Valdai Elder. Valdai Iversky Holy Lake Monastery of the Mother of God. Description of the Iveron Cathedral

The history of the monastery begins in 1652. Then Patriarch Nikon was attracted by the beauty of Lake Valdai and he decided to open a monastery on the coast. Tsar Alexei Romanov personally allocated money for the construction of the monastery. And a year later two wooden churches appeared. At the same time, the lake was renamed Svyatoye, and the village Bogoroditskoye. Two years later, the Assumption Cathedral was built next to the brick churches.

The beginning of the 18th century was marked by decline for the monastery. Prayer services stopped, and the buildings were given over to the management of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. They even transported a huge bell from Valdai. Further, the buildings almost completely collapsed. Restoration of the shrine began in 1991. The monastery was restored and the doors were opened to visitors. The last work was completed in 2011. In addition to cathedrals and temples, a museum dedicated to Patriarch Nikon was created on the territory of the monastery.

Coordinates: 57.98861100,33.30416700

Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery

Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery is a male Orthodox monastery. It was founded by Patriarch Nikon with the approval of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. This is the first monastery built in Rus' after the Time of Troubles.

In the autumn of 1653, two wooden churches were built and consecrated: the Cathedral Church - in honor of the miraculous icon of the Iveron Mother of God, and the warm one - in the name of Metropolitan St. Philip of Moscow. Nikon renamed the Valdai settlement into the village of Bogoroditskoye, consecrated Lake Valdai, lowering the Gospel and the cross to the bottom, and named the lake Holy. Therefore, the monastery has an additional name - Svyatoozersky.

To glorify the monastery, the holy relics of Jacob Borovichsky were transferred to the monastery. A copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which amazed with its unprecedented splendor, was delivered here from Moscow.

In Soviet times, on the territory of the Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery there was a historical and archival museum and a museum of local history. During the Great Patriotic War there was a hospital, then a home for the disabled for war veterans, as well as a forest school for children with tuberculosis. In the 70s of the twentieth century, a village was built on the island, and a recreation center operated on the territory of the monastery.

Coordinates: 57.99936600,33.29818700

Let's start from the very beginning. After the Ascension of the Lord into heaven, the apostles began to prepare to preach the Gospel in different countries. To find out who would get which country, they cast lots. So the Mother of God asked to know where to go. The Iveron land fell, but the Angel warned that she was destined to serve the Lord in another land. And so it happened.

The ship on which the Mother of God was sailing was driven by the wind to Mount Athos. It must be said that the entire mountain was filled with idols, there was a sanctuary of the god Apollo and many pagans came here to worship. When the Mother of God set foot on earth, all the idols cried out for people to go meet the Mother of the True God Jesus, so that all those who were there fell on their faces before the Mother of God, believed in the Lord and were baptized. And the Mother of God, having performed many miracles, blessed this place. Promising his intercession until the end of time. Tsar Constantine erected three great monasteries on Mount Athos (now there are many more of them), settled monks in them, and ordered the mountain to be called Holy.

One day, the brave military leader of the Iveron kingdom, Torniky, came to Athos as a simple monk. And in those days the Persian army took up arms against the reigning city, and there was no one who could resist it. Then the queen asked Tornicius to come, and he, having killed the barbarian army, returned with a great victory. The queen, as the winner, offered him a lot of gold, but he bequeathed to her to build a monastery with that money so that it would be a haven for the Iberian people. And she promised to build it in such a way that there would be nothing more beautiful than that in the whole world. And this is what the Lord judged for him.

In the 9th century there was a persecution of holy icons. One widow from the city of Nicaea kept an icon of the Mother of God. Having learned about this, the iconoclast soldiers who appeared began to demand money for the image, threatening to burn it, and in anger they pierced the icon with a spear. And, oh, horror! – blood appeared on the cheek of the Mother of God as if from a living wound. Saving the image of the Mother of God, the widow carried it to the sea, and the icon, standing on the water, moved away from her. She appeared in a pillar of fire many years later (999) at the walls of the Iveron monastery and wished to be at its gates, which is why she is called the Goalkeeper. And many great miracles are performed by her even to this day. There are many lists of the Athos Goalkeeper all over the earth, and there are also miraculous ones.

Through pilgrims, rumors about the Iverskaya shrine spread throughout Russia; the future Patriarch Nikon ordered a copy of it. This is where the history of the Iversky Svyatoozersk Bogoroditsky Valdai Monastery begins. But first things first.

While still Metropolitan of Novgorod, Nikon often visited Moscow, and he passed there precisely through Valdai. The Valdai Hills are the highest point in European Russia and a most picturesque place. Valdai Lake is particularly beautiful (and now, inhabited and crowded, it is beautiful, but before it was a marvelous wilderness, shining with transparent crystal clear deep waters, covered with green islands with narrow straits, decorated with picturesque carved shores with rare villages). Noticing such beauty, asking the residents in detail even about fishing, Nikon decided that such a place was worthy of having a monastery on it. Apparently, the longing of the future patriarch for the place of his last, before leaving for Moscow, abbess - the distant Kozheozersk Epiphany Monastery, another spiritual pearl of the Orthodox Russian North, where his confessor Elder Bogolep (Lvov) remained.

Then, without delay, Nikon turned to Emperor Alexei Mikhailovich, and he, as if informed by God, joyfully approved the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe monastery, promising it his patronage. During a trip to Solovki for the relics of the Moscow Saint Philip, Nikon was awarded a vision of this ascetic, who also approved of his intention. And so, when Nikon became patriarch, he realized his long-standing dream. Even earlier, as an archimandrite, he had heard a lot about miracles from the Iveron Icon on Mount Athos. And when, on occasion, the Iversky Archimandrite was in Moscow, Nikon asked to make a copy of the miraculous icon and send it to Moscow along with the plan of the monastery itself.

The icon arrived in 1648 along with a letter from the entire Iveron brotherhood, which told how the future shrine was created. All the brethren, after a long prayer, poured holy water over the miraculous icon, and paints were added to that water, along with the relics of the saints. They wrote with them. The icon painter ate food only on Saturday and Sunday, and the brethren were in prayer. It was reported that the icon that appeared was the same as on Mount Athos, only new. Having acquired the icon, Nikon began to create a monastery; he took the Iverskaya monastery as a model and named it by the same name. In 1653, construction of monastery churches and buildings began under the supervision of the patriarch and the most active support of the king and nobles. The patriarch himself consecrated the created monastery, placed in it a richly decorated icon of Iveron and ordered the relics of St. James Borovich, as well as particles of the relics of Moscow saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah and Philip, to be transported here for the spiritual support of the new brethren, which was solemnly accomplished to the ringing of bells. A great miracle also appeared - a pillar of fire, from which a brilliant light came - God blessed the monastery. At the same time, Nikon consecrated Lake Valdai, plunging the Gospel with a cross to the bottom of it, and renaming it Holy. This is how the monastery was born. During the patriarchate of Nikon, the Valdai Monastery was under his patronage and flourished, but with the imprisonment of the patriarch, the welfare of the monastery also fell. The royal favors ceased, the estates were gradually taken away, fires brought great disasters, and only through the intercession of the Most Holy One and the energetic activity of the abbots was Iverskaya saved.

Like other monasteries, it did not escape a sad fate after the revolution; many monastery buildings, utensils, and also the main shrine, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in a precious golden robe, did not survive. Only in 1991 was the monastery returned to the Church. In front of one of the copies of the Iveron Icon, which was preserved in the Valdai Church, a prayer service was served, and monastic life began: prayerful work and holiday. By the way, the holidays especially revered in Valdai are the memory of the Iveron Icon, celebrated, as on Athos, on Tuesday of Bright Week, the Annunciation, the Dormition, St. Jacob Borovicheskogo and the main monastic holiday in honor of the Iveron Icon (which saved Valdai from the plague) on August 10. On this day, the monastery is filled with pilgrims, the monastery hotels are full of pilgrims, there is not enough space for everyone, although they even sleep on the floor.

In the morning, the festive liturgy begins in the summer church of the Dormition of the Mother of God. “Iverskaya Mother” is decorated with flowers, monastic ones, grown in flower beds, expensive ones, bought especially for the big day, or even just wild ones that the children brought. The service seems to be in heaven, because the priestly vestments, the veils are all a marvelous blue color, the color of the Mother of God. There is no altar barrier in the temple; the entire temple is an altar, God’s dwelling. The pilgrims came to the church in advance, even though the Assumption Cathedral is large, and there are even more people, there is not enough space for everyone, and I also want to take a closer look at the bishop, the governor, and all the clergy from the Moscow region, Borovichi, from Novgorod, Leningrad regions for the sake of the holiday, those who visited the holy monastery. The Moscow School of Kustovsky Regents comes specially to sing. After the Liturgy there is a traditional religious procession, usually blessed by rain and immediately bright sun. They carry Iverskaya in front, everyone sings troparia together, congratulates, and after that everyone passes under the icon, which is held by two priests, you go into the temple, and you feel as if the Mother of God stroked your head. In the church, the sermon is also festive, and after: a meal for everyone, so tasty and plentiful, but how could it be otherwise - after all, we are feasting on the name day of the Mother of God herself. Once you've had your fill, you'll start talking with the pilgrims. Who? Where? How did God lead? They turn out to be mainly from St. Petersburg and Novgorod, there are also Muscovites.

They go not only to the Lady, but also to her pupils - the priests - to learn good living. All the monks, novices, even pilgrims in Valdai are family, you come as if you were visiting relatives, and how difficult it is to leave your relatives - someone will cry on the sly. But they know that they will definitely return; those who have been to Valdai at least once are drawn back, and they return. There are no more than 20 brothers in total, all from different places, and different in character - where does this unity come from? They say, maybe because cheerful, friendly people are God’s joy.

Father Boris jokes, makes fun of the pilgrims, they say he humbles them, but this is not offensive at all, but pleasant, the children ask to play with pebbles - he plays. He also serves in the surrounding villages, with “beloved grandmothers”, bakes prosphora and the most delicious bread; they even came from the newspaper for the recipe, but they say he didn’t give it.

Father Nikander is the dean, he manages all the monastery management and the temple, he is very concerned about the cleanliness of the temple, the pilgrims know that if he asks to wash the temple, it means they have gained his favor.

Father Anthony is focused, he is increasingly in the service. You can talk a lot about priests; these are favorite pilgrim conversations.

Archimandrite Ephraim (Barbinyagra) manages everything, and through his labors the monastery is being revived, restoration and repair work is being carried out. The vicar’s father is a Moldavian, and the choir decided to give him a gift for Easter - they sang “Christ is Risen” in Moldavian. Then a pilgrim bus with Orthodox Romanians arrived, how happy they were to hear the Easter greeting in their native language, they also found a family, they left so happy. This is how he is, Valdai. And everyone will have something they love: the kids have a lake where it’s so cool to swim, artists and photographers have amazing landscapes, archaeologists dig something, historians study something, and ordinary pilgrims go to help whoever they can. , yes, pray. Everyone is welcome and already loved.

Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersk Orthodox monastery, located on the Selvitsky (Ryabinovo) island of Lake Valdai, became in the 17th century one of those that were founded after a half-century break caused by the hardships of the Time of Troubles.

View of the Iversky Monastery from the South Gate. 2013

The creation of the monastery was preceded by truly providential events and, undoubtedly, influenced not only the fate of the monastery itself, but also the course Russian history, on the fate of the Russian Orthodox and Ecumenical Church.

The example of the monastery most clearly illustrates the process of unification of the originally united Orthodox peoples living in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The Iversky Monastery provided unique examples of not just living together, but also the amazing co-creation of Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian masters, laymen and monks. The monastery was the first (and later two more monasteries created by the patriarch: the New Jerusalem and the Cross monasteries) to show that the Third Rome is not a pure theory, but a concrete act. In the 17th century, on Russian soil, it was created by His Holiness Patriarch Nikon, who collected and inherited the Orthodox power and holiness of Greece, Palestine, Constantinople, concentrating them in specially marked, sacred places of Rus'. Moreover, the first such point was designated on the most ancient Russian land - Novgorod, in Valdai.

It should be noted that at all times our people clearly understood why on the most powerful tower of the Iveron monastery, Nikonovskaya, there was built something that could not be found anywhere else in Rus' - a single-headed gilded eagle, which here is not a heraldic symbol or a sign of foreign statehood. Nikon's enemies saw in this eagle a claim to the sole power of the church and the patriarch in Russia and reproached His Holiness, why, they say, this eagle is single-headed, and not double-headed, as it has always been in Rus'. The double-headed eagle meant the unity of the state and the church, the temporal (sovereign) and spiritual (patriarch) authorities. And if in the Patriarchal Iveron Monastery there is a single-headed eagle, they believed in Nikon’s opposition, then Nikon excludes one of the branches of power from the essence of Russian life, and obviously excludes the tsarist, autocratic power. Others, who also disagreed with His Holiness, saw in the single-headed eagle a symbol of the Polish-Lithuanian state and noted it as a sign of high treason, especially since at that time there was a war with Poland. The patriarch blessed the tsar for the Polish campaign, and he himself raised the Polish symbol over his monastery and the Valdai sovereign's palace estates. Yes, in addition, he brought captured Poles and “refugees from abroad” to Valdai, whom he made into the core of the monastic brethren.

In fact, “from beyond the Polish border” many came to Valdai, to the Russian Patriarch under the protection, “coming from under the Poles,” becoming refugees, so as not to “fall under the Uniats.” These were the most persistent and sincere Orthodox Christians of Belarus and other neighboring lands. Their appearance in Valdai was very important in the arrangement of the new monastery, important for strengthening it with well-established and prayed-for shrines, important for the spiritual strengthening of the elders who had extensive monastic experience. At the same time, the single-headed eagle was a sign of the unification of Orthodoxy into a single force - the Third Rome. It is also noteworthy that the Iverskaya monastery was founded exactly 200 years after the fall of the Second Rome, Byzantium, continuing its tradition of gathering the Orthodox world around itself, which was emphasized by the top of the Nikon Tower. Legends asserted that as long as the Nikon Tower holds a single-headed eagle above it, so long will Orthodoxy be strong in the world, Orthodox states and peoples will be strong.

The book of the Iveron seal, telling about the history of the creation of the monastery, is called symbolically - “Mental Paradise”. The book includes materials written by His Holiness Patriarch Nikon himself, for whom the theme of earthly paradise was very important. The Patriarch directly points out the similarity of this place to paradise. And the point is not only in the beauty given to Valdai by God, but also in the power of grace that does not let go of itself: “Behold, we love this place, it is so red and green. If anyone does not want to believe this, let him be tempted by the prophetic: I think by the grace of God and I am tempted to know the kindness of places for monastic coexistence, but nowhere have I seen such beauty; Even if someone through temptation wanted to see that holy place temporarily, I think that no one would want to leave it forever” 1 .

Small Synodik of the Iversky Monastery. XVII–XVIII centuries. Museum of the county town. Valdai

Nikon had seen these places before, when he was Metropolitan of Novgorod. Even then he realized that Valdai was suitable for monastic life like no other place. Soon the thoughts about the need to mark these places with a monastery were strengthened by several circumstances at once.

In 1652, according to the conciliar decision and the will of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod went to the Solovetsky Monastery to transfer the relics of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus', to Moscow. The saint suffered during the reign of Ivan the Terrible for denouncing royal lawlessness and cruelty. In a special letter of repentance, modeled on the letter written to St. John Chrysostom, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (largely according to Nikon’s teaching) brought repentance for his “great-grandfather” John Vasilyevich, admitted the king’s guilt and expressed respect for the martyrdom of the saint. Nikon read the royal letter before the tomb of Saint Philip and offered repentance on behalf of the king for the iniquity of his ancestor. Metropolitan Nikon returned with a solemn procession with the relics of St. Philip, who performed many miracles and healings, to Moscow. On the way, in a dream vision, the murdered Saint Philip appeared to him and blessed his intention to build a monastery in Valdai, “contributing and strengthening to this good work” 2.

Then Nikon made a vow to Saint Philip to fulfill his dream vision and build a monastery on the Valdai “foretold island” 3.

In the spring of 1652, when Nikon was on a Solovetsky trip, Patriarch Joseph died. Upon Nikon’s return with the relics of St. Philip to Moscow, the rank of chief priest passed to him, “having been elevated to the highest and greatest throne” 4 .

At the beginning of July 1653, on the anniversary of the transfer of the relics of St. Philip, during the all-night vigil, Patriarch Nikon again clearly imagined how he received the blessing of the great saint for the construction of the Valdai monastery. And then I “begged kindly” for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich to help him fulfill his promise. The Tsar approved the intention of his “son’s friend” and granted his palace lands in the Valdai region to establish a monastery 6 .

Iversky Monastery. Engraving by A. Stepanov based on a drawing by A. Makushev. 1824. Museum of the county town. Valdai

The Patriarch blesses the affairs of the new monastery of Archimandrite Jacob of the Novgorod Holy Spiritual Monastery, known to Nikon as a “skillful owner” 7 , and already in August 1653 he writes out orders for him to prepare everything necessary for the future monastery 8 .

At the same time, the patriarch sends craftsmen to Valdai, “leading the art of construction” to choose a place “for the creation of a monastery.”

“They walked and walked a lot and looked everywhere: and having found one island among others, not very large, but very red and surrounded by fisheries: and having come with news of the holy place, I ordered the forest to visit it, already in flight passing and present and approaching winter...” 9 The masters not only chose a place, but also drew up a plan for the island and future buildings on it. In September 1653/54 10, both Patriarch Nikon and Archimandrite Jacob had this plan. His Holiness sends a letter to Valdai, in which he blesses the construction of the Iveron Monastery, and sends from Moscow the Iveron Icon and many things necessary for “church needs” 11.

This blessed patriarchal letter emphasizes that “in that place the Most Holy Theotokos and the miracle worker Philip deigned to be a monastery” 12.

According to a legend that has existed in Valdai for many centuries, on one elevated place on Rowan Island, when approaching the present monastery, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to the founders of the monastery and indicated exactly where to build the monastery. This place is still revered by pilgrims today and is called the Mother of God Hill.

Icon of Saint Saint Jacob of Borovichi and Saint Tikhon with the Iveron Icon. Beginning of the twentieth century. Museum of the county town. Valdai

In the letter given in 1654 by Patriarch Nikon to Archimandrite Dionysius, it is written that the island is not only extremely beautiful, but also “for the cohabitation of monastic life”, and also “very necessary for the monastery building” 13.

The Iverskaya construction begins with the erection of temporary wooden buildings and the request of the Holy One that only “not belittle the monastery” 14.

Vasily Naumov, an apprentice mason who arrived from Moscow in September 1653/54, plans to place the initial wooden buildings in such a way that they do not interfere with future stone construction.

In October 1653/54, the monastery was given a blessed charter from Novgorod Metropolitan Macarius for the construction of a wooden cathedral church in the name of the Most Pure Mother of God of Iveron and a wooden church with a warm meal (nowadays the word “refectory” is more often used) in the name of the wonderworker Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' 16 . In mid-October 1653/54, the cold cathedral church was already ready. For this purpose, a wooden temple that was there 17 was brought from the village of Edrovo. This was done not only “for the sake of haste,” but also based on the established tradition of installing an old temple in a new place, transmitting the grace of Orthodoxy.

The construction of the temple was rushed in order to have time to complete it before the onset of winter cold. Seeing the picture of construction, the patriarch worries: “We should add more space for the monastery, so that there is more space for every measure” 18. Nikon makes a “painting of measures” for the temple - about 10 fathoms, deciding to build it “on basements with porches”, following the example of the Novgorod Kirillov or Solovetsky monasteries 19.

The Cathedral in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God (1655–1656), the bell tower of the monastery (1680s) and the Ritual Courtyard of the 17th century. 2015

In order to speed up construction, it was ordered that the logs be completely prepared for construction right in the forest, collecting them into mansions and transporting the finished cells “along the winter route” to the monastery.

The first monastery church was ready in October 1653/54, and the porches around it were added later, in April 1654 20. For this church in September 1653/54, all the necessary “church supplies” 21 were delivered from Moscow, a special place in which was occupied by the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God - an exact copy of the miraculous image on a cypress board, surrounded by a gold frame with precious stones, sent earlier by Archimandrite Iveron monastery on Mount Athos by Pachomius at the request of the then Archimandrite of the Novospassky Monastery, the future Patriarch Nikon.

The royal basma gates were also delivered, “overlaid with camphor silver” 22. Already in March 1654 they were replaced by new ones, overlaid with gilded copper 23. The Basmen gates were moved to the refectory church, where they existed at the beginning of the twentieth century, being in the church in the name of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles 24.

The biggest event of the beginning of the construction period of the monastery and the Iversky Church was the transportation of holy relics to Valdai.

On February 25, 1654, Patriarch Nikon arrived at the Iversky Monastery. By this time, with his care, a silver-gilded shrine had been constructed. His Holiness personally transferred from an old dilapidated shrine to a new one the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi, which had just been delivered from Borovichi to the Iversky Monastery. The reliquary was installed in a specially designated place in the wooden cathedral church 25. The transfer of the relics of St. James, as a shrine highly revered locally and regionally, as well as particles of the relics of all-Russian saints, primarily the Moscow saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah, Philip, was undertaken with the aim of glorifying, and most importantly, establishing the new monastery, the Christian power of which is now These holy prayers, who became the heavenly patrons of the Iversky Monastery, were prayerfully preserved. At this time, as the patriarch himself writes, there were 52 inhabitants in the monastery - 26 monks and the same number of novices 26.

Window of the Rector's building (2nd half of the 17th century), decorated with glazed tiles. 2015

His Holiness cares a lot “for the sake of brotherly peace” 27, constantly repeating: “For God’s sake, be merciful to the brothers, and to the peasants, and to everyone living in that holy monastery” 28, “and for the sake of God, take care and rest for the brethren, as relatives of their children" 29 . The names of the first Iveron tonsures are known: Diodorus (in the world Dmitry) and Baruch (in the world Vladimir). They were sent by the patriarch to be tonsured at the Iversky Monastery in September 1653/54 30 .

In a letter sent by Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod to the Iversky Monastery in October 1653/54, the order and sequence of consecration of the first monastery churches were described 31 . From the moment of the consecration of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos of Iveron, the Bishop blessed “vespers and matins, singing and mass for six weeks every day, without translation” 32 . It is proposed to consecrate the Church of St. Philip with a meal in the same way, but not at the same time as the cathedral church, but at least six weeks after the consecration of the first temple, so that it would not be a day “without singing” and that services at this time would take place only in it .

Having established the Iverskaya Cathedral Church with Orthodox prayer, after several months of winter cold the refectory church was also laid. The antimension was given to him by Metropolitan Macarius back in October 1653/54, at the same time as the antimension for the Church of the Iveron Mother of God.

The Patriarch, according to a vow made during the Solovetsky trip, consecrates the refectory church in the name of St. Philip 33. Construction was carried out in the spring of 1654: “And you should cut the meal against our previous decree, which is the drawing given to you; and you should order the ceiling to be made of plates instead of a ceiling; and the meal should be cut together with the church, and not connected to the old church” 34. The same patriarchal letter determined the need to make a porch near the cathedral church and transitions from it to the refectory, as well as to build a new large bakery 35.

In October 1653/54, the patriarch reported to the monastery: “And the sovereign Tsar and the Empress Tsarina favor, they have great faith in the house of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the mercy of their sovereigns is many, and henceforth they promised to keep faith and mercy” 36. And in fact, on December 8, 1653/54, the royal letter of refusal was signed about the assignment of several rows to the Iversky Monastery in the area of ​​Novgorod, Borovichi, Vyshny Volochok, Ostashkov, as well as the Borovichi Yakovlevsky Monastery 37. In March 1654, the sovereign transferred an even larger number of estates to the monastery, including the village of Valdai, which he renamed Bogoroditsyno 38 .

Burials behind the main cathedral of the Iversky Monastery. Photo from the beginning of the twentieth century. Museum of the county town. Valdai

Materials for the Iveron construction were prepared within the monastery's domain. Already in the autumn of 1653 - winter of 1654, material was being prepared not only for urgently constructed wooden buildings needed for housing and services, but also for future stone construction 39 .

By the spring of 1655 everything was ready for this. Masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, tinkers came from all regions of Russia to the Selvitsky island of Valdai Lake... But among those who came to the Iveron construction site at this crucial moment there was no master Vasily Naumov.

Adjustments to Nikon's plans and the progress of construction were made by many circumstances, including the pestilence of 1654–1655. It was at this time that the name of the masonry apprentice V. Naumov (possibly who died from a “deadly ulcer”) disappeared from the monastery documents, and Averky Mokeev, an apprentice masonry worker from Kalyazin, appeared at the construction site in May 1655.

In 1654–1655, in the Kalyazin Trinity-Makaryevsky Monastery, the patriarch sheltered the royal family from the epidemic. The sovereign was very grateful to him: “much more than before... I began to repay my royal love” 40. At this time, the grateful Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich en masse signed letters of grant to the patriarch for the Iversky Monastery 41.

The oak gates of the Iversky Cathedral are a preserved detail of the original decoration (2nd half of the 17th century). 2015

In Kalyazin, Patriarch Nikon met the apprentice stone worker Averky Mokeev, taking him to his Valdai construction site. His Holiness demanded that the monastery authorities “do stone work according to the old salary” 42. But the subtleties of the originality of the construction project, conceived and embodied in architectural plans and models by another master, Mokeev had to constantly explain. And this was most often done by the patriarch himself.

The patriarchal bailiff, boyar son Artemy Tokmachev, played a huge role in organizing the construction process. Archimandrites, governors, treasurers and craftsmen changed, but it is important that throughout the patriarchal period there always remained at the monastery a person who knew the history of architectural designs, the progress of construction, the intricacies of the craft and who knew how to come to an agreement with His Holiness, and with the brethren, and “with the working people.” The Patriarch drew up the so-called “mandatory memory” for A. Tokmachev, which he regularly carried out, trying to “take care of the stone structure” 43.

The main monastery church was built over two construction seasons. Apprentice masonry A. Mokeev, masons and brickmakers left Valdai for the off-season. A few masons remained “for the sake of bell making for shoeing” 44, i.e. assistance in creating the brick core and clay casing of the grandiose bell conceived by Patriarch Nikon. The main evangelist of the Iversky Monastery was cast in September 1656/57 by the sovereign master Alexander Grigoriev 45. In September-October, when the brickmakers had already left the construction site, carpenters were finishing the cathedral roof, placing wooden domes over the side porches, and silversmiths were preparing temple crosses 46.

In the report for the season of 1656, A. Tokmachev reports that in addition to the main temple, 7 new cells, 12 warm huts were built, work is underway on the construction of powerful wooden walls with 10 towers and 4 gates. In addition, during this season, 730,740 pieces of brick were made, almost all of which went to the construction of the cathedral, as well as cell furnaces and the “furnace for bell making” 47.

On August 15, 1656, the not yet completed cathedral was consecrated with the rite of minor consecration by the Patriarch of Antioch Macarius, who arrived at the monastery. Pavel of Aleppo, who was present at this event, describes the rare procedure of laying the thrones of the temple and gives one of the first descriptions of the monastery 48.

Domes of the Iveron Cathedral. 2015

The solemn consecration of the temple took place on December 16, 1656/57 in the presence of His Holiness Patriarch Nikon, who was co-served by Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod, Metropolitan Pitirim of Krutitsa, Archbishop Lawrence of Tver and other archimandrites, abbots, and priests.

The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, placed in a cypress icon case, was installed in the cathedral iconostasis on the left side of the royal doors, like main temple new image 49.

Pavel Aleppo wrote: “The icon is beyond any surprise, it amazes the eyes and mind of the viewer: there is nothing like it even in the treasuries of the king, or in his churches...” 50

Among the events that preceded the celebrations of the glorification of the Iveron Icon and the consecration of the main temple of the monastery, important was the resettlement in 1655 to Valdai from Belarus of the inhabitants of the Kuteinsky Orsha Epiphany Monastery and members of the Kuteinsky Brotherhood at this monastery. Their arrival at the Iversky Monastery largely determined its further development.

Belarusian monks went to Rus' under the leadership of the recognized and revered elder Joel, who founded and equipped a number of Orthodox monasteries, which were destined to become a stronghold of Orthodoxy in Belarus and Lithuania. Elder Joel himself passed away on the road to Valdai, bequeathing to be buried in the Iveron monastery intended for him to live. He wanted “even after his death to maintain extreme obedience to the great archpastor” 51.

Carved columns of the gates of the Iveron Cathedral. 2015

Here it is necessary to step back from chronology and talk about the Iveron necropolis. Thoughts about its creation in the main temple of the Iversky Monastery and near its altar were outlined by Patriarch Nikon at the very beginning of construction.

The idea of ​​death as a new birth for the Kingdom of Heaven, which is very important for the Christian worldview, is emphasized by the very location of the burial places - in the eastern part of the monastery: as in the City of the Lord - the graves are in the east, where there are gardens. On the Valdai Iveron, the image of the Garden of Eden, Vertograd, the Earthly Paradise, built behind the main temple (to the east of it), is combined with the place where the Iveron inhabitants and monastic guardians of the laity are laid to rest forever.

The abbots of the monastery were buried inside the temple, and this is seen as a continuity of the ancient Christian tradition, recalling that the physical end of a person’s life is a transition to another world. And it is the Church that ensures this transition, connecting the worlds below and above. The resting places in and near the church provide the opportunity to offer constant prayerful remembrance, thereby appealing to God’s intercession for these departed.

The chronological framework of the Iveron necropolis can be traced from 1655 to 2012.

The very first temple burial was the burial of the abbot of the Epiphany Kuteinsky Monastery, Joel Trutsevich, in the spring of 1655. He created and equipped a stronghold of Orthodoxy in Belarus and Lithuania 52. Under his control was not only Kuteinsky, but also other monasteries, including Buinitsky Holy Spirit. Hegumen Joel transfers the inhabitants and members of the brotherhood formed at the Kuteinsky and Buinitsky monasteries to Valdai 53. Let us note that it was to the main altars of these monasteries that the temples at the refectory chamber of the Iveron Monastery were consecrated: the Epiphany and the Holy Spirit Church, in which icons, church utensils, vestments, and books brought by the Belarusians from their churches to Valdai were graciously furnished.

The Royal Doors and a fragment of the iconostasis of the Iveron Cathedral. 2015

Abbot Joel had the opportunity to maintain piety in White Rus' and, saving it, led his monks from under the oppression of the Uniates to Rus', to Patriarch Nikon in the monastery.

The abbot did not reach the Valdai Monastery, going to the Lord on the road, in the town of Boldino, but bequeathed to rest himself in the Iversky Monastery.

In 1656, during the efforts to consecrate the main Iveron temple, His Holiness with a special point indicated the need to solemnly remove the temple grave of Abbot Joel, buried behind a high place in the eastern part of the porch 54. And at the beginning of the twentieth century, a slab with an inscription worn out by time at the place of his burial was a special relic of the Iveron monastery 55.

In the monastery sacristy, and then in the Nikon Museum, an iron paraman with a cross, worn by Abbot Joel 56, was reverently kept.

Soon, next to Abbot Joel in the porch of the temple, his disciples and associates, who became Iveron archimandrites in the 17th century, were buried 57. Let's name them.

Archimandrite Dionysius II - one of the governors of the Kuteinsky monastery, successor to Abbot Joel. He ruled the Iveron monastery from March 1655 in the rank of abbot 58, and in August 1655 he was ordained archimandrite by His Holiness Patriarch Nikon 59. In February 1658, he struck the Patriarch with his forehead, asking him to dismiss him, due to old age and infirmity, from the archimandriteship. His Holiness blessed him to remain in the archimandriteship “until... God deigns to live,” with exemption from church services and rules for old age 60 . On August 26, 1658, Archimandrite Dionysius reposed blessedly 61.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel (1683–1685) above the internal monastery gate. 2015

Archimandrite Joseph I was short term on archimandriteship; Having retired, he died on April 6, 1660 62.

Even under Archimandrite Dionysius II, Hieromonk Philotheus 63 was the vicar of the Iveron monastery. He was consecrated as an archimandrite by His Holiness Patriarch Nikon in 1658/59 64 . He died on April 18, 1669 and was buried in the Iversky Church 65.

Painting of the Iveron Cathedral. Restoration of the beginning of the 21st century. 2015

In 1669, the former abbot of the Buinitsky Monastery, Theodosius, was promoted to Iveron archimandrite. The letter given to him by Metropolitan Pitirim of Novgorod says: “It is fitting for such a shepherd to be a lover of God and a lover of mankind, and to perform the church without laziness, to be diligent, meek and humble, sober and chaste, a Govein, hospitable and a teacher, not a drunkard, not quarrelsome and not a money-seeker, a watcher, not an envious person, not a lover of money... to take care of those who are under him, and to drive away mental wolves from the herd with the slings of divine words and prophetic, apostolic and paternal traditions, and to act in all divine and sacred rites...” 66 Archimandrite Theodosius died while in retirement , October 18, 1672 67.

Already in May 1672, there was another archimandrite 68 in the Iversky Monastery, the successor of Father Theodosius, who was for a long time abbot of Iversky - Father Eumenius, who died on July 19, 1681 and was buried in the cathedral church 69.

Archimandrite Zosima, one of the governors of Iveron, who was elected from among the brethren according to the Kutein charter after the death of Father Evmeniy, was not an archimandrite for long. Reposed in 1682 70.

In monastic documents for August 1682, Joseph II is mentioned as an archimandrite 71. He reposed on January 6, 1692 72.

In connection with the death of Archimandrite Joseph II, the brethren turn to Patriarch Adrian with a request to bless Hieromonk Theognostus, tonsured of Iveron, chosen from among them according to the ancient Kutein rank, to be archimandrite 73 . Chosen in this way, Archimandrite Theognostus died on October 28, 1693 and was laid to rest in the church 74.

On the bell tower of the Iversky Monastery (2nd half of the 17th century). 2015

Probably, archimandrites Veniamin I, Filaret, Seraphim, Abraham, Trifilliy 75, who ruled the monastery in the first half of the 18th century, are buried in the Iversky Church, but no documentary evidence of this has been found.

Archimandrite Abraham, transferred to Iver from the Paleostrovsky monastery in 1733, left a special mark on the history of the monastery. He ruled the Iversky Monastery until 1747. Under him, the monastery received complete independence from the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, carried out active construction activities, arrangement of temples and their shrines, pilgrimage buildings, and outbuildings. For his work on the arrangement of the Iversky Monastery in 1742, Archbishop Ambrose of Novgorod and Velikolutsk awarded Archimandrite Abraham a silver gilded pectoral cross with particles of holy relics.

The burials of the abbots of the Iversky Monastery of the 19th century are known:

Veniamin II (Zhukov), in the monastery since 1809, from the archimandrites of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery († May 14, 1811) 76; Gerasim (Gaidukov), in the monastery since 1822, from the archimandrites of the Vyazhishchi Monastery and the economists of the Novgorod Bishops' House († February 25, 1829) 77; Innocent II (Areshnikova), in the monastery since 1840, from the archimandrites of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery († September 28, 1847) 78; Lavrenty (Makarov), in the monastery since 1854, from the abbots of the Kiev-Vydubitsky Monastery († July 2, 1876) 79.

A description of the burial place of Archimandrite Lawrence has been preserved. It was located in the western part of the cathedral porch, to the left of the entrance to the temple, and was marked by a marble slab and an icon of the heavenly patron archimandrite with the image of St. Archdeacon Lawrence. This image was placed in a marble frame along with a maternal blessing - the icon of the Akhtyrskaya Mother of God, which Archimandrite Lavrenty never parted with. Above his resting place, lovingly furnished by his spiritual children, an unquenchable lamp 80 burned. Everyone who entered the church prayerfully remembered Father Lawrence, beloved by everyone and who cared a lot about the monastery.

Unfortunately, the tombstones over the graves of the abbots of the Iversky Monastery in the church porch have not been preserved. Information about burials was obtained from written sources.

Silhouette of an Angel with a pipe on the spire of the Skete tower of the 18th century. Photo by M.V. Nashchokina. 2014

Now a place is being developed for the Iveron necropolis in the monastery garden, behind the cathedral, and fragments of tombstones recently discovered on the territory of the monastery have been collected. During the Soviet years, the necropolis was destroyed. But out of the many destroyed burials, two secular burials were miraculously preserved, made in the 1860–1870s with the blessing of Archimandrite Lavrenty: I.V. Kopylov-Orlov and the Panaev family 81. Since these are the only surviving old burials, we will talk about them in detail.

Ilya Vasilyevich Kopylov-Orlov (1795–1862) 82 was buried in the south-eastern part of the Iversky Monastery, behind the altar of the main cathedral, in August 1862. In September 1863, through the efforts of Archimandrite Lavrenty, a monument was erected at his grave, ordered by Kopylov-Orlov’s widow, Praskovya Ivanovna. In the summer of 1863, she lived at the invitation of her spiritual mentor, Fr. Lawrence on Iver 83. The monument to the anniversary of Ilya Vasilyevich’s death, which fell on August 20, 1863, was not yet ready.

In a letter to Praskovya Ivanovna dated September 13, 1863, Archimandrite Lavrenty writes: “The monument, which lay like a stone on your heart, now stands magnificently in its place, visible from my windows both day and night. Your poetic, Christian idea has been fulfilled, for your patience it is completely satisfactory in my opinion...” 84

The monument was a lectern made of dark granite, covered with a white marble shroud with gilded fringe. On the lectern lay an open Gospel with the text: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” A gilded cross 85 towered over the lectern. During the Soviet years, the golden fringe, the cross and the Gospel were lost. The sketch of the monument was prepared by actor I.I. Sosnitsky.

On the southern side of the lectern is engraved: “Ilya Vasilyevich Kopylov-Orlov. He died on August 20, 1862, at the age of 70.” On the east side there is an epitaph:

Lord, at that hour when the trumpet
The end of the world will sound,
Receive the deceased slave
To their blessed villages 86.

I.V. Kopylov-Orlov was an actor at the Alexandrinsky (1825–1828) and Maly (1828–1848) theaters, worked in Odessa, Kyiv, Kaluga, Serpukhov and other places87. He was a nobleman, which is quite rare among actors, and was brought up in the Mountain Corps 88.

In 1835, at the age of 42, he married 19-year-old actress Praskovya Kulikova, a graduate of the Moscow Theater School, who had been playing in the Maly Theater since the age of 15.

Ilya Vasilyevich's instability, temper, and habit of subordinating everyone to his desires made, in the end, their marriage impossible 89 . Having lived together under the same roof (both at home and on stage) for 16 years, they separated, officially continuing to be considered spouses.

Archimandrite Lavrenty, calling Praskovya Ivanovna “a bird of heaven,” encourages her to leave the stage 90 in 1860, and after the death of Ilya Vasilyevich blesses her second marriage. At the same time, he writes from Iver: “You married your first husband as a human being, or according to the flesh, but you married your second husband out of your soul, out of a desire to work hard and be useful not to yourself, but to your neighbors. You saw the cold dawn from your first marriage, for it was in ordinary forms, and the second in morally selfless forms, believe me, it will bring you abundant fruit” 91. P.I. Orlova-Savina devotes herself to charity, helping churches and monasteries, and Christian service 92. Archbishop Philotheus of Tver even once told her: “Why did you only go to Moscow or Iver, you should have prayed to the saint Nile...” 93

In addition to money, she donated stones to decorate the frame made in 1866 for the Iveron Icon 94, and the icons for the main church of the monastery 95 were built with her support. Her attitude towards Kopylov-Orlov was also a unique act of mercy and Christian love. In 1862, she sent him for treatment to the Maximilian Hospital in St. Petersburg, visited him, bought medicines and paid for doctors, and took care of organizing his travel to Borovichi. Having received the news that Ilya Vasilyevich is in serious condition, she immediately goes to see him. Praskovya Ivanovna arrived two hours before his death, having time to say goodbye and pray not only for him, but also for the Lord to forgive both of them, who were unable to arrange their lives and therefore were suffering. After her prayer and words of forgiveness, he died quietly 96.

Archimandrite Joseph with the priests of the Valdai district near the Superior's building. Photo from the beginning of the twentieth century. Museum of the county town. Valdai

Not wanting to leave the deceased in a strange city, where there would be no one to remember him, she ordered him to be taken to the Iversky Monastery, where she often visited herself and where a relative of Ilya Vasilyevich, V.A. Tegleva, an “elder noblewoman,” lived with the blessing of Metropolitan Isidore. , as Leushinskaya abbess Taisiya speaks about her 97. She was the spiritual daughter of Archimandrite Lawrence, “a God-loving widow who did much good to the elder” and arranged his grave, located in the western part of the gallery of the main temple 98. “The humble widow,” as Father Lavrentiy called her, 99 also took care of Kopylov-Orlov’s grave.

In 1870, with the blessing of Archimandrite Lavrenty, the Panayev family tomb was built in the Iversky Monastery, located in the north-eastern part of the monastery, in the garden. It is an elegant chapel, rising on a high plinth, inside of which the tomb itself is located. There, under three stone sarcophagi, lie the ashes of members of the Panayev family. The entrance to the tomb is through the western lower small door, above which there is a large paneled door leading into the chapel. A two-flight light metal staircase descends from the right and left sides of the entrance to the chapel. All four facades are decorated with triangular pediments. The complex tent shape of the roof ends with a low tent topped with a cross.

The tomb was erected by Valeryan Aleksandrovich Panaev (1824–1899), cousin of the famous I.I. Panaev (1812–1862), journalist, writer, co-editor of the Nekrasov magazine Sovremennik. V.A. Panaev, like his brother Ippolit, who also took part in the construction of the tomb, was a railway engineer. The brothers graduated from the Corps of Railway Engineers and decided to serve on the Nikolaev Railway, which was under construction, taking part in the survey, design, and operation of the Moscow-Petersburg Railway 100.

Panaev was also the author of books on economics and railway construction, a publicist, and the creator of the musical, so-called “Panaevsky” theater in St. Petersburg. With the money he and his brother Ippolit earned on the construction of the Kursk-Kyiv railway, they decided to build a tomb with a chapel for their mother, Elena Matveevna Panaeva (nee Lalaeva), buried in the Iversky Monastery 101.

Soon, completely unexpectedly for V.A. Panaev, another burial place had to be prepared here - for his youngest daughter, Valentina.

Necropolis of the Iversky Monastery. Modern look. 2014

Valentina Valeryanovna Shulenburg (1855–1875) died after childbirth. For less than a year and a half, she was married to Count Ivan Karlovich Schulenburg (1850–1891), lieutenant of the Cavalry Regiment, friend of P.P. Diaghilev, who married another daughter of V.A. Panaev, Elena.

The boy (Sergei Shulenburg) who remained after Valentina’s death was raised by his grandmother, Sofya Mikhailovna Panaeva (1830–1912).

Valentina Shulenburg (nee Panaeva) in her youth gave the impression of a serious, silent person who rarely laughed 102 . Recalling the last months of her life, E.V. Diaghileva notes that her usual silence disappeared in those moments when she saw little Seryozha Diaghilev (the future “great impresario” - S.P. Diaghilev), for whom she had touching tenderness. Every time she visited her sister Elena, she immediately went to the nursery and spent the entire visit talking with her nephew Seryozha. At these moments she talked incessantly. And the boy looked at her with his huge black eyes, hugged her by the neck, thoughtfully stroked her cheek and said: “Aunt Lina, why are you so velvety?” 103 And it was impossible to find a more successful definition for Valentina Valeryanovna. All her unique beauty, and everything that she was wearing, and the way she spoke and looked - everything seemed like velvet.

She named her son, born on May 20, 1875, in honor of Seryozha Diaghilev - Sergei, and on June 11 she was no longer alive 104. In turn, Elena Valerianovna, in memory of her deceased sister, named her soon-to-be-born son Valentin. Valentin Pavlovich Diaghilev (1875–1929) - graduate of the Academy of the General Staff, professor, master of military history - will die a martyr in the Solovetsky camps. In the same 1929, the life of S.P. Diaghilev, who was a special light in Valentina’s life, would also end.

Valentina's death greatly undermined the health of her father, V.A. Panaev 105. Perhaps Ippolit Panaev hinted at this in his dedication to his brother:

...But thinking about everyone, you remembered your own,
For their benefit I made many plans
And everyone took care to arrange them -
He satisfied us, but he upset himself... 106

While arranging the affairs of his loved ones, he also took care of his deceased brother, Iliodor Aleksandrovich Panaev (1819–1886), who was buried next to his mother and niece in the Iversky Monastery 107. Iliodor Panaev was an amazingly musical person, dreamed of becoming a great violinist and did everything possible to ensure that his son Achilles Panaev (1862–1919) 108 became one. He named his son following the example of Paganini, whom he admired all his life and who named his son Achilles.

The ensemble of the Iversky Monastery with the gate church of the Archangel Michael (1683–1685) and the Nikon (Mikhailovskaya) tower from the 1680s. 2015

The Panaevs, their children and relatives made large donations to the Iversky Monastery for the maintenance of the tomb and the commemoration of their relatives. Elena Valerianovna’s father-in-law, Pavel Dmitrievich Diaghilev (1808–1883) 109, was also a permanent contributor to the monastery. From distant Perm he made frequent pilgrimages to Iver. In 1858, he brought to the monastery a new silver shrine for the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi. The cancer, built “through the diligence of willing donors” and made by the St. Petersburg master A. Verkhovtsev, weighed 3 pounds 29 pounds 5 spools. At the most difficult moment of the journey, P.D. Diaghilev had a miraculous vision of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi and witnessed his invisible help 110.

The Iver burials of the Panaevs and I.V. Kopylov-Orlov are connected with the destinies of wonderful Russian people, to whom the Lord granted the eternal right to be intimately united with Iver and with the wondrous old man and prayer book Archimandrite Lavrenty, who found eternal peace in the same monastery in 1876.

In the Iversky Monastery, in addition, there is a common mass grave (behind the northern monastery wall) and several personal burials (behind the altar of the main church) of soldiers of the North-Western Front who were treated in the monastery hospital in 1941–1943. Today, inside the monastery, grave crosses mark the burials of Semyon Mikhailovich Likharev (1926–1942) and Vasily Egorovich Egorov (1895–1943).

Behind the altar of the main church there are burial places for today's inhabitants of the monastery. Those who died in December 2002 during a car accident are buried here: Hieromonk Neil (Mikhailov), 09/25/1968 – 12/09/2002; Hieromonk Sergius (Biryukov), 12/06/1972 – 12/19/2002; novice Sergius (Astrakhantsev), 11/18/1974 – 12/09/2002. In 2006, another burial appeared. Archpriest Alexy (Bulanushkin), 01/20/1951 – 10/19/2006, uncle of Hieromonk Sergius (Biryukov), buried here earlier, was buried next to the dead Iveron brethren.

In 2008, Hierodeacon Alexander (Samuilov), 04/7/1952 – 09/19, was buried in the monastery graveyard. 2008. He always strived for solitude, but everyone knew him, first of all, as an amazing worker, a gardener who lovingly worked in the monastery greenhouses, which he himself built.

On June 30, 2009, the monastery said goodbye to its first abbot, on whose shoulders fell the most difficult work of reviving the Iversky Monastery - abbot Stefan (Popkov), 07/07/1946 - 06/30/2009. He came to the monastery with extensive experience of monastic life and pastoral service. But the monastery as such did not yet exist; it had to be created again, after many years of oblivion and spiritual loss...

Wooden crosses with carved inscriptions “ Everlasting memory» two monastery burials dating back to 2012 are noted. Under one of them lies the ashes of the most gentle and respected worker, who for many years bore the obedience of a cattleman and was certainly respectfully called by his first name and patronymic - Mikhail Mikhailovich Shcherba, 09/1/1953 - 07/17/2012. And 11 days later another burial took place in the monastery. Nun Matrona (Bogorosh), who lived in the Iverskaya monastery and lived in retirement, rested in the Lord, 6.11.1930 – 28.07.2012.

Interior of the monastery museum in the Nikon Tower. 2015

Let us return, however, to the times when Belarusian monks appeared in the Iverskaya monastery. They brought their holy images and books, vestments and church utensils. They brought to Valdai the drukarny where the famous printer Spiridon Sobol worked in Kutein, which served as an impetus for the spread of the book business in Rus'.

The Belarusians shared the secrets of tsenina (how to work with glaze), and soon multi-colored tiles appeared in many corners of Rus'. The Kutein residents also introduced the Russians to the techniques of wood and stone carving.

The Belarusians brought, in addition to unique material monuments, also gifts, which were much more valuable for the arrangement and strengthening of the church. They introduced the strict order of Kutein monastic life. It is no coincidence that from the moment the Belarusians appeared in Valdai in 1655, the Iveron archimandrites, abbots, and treasurers, as a rule, were Kuteins. On Ivera, the Kutein rite of appointing only worthy monks of their monastery as archimandrites was established. In 1692, Metropolitan Korniliy of Novgorod tried to install an archimandrite from another monastery in the Iveron monastery, but the elders wrote back to Patriarch Adrian with a request not to violate the ancient cenobitic rite of Kutein 111. The Patriarch did not object.

The most important Nikonian buildings of the Iveron Monastery and the arrangement of internal monastic life occurred during the archimandriteship of the Kutein elder Dionysius, who, following Joel, first accepted the abbess of Kutein and then of Iveron. Later, to further strengthen the brethren of the Iversky Monastery, the governor Philotheus and brother Severian (both from Kutein) were sent to Mogilev, Kutein and Kyiv to select the brethren needed in the Iversky monastery 112. Thus, in September 1657/58, the elder of the Kiev-Mezhigorsk Monastery, Joachim Savelov, the future Patriarch Joachim 113, appeared in the Iveron Monastery.

In 1689, according to the personal census of the brethren, in the Iversky Monastery there were 178 monks, among whom immigrants from Belarus and Ukraine were especially noted 114. True, this was preceded by the exodus of the Belarusians (as well as all the other inhabitants of the Iversky Monastery) to other monasteries. This was due to the deprivation of Nikon of the patriarchal rank in 1666/67, his lifelong exile and the closure of the monasteries he created 115. Archimandrite Philotheus and his brethren were evicted from the monastery at that time. In 1667, he writes: “We tolerate much encroachment, because they see us without intercession according to the former Patriarch Nikon” 116. However, on October 26, 1668/69, the royal letter of grant to the Iveron Monastery followed, confirming it among the correctly created ones and returning its former estates 117. At the same time, a letter followed, restoring Archimandrite Philotheus to his position in the Iversky Monastery 118.

The monastery, which had been abolished, quickly fell into disrepair, and in the 1660–1670s it was forced to carry out restoration work on buildings erected during the Nikon period. In 1671, the work of the water supply system was restored, which was carried out by Afonka Fomin and his comrades 119. At this time, stone bakeries and a kvass brewery were being built, and work was underway on the refectory. The monastery archers Afonka Fomin, Mikhalka Danilov, Danilko Fedorov are busy with the construction.

Lacking the previous highest patronage, the Iversky Monastery was not able to count on construction personnel who arrived at the construction site from other regions, as well as on those material resources that were once issued for construction by Patriarch Nikon. But, having significant land holdings, the ownership rights to which were returned to the monastery in 1668–1669, the monastery gradually collected the necessary funds for the construction of such significant buildings as the Church of the Archangel Michael, the Rector's, Vicar's, and Fraternal buildings, and the bell tower. Thus the ensemble was finally formed main square monastery The grandiose plans of His Holiness Patriarch Nikon have taken on a finished form.

Samples of ancient ceramics in the monastery museum. 2015

Active construction at the end of the 17th century was brought to life by a change in the attitude of the worldly authorities towards the personality of His Holiness Patriarch Nikon, his return from exile and restoration to the patriarchal rank 120.

The monastery, however, faced new challenges. In 1700, a fire destroyed the Church of Jacob Borovichsky and the hospital. Only two years later, a new two-story stone church of Jacob Borovichsky with cells and a refectory was built in its place. On May 11, 1704, an even more terrible fire occurred, in which the main temple, refectory church, iconostasis, library and other structures were severely damaged 121. The burnt tile trims were knocked off the façade of the Rector's building, the windows were chipped away, the walls were plastered and whitewashed - the building stood in this form for more than 300 years. In 2007, the tiled decoration of the Rector's cells was restored. The decor was modeled on a 17th-century tiled frame, fragmentarily preserved on the eastern wall of the building.

From 1704 to 1710, repair work was carried out in the main church, and upon completion, the cathedral was consecrated in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The miraculous Iveron icon, saved from the fire, took a new place in the temple - at the right pillar. A shrine with the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi was placed at the left pillar. Later, these two main shrines were placed under wooden carved gilded canopies. In a niche built in the southern wall, particles of holy relics and 4 silver arks with the relics of Moscow saints, brought to the Iveron Monastery by His Holiness Patriarch Nikon in 1654, were placed.

But not only the fires of the early 18th century were a test for the monastery. In 1712, by decree of Tsar Peter I, the Iverskaya monastery was assigned to the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Monastery under construction 122, where the most valuable things from the Iveron sacristy were transported. Land holdings were also assigned in favor of St. Petersburg. The Iversky Monastery fell into disrepair and desolation.

In 1730, by the highest command of Empress Anna Ioannovna, the Iverskaya monastery received independence from the Lavra. The lands were returned, but the things taken to St. Petersburg were never returned 123.

By 1764, the monastery was listed as second in the Novgorod diocese. The monastery owned 4,275 acres of land and 7,113 peasants. However, Catherine’s secularization of church and monastic lands leads the monastery into ruin: all land holdings are again taken away. But in 1778, the Highest Order was issued in connection with measures to strengthen economic methods for maintaining monasteries, according to which the Iversky Monastery again received land use rights 124.

The plight of the monastery was aggravated by the fire of 1825. Gerasim Gaidukov, who was appointed archimandrite at this time, did everything possible to revive the monastery. Archimandrite Lavrentiy Makarov 125 prepared much for the prosperity of the Iversky Monastery in the 1850–1870s. Many inhabitants gained spiritual glory for Iver. Hieromonk Lavrenty, who served for a long time as a cell attendant under Archimandrite Lavrenty, was revered as a perspicacious and wise old man, with whom the abbots of the monastery consulted 126 . The famous Iveron silent monk and prayer book Pachomius of Valdai was known for his humility and hard work. He died, like Seraphim of Sarov, kneeling in prayer 127. Monk Nikon, who received the name after tonsure in memory of His Holiness Patriarch Nikon, in the world was the Valdai merchant N.A. Dubinin 128. For 30 years he studied the healing properties of the Varnitsa salt springs, discovered by Patriarch Nikon three miles from Valdai 129, spent his entire fortune 130 on their study, and after leaving the world for the Iversky Monastery, he did not leave this work.

In 1906–1907, the spiritual writer S.A. Nilus 131 lived and worked on Ivera. In 1908, on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Iveron Icon’s stay in Valdai, he published his “The Tale of the Miracle-Working Iveron Icon” 132 as a separate book.

Letters from S.A. Nilus from Optina Monastery to the abbot of the Iversky Monastery, Archimandrite Joseph, have been preserved 133. In 1912, S. Nilus again came “to God-saved and God-loved Valdai,” settling near the Iversky Monastery 134. In the most difficult times of persecution, he found shelter and peace in the Iversky Monastery.

Archimandrite of the Iversky Monastery Joseph (Nikolaevsky). Photo from the beginning of the twentieth century. Museum of the county town. Valdai

Many guests came to the Niluses. E. Kontsevich left memories of a trip to the Iversky Monastery on October 12, 1913: “We went to the monastery in a roundabout way on horseback and rode 7 miles instead of three if we had sailed directly by boat. On this day, the eve of Her feast, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God returns to the monastery for the whole winter, having traveled around several counties over the summer, visiting all the towns, villages and hamlets along the way.

Upon arrival, at the end of the day, we went along with the religious procession to the shore of the lake to the monastery pier to meet the icon. It was a dark autumn evening. They didn’t wait so long: then colored lights appeared against the backdrop of the blackening expanse of water - lanterns with which the boat with the icon was decorated. The boat approached the shore and moored. The procession received the icon, and it was carried to the winter church with candles and singing. Along the way, the icon was carried over individual pilgrims bowed to the ground” 135.

This describes the return of the miraculous icon from the procession on the eve of the feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. By this day, the icon certainly returns to Iver after long wanderings, which lasted annually from May to October. A participant in the events draws attention to the long-established custom of carrying the icon over the heads of those praying. This was an all-Russian tradition, but in connection with the meeting of the Iveron Icon, a special ritual also developed. People came out to greet the icon as it was carried by the religious procession, with new household towels in their hands. Near the icon, the ends of the towels were sewn together - one common long towel was obtained - a white road for the Iverskaya Guide. Then the towels were raised on the hands above the people’s heads, and from them, thus, a “gate” was created for the Iverskaya Goalkeeper. The Iveron Icon was led along the towels; it made a circuit over the heads of those praying, taking them under its Cover. Then the towels were embroidered, everyone took their towel home and kept it on the Bozhnitsa. This is seen as a popular interpretation of the texts of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of Her miraculous Iveron Icon: “But you, who have an invincible power, cover and protect us, Lady, from all enemies visible and invisible”; “Rejoice, our hope and protection”; “Rejoice, our fence”; “Rejoice, there is consolation in our journey”; “Rejoice, sudden help to those in need along the way, on land and on waters”; “Rejoice, you who open the entrance to all things of grace”; “Rejoice, good Goalkeeper, who opens the doors of heaven to the faithful” 136.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the Iversky Monastery, in addition to temples and cells, economic services in the monastery itself, had a stone church in the name of the Iversk Icon at the Lykoshino station of the Nikolaevskaya railway and two chapels: one - stone in the name of Jacob Borovichsky in Valdai, the other - wooden, erected near the ferry at the entrance to the monastery islands. The monastery operated a literacy school for 10 orphan boys who lived in the monastery all year round. They received from the monastery a room with heating and lighting, servants, tea, sugar, ready-made clothes, shoes, and lunches in the monastery refectory.

In 1918, there were 68 inhabitants in the monastery, of which: archimandrite - 1, abbot - 1, hieromonks - 15, hierodeacons - 8, monks - 9, novices - 10, living on probation - 14, orphan boys - 10. daily services. The monastery owned 1021 dessiatines. 51 hundred. land. The capital of the monastery was 138,143 rubles. 28 kopecks There were blacksmith, metalwork, carpentry, and shoe workshops at the monastery. There was a library, which contained 605 books 137.

Beginning in January 1918, the authorities constantly requisitioned bread, cabbage, and livestock from the monastery. On July 15, 1918, during the requisition of grain, the food detachment launched an armed assault on the monastery. The monks sounded the alarm. A popular uprising began. In these events, Archimandrite Joseph was seriously wounded. The counter-revolutionary uprising was suppressed by troops, a state of emergency was introduced in Valdai, arrests and executions began. In connection with these events, a remarkable writer, leading publicist of the newspaper “Novoye Vremya” Menshikov, General V.A. Kosagovsky, who lived on an estate near Valdai, and others were shot 138 .

Iversky Monastery from the Western Gate

In 1919, the monastery was transformed into the Iverskaya labor agricultural artel. The brethren fussed about this for a long time, thereby wanting to preserve the monastery. The artel consisted of 70 people, had 5 hectares of monastery land and 200 hectares occupied by gardens, vegetable gardens, arable land, and pastures. The artel workers had at their disposal a tractor, 12 cows, 10 horses, and 139 agricultural implements.

On January 1, 1919, the previously confiscated “all precious and ancient church-sacristy vessels and things” were returned to the monastery, on the basis of which the Nikon Museum was created, located in the porch of the Church of the Archangel Michael 140.

In 1927, the Iverskaya labor artel was examined by the People's Commissariat of Agriculture. It was noted that the labor community is “too closely connected with the Iveron miraculous icon.” This was the reason for the deregistration of the labor artel, after which it was proposed to “cleanse the territory of the monastery from the non-labor element.”

Hieromonk Father Nikita, who was extremely popular among the monastery brethren and parishioners, was elected chairman of the Iveron labor artel 141. “The kindest Father Nikita,” as the famous publicist M.O. Menshikov 142 spoke of him, had the opportunity to manage the monastery’s economy during the most difficult years for the monastery. He was arrested in 1930, there is no information about his further fate, but his special luminosity is still remembered today. M.O. Menshikov asked his children that when they have their own children, one of them must be named Nikita in memory of the Iveron hieromonk. The great-grandson of the publicist was baptized under this name 143.

By 1930, the activities of the monastery and the monastic labor artel were completely stopped, its inhabitants left Iver.

In the 1930s, the Strochpromartel for deaf and mute disabled people was located on the territory of the monastery. From 1941 to 1943 - an evacuation hospital for soldiers and commanders of the North-Western Front, then - a recreation center for war invalids. In the post-war period, a children's sanatorium-forest school was opened here. In the late 1960s, the monastery buildings were occupied by a recreation center for one of the Novgorod enterprises.

In 1991, the Iversky Monastery was transferred to the Novgorod diocese.

The arrangement of spiritual, monastic life began with the Divine Liturgy, held on the main holiday of the Iversky Monastery, which falls on July 28 (August 10). Several thousand worshipers, together with Archbishop Lev of Novgorod and the clergy of the Novgorod diocese, held a religious procession around the monastery for the first time in many dozens of godless years. Transferred to this day from the Peter and Paul Church of Valdai, the icon of the Iveron Mother of God was the first, before all the monastery inhabitants, to come to Iver and remained there forever as the main shrine of the monastery, its patroness and intercessor.

Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, looking at the panorama of the restored Iveron Monastery, you involuntarily recall the words of the son of the Patriarch of Antioch Macarius, Archdeacon Paul of Aleppo, who visited here in 1656, noting the exclusivity of Iveron: “We marveled at this blessed place and its pleasant location: in truth, there is nothing like it in the world, and in the future it will become an example to all centuries” 144.

Notes

1 Nikon, patriarch. The word is beneficial about the creation of the monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos of Iveron and the Holy New Confessor and Hieromartyr Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus', the Wonderworker, also on the Holy Lake, and about the transfer of the relics of the Holy Righteous Jacob, who was formerly called Borovechesk // Mental Paradise. Type. Iversky Monastery, 1658/59. pp. 64-64 vol. 2 Acts of the Iversky Svyatoozersk Monastery (1582–1706), collected by Archimandrite Leonid. No. 40 // Russian Historical Library. T.5. St. Petersburg, 1878. Stb. 83.3 Ibid.4 Ibid. Stb. 84.5 Lobachev S.V. Patriarch Nikon. St. Petersburg, 2003. P. 97-112.6 Acts... No. 40. Stb. 84.7 Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch of the Iveron Svyatoozersk monastery in its patriarchal period (from 1653 to the end of 1666) // Russian Historical Library. T.5. Stb. 3.8 Acts... No. 16. Stb. 35-36.9 Nikon, patriarch. The word is beneficial... P. 53 vol.-54.10 Hereinafter: in the 50s of the 17th century. in Rus' the “September style” of the calendar was in effect, i.e. New Year started on September 1. Therefore, events that occurred at that time from September to the end of December are usually denoted by a fraction: first, the year according to the now accepted “January” style, and then - according to the “September style”.11 Acts... No. 18. Stb. 37-38.12 Ibid. Stb. 37.13 Acts... No. 40. Stb. 83.; Ambrose, archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. T.IV. M., 1812. P.270.14 Acts... No. 18. Stb. 37.15 Ibid. Stb. 38.16 Acts... No. 20. Stb. 39-41.17 Tikhomirov M.N. Novgorod chronograph of the 17th century // Novgorod historical collection. Vol. VII. Novgorod, 1940. P.86.18 Acts... No. 21. Stb. 43.19 Ibid. 20 Acts... No. 18. Stb. 38.21 Acts... No. 21. Stb. 42-44.22 Acts... No. 18. Stb. 37-38.23 Acts... No. 36. Stb. 68.24 Silin P.M. Historical description Valdai Iversky Svyatoozersky Bogoroditsky first-class monastery. St. Petersburg, 1885. P.41; Slezskinsky A.G. Iversky Monastery (From a summer trip) // Valdai Iversky Svyatoozersky Bogoroditsky Monastery. St. Petersburg, 1999. P.47.25 Ambrose, archimandrite. History... P. 218-219; Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch... Stb. 29-30.26 Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch. ...Stb. 6.27 Acts... No. 39. Stb. 80.28 Acts... No. 21. Stb. 44.29 Acts... No. 36. Stb. 69.30 Acts... No. 18. Stb. 38.31 Acts... No. 20. Stb. 40-41.32 Ibid. Stb. 41.33 Acts... No. 40. Stb. 83; Ambrose, archimandrite. History... P.270.34 Acts... No. 41. Stb. 87.35 Acts... No. 41. Stb. 88.36 Acts... No. 21. Stb. 44.37 Acts... No. 29. Stb. 53-54.38 Acts. No. 44. Stb. 100.39 Acts... No. 24. Stb. 47-48; No. 35. Stb. 65-66; No. 41. Stb. 87-88; No. 43. Stb. 90.40 Shusherin Ioann. News about the birth and upbringing and life of His Holiness Nikon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. M., 1871. P.32.41 Acts... No. 51. Stb. 114-121; No. 53. Stb. 121-126; No. 55. Stb. 131-133; No. 56. Stb. 134-135.42 Acts... No. 62. Stb. 158.43 Acts... No. 105. Stb. 305-307.44 Acts... No. 80. Stb. 203.45 Ibid. Stb. 204-207.46 Ibid. Stb. 203.47 Acts... No. 83. Stb. 217-218.48 Pavel Alepsky. The journey of the Patriarch of Antioch Macarius to Russia in the middle of the 17th century. Vol. IV. M., 1898. P.64.49 Acts... No. 87. Stb. 226-234.50 Pavel Alepsky. Travel... P.57.51 Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch... P.11; Nikon, patriarch. The word is beneficial... P.69.52 Zverinsky V.V. Materials for historical and topographical research on Orthodox monasteries in the Russian Empire. T.I. St. Petersburg, 1892. P.172.53 Nikon, patriarch. The word is beneficial... P.71.54 Acts... No. 98. Stb. 293.55 Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch... Stb. 11.56 General ledger. Sacristy inventory and church inventory of the Valdai Iversky first-class monastery. 1904. P. 414 vol.; Silin P.M. Historical description of the Valdai Iversky Svyatoozersky Bogoroditsky first-class monastery. P.54; Franz D.D. Catalog of the Nikon Museum in the Iversky Monastery near Valdai. Novgorod, 1920. P.20.57 Silin P.M. Historical description... P.40.58 Acts... No. 57. Stb. 37; Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch... Stb. 11-13.59 Ibid... Stb. 15-16.60 Acts... No. 106. Stb. 307.61 Ambrose, archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. T. IV. M., 1812. P.283.62 Ibid.63 Acts... No. 117. Stb. 323.64 Leonid, archimandrite. Historical sketch... Stb. 26.65 Silin P.M. Historical description... P.62.66 Acts... No. 435. Stb. 1067.67 Ambrose, archimandrite. History... P.283; Silin P.M. Historical description... P.62.68 Acts... No. 316. Stb. 806.69 Acts... No. 337. Stb. 849; No. 338. Stb. 850.70 Acts... No. 337. Stb. 849; No. 339. Stb. 851.71 Acts... No. 341. Stb. 856.72 Ambrose, archimandrite. History... P.283; Acts... No. 383. Stb. 927.73 Acts... No. 368. Stb. 927.74 Ambrose, archimandrite. History... P.284; Peter (Zverev-Bogdanov), archimandrite. Description of the first-class Iveron Mother of God Monastery of the Novgorod diocese. St. Petersburg, 1850. P.45.75 Ambrose, archimandrite. History... P.284.76 Ibid. P.287; Peter, archimandrite. Description... P.48; Silin P.M. Historical description... P.64.77 Peter (Zverev-Bogdanov), archimandrite. Description... P.49; Silin P.M. Historical description... P.65.78 Ibid.79 Silin P.M. Historical description... P.65; Biography and letters in Bose of the late father of Archimandrite Lavrenty, abbot of the Iversky Bogoroditsky Valdai Monastery, Novgorod province / Comp. A.F. Kovalevsky. M., 1887. P. 28-51.80 Biography and letters... P. 50-51.81 Yakovleva N.P. Iveron burials // Chelo. 2000. No. 2. pp. 41-44.82 According to the memoirs of I.V. Kopylov-Orlov’s wife, in June 1862 he was 67 years old, i.e. the date of birth can be considered 1795 or 1796. It is written on the grave monument (perhaps this was done erroneously when making the tombstone) that the deceased died in the 70th year of his life, i.e. his date of birth may be 1792 or 1793.83 Orlova-Savina P.I. Autobiography. M., 1994. P.363.84 Biography and letters... P.104.85 Orlova-Savina P.I. Autobiography. P.357.86 Yakovleva N.P. Grave monument in the monastery // Leninsky way. 1990. 20 Oct. No. 126 (10209). P.3.87 Theater encyclopedia. T.IV. M., 1965. S. 207-208; Orlova-Savina P.I. Autobiography. P. 193-220.88 Orlova-Savina P.I. Autobiography. P. 17, 396.89 Ibid. P. 17, 18, 135, 138-139, 217.90 Biography and letters... P. 97-98.91 Ibid. P.114.92 Vasiliev A.V. Gifted, intelligent, conscientious artist // Valdai. 1995. 10 Oct. No. 118 (10962). P.3.93 Orlova-Savina P.I. Autobiography. P.352.94 Biography and letters... P.110.95 Main book... P. 41-42.96 Orlova-Savina P.I. Autobiography. pp. 356-357.97 Memoirs of Abbess Taisia, abbess of the Leushinsky Monastery, about Archimandrite Laurentius (Makarov) // Valdai Ascetic. M., 1997. P.151.98 Biography and letters... P.51.99 Ibid. P.108.100 Memoirs of Valeryan Aleksandrovich Panaev // Russian antiquity. 1893. T.80. pp. 560-568; 1901. T.107. P. 32, 285-287.101 Dyagileva E.V. Family record about the Diaghilevs. St. Petersburg; Perm: Dmitry Bulanin, 1998. P.160.102 Ibid. P.77.103 Ibid. P.124.104 Ibid. pp. 129-131.105 Ibid. P.133.106 Ibid. P.164.107 Ibid. P.201.108 Ibid. P.257.109 Main book... P.45.110 Dyagileva E.V. Family record... P.160.111 Acts... No. 383. Stb. 927-928.112 Acts... No. 88. Stb. 240, 242.113 Acts... No. 93. Stb. 276.114 Acts... No. 358. Stb. 886-887.115 Acts... No. 262. Stb. 721-726.116 Acts... No. 252. Stb. 684-685.117 Acts... No. 434. Stb. 1048-1066.118 Acts... No. 435. Stb. 1067-1071.119 Sivak S.I. Stone mason apprentice Afanasy Fomin // Architectural Heritage and Restoration. M., 1984. P.244.120 Acts... No. 436. Stb. 1071-1074.121 Acts... No. 412. Stb. 997-999.123 Peter (Zverev-Bogdanov), archimandrite. Description... P. 20-21.124 Ibid. P. 21-22.125 Biography and letters... P. 3-51; Kovalevsky A. Biography of Archimandrite Lawrence // Valdai Ascetic. M., 1997. P. 3-64.126 Unknown Nilus / Comp. R. Bagdasarov, S. Fomin. M., 1995. T.I. pp. 30-31.127 Lives of Russian ascetics of piety in the 18th and 19th centuries. August. Kozelsk: Publishing house. Vvedenskaya Optina Pustyn, 1994. P.590.128 NGM KP 37795/3.7.129 Acts... No. 41. Stb. 87.130 Dubinin N.A. Medical-mineral mud of the Valdai Upland // Proceedings of the Highest Approved Russian Society for the Protection of Public Health. Vol. XIII. T.5. St. Petersburg, 1890. P. 91-96.131 Strizhev A.N. The order of nature is defeated // Towards the light. 1993. No. 3-4. P.21.122 Runkevich S.G. Alexander Nevsky Lavra. 1713–1913. St. Petersburg, 1997. P. 41, 57.132 Nilus S.A. The legend of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Her Iveron Apparition and of Her miraculous icon of Iveron, which is in the Mother of God Iveron Valdai Monastery of the Novgorod diocese. Sergiev Posad, 1908.133 Yakovleva N.P. Valdai letters from S.A. Nilus // Abstracts of reports and messages of the final scientific conference. Novgorod, 1997. P. 29-31.134 Nilus S.A. On the banks of God's river. Notes of an Orthodox Christian. Sergiev Posad, 1916. T.II. P. 16-18.135 Unknown Nilus... P.29.136 Yakovleva N.P. Procession with the Iveron Icon // Orthodox Valdai. 2006. No. 29 (41). S.1. 137 GIANO. F.481. Op. 1. Unit hr. 140. P. 27-28, 37.138 Yakovleva N.P. Bishop Joseph of Valdai in his memoirs, letters, diaries // Chelo. 2000. No. 3. P. 8-12.139 GIANO. F.481. Op. 1. Unit hr. 427. P.6.140 Ibid. P.7.141 Yakovleva N.P. Torch people. In memory of the hieromonk of the Iveron Monastery, Fr. Nikita // Chelo. 2000. No. 3. P. 5-6.142 Menshikov M.O. Materials for the biography // Russian archive. T.IV. M., 1993. P.162.143 Menshikova O.M. Monk Nikita // Our heritage. 1997. No. 42. P.47.144 Pavel Aleppo. Travel... P.61.

Nadezhda Yakovleva, senior researcher at the Valdai branch of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve

Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery is one of the centers of pilgrimage in the Novgorod region. The Orthodox monastery complex is located in a picturesque location 10 km from the city of Valdai: it is located on Selvitsky Island, almost in the center of the holy Valdai Lake.

Iversky Monastery has ancient history. Construction began in 1653 on the initiative of Patriarch Nikon of Moscow, and the site was chosen in accordance with the vision that visited him. The first to be completed were the Cathedral Church of the Iveron Icon and the Church of St. Philip of Moscow.

Almost a year later, Nikon visited the monastery under construction, ordered the surrounding Valdai Posad to be renamed Bogoroditskoye Village and consecrated the lake. So the monastery became the Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky. At the same time, at the initial stage of development, the new monastery acquired the relics of the wonderworker Jacob of Borovichi. The Assumption Cathedral of the monastery was completed in 1656.

In the first half of the 18th century, the Valdai Monastery quickly, and partly forcedly, found itself in stagnation. His property and land went to the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Monastery, which was under construction at that time, to which a large bell was even transported from Valdai, while the monastery was rapidly falling into disrepair. However, already according to the reform of 1764, the Iversky Monastery was assigned to the first class.

The history of the monastery in the 20th century includes numerous transformations. In 1919, the complex became the Iverskaya labor artel, but in fact remained a monastic monastery. In 1927, the monks were deprived of the miraculous icon, and the community ceased to exist. In subsequent Soviet years, the island housed a museum (historical, local history), various workshops, a home for the disabled of the Second World War (with accommodation and care), a local school for children with tuberculosis and, finally, a recreation center.

The long-awaited return of the monastery to the Novgorod diocese occurred only in 1991. A large-scale, painstaking restoration of the complex was completed in 2007, then the Assumption Cathedral of the Iveron Monastery in Valdai was consecrated by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, the main shrine of the monastery. V.V. Putin was present at the ceremony. Some work on decorating the monastery continued until 2011.

Currently, the monastery complex includes: the Iveron Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Refectory Church of the Epiphany, the Gate Churches of the Archangel Michael and Metropolitan Philip of Moscow, the Church of Jacob Borovichsky, the chapel with the tomb of the Panayevs, a hipped bell tower, viceroyal and auxiliary buildings, a fence with towers, Nikolaevskaya ( Mikhailovskaya) tower.

At the current monastery there is a museum dedicated to the history of the holy place and Patriarch Nikon. Excursions are available in the monastery complex.

Schedule of services at the Valdai Iversky Monastery

Services in the monastery are held on a regular schedule. On weekdays, the allocated time is from 7:00 to 9:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00; on Saturday, Sunday and holidays - from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00. Baptism - on weekdays, Sundays, holidays - at 13:00. Weddings are by appointment only on permitted days according to the church calendar.

The full schedule and operating hours are available on the official website of the Iversky Monastery.

How to get to the Iversky Monastery in Valdai

The Zarya-211 ferries depart from the Valdai pier to the monastery. You can also get there by taxi - for about 200-300 rubles from Valdai. At the same time, getting there by road is convenient: the first island, Ryabinovy, is connected to the mainland by a road bridge; from its northern end there is a bridge across a narrow strait to Selvitsky Island, where the monastery is located.

Pilgrims often reach Valdai from other regions of Russia. The M-10 highway leads to the city, there are regular local and intercity bus services with a stop at the Valdai bus station, electric trains and long-distance trains. However, on commuter trains It’s more convenient to go not to Valdai, but to the Chernushki stopping point, located about 5 km from the island monastery; this distance can be walked or traveled with fellow travelers. In addition, there remains the opportunity to go to Valdai and visit the famous Iversky Monastery in an organized manner - as part of an excursion group (you need to check with the pilgrimage center of the complex and the pilgrimage services of your city).

Valdai Iversky Monastery on Google panorama

Valdai Iversky Monastery: video

The Valdai Iversky Monastery is famous for the miraculous icon preserved in the Assumption Cathedral, as well as the gilded domes of this Orthodox church. The place for the monastery was chosen by the reformer of Russian Orthodoxy, Patriarch Nikon, when he was Metropolitan of Novgorod. The picturesque Selvitsky Island on Lake Valdai, named St. Nikon, became the site of the construction of one of three monasteries founded by this primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The model for the construction of the monastery on Lake Valdai, or the Holy Lake, was the Greek Iversky Monastery on Mount Athos, and its full name sounds like the Valdai Iversky Svyatoozersky Bogoroditsky Monastery. They decided to place it on an island in the center of the lake.

Selvitsky Island in the southern part has an artificial connection with largest island reservoir - Ryabinov, which in a similar way communicates with the mainland shore. On the western shore of the island, a monastery boat dock was built, near which the Holy Gate of the main entrance was located.

The foundation of the monastery took place in 1653, after the approval of the plan by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, who allocated funding from the state treasury. The consecration of the completed stone Assumption Cathedral took place at the end of 1656 personally by Patriarch Nikon.

The less than fifteen years of his patriarchate were full of many innovations - church books and icons were brought into conformity with the Greek canons, bows from the waist and the sign of the cross with three fingers were introduced. All this led to a split among believers and the emergence of Old Believers.

Nikon sought equal participation of the church in governing the state with the tsar, which was decisively rejected by Alexei Mikhailovich, and the patriarch was subjected to disgrace, and then deposition with subsequent exile.

The general view of the Iversky Monastery on the Selvitsky Island of Valdai, or Holy Lake, has been preserved from earlier times. A man-made isthmus with a bridge connects with neighboring island Ryabinov, and he with the mainland.

The remaining buildings of the Valdai Iversky Monastery were built later than the Assumption Cathedral, as was the fortress wall enclosing the monastery, with a total length of more than a kilometer. The contour of the walls almost followed the outlines of Selvitsky Island, separating almost 6 hectares of its territory.

The glacial origin of the reservoir determines the almost complete absence of current, calm water surface and abundance of coastal vegetation.

In the current appearance of the monastery one can see a convenient entrance from the south side, parking for tourist buses and a separate car park for the monastery brethren and clergy. The island's territory is almost devoid of vegetation, except for the western and part of the northern shore. The glacial origin of the reservoir determines the almost complete absence of current, calm water surface and abundance of coastal vegetation.

According to Orthodox canons, the main entrance to the monastery territory is located on the western side. The Holy Gate is made in the form of an arched passage in a two-story building, the upper tier of which is the gateway church of St. Philip. He is famous for his service in the Solovetsky Monastery as abbot, and then for his service as Moscow metropolitan.

Philip protested against the cruel methods of rule of Ivan the Terrible, for which he was removed from office and secretly executed by the tsar's henchman Malyuta Skuratov. Canonized by the Orthodox Church on the eve of the start of construction of the Iversky Monastery, the gate temple was named in his honor.

The central volume of the church is covered with four gable roofs with a spherical vault between them. On the vault there is an octagonal drum and a dome crowning it - a dome with a cross. The left wing is a staircase; the right wing on the first floor is a church shop.

The adjacent one-story buildings house residential monastic cells. Above the entrance arch there is a copy of the icon of the Iveron Mother of God - the Gatekeeper, or Goalkeeper.

It so happened historically that the Valdai Iversky Monastery has two Holy Gates, built in an earlier period and found themselves inside the territory. Between both entrance structures there is a tiled path with lanterns along it.

The second arched entrance is built in a massive rectangular building, on the roof of which is built the Church of the Archangel Michael, the leader (archangel) of the heavenly forces in the fight against the devil. The gate temple has a relatively small square base with an octagonal turret on the roof, on which there is a blank drum with a dome and a cross.

Premises for various purposes are attached to the gate on both sides; the entire building forms a transverse dividing line between the western and eastern parts of the monastery territory.

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One of the vitally important buildings on the territory of the monastery was the refectory, built in an ensemble with the Church of the Epiphany immediately next to the Assumption Cathedral. To conduct divine services in winter, a warm church was necessary; Nikon himself ordered it to be provided in the monastery complex.

The building is built on two floors, with utility and storage rooms located below, and a refectory on the second floor. The front porch on the west side consists of a canopied staircase, parallel to the wall and fenced on the outside, with arched openings in the fence. The southern porch is decorated with faceted columns supporting the shelter portal.

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Adjacent to the refectory on the eastern side is the Church of the Epiphany - a single-domed temple with a square lower tier and a tower of 8 sides with window openings, a blind drum on a hemispherical roof, and a dome with a cross on top. The decorations around the window openings - stylized kokoshniks and double arches above the windows, like some other elements, are made in red, contrasting with the whiteness of the walls.

The three-tiered tented bell tower of the Valdai Iversky Monastery is combined on a single base with the abbot’s building for the residence of senior clergy. The buildings stretch along the southern monastery wall. The square of the second tier goes into the octagon of the belfry, on the wall of which there is a clock.

Every 15 minutes the bells sound a chime that can be heard throughout the island. The bell tower is crowned with a tent in the shape of a sharp octagonal pyramid with dormer windows (chandeliers) on each side, a blind drum at the top and a dome with a cross.

The rectory has two residential floors and a basement; a distinctive feature of this building is the tiled decoration of the window openings.

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The main and oldest building of the Iversky Monastery is the cathedral, first named after the miraculous icon, then renamed the Assumption Cathedral and acquired its original name in the new millennium. A feature of the temple architecture of the Nikon era is a covered gallery on all sides of the building.

The main (western) entrance to the cathedral is designed as a small chapel, the side chapels have two floors and double-sided staircases to enter them. The building, rectangular in plan, consists of three naves, separated internally by supporting columns (pillars).

On the eastern side of the temple it has three altar apses, inside of which there is a three-part altar. Five large domes with gilded domes complete the majestic structure of the Cathedral of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. You can get a full impression of the appearance of the cathedral by viewing the slider.

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The domes of the Assumption Cathedral of the Valdai Iversky Monastery now shine over a long distance in good weather.

From the time of its construction until 2008, the domes of all five chapters of the Assumption Cathedral were covered with copper sheets, which are characterized by gradual oxidation and acquisition of a dark color. For reasons of increasing the attractiveness of the appearance of the cathedral, the Novgorod diocese decided to cover the domes with gold leaf, which was done during the last restoration of the temple.

Three thousand packs (books) of the thinnest sheets of precious metal, 4 grams each, were used for gilding, that is, 12 kilograms for the entire volume of gilding work.

The richness of the interior decoration of the Cathedral of the Valdai Iversky Monastery, updated during the latest restoration. The massive entrance doors of the Assumption Cathedral are decorated with filigree wood carvings.

The main shrine of the Valdai Iveron Monastery is the miraculous icon of the Iveron Mother of God, which gave it its name. The relic is placed in a prominent place at a height convenient for viewing on the right pillar closest to the iconostasis. At the foot of the pillar there is a separate platform for admirers.

The precious frame of the holy image leaves only the faces and hands of the characters exposed, but they are also quite expressive. The pedestal in front of the location of the image is convenient for those who kiss the icon and kneel in front of it.

The icon located in the island temple is supposedly a copy (an exact copy) made directly in the Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos in Greece. The Greek monastery founded by Georgians, which miraculously found the miraculous icon floating on the waves, allegedly presented the image to the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who transferred it to the Assumption Cathedral.

The origin of the original icon is not known for certain; legend says that it was painted by the Evangelist Luke. One of the apostles who described the life of Christ is indeed known as the first icon painter to depict the Virgin Mary.

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The paintings of the walls and columns, as well as the images of the five-tiered altar iconostasis, were more than half lost during the period of persecution of religion and restored in a more modern icon-painting manner. Also, thanks to the skill of the restorers, the richly decorated supporting pillars appear in all their splendor - columns that bear the weight of the upper tier of the building.

The covered gallery surrounding the altar was also used to place images of Orthodox saints with health candlesticks opposite.

One of the attractions of the monastery territory is the ancient oak tree growing here, which is mistakenly considered to have grown from the acorn of the oldest tree on the planet, described in the Bible, but attracts increased attention from tourists visiting the temple. There is a legend that the tree was grown from the acorn of the famous Mamre oak, or Abraham tree.

The sacred oak tree on the banks of the Jordan River is over 5 thousand years old and witnessed Abraham’s meeting with God in the person of the Holy Trinity. The relationship of the Valdai tree with this relic is not possible, because the oldest tree on the planet has not produced acorns for a long time, at least during the period of growth of the oak tree in the monastery (approximately 250 years).

The oak tree on the territory of the Iversky Monastery attracts visitors, among other things, due to the Slavic belief about charging energy from trees. It became a tradition to lean your back against the trunk, supposedly replenishing vitality, including enveloping the oak tree with a whole group of people along the entire circumference of the trunk.

To monks, such rituals seem pagan and intolerant on the territory of the monastery, but it is awkward to prohibit them directly. Therefore, a copy of the miraculous icon was mounted on a tree so that people would kiss it instead of the old custom. However, the ancient tradition of distant ancestors is still alive.

At the end of this short review of the Valdai Iversky Monastery, future visitors are invited to check their own assimilation of the material presented. The published slider contains a number of pictures. on them with different directions Objects covered in previous materials were photographed, as well as those that remained without description, including the unmentioned Typographical Tower, where Nikon developed local printing. The tall, square structure is crowned with a pyramidal roof of complex configuration, a drum and a spire with a weather vane.

Nothing was said about the towers in the monastery wall, one of which is depicted. It is necessary to determine the location of this structure, relying on the structure of the adjacent walls and using the title image of the review. In the same way, you can identify all other objects of the Valdai Iversky Monastery, no matter from what angle the picture was taken.

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This unique quiz arranged for visitors to our site does not serve the purpose of testing school work. The humorous event is designed to arouse interest in what is being described and encourage a visit and personal inspection. The Valdai Iversky Monastery and its wonderful surroundings are worth it, and the trip will bring indelible impressions.