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Holy Spirits Monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery. Spiritual and moral activities of the monastery

On the outskirts of Timashevsk - a small town, of which there are many in the warm, generous and beautiful land of Kuban - near the busy Krasnodar - Yeisk highway, not far from the calm and smoothly flowing Kirpili River, rises a white stone temple with sky-colored domes. By the will of God, a monastery of the Holy Spirit was built at this place for the consecration of Kuban.

It is visible to everyone entering the city from the regional center. This beautiful temple, rapidly soaring upward with its bell tower, is consecrated in honor of the Holy Spirit. It is the center and focus and the main shrine of the monastery, which bears the great and glorious name of the third hypostasis of the Most Holy Trinity. By the Holy Spirit all God's creations are given life, move and have their being. He gives life to everything and in Him everything lives. The Spirit of God fulfills everything with His power and grace. He is the giver of life, the Life-giving Comforter, the Treasure and the Source of blessings.

Construction of the temple

The monastery began as an architecturally designed structure with the construction of a church. In 1987, Archimandrite George (Sava), with the blessing of the ruling archpastor, then bishop, now metropolitan, Bishop Isidore, headed the parish of the Holy Ascension prayer house in the city of Timashevsk. After accepting the parish, Father George began to worry about building a real, beautiful stone church. Father George, a worker in the cause of God, had to endure many obstacles, oppression, insults and other hardships: firstly, from the godless authorities who prevented the allocation of land for the construction of a new church, practically drove it into a swamp, and forbade the construction of a temple with a bell tower, a dome and an altar apse ( the authorities were allowed to build only an ordinary building and equip it as a house of worship); and secondly, from members of the church council who harmed the cause of the revival of Orthodoxy in the Kuban, chosen at the direction of the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, and not by the voice of believers.

We had to acquire a plot for our temple only by purchasing a hut on the outskirts of the city with fifteen acres of marshy land. Archimandrite Georgy reasoned this way: “One of the most beautiful cities in the world, St. Petersburg, was built on a swamp. If there is no other possibility and if there is God’s will for this, then we must build where God favors. Regardless of people's judgments. Not human judgment, not God’s court.”

Some complained that the site for the construction of the temple was chosen on the outskirts of the city, far from the center. To which the priest replied: “Over time, this place will be the center.”

And today it has already come true. Two residential microdistricts, “Yuzhny” and “Vostochny”, have grown up. This truly was the will of God. From the time he arrived in Timashevsk, Father Georgy very often walked on foot to this outskirts; he was drawn here inexplicably. Subsequently, when the place had already been chosen and the construction of the temple began, the old-timers said that in the fifties, now the twentieth century, a weak sick holy fool lived not far from this place, who told everyone that a church and a monastery would be built in this lowland. Apparently, the Lord prepared this place to show unbelieving people that there are no obstacles for a believing heart. And just as the humiliated and crushed Russian Church rose from dust and decay, planting the “villages” of the true faith in the hearts of the lost and abandoned people of the Russian people, so on this wretched, despised swamp a beautiful temple grew, which sanctified and beautified the city.

Opening of the monastery

After the completion of the construction of the temple, in the fall of 1991, Archimandrite Georgy, responding to the requests of the spiritual children of the entire northern region of Russia, orphaned after the departure of their spiritual father to the Krasnodar region, wanted to leave Kuban for one of the monasteries of the Arkhangelsk Diocese. But when everything was ready to return to the north, the priest fell ill. At this time, Bishop Isidore proposed opening a monastery in Timashevsk. Seeing that his illness did not allow him to leave, Father George agreed with the bishop’s decision to found a monastery in Kuban. Soon the illness, which happened by God’s providence, passed away. In June 1992, at the request of the ruling Archbishop Isidore of Krasnodar and Kuban, by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Holy Spirit Monastery was opened in the city of Timashevsk. Archimandrite George was appointed vicar of the monastery.

Difficulties in the beginning of the life of the monastery

The opening of the monastery coincided with a difficult, turning point period in the life of our Motherland. The ongoing reforms, the introduction of the so-called “market economy,” have not spared a single resident of our country. Everyone knows how these transformations affected the common people - many went hungry, many were left homeless and without a means of subsistence, old people died, young people became drunkards and became drug addicts, there were many cases of suicide. During this period, the monastery also experienced difficulties. The brethren needed housing. Father Georgy did not dare to build then, but the Lord sent sympathetic, kind, Russian people in the person of Mikhail Mikhailovich Lomach, Vladimir Kirillovich Kochetov and Nikolai Mikhailovich Coverage. As a charitable donation, the confectionery factory provided building materials for the construction of the fence. The governor decided to build not just a fence, but a fence-frame; fortunately, after the construction of the church there was still brick left. With great effort, two buildings were built with an arch connecting them and an entrance gate.

Initially, the brethren were twelve people. In ancient monasteries and monastic communities there was a rule - to feed from the labors of your own hands. It is based on the words of St. ap. Paul, who said: “... these hands have served my needs and the needs of those who were with me.” (Acts 20:34); “...in labor and in exhaustion, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often...” (2 Cor. 11:27); “...if anyone does not want to work, do not eat; ... some of you act disorderly, do nothing, but fuss. We admonish and convince such people by our Lord Jesus Christ, so that they, working in silence, eat their bread.” (2 Thess. 3:10-12).

St. Basil the Great, in the charter for cenobitic monasteries, in rule 172, says: “In the ascetic regulations, this need for labor and work is proven by the example of the Lord and St. Apostles."

Therefore, the monastery petitioned the secular authorities to allocate land plots for economic needs. Thanks to the help of the head of the administration of the Krasnodar region, Nikolai Ignatovich Kondratenko, and the head of the Timashevsky district, Alexander Alexandrovich Chernyshenko, the monastery was allocated almost three hundred hectares of arable land. Currently the monastery has about four hundred hectares. There are two farmsteads where the brethren work, growing the necessary agricultural crops for the needs of the monastery. The monastery is engaged in grain crops, grows vegetables, potatoes, perennial grasses for animal feed, and there are young plantations of fruit trees. In addition, there is a small population of cows, pigs, and poultry. Have your own milk, eggs; the meat goes for sale. The brethren carry out many other labors and obediences: performing and participating in divine services, working in the prosphora, in the candle workshop, driving cars, preparing meals, carpentry, carpentry, plumbing, construction, etc.

The main thing for a person living in a monastery is not life in a society of like-minded people of the same faith, not endless work, but spiritual prayerful unity with God. Prayer is the basis of a monk’s life.

“Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the spirit.” (1 Thess. 5:16-19).

In the monastery, worship begins early, at four o'clock in the morning. First, the Midnight Office is served, then the morning prayers are read, and Matins is performed. After it, the first, third and sixth hours are read. The morning service ends with the Divine Liturgy. In the evening at eighteen o'clock Vespers is served, preceded by the reading of the ninth hour. Evening prayers are read after dinner. During the day, the brethren follow the cell rule, read the Psalter, the Gospel, and the Apostle. During all the time of vigils and labors, he practices the Jesus Prayer, following the words of the Lord: “... when you pray, enter your room (the solitary soul) and, having closed your door, pray to your Father, who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:6).

Although people come to the monastery by the will of God and at the behest of the soul, not many are kept within the monastery walls. Self-love, self-indulgence, self-will, arrogance, self-confidence, complacency, lack of humility and meekness, pride, despondency, obstinacy, condemnation and talkativeness, disobedience, laziness, ingratitude, unrepentance and other passions hinder the spiritual strengthening of those entering the path of spiritual monastic work. A person comes to the monastery from the world, for, according to the Holy Scriptures: “The world lies in evil.” (1 John 5:19), evil consists in the fact that “he who commits sin is a slave of sin...” (John 8:34). Leaving the world and entering the monastery, he carries with him the worldly skills and habits acquired from birth. In the world, a person is brought up on the principles of self-affirmation, pride, self-love, and denial of the authority of elders; If a person does not know how to stand up for himself, insist on his own, rise above others, then for the world he does not have vitality within himself. Therefore, the world forms in people the qualities necessary for survival in this world. And even people prone to spiritual impulses are subject to passions common to the world around them. According to the words of the psalmist, the prophet King David: “With the venerable you will be, and with the chosen you will be chosen, and with the obstinate you will be corrupt.” (Ps. 17:26-27).

In the monastery, completely different character traits are required from a person - according to the words of the Holy Apostle Paul: “... put aside everything: anger, rage, malice, slander, foul language of your lips; do not tell lies to each other... clothe yourself, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, with mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; ...most of all put on love, which is the sum of perfection...” (Col. 3:8-9;12;14).

If the apostle speaks these words to all Christians, then all the more so should a person entering the monastery fence possess these Christian virtues or at least strive for them. Most of all, from those entering the path of monastic life, the highest virtue is required - humility, for it is said in the Holy Gospel: “... for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humiliates himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11), and the holy Apostle Peter: “... clothe yourself with humility, because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter:5:5), and the prophet David says to the Lord: “For You have saved the humble people and humbled the eyes of the proud.” (Ps. 17:28). The reverend fathers of antiquity said that the beginning of humility is obedience.

Abba Moses said to a certain brother: “Let us ask for obedience, which gives rise to humility and brings patience, and generosity, and contrition, and brotherly kindness, and love, for these are our military weapons.” He also said: “A monk who fasts, being under the command of a spiritual father, but lacking obedience and humility, will not acquire any virtue, because he does not know what a monk is.” (Ancient Patericon. 14.6;8). The same book says: “The elders said: God requires nothing more from novice monks than the work of obedience.” (Ibid. Ch. 14.23). St. John Climacus says: “The Fathers call psalmody a weapon, prayer a wall, immaculate tears a laver, and blessed obedience they call confession, without which none of the passionate will see the Lord.” (Ladder. Degree 4.8). Precisely, the lack of humility is a stumbling block for many who follow the path of monastic activity. Some, having lived in the monastery for many years, do not acquire this virtue, without which there is no salvation according to the word of the Holy Scriptures, and, having put in a lot of work, patience, hardship and oppression, having suffered deeds for the sake of the Lord, not having the inner spiritual stone of faith - humility, they leave the monastery . It is true: “...many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 20:16). The Lord Jesus Christ taught: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit...” (John 15:16), everyone who enters into the service of God does not choose this service himself, but God Himself pre-elects him. And, leaving the monastery of his own free will, he leaves the cross given to him by God.

Over the time since the founding of the monastery, many people have passed through who wanted to find refuge in it, but few cemented their desire with patience and humility. The Ancient Patericon describes the image of monastics in the form of three flying birds: monks from different centuries of Christianity - middle and last times. The first two birds had enough strength to, avoiding temptations, reach the Kingdom of Heaven; the third bird, representing the image of a monk of recent times, either soared to the sky, then fell exhausted to the ground, then rushed upward again. The ancient fathers very accurately depicted in this picture the spiritual power of monks from different eras. The ascetics of the first centuries of Christianity surprise us with their exploits. It is not for nothing that many of them were called Great: Anthony the Great, Theodosius the Great, Pohomius the Great, Onuphrius the Great, Arseny the Great, and many, many other saints spent their lives in the same severity. Monks of later times, also imitating the venerable fathers of antiquity, bore their burdens on the cross in patience and humility. Nowadays, monks also strive to imitate the godly life of the ancients, but the world around us has changed far from for the better...

Spiritual and moral activities of the monastery.

Ten years have passed. Is this a lot or a little?... For the life of humanity, this is nothing. This can be an entire era for the life of society. For a person's life, this can be a huge part of their life. What are ten years for a monastery? The monastery is now in its infancy. Starting is always difficult. It is very difficult to restore lost spirituality. It is not easy to strengthen people in the truth and teach them to live in truth. It is difficult to leave established habits that are incompatible with the monastic way of life. It is difficult to build a spiritual life, because evil lives in the world. Evil does not need to be taught, it impudently climbs in on its own, instigated and taught by the spirits of evil. Good is difficult to instill because of the spiritual damage of humanity, about which the Apostle Paul says: “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh, because the desire for good is in me, but to do it I cannot do it.” I find it. I don’t do the good that I want, but I do the evil that I don’t want.” (Rom. 7:18-19).

Therefore, it is difficult to change for the better - towards goodness, humility, love. Just like it’s hard to climb a mountain, but easy to fall…. Ahead of the climber awaits the peak and indescribable joy; The bottom and death await those who fall. Therefore, it is better to endure and move forward. The construction of a monastery is also difficult, since the monastery is built on its own and only at its own expense.

Many people visit our monastery in order to get an appointment with the abbot of our monastery, Archimandrite George. Most turn to mental and physical pain, illness, grief, for spiritual, everyday and medical advice. And very many are given help and consolation through the prayers of our elder. Father instructs everyone to follow the rules of the Orthodox way of life. Most of all, he teaches to constantly visit the temples of God and regularly partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. To preach to the people the initial rules and truths of the Orthodox way of life, morality, ethics and worldview, Archimandrite George collaborates with the editors of the newspaper “Heal by Faith,” which publishes answers to pressing questions and selects Orthodox material of instructive content for fragile and new believers.
Monastery in our time.

Currently, about eighty people live and serve in the monastery. The monastery is headed by the viceroy, Archimandrite George. Under his spiritual leadership are six holy monks, two hierodeacons, three monks, twenty-four monks and novices. Painting is underway in the temple... The decoration of the temple was started by the icon painter Rekukha Nikolai. After his death, in the fall of 1998, icon painting was continued by the inhabitants of our monastery - hieromonk Martyry (Knyazko) and monk Procopius (Syroegin). The temple is decorated with a plaster iconostasis and wooden carved icon cases. Wood carving is carried out by a worker of the monastery, Vladimir Nikolaevich Kobzev. In the future, it is planned to build a refectory building, a residential building for the brethren and a residential building for priests, and a hotel in the monastery. Architectural calculations and technical supervision during construction are carried out by architect Alexander Ivanovich Kolesnikov. A temple was built on the farmstead, in the Nekrasovo farm. Near it, the foundation has been laid for a bell tower, which is also planned to be built. There are many plans for the construction, improvement and decoration of the monastery. But whether they are destined to be fulfilled depends on the will of God and God’s favor.

In the temple there are revered shrines: the icons of the Mother of God “Burning Bush” and “Vladimir”, the icon of the Holy Great Martyr and healer Panteleimon, painted on Athos; there is a reliquary with the relics of the saints of God. Archimandrite George has a cross - a reliquary, given to him by the elder Archimandrite Job (Kundrya), with rare relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Holy Great Martyr and healer Panteleimon.

The history of the “Vladimir” Icon of the Mother of God is very interesting. When Father Georgy served in the Arkhangelsk diocese, the granddaughter of the murdered priest brought him this icon and told him about the miracle that happened at the time of her grandfather’s execution. This happened in the thirties. Three commissars burst into the priest's house and ordered the father of the family to get ready for a long journey without delaying a minute. Worried by this sudden invasion, the priest asked for a little time to pray to God and turned his face to the icons. Tears flowed from the eyes of the Queen of Heaven, written on the tree. Seeing this miracle, one of the commissars became furious and, drawing a revolver, began shooting at the icon, after which he killed the praying priest. Blood flowed from the bullet holes of the pierced icon, as from human wounds. By morning, the blasphemous commissar committed suicide by shooting himself. The relatives of the murdered priest hid the holy icon, which had shed blood, and preserved it. This icon is currently located in the altar of the temple.

It’s not me who heals, Father George said, God heals through our faith.

Father Georgy (Yuri Yuryevich Savva) is known not only to many Russians in Russia, but also beyond its borders. Firstly, because he devoted his life to serving God and for many years was the abbot of the Holy Spiritual Timashevsky Monastery. And secondly, because Father George was an amazing herbal healer. Sometimes, with his recommendations, he managed to pull a person out of the most difficult health conditions.

Despite the proximity of the city of Timashevsk, only 200 km, we did not have time to visit Father George, either we couldn’t get around to it, or the knowledge that the trip would not be easy stopped us. But my friend took her daughter to him. Lena’s story and recommendations that she brought from Father George are conveyed without cuts.

To Father George

“Our family friend decided to take their daughter to her father George and since there was free space in the car, they invited us to go with them. Of course, I happily agreed. Their girl, like my Anya, has severe cerebral palsy.

We left Rostov very early; we were warned that there would be a long line and we wanted to arrive early. When we arrived at the monastery, we saw that the queue of people suffering just like us was not just long, but huge.

People came from all over Russia and lived near the monastery, waiting for their turn, for weeks, renting housing from local residents. Every morning everyone gathered for roll call according to the list. And almost everyone did not leave the monastery gates until the evening, until Father George finished the reception.

In addition to the general queue, there was another one - for seriously ill patients, whose lives were counting down to days, and for children with serious illnesses.

We stood at the gates of the monastery all day and, like everyone else, looked at the gates with hope when a monk would come out of them and invite the next one.

There were a lot of seriously ill people, so there was no particular hope that we would get to Father George that day.

But we were lucky; we were invited late in the evening. As we walked through the monastery premises, excitement overwhelmed me and almost deprived me of strength. But as soon as Anya and I entered the small room where Father George was hosting the reception, and I heard his calm, quiet speech, the excitement immediately receded.

He asked questions, listened carefully to me, talked with Anya, and then gave recommendations and recipes for treatment.

First of all, Father George spoke about the need to heal the soul. Without the health of the soul, bodily recovery is doubtful.

It’s not me who heals, Father George said, God heals through our faith.

For spiritual healing it was recommended:

go to church and give communion to parents and the child 7 times a year;

read morning and evening prayers every day, at least one at a time;

read one chapter from the Gospel every day;

read the Psalter every day, one kathisma per day, and on Friday always add the 17th kathisma from evil spirits, corruption and deceit;

Read Psalms 11 and 26 three times a day throughout your life.

The course of physical treatment was designed for 70 days. There were a lot of treatment recommendations. All of them were prepared and written down in advance, and they were given to us as a set of leaflets with recipes.

Upon returning home, I gave many people to copy these recipes; unfortunately, not all of them came back to me. But the main thing was preserved, and I remember a lot of things very well, because everything was repeated day after day for 70 days.

Rubdown with pine needle extract. Dilute 1 tbsp in 7 liters of water. a spoonful of pine needle extract, 2 cups of string decoction and 1 tbsp. spoon of holy water. Every day, until the water runs out, in the morning and evening, wipe the child, starting from the head and the whole body with horizontal movements, with a waffle towel. Then dry the body with a hard towel and read the “Creed” prayer.

Eat 1 tuber of Jerusalem artichoke 3 times a day, and from late spring to autumn you can replace it with Dolgolet tablets, they are sold at the pharmacy.

In the morning, before breakfast, take a mixture of unrefined vegetable oil (corn or olive), liquid honey, alcohol, taken 1 teaspoon each.

Eat one prune seed a day and drink a tablespoon of a decoction of 16 herbs.

Father George recommended washing the body with laundry soap, as it has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.

A tea recipe that cleanses the body, improves immunity and is also very tasty.

half a glass of rose hips,

1/3 cup elecampane bark.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and pour 5 liters. boiling water Simmer covered over low heat for 3 hours. Then add:

1 tbsp. a spoonful of St. John's wort,

1 tbsp. a spoonful of oregano,

1 gr. rosehip root,

2 teaspoons of your favorite tea (except green) and simmer for another hour.

Anyone can drink this tea for the rest of their life, whenever they want, without any norm.

Collection of 16 herbs. It has a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole, cleanses the blood, normalizes metabolism, and improves immunity. It was recommended to drink it 1 tbsp. spoon a day before meals. The collection included: nettle, sage, immortelle, rose hips, string, bearberry, yarrow, wormwood, thyme, birch buds, buckthorn, linden flowers, cudweed, motherwort, chamomile, dried flowers (cat's paw).

After preparing them, add 1 tbsp to teas, decoctions, and baths. spoon of holy water. Do not boil holy water.

I’ll say right away that it took the whole day to implement all these recommendations, without a trace. It was very difficult to do everything, especially if there was no one to help. We tried to do everything, and mostly we succeeded. With rare exceptions, we completed the 70-day course.

I won’t lie, my expectations from the treatment were greater than the results. Why? It seems to me that there was not enough faith. And by faith it will be given to you!

Unfortunately, in 2011, Father George passed away from earthly life. Therefore, all that remains is to use the recommendations that you have remembered and saved.

To all parents and children, I wish you Health, Goodness and Faith!

Special mother Lena Landsberg."

Where to buy herbal teas

Father George's herbal teas can still be bought in the monastery shop. Monastery address: Russia, Krasnodar region, Timashevsk city, Druzhby street, e-mail: [email protected], Phone for inquiries: 8 (861 30) 4-01-24, gatekeeper.

All herbs are collected by monks in the fields and forests of the Krasnodar region and the foothills of the Caucasus. The collections are prepared with prayer and blessing.

You can prepare the necessary mixture yourself; no one keeps secrets about the composition of teas. You just need a pharmacy scale. Since, for example, in a collection of 16 herbs, the composition is collected in grams.

The line of Monastic teas is also widely represented on the network. I was interested in this site offering, the recipe in it coincides with the collection of 16 herbs recommended by Father George.

It is from the monastery-monastery that the history of Pochaev as a miraculous place begins. It was here that miraculous deeds began to occur, and the first Pochaev monks settled here.

And it all began in the cold autumn of the infinitely distant year 1197. Then local hunters first saw the image of a deer here, which soon disappeared, leaving behind a fiery trail into the sky. The following spring, the local feudal lord John Turkul saw on Skit-mountain the image of the Virgin Mary standing in the flames. Turkul told about this in 1213 to an Athonite monk passing near his estate. Methodius. He replied that he knew about the unusual incident with John, and ordered him to make a pilgrimage to Greek monasteries.

Turkul listened to the monk’s advice and set off on a journey 2 years later, but on the way he became seriously ill. Praying for recovery, our traveler promised to build a temple in the event of his healing. Turkul recovered, found Methodius in Athos and returned with him to his lands on Skit Mountain. For four days he was in solitude on Mount Methodius, and all four days he saw the image of the Mother of God emanating from the flame. From which I concluded that these mountains will always be under the intercession of the Mother of God.

So August 29 1219 A monastery was founded on Skit Mountain, which quickly became revered by local residents. Many came here to visit and stayed here for the rest of their lives. And the Monk Methodius lived in the monastery until he was 137 years old.

The domes of the Pochaev Lavra are visible in the background

For more than four centuries, a monastic monastery flourished here, and until the middle of the 16th century, the monastery-monastery had primacy over all the monasteries of Volyn and Podolia. However, misfortune overtook him too - an epidemic of ulcers took the lives of almost all the monks of the Skete. The remaining five moved to a nearby mountain, where the Pochaev Monastery was soon founded.

In the 17th century, under Job of Pochaev, monastic life in the Skete was resumed, and a temple was built in honor of the Holy Trinity, which is why the Skete received the name of the Holy Spirit.

In 1728, the Basilian monks built a new Trinity Church with cells here. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, when the Volyn lands began to belong to Russia, life in the Skete ceased, and its new owner, Count Czartoryski, completely dismantled its property for his own needs.

In 1900, at the request of the Spiritual Council of the Pochaev Lavra, this mountain was purchased, and a skete in the name of the Holy Spirit was again founded on it.

On June 17, 1950, in the Skete there was a miraculous healing of the nun Varvara (in the world Elena Putyatina), who had suffered from paralysis of both legs for 48 years. She came from Orenburg, moving with difficulty on two crutches with the help of her companion nun Maria. Having venerated a copy of the miraculous image of the Pochaev Mother of God, she was immediately able to stand on her sore legs, and when she left the Skete, she left her crutches there.

However, in 1959, atheist communists closed the Skete again, placed a warehouse and a club in the churches, and installed billiards in the place of the throne. But God sees everything! The secretary of the Pochaev district committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, Ichansky, when asked if he is not afraid of God, replies, tearing off icons: “If there is a God, then let him take away what is most dear to me.” And upon returning home, he learns that his young daughter died in the engineering and chemical laboratory of the Lvov Automobile Plant.

In 1990, services began again in the Holy Spiritual Skete, and the spiritual and economic life of the monastery was resumed. Many shrines have returned: in the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, six reliquaries contain particles of the relics of more than one hundred and twenty Saints of God from all over the world, there is a unique icon on the stone on which the saint prayed for a thousand days and nights.

A rare well, the depth of which is 107 meters, also attracts the attention of all parishioners. While the water reaches from top to bottom, half a minute passes. And to raise the water, two large tubs (30 liters each) are used at once: an empty tub, which is lowered into the well, “helps” to rise to the top of the full one.

You can spend the night here in a modern hotel at the Skete, called “Pochaevsky Suite”.

all photos by Tatiana Rozlach

The formation of the Holy Spiritual Monastery dates back to the first quarter of the 12th century. It was founded by the disciples of the Vyatichi enlightener, the Venerable Hieromartyr John Kuksha.

Initially, the monastery was located near the present village of Kresty, Novosilsky district, Oryol region, and numbered about 600 brethren who knew how not only to fulfill church requirements, but also, if necessary, to stand up for the Orthodox faith and the Fatherland with arms in hand... For example, in 1380, a group of monks of St. Dukhova of the monastery as part of the ambush regiment, which included the Novosilsk squad, participated in the Battle of Kulikovo.

In 1495, the monastery was transferred from Bolshaya Yeletskaya to the Lithuanian road and was located near Novosil. Over time, three magnificent churches, residential and outbuildings, surrounded by a stone monastery fence, were erected here. The outpost of Orthodoxy had a strong subsidiary farm. But, as before, in difficult times he always put up his warriors to defend the Fatherland. In particular, a direct relationship is traced between the Holy Spiritual Monastery and the results of the famous Battle of Judgment (1555).

According to the petition of the abbot of the Holy Spiritual Monastery, Simon, about the need to strengthen the Novosil fortress and, in general, the abattoir defensive line from the Crimean Tatars and Nagais (this is also a true historical fact!) in 1644, the first sovereign from the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, visited the monastery. He stayed with the abbot for several days, then carefully examined the city fortress and talked with the military leaders. Having made the necessary conclusions, the sovereign immediately ordered to significantly strengthen the garrison of the fortress. Novosilsk gunners, archers and Cossacks were given a certificate for owning land. Then this sovereign decision was extended to all the marked borders of Great Rus'.

Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the quietest and wisest ruler of the Russian state, who, as we know, managed to significantly streamline domestic legislation (Code of Laws), also visited the Holy Spirit Monastery several times. There is no doubt that Alexey Mikhailovich’s spiritual instructions in the monastery also had a beneficial effect on his activities.

Without exaggeration, we can say that the Holy Spirit Monastery from time immemorial was a place especially revered by Orthodox Christians. Not only emperors and influential statesmen came here for spiritual advice. Lines of pilgrims from all over the Russian land stretched here. Here was one of the greatest Russian shrines - the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, brought to Novosil in 1153 by the second wife of Yuri Dolgoruky Olga, who was also the sister of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel. This icon was so revered in Rus' that in favorable summer times it was regularly taken around the cities and villages of Russia (until 1917). After the Bolsheviks, obsessed with the satanic idea, came to power, the trace of the miraculous icon was lost. What her future fate is is unknown.

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit was closed in 1918. The communists destroyed it in 1934: two churches were blown up - St. Nicholas with the Exaltation of the Cross chapel and in the name of the Image of Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands. Miraculously, only the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity survived, since they decided to use it as a warehouse for storing grain and spare parts for agricultural machinery. The residential and outbuildings of the monastery, as well as the monastery fence, were completely destroyed.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity was severely damaged. All that remained of it was the central part with a dilapidated dome, the altar and some supporting structures of the refectory.

After the war, the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity was also used as a storage room. On the territory of the monastery, the leaders of the local collective farm set up a machine yard and placed containers with fuel and lubricants. And this bacchanalia continued for decades...

By the time monastic life resumed, most of the buildings were partially or completely destroyed. Initially it had the status of a parish.

The revival of the Holy Spirit Monastery began in 2004 with the blessing of the schema-abbot and confessor of the Optina Hermitage, and now the confessor of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, Schema-Archimandrite Elijah.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 27, 2005 (Journal No. 117), the parish was transformed into the diocesan Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

In 2010, the laying of the western and southern parts of the monastery fence with watchtowers and a chapel continued, and the construction of the southern part of the monastery fence with a platform began. The restoration of the monastery church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity has continued. Work was actively underway on the construction of the temple complex, the installation of gas pipelines and heating networks. The improvement of the monastery territory continued. To date, the vestibule and refectory part of the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity have been restored, and work is underway to restore the central part and altar of this temple. The northern part of the monastery fence with the entrance gates and two watchtowers has been built, 70 percent of the brickwork of the eastern and western parts of the fence has been completed, and construction of the southern part has begun. A guardhouse, an almshouse, a refectory with a kitchen for monks and novices have been built, and the construction of a two-story monastic building and a warm garage are nearing completion. An artesian well was drilled and water supply and sewerage lines were installed in the almshouse. An underground gas pipeline has been laid to the main monastery facilities.

The restoration of the Holy Spiritual Monastery is being carried out in accordance with the long-term development plan based on the preserved historical and architectural information and photographs of the monastery from the early twentieth century. Everything is being done in order to recreate the ancient Orthodox shrine in its former beauty and grandeur.

We feel constant guardianship and support in the complex and difficult task of reviving the monastery from our confessor, Fr. Or me. May God grant him health for many years to come. He patiently and persistently works to form a friendly and cohesive team of the monastery brethren. We receive new novices arriving at the monastery with the blessing of Father Elijah. He always comes to us for tonsure with the greatest joy. The brethren in the Holy Spirit Monastery, thank God, everything is increasing every year. To date, there are already nine monks (including three hieromonks and two hierodeacons) and seven novices. Fifteen workers conscientiously, for the glory of God, carry out work on the restoration and construction of monastery facilities.

Hegumen Alexander (Maslov)

The formation of the Holy Spiritual Monastery dates back to the first quarter of the 12th century. It was founded by the disciples of the Vyatichi enlightener, the Venerable Hieromartyr John Kuksha.

Without exaggeration, we can say that the Holy Spirit Monastery from time immemorial was a place especially revered by Orthodox Christians. Not only emperors and influential statesmen came here for spiritual advice. Lines of pilgrims from all over the Russian land stretched here. Here was one of the greatest Russian shrines - the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, brought to Novosil in 1153 by the second wife of Yuri Dolgoruky Olga, who was also the sister of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel. This icon was so revered in Rus' that in favorable summer times it was regularly taken around the cities and villages of Russia (until 1917). After the revolution, the trace of the miraculous icon is lost. What her future fate is is unknown.

By the time monastic life resumed, most of the buildings were partially or completely destroyed. Initially it had the status of a parish.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 27, 2005 (Journal No. 117), the parish was transformed into the diocesan Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

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