Stavropegic Holy Cross Jerusalem Convent (v. Lukino, Moscow Region)

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

An inexplicable feeling covers when you hear the stories of monasteries. As well as human destinies, they are also unique, and their ways are inscrutable. Today, the cloisters are being restored and growing, and several decades ago they were defiled, burned, and closed. Holy Cross Jerusalem Convent is no exception. Its history, like that of other monasteries, is filled with various events.

Stavropegic monastery - what does it mean?

Before turning to the history of the Ex altation of the Cross monasteries, one should find out the meaning of the word "stauropegia", which is present in the names of some of them. It can literally be translated from Greek as erection, the establishment of the cross. Actually, it is this rite that is performed before the start of the construction of the temple, and in the canons of the church it is called “stauropegia”. Then it is seta cross in the place where the throne will be. This rite can be performed by the bishop himself or, with his blessing, by a priest or a future rector. If the hoisting is carried out by the Holy One, the future temple is assigned a special, higher status. In this case, the temple is directly subordinate to the Patriarch himself. That is, the life of the monastery is not managed by the local diocese, but by His Holiness. At the same time, he has the right to appoint a viceroy. The Ex altation of the Cross stauropegial nunnery is headed by the abbess. The cloisters that have received this status are granted privileges that relate mainly to worship.

Stavropegial Holy Cross Jerusalem Convent

You can find this monastery in the village of Lukino, Domodedovo district, Moscow region. The current location of the monastery is known for the fact that earlier there was the estate of N. A. Golovina. The landowner, following the advice of St. Philaret (Drozdov), in 1869 donated her entire Lukinsky estate to the Floro-Lavra community. Then in the village there was a church of the Ex altation of the Cross of the Lord, from which the community took a new name and became known as the Ex altation of the Cross.

The fact that the monastery is also called Jerusalem also has its own history. It is associated with the icon of the Mother of God, which was donated by St. Philaret. The list from the ancient Jerusalem icon became the reason for the consecration of the church of the same name, which is also located on its territory. Later it was called the Ex altation of the Cross Jerusalem Monastery.

History of the monastery: pre-revolutionary period

It was approved in 1865 on the basis of the Frolo-Lavra almshouse, which existed before that at the church of the same name in the village of Stary Yam. After some time, the created women's community was transferred to the village of Lukino and transformed into a monastery.

From the seventies of the XIX century, the heyday of the monastery begins. The small stone Ex altation of the Cross Church was significantly expanded. On the money of patrons were built: a two-storey private building, a guest house, a refectory, a bell tower, household yards. Later, a church was added to the cell building, which was consecrated in 1873 in honor of the Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God.

In the nineties, the territory now occupied by the Ex altation of the Cross Jerusalem Convent (stauropegial) was replenished with another beautiful temple. According to the project of the architect S. V. Krygin, the most beautiful creation in its architecture was erected here - the Ascension Cathedral. It is he who is now the so-called calling card of the monastery.

Post-revolutionary period

After the revolution died down, the life of the monastery changed. It began to be called, like others, a source of corruption of the morality of society and in 1919 was subject to closure.

For some time, an agricultural artel was located on its territory, which ceased to exist in the thirties and gave way to a trade union holiday home. All this time on the territory of the Ex altation of the Cross Churchservices did not stop, but in 1935 it was closed. The priest who served in it, the holy martyr Kosma Short, was arrested and, after two years of investigation and torture, was shot. Later, dormitories, hotels, and a tobacco factory were located in the churches and buildings of the monastery at different times. During the war years, there was a hospital here, then a sanatorium, which in the 1970s became a rehabilitation center for children. Everything that had been created for so long and bit by bit by the inhabitants of the monastery and its benefactors was either destroyed or desecrated.

Modern life of the monastery

In 1991 the monastery was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. Having restored its former status, it became known as the Stavropegial Convent of the Ex altation of the Cross in Jerusalem. From that moment on, a different life began here. His cloisters again replenished with nuns, lamps were lit in front of the images of the saints, unceasing monastic prayer began to sound, divine services were resumed. Later, the Jerusalem Church was also restored. In 2001, the temple was consecrated by His Holiness Alexy II.

Today the Ex altation of the Cross Jerusalem Convent (stauropegial) is being actively restored. The nuns do social work. The monastery has a Sunday school where children study the Holy Scriptures, the ethical foundations of Orthodoxy, the structure of the church, and much more. The church community organizes pilgrimage trips to shrines, holds festive concerts, helps orphanages andboarding schools.

Ex altation of the Cross Monastery (Nizhny Novgorod): history of foundation

The radiance of the crosses and the ringing of the bells of this monastery sanctifies one of the most beautiful ancient cities of the Russian land - Nizhny Novgorod. It is not so easy to find a monastery behind huge faceless buildings. As if someone wants to hide this treasure from human eyes, which, in addition to its architectural and historical value, also has a special spiritual significance. However, it is quite possible to find the monastery among the buildings: crosses will help in this, which will lead the guest from the city square directly to the gates of the monastery.

The ancient Holy Cross Monastery (Nizhny Novgorod), as well as other architectural and spiritual values located here, has its own history. It began in the middle of the fourteenth century and is associated with the name of the Monk Theodora of Nizhny Novgorod (in the world Anastasia Ivanovna). She is the founder of the monastery. A few years after the death of her husband, the Suzdal prince Andrei Konstantinovich, who accepted the schema with the name Dionysius, Anastasia gave away all her property, accepted monasticism, was named Vassa and entered the Zachatievsky monastery. Later, having already accepted the schema, she became Theodora. It should be noted that this monastery was built during the life of Andrei Konstantinovich and was located at the very foot of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin on the Volga coast.

A brief chronicle of the monastery

The wooden walls of the monastery burned to the ground more than once. Another problem was high humidity (the buildings were located on the banks of the Volga), which also contributed to the destructionbuildings. That is why in 1812 the abbess of the monastery Dorotheus turned to the local authorities with a request to transfer the monastery to the southern outskirts of the city. Over time, the Resurrection and Origin cloisters were transferred there.

Already by 1820, a huge wasteland near the cemetery adorned the most beautiful monastery cathedral. Its architectural feature is an interesting shape - the building was built in the form of an equal cross.

Besides the cathedral, eight buildings, a hospital, and a guest yard were erected here. Later, in 1838, a school was opened for orphans, who were taught reading, spelling, needlework. The monastery was visited by famous and imperial persons, travelers. After the revolution, the monastery was closed, and its buildings were used for a variety of needs, sometimes the worst. There is even a version that for several years there was a Soviet concentration camp for political prisoners. Later, the monastery premises were warehouses, factory floors, waste storage facilities, etc.

Finally, in 1995, justice was restored, the restoration of the Ex altation of the Cross Church began, which was almost completely destroyed. Already in 1999, divine services began in it, and in 2005 it received its current name - the Ex altation of the Cross Convent.

Today the temple of the monastery is open to visitors. There is a first-aid post where lay people can turn for help. The novices and nuns of the monastery helporphanages, large and poor families of the city and region.

The Holy Cross Monastery in Poltava: the history of creation

It was founded in 1650 as a monastery. The initiator of its creation is called Martyn Pushkar, who was supported by the Cossacks and the inhabitants of Poltava. The first buildings were built of wood and were easily destroyed. At the end of the seventeenth century, it was decided to build a stone cathedral with money provided by Vasily Kochubey, who was then a Cossack judge. In 1708 he was executed, and his son V. V. Kochubey.

The completion date of the cathedral is unknown. Those times were very turbulent. The monastery was repeatedly devastated and almost completely destroyed. In 1695, it was ravaged by the Crimean Tatars, in 1709, after restoration, it was again destroyed, this time by the Swedish troops.

The consecration of the Ex altation of the Cross Monastery took place only in 1756. From this date, its heyday begins: the construction of new buildings, auxiliary premises. This period was marked by the appearance of new temples and bell towers. At the end of the eighteenth century, the monastery became a kind of center of culture. The opening of the Slavic Seminary brought to these blessed walls, in addition to talented students, many famous people of that time.

After the revolution, difficult times began for the monastery. In the end, in 1923 it was closed. In the premises of the monastery for some time there was a children's colony forhomeless children, later a student hostel and canteens were placed in the buildings. The monastery returned to its true purpose only in 1942, when the community of nuns petitioned for its restoration as a nunnery. Temples and buildings were badly damaged by German bombing, but the buildings were gradually restored by the forces of novices in the post-war period. In the sixties the monastery was again closed. In 1991, the monastery opens its doors to the women's community.

National Treasure of Ukraine

This beautiful monastery is one of the most valuable architectural monuments. The Poltava Holy Cross Monastery includes several churches and a bell tower. Built on a hill, it is clearly visible from all sides and does not have a main facade - all sides of this architectural ensemble are equivalent.

The value of the Ex altation of the Cross Monastery is also the fact that it is a rare example of Ukrainian baroque. From afar, you can see its three components.

1. The highest bell tower, the style of which resembles similar structures on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. It was built in 1786.
2. The seven-domed Holy Cross Cathedral is located in the central part of the territory of the monastery. In general, its architectural tradition is close to other cathedrals of Ukraine, however, there are a number of details that distinguish this temple from others like it.
3. Trinity Church, which is a single-domea stone building that served as a refectory for some time, but was rebuilt and consecrated in the second half of the 19th century.

Despite the fact that all the buildings were created at different times, together they form a complete architectural ensemble, being a true decoration of the Poltava region.