Russia has been the center of Orthodoxy for centuries, and even during the years of theomachism in our country, it was possible to preserve a significant part of church shrines. In addition, over the past quarter century, much has been done to revive the monasteries. The Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery is one of these monasteries, where thousands of tourists from all over Russia come every year.
The village of Diveevo
The settlement of Diveevo was supposedly founded in the middle of the 17th century, during the campaign of Ivan the Terrible's troops against Kazan. According to legend, the settlement got its name in honor of the Tatar Murza Divey, who, together with his detachment, joined the troops of the Russian Tsar. Today, about 9 thousand people permanently live in Diveevo, and several industrial enterprises operate. In addition, several small hotels and guest houses for pilgrims have been built there over the past ten years. Tourism is developinginfrastructure.
Where is the monastery and how to get there
The Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery (whose address is the Nizhny Novgorod region, the village of Diveevo, Diveevsky district) is easiest to get from the city of Arzamas, from where almost every hour passenger buses leave for the point of interest to us. If you get from Nizhny Novgorod, then you will have to spend almost 4 hours on the road. To do this, from the bus station located on Lyadov Square, you need to transfer to a bus to Diveevo. It should be remembered that such flights are not daily, therefore, you may have to make a transfer in Arzamas. For pilgrims traveling to the Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery from Moscow in their own car, it is better to drive along the highway passing through Balashikha towards Vladimir, turn onto Murom, and then drive through the cities of Navashino and Ardatov to Diveevo. The Serafimo-Diveevo Monastery itself is located on the banks of the Vichkinza River, and you can find it by following the signs or by asking the residents of Diveevo. As for accommodation options, the necessary information can be obtained at the pilgrimage center located in the yellow building near the Kazan Cathedral.
History
Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery was founded in the 18th century. At its source was the young widow Agafia Melgunova, who, having become a resident of the Florovskaya monastery, began to wander around Russia and in 1760 settled near Diveevo. After the death of her young daughter, mother Alexandra, who had a vision, built at her own expense in Diveevostone temple of the Kazan Mother of God. Some time later, the Kazan community was formed around the church, and in 1788 the Nizhny Novgorod landowner Zhdanova donated to the sisters a plot of her land next to the temple, where a house was built for mother Alexandra and four novices. In 1789, Hierodeacon Seraphim, who is now known as St. Seraphim of Sarov, took care of the community of nuns, and almost 10 years after his repose, the Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery itself was founded.
Throughout the second half of the 19th century, the monastery was equipped, and new buildings and temples were erected there. Thus, by 1917, about 300 nuns and 1,500 novices lived in the monastery, while in the village of Diveevo, according to the census, there were 520 residents. In 1927, the monastery was closed, and only after 6 decades did its revival begin. And the most significant event in the history of the monastery took place in 1991, when the relics of Seraphim of Sarov were transferred there, which have since been in the Trinity Cathedral.
Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery: description
The architectural complex of the monastery consists of more than two dozen objects, most of which are significant monuments of religious architecture.
Trinity Cathedral
The temple was founded in 1848 on the site indicated by St. Seraphim, and erected in the Russian-Byzantine style under the guidance of architect A. I. Rezanov. During the period when the monastery was closed, a warehouse was arranged in the temple. The revival of the cathedral began in the autumn of 1989, and since 1991daily services are held there. Photos of this building are often the decoration of albums and books dedicated to the most beautiful churches in Russia.
Transfiguration Cathedral
On the territory of the monastery, services are held in several churches. The second most important of them in the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery is the Transfiguration Cathedral, founded in 1907. Interestingly, the interior decoration of the temple and the icons were painted by the sisters themselves, but before the events of 1917, the temple was not consecrated, and this sacrament took place only in 1998. Since the original interior decoration has not been preserved, the cathedral was repainted by the artists of the Belyaeva spouses.
Annunciation Cathedral
Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery, whose photos amaze with the perfection of the architectural monuments depicted on them, continues to embellish today. In particular, in 2012, the construction of the Cathedral of the Annunciation began there in a style close to Russian baroque, typical of the early 18th century.
Kazan Cathedral
This is the oldest building of the monastery, founded in 1773, the construction of which was carried out under the vigilant supervision of the founder of the monastery, mother Alexandra. In addition, in the Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery you can see the Refectory and hospital churches, the church in the almshouse, the chapel of St. Seraphim, the house in which Blessed Paraskeva lived, the bell tower, the Kazan Church at the source, ancient buildings and other buildings of the 18th-20th centuries.
Relics of the monastery
If tourists come to the Diveevsky Monastery to see its architectural monuments and take some good pictures against their background, then pilgrims visit it in order to bow to such shrines as the relics of St. the wives of the Diveyevo Paraskeva, Pelagia and Maria, as well as the venerable confessor Matrona.
Metochion of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery
Today, the Diveyevo sisters live and serve outside the monastery. So, in Moscow, Arzamas and Nizhny Novgorod there are monastic farmsteads. They perform representative functions and are engaged in receiving commemoration for the monastery. Address of the Moscow Compound: Prospekt Mira, 22-24.
