that attract pilgrims from all over the world. Usually, various holy springs, temples, monasteries, incorruptible relics of saints and burials of the righteous are considered to be such. By visiting such places, a person is spiritually cleansed, charged with positive energy, discovers something new.for himself and rethinks the essence of life on earth.
It turns out that it is those who mentally stand on the threshold of spiritual changes who come to the holy places of Russia. Naturally, they prepare for such a trip in advance.
Pilgrimage to the holy places of Russia
Features of this kind of tours are in specific directions. The specificity of pilgrims is determined by the peculiarity of the religious consciousness of believers.
The main motives for making a pilgrimage are the following: the desire to pray, find grace, touch incorruptible relics or a miraculous icon, perform the sacrament of confession with a special religious figure in a certain holy place, make a donation, make a vow, etc.
How do people understand that they will be interested in a trip to the holy places of Russia? The decision on the pilgrimage can be made independently or with the blessing of the spiritual father.
As a rule, the intensity and nature of such trips depend on the political and economic situation of a particular country, the level of social and material condition of citizens. The travel patterns of religious pilgrims are influenced by the climate and geographic location of the destinations.
Duration of the pilgrimage tour
Geographically holy places in Russia are very often located at some distance from settlements.
All pilgrimage trips are divided by duration into multi-day, one-day or weekend tours.
Tours to Russia's holy places rarely last longer12 days. Most of the time takes a pilgrimage to the most distant regions of Russia (Yekaterinburg, Tobolsk and Altai).
Any route of such a plan should be complete and logical. For example, when a pilgrim wants to see holy places near Tobolsk or Yekaterinburg, it is best for him to go on a comprehensive tour that covers all the main shrines in the Urals. Thus, in one trip he will be able to visit all the shrines of the Central and Northern Urals, as well as cover the path of the Royal Martyrs of the Urals and Siberia.
Where do parishioners go most often?
If we consider tours to the holy places of Russia on regional grounds, we can determine the directions of the most visited places in the country.
Most often, pilgrims go to the center and northwest. Many travel along the Golden Ring, visit Kursk, Diveevo (Nizhny Novgorod region), Zadonsk (Lipetsk region).
Vologda and Arkhangelsk (Solovki) lands, Karelia (Kizhi and Valaam), Veliky Novgorod, Pskov are interesting in the North-West region of Russia. The latter is famous for the Pechora and Pushkin mountains, many pilgrims visit the Talap Islands.
The main important places for parishioners are the monasteries and deserts of the Russian Orthodox Church. There are 26 deserts and 313 monasteries on the territory of the state. Excursions to the holy places of Russia are held regularly.
Many cities of the Golden Ring are very closely connected with the history of the spread of Orthodoxy in Russia. It is there that there are a large number of shrines,therefore, almost all temples and monasteries are objects of pilgrimage. The most visited cities are Alexandrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yaroslavl, Rostov the Great, Uglich, Kostroma, Sergiev Posad, Tutaev, Vladimir and Suzdal.
Also, many monasteries have recently been opened and restored in Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar and Arkhyz. Pilgrimages to Altai are interesting in connection with the study of local traditions.
How to choose the time to travel?
It can be difficult to identify and get ahead of the most favorable period for pilgrimage. As a rule, in summer it is more convenient and comfortable to make long trips (from 3 to 7-12 days) over long distances.
Spring and autumn are usually shorter programs (2-3 days). Only big holidays are an exception, because. these days it doesn't really matter if the regular calendar day falls on that date or not.
Holy places of Russia: Valaam
One of the most popular tourist destinations is the world-famous island of Valaam. It is part of a rather large archipelago, which is located in the north of Lake Ladoga. In total, several hundred people live on the island. The main population of the archipelago are fishermen, foresters and monks. On the territory of the island is the Valaam Monastery, where pilgrims come from all over the world.
The time and history of the spread of Christianity on the island of Valaam is unknown, but there is evidence that the monastery already existed at the beginning of the 16th century.
In thoseAt times, such saints as Arseny Konevsky, the Monk Abraham of Rostov, Savvaty of Solovetsky, Adrian Ondrusovsky and Alexander Svirsky lived there. To this day, all monasteries operate here, and there are also several branches of the monastery (about ten).
There is also a weather station and a military unit on the territory of the islands. The glory of the high spiritual life of the monastery, the amazing nature of the island, the beauty and severity of monastic services attracts a lot of pilgrims to Valaam.
Solovki is a famous place of pilgrimage
Solovki Monastery is a stauropegial male monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is located in the White Sea on the Solovetsky Islands, deserts and hermitages - on the islands of the archipelago.
The monastery was founded by the monks Zosim, Savvaty and German back in 1436. Many people know that in the 1920s there was a camp for political prisoners at the monastery.
Under the Soviet Union it was also called "Solovki", or "Russian Golgotha". The relics of the founders are still kept on the territory of the monastery. Many righteous people lived in this monastery, who after death were canonized as saints.
Today the monastery is a major social and spiritual center. Pilgrimage here has always been considered a feat that few dared to perform. Now the Solovetsky Monastery is visited not only by pilgrims, but also by researchers, and historians, and scientists.
Ganina Yama gaining popularity
In the Sverdlovsk region there is an abandoned Isetsky mine - Ganina Yama. Pilgrims who come to the Urals always try to visit this holy place. It is also called the Temple on the Blood. It was built on the site where the house once stood, in the basement of which, on the night of July 17, 1918, the Emperor of Russia Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Fedorovna, children - Alexy, Tatiana, Olga, Anastasia and Maria were shot together with the servants.
Then the bodies were taken to the Isetsky mine and thrown into the mine near the Ganina pit, and the clothes were burned. On the second day, the unfortunate were reburied in distant mines. After 60 years, this burial was found by a group of searchers. Since the 70s, pilgrims began to visit this place to pay tribute to the holy land in which the royal martyrs were buried.
In 2000, the construction of a monastery and several churches began at Ganina Yama. Now 7 churches are open there, in which particles of the relics of Spyridon of Trimifuntsky and the relics of the holy martyrs nun Barbara and Grand Duchess Elizabeth are kept.
The holy spring of Talezh village
Among the special places in Russia marked by grace, there is the holy spring of St. David in the village of Talezh, Chekhov District, Moscow Region. It is located near the Ascension Davidov Hermitage. This is a male monastery, which is located in the village of Novyi Byt.
Pilgrims to Talezh have long been attracted by spring water, which has healing properties. It's a holy springgiving a person cheerfulness, he alth and joy of life. They say, touching this clean water, the parishioner feels his soul becomes lighter.
Next to the source, pilgrims have the opportunity to bathe in a well-equipped bathhouse specially built for this purpose. Sacred water is believed to have the power to purify and sanctify the soul and body.
