A special purpose monastery. On Caucasian mineral waters

Pilgrimage notes of Archpriest Sergius Guselnikov.

An Orthodox person, wherever fate takes him, tries to visit the holy places that are located nearby. In August of this year I visited the resort city of Kislovodsk, in one of its sanatoriums. The wonderful mountain air, the Narzan gallery and sanatorium treatment helped to forget about the hassle and bustle of a huge industrial metropolis. However, the desire to fall to the sources of spiritual grace found in churches and monasteries did not disappear.

In the center of Kislovodsk, on a hill, stands a cathedral in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. There I prayed at holiday services. The inside of the temple is beautifully painted and decorated. Everything in it breathes splendor. I was especially pleased to see in the central iconostasis the icon of Saints Cyril and Methodius, in whose name the cathedral in which I serve was consecrated. I also liked the fact that during the Divine service the deacons sing with the people not only the “Creed”, “Our Father” and other prayers, but also litanies (“Lord, have mercy!”), thereby drawing the worshipers deeper into the congregational prayer. This is a return to the canons of the ancient Liturgy, when all Christians in the church participated in the singing. Church choirs appeared later. I have never heard such congregational singing of litanies either in Russia or abroad.

"The Wanderer Persecuted by the World"

With the driver of the head doctor of the sanatorium, Nazim, who kindly agreed to take me to nearby monasteries and churches, through the city of Pyatigorsk we approach the majestic Mount Beshtau, sung along with other beauties of the Caucasus by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov.

It was in Pyatigorsk that the brilliant Russian poet spent the last two months of his short life and died at the foot of Mount Mashuk in a meaningless duel. Later, I visited the house with a reed roof where he and Alexei Arkadyevich Stolypin rented an apartment, and stood on the veranda balcony where Lermontov loved to work in the mornings, looking at the peaks of Beshtau, and felt sad at the site of his death.

By the way, in the literary tradition it is customary to call Lermontov a poet, although his wonderful novel “A Hero of Our Time” reveals him to be an equally brilliant prose writer. And the same Pushkin is not only a poet, but also a prose writer, literary critic, and historian. Somehow they forget about this.

A few more words about Mikhail Yuryevich. The reason for the outbreak of Martynov’s sudden hatred towards his comrade is still not entirely clear. After all, they were classmates at the cadet school and often sat in the evenings in Pyatigorsk having a friendly conversation. The mocking words spoken by Lermontov at an evening in the house of the Cossack general P.S. Verzilina in relation to Martynov were in the nature of a friendly joke, and the poet did not even imagine that they could cause such a reaction. If we talk from a spiritual point of view, then Martynov was driven by pride. After all, his Circassian costume with a long dagger is a desire to outwardly stand out from others, to be different from everyone else. Lermontov, as an Orthodox man, could not understand such an unnatural attack of anger and could not shoot at his comrade. A combat officer and an excellent shooter, he raised his pistol up, showing generosity and giving Martynov one last chance to come to his senses. However, he was blinded by inhuman hatred, and he shoots at Lermontov almost point-blank. This can only be explained by the state of obsession into which Martynov fell.

“They shoot at our poetry more successfully than at Ludwig Philipp. They don't miss the second time. Sad!... Yes, I feel sorry for Lermontov, especially after learning that he was killed so inhumanely. At least a French hand was aimed at Pushkin, and It was a sin for the Russian hand to aim at Lermontov"- wrote P.A. Vyazemsky in a letter to A.Ya. Bulgakov (emphasis mine - O. S.G.).

Back in Soviet times, I visited Tarkhany, the Lermontov estate, and visited their family church on the shore of a beautiful pond. There, in the family crypt, he was buried next to his mother, née Arsenyeva. The church was empty; of course, no one was serving there. Nevertheless, both in the temple and in the entire estate, a kind of peace and grace was felt.

In the museum-reserve M.Yu. Lermontov in Pyatigorsk there is an old homespun towel with the coat of arms of the Lermontov family embroidered on it. Under the coat of arms is an inscription in Latin: "My Destiny Jesus". This says a lot. Having suffered from human anger and envy since childhood, Lermontov endured everything to the end, even to death.

A slave who died in a ridiculous duel Bozhy Michael atoned for the last sin with his blood, yet there was an incantation Orthodox canons and, I believe, he also prays for long-suffering Russia. He was on this earth, as he himself wrote, “a wanderer persecuted by the world, but only with a Russian soul.”

Speaking about Pyatigorsk, it was simply impossible not to mention Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov.

Deuteroathon Monastery

And so Nazim and I drive up to the foot of the five-domed Beshtau and through a shady forest along an asphalt road we drive to the Deuteronomy Monastery. Less than ten minutes had passed when our car came alongside a briskly walking man in a black cassock. Nazim slowed down and, turning to him, offered to give him a ride. A young, slender monk with a handsome face framed by a black beard turned to us and, smiling gently, refused.

Winding along the forest serpentine, we approach the gates of the monastery. From a small platform there is a magnificent view of the plateau below, covered with a light grayish haze.

The monastery itself is located on the southwestern slope of Mount Beshtau. It is the highest peak of the Caucasian Mineral Waters and resembles Mount Athos.

The first people I met were two women in white coats. They were sitting on a bench under the shade of a large spreading tree and, when they saw me, they stood up together and came up for the blessing. From the conversation it turned out that they both bear the same name - Photinia - and work in the refectory of the monastery. The women showed me how to get to the temple and sat down on the bench again.

Holy Dormition Deuteroathon Beshtaugorsk monastery was founded in 1904 by Athonite monks with the blessing of Righteous John of Kronstadt. During the time of the ancient state of Alanya (IX-X centuries), this place was located Greek monastery, the remains of which remained until the beginning of the 20th century. The All-Russian priest was brought photographs with views of the surroundings of Mount Beshtau. He looked at them and with a cross marked the place for the construction of the temple. The temple was built, and on November 28, 1904, the solemn consecration of the Deuteronomy Monastery took place. Unfortunately, in January 1906, the first church burned down during a fire. But already in August 1906, the temple was restored using voluntary donations. With the construction of the monastery, the number of its inhabitants increases and, most importantly, spiritual life increases. Soon the monastery becomes one of the spiritually exemplary monasteries in Russia, where pilgrims thirsting for the salvation of souls flock.

After the revolution and civil war The Second Athos Beshtaugorsky Monastery was closed and a Tourist House was set up there. After the Patriotic War, the buildings of the monastery were gradually completely destroyed, and the holy spring, which was located nearby and exuded healing water, was also closed. However, believers always remembered this holy place and came here to pray.

The first abbot of the monastery was Abbot Silouan (Kharaim), tonsured a monk in honor of the Monk Silouan of Athos. He worked a lot to build and decorate the monastery, to arrange it monastic life. The governor and the brethren paid great attention to missionary work among the surrounding population. Father Silouan reposed in the rank of archimandrite on June 6, 2011.

Now the holy archimandrite of the monastery is Bishop Theophylact of Pyatigorsk and Circassia, who also lives here. Monks and novices have a place to work. The monastery has an apiary, a poultry yard, and an orchard. The Orthodox summer health camp “Green Athos” operates.

In the small church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, the spirit of prayer and God's grace are felt, although it is not painted; icons in frames and frames hang on the walls. I venerate the holy images, the particles of the relics of the saints of God. Then I go to a separate church shop to buy a booklet about the monastery. The choice here, of course, is small, but the main thing is not this, but the fact that you can submit notes for monastic commemoration. A young novice explains to me how to get to the summer church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Actually, there is no temple as such there. Under open air a concrete platform and tiled soleya rise above them, and behind them large reproductions of icons hang on a semicircular wall of natural stone. For Divine services, a canopy made of cloth is placed above the portable altar.

There is such a blessed silence and such peace in the Beshtaugorsk monastery that I involuntarily thought: “This is the main thing that is needed for concentrated prayer and the salvation of the soul.”

Along the path along the alley of trees I go down to the entrance to the monastery and see a monk in a cassock we meet. Both Photinias, who were sitting on the bench, cheerfully jump up and approach him for blessing. “So, hieromonk,” I think.

You've already arrived! - I greet the monk, amazed at the speed of his walking. - Are you from here, from the monastery?

Bishop of Pyatigorsk and Circassia Theophylact, - I hear in response.

A little confused by surprise, I immediately came to my senses:

Master, bless!

Bishop Theophylact blesses me and, in turn, asks where I am from. I tell you, and then I ask whether it is difficult to be a bishop in the North Caucasus.

No, I’m local, I grew up here, everything here is native to me. He served as a priest in Grozny for several years,” he answered.

As a farewell, Bishop Theophylact invited me to the monastery to pray and serve when there is time. Unfortunately, the short period of my stay at the sanatorium did not allow me to take advantage of his invitation. But this unexpected meeting left a pleasant impression on my soul.

But two Photinias from the monastery refectory asked me to wait and brought me a whole package of blessed fruits, since that day was the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Apple Spas. At the sanatorium they celebrated it by serving apples for dinner in the dining room, and I shared a treat from the Deuteronomy Monastery with my tablemates.

Mineral water. Intercession Cathedral

From the Second Athos Beshtaugorsky Monastery, Nazim and I are going to the city of Mineralnye Vody, to the Cathedral of the Intercession Holy Mother of God. It contains the relics of the great Russian ascetic of the 20th century - St. Theodosius of the Caucasus.

The temple was built in just five years (1992-1997) and consecrated on October 14, 1997 by Metropolitan Gideon of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz. The site for construction was chosen by the late mayor of the city, Sergei Aleksandrovich Shiyanov, on the day of remembrance of his Heavenly patron St. Sergius Radonezh. Therefore, the northern aisle of the temple was consecrated in honor of the Hegumen of the Russian Land. The southern chapel is consecrated in honor of the martyr John the Warrior. The lower chapel of the cathedral is consecrated in honor of the miraculous Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, which is associated with a providential event in the history of the Intercession Church. One day, women walking through the forest to the temple in the morning saw an ancient Tikhvin icon Mother of God. In this they saw the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos to dedicate another of the chapels of the cathedral to Her.

On August 8, 1998, the relics of St. Theodosius were transferred from the Archangel Michael Church in a solemn religious procession. Since then, people from all over Russia have come to the Intercession Cathedral to worship the great saint of God.

I once visited the hermitage of Father Theodosius near the village of Gorny near Novorossiysk. There the Mother of God appeared to him, and in that place, from that time on, an amazing periwinkle grass with leaves in the shape of a cross has been growing. There also flows a holy spring, which appeared through the prayer of the saint. It is very blessed in the desert. Under the canopy of tall plane trees there is an extraordinary sense of tranquility. On the hill above the spring there is a wooden chapel where you can pray and read the akathist. Construction of a church began nearby. Now there is probably already a monastery operating in the desert.

I read a lot about St. Theodosius, watched a film about his glorification as a saint, and always revered him as a great Russian saint. And now I’m standing in the Intercession Cathedral near the shrine with his relics: “ Reverend Father Theodosius, pray to God for me, a sinner!”

In the Caucasus, Father Theodosius is especially revered. I am clearly convinced of this when I see a family of Caucasians fervently praying to him in front of the canopy with his relics. A young man on his knees with candles in his hands prays to the saint as tearfully as a beggar tearfully begs to be given a piece of bread. Is it possible not to hear such a prayer? Undoubtedly Reverend Theodosius will help a young Caucasian.

There are not many people in the church, there are girl singers on the choir, and it is clear that they are all truly believers, churchgoers, they come up to me and, as expected, take a blessing.

By the way, in the same 1998, with the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon and the efforts of the rector of the cathedral, Archpriest Ilya Ageev, a comprehensive ten-year school of Orthodox orientation was founded, and in the future a classical Orthodox gymnasium. The teaching staff of the school, together with the clergy of the cathedral, set themselves the task of reviving the Russian Orthodox educational tradition, which involves revealing the image of God in a person and educating him in the spirit of Christian morality. During the creation and establishment of the school, an interesting incident occurred. The school opened on the initiative of the deputy head of the city administration, Anatoly Leonidovich Rotkin. And then he left this responsible post and became a priest. Among our clergy there are representatives of different professions, but for an official to become a priest - rare case.

St. George's Monastery. Essentuki

In the evening Nazim brings me to St. George's convent, located on the green Mount Dubrovka, which reminded me of Mount Tabor. In fact, the monastery is closer to Kislovodsk than to Essentuki, but nevertheless it belongs to Essentuki.

The white temple with golden domes on the top of the mountain is visible from everywhere, because the surrounding area is the flat Piedmont region. St. George's Monastery can safely be called the pearl of the North Caucasus. This is the only women’s monastery on the territory of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

St. George's Convent was founded on May 6, 2004, on the spring holiday of the Great Martyr George the Victorious. The nun of the St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky convent in the city of Maloyaroslavets, who was sent here with two sisters, became its abbess. By the way, there has long been a large orphanage for orphan girls. Now these two monasteries are connected by close spiritual friendship.

For the first two years, the sisters lived in a trailer and endured many difficulties, but they waited until the day when regular services began to be held in the church and a monastery was established.

The monastery houses an ancient wooden cross with particles of holy relics sealed in its back. Once upon a time it was located in the Teberda Sentinsky Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, and during the years of persecution it was carefully preserved by its nuns, Mother Serafima (Moskalenko) and Anna Ivanova. They bequeathed to transfer the holy cross to the Orthodox Church. By God's providence, he ended up with the priest of the Panteleimon Cathedral in the city of Essentuki. Father Alexander donated the cross to the St. George's Monastery.

An important task of the sisters of the monastery is to care for orphan girls raised in the orphanage, which opened in January 2009. At first there were three girls, then there were seven. The shelter has bedrooms, play and rest rooms, bright classrooms, and a medical office. The girls live according to their own daily routine, but also participate in the life of the monastery: they learn to sing in the choir, and help decorate Easter cakes. They love to communicate with Mother Superior and sisters, who treat them with love and affection and sincerely pray for them. Maybe some of these girls will remain in the monastery forever.

Every summer, the monastery organizes a children's Orthodox camp on its territory. Girls from different cities and towns of Caucasian Mineralnye Vody come here. They help sisters in obediences, sing in the church choir, watch Orthodox films, and collect fragrant herbs in the vicinity of the monastery. Here their faith is strengthened and love for God and people is nurtured.

A student of the Pyatigorsk Lyceum, Olga Svistelnikova, impressed by her visit to the monastery, wrote wonderful poems published in a booklet about the St. George’s Monastery:

Among the fields, among the flowers,

Among the hills, among the forests,

Under a bright blue sky,

With a cross like the golden sun,

Like a white bird soars -

The temple is on the top of the mountain.

The bell is ringing

And it rushes into the distance through the air.

Below him in the blue sky

Saint George on horseback

Flies, blessing us,

And prays for the entire Caucasus...

Holy place and land

Around that monastery.

We will receive forgiveness of sins in it -

Everyone will find solace here.

Here is the work of nuns, and humility,

And a warm prayer to God.

There is peace and kindness in their faces.

There is love and purity in the eyes.

Seeing this beauty,

I can't forget her!

The soul trembles and burns

And thanks the Lord.

... Nazim takes me to the entrance to the monastery. I climb the stone steps to the platform in front of the temple. From there you have a beautiful view of the Piedmont region. Green valleys and the outlines of distant mountains are visible for tens of kilometers around.

Belo stone temple St. George the Victorious is small, but one can feel the grace in it. And not only because there are many shrines in the temple, but because it is prayed for by the sisters of the monastery and pilgrims who come here from all over Russia.

Two middle-aged working women were washing the floors. It turns out that women from nearby areas help the sisters settlements, and from afar. One worker came to the monastery all the way from the Urals. In order not to disturb the women who are diligently fulfilling their obedience by venerating the icons and relics, I go out to the church porch and talk there with the nun who was on duty in the church. She is a woman of few words, and rightly so. The monastic lot is prayer to God, humility and obedience.

I complain to Nazim that we were late for dinner. But he consoles me: “I’ll call the dining room and ask them to leave you some dinner.” And then phone call and generally says with joy: “We are not late for anything! The power was turned off in the sanatorium, and dinner was delayed by an hour. So we made it everywhere!”

Like this. We propose, but the Lord disposes! Transfiguration! We visited several holy places. And in the end holiday an unexpected gift - a late dinner. When we returned to the resort, I had to wait another half hour until the dining room opened. Thank God for everything!

Arkhyz. Face of the Savior. Capital of Alanya

In the Karachay-Cherkess Republic there is a unique corner of nature - Arkhyz. There is the purest mountain air, the highest ozone content in the world, seventy-five mountain lakes, several rivers, waterfalls, glaciers, dense forests abounding in berries, mushrooms and medicinal plants. Arkhyz is home to many species of birds and animals, and mountain trout in the rivers. Only there you can find a vulture with a wingspan of up to five meters.

But Arkhyz is also unique in its history. The famous silk road. At different times, Scythians, Meotians, Sarmatians, and Alans lived here. Finally, Arkhyz is the cradle of Christianity in the North Caucasus, because in this beautiful place was the capital of the powerful state of Alania, which adopted Christianity much earlier Kievan Rus. This is evidenced by the surviving ancient temples of the early 10th century and the now well-known Arkhyz face.

In Arkhyz, on one of the northern spurs of Mount Pastukhov, at an altitude of 2070 meters above sea level, the Special Astrophysical Observatory is located Russian Academy Sciences (SAO RAS), founded in 1966. In 1975, the largest optical six-meter telescope on the planet, weighing 850 tons, began operating there. Until the beginning of the 90s, it retained the world championship, but even now it remains the largest in Europe and Asia.

I went to Arkhyz on an excursion organized by the tourist bureau. We had a wonderful guide, Mikhail, who told us so much information that you couldn’t read in any book.

For Orthodox man Of greatest interest is Nizhny Arkhyz, where on the slope of the Mtseshta ridge, on a steep rock, the face of the Savior Not Made by Hands is written, and in the valley of the Bolshoi Zelenchuk River there are 14 preserved ancient temples.

The Face of Christ, or the Arkhyz Face, was discovered on May 19, 1999, on the eve of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity. Brothers Sergei and Anatoly Varchenko from the Cossack village of Zelenchukskaya were hunting in the mountains that day and by chance (although spiritually, of course, by the Providence of God) they saw an amazing Face on a rock. Having descended from the ridge, they told the archaeologists working in the village that “the face of a Man is painted on the rock.” Archaeologists climbed the ridge and walked along it all day, but found nothing. And in the evening, when the sun began to set behind the mountains, they, going down the same road, finally saw a rock painting. Scientists realized that during the day the Face was not visible because the sun's rays fell on it, but now it was revealed to their eyes. And archaeologists realized that this is not easy human face, and the icon of Christ the Savior.

After some time, the image discovered by the Varchenko brothers was examined by historian Alexey Demkov and Archpriest Viktor Plotnikov. The rock icon, measuring approximately 140 by 80 centimeters, is located at an altitude of about one hundred meters above the river level and faces almost due east. The dimensions of the image indicate that it belongs to monumental church painting. It was painted approximately a thousand years ago in the Byzantine style with two colors - dark brown lead and white. The Arkhyz face belongs to the iconographic canon “The Savior Not Made by Hands” of the 9th-11th centuries. Huge eyes with a piercing gaze and the outline of the Face are reminiscent of the famous icon “Savior of Sinai,” which visually expresses the two natures of Christ - Divine and human.

Doctor historical sciences V.A. Kuznetsov, who studied the Arkhyz face, adheres to the point of view that the image chronologically dates back to the time of the construction of temples and the creation of the Alan diocese, that is, to the X-XII centuries. “The capital of Alanya, the name of which is now unknown, was located just opposite the Mtseshta ridge, so it is likely that the ancient master, who knew the technique of fresco painting well and painted the temples in the city, climbed the mountain and painted the face of the Savior on the rock.”

“The Face of Nizhny Arkhyz may turn out to be the most ancient archetype of the Savior Not Made by Hands in Russia,” says V.A. Kuznetsov.

What kind of love for God it was necessary to have in order to paint an icon of Christ on a sheer rock (most likely, secured on it with the help of a rope)!

We arrived in Arkhyz on Sunday, I was worried that I wouldn’t get to the Liturgy because of the excursion, but the Lord consoled me. At the foot of the Mtseshta ridge there was a small stone temple. It was built recently. Not far from it began a metal staircase leading to the Face. Previously, it, like the temple, was not here, pilgrims, including our staunch grandmothers, climbed the mountain along a path, holding on to a rope, and often descended not with their feet, but in another way - like in childhood from an ice slide.

Having entered the temple and prayed, we, with a rest, climb the metal stairs to the shrine. From the platform in front of the rock there is an amazing view of the Arkhyz Gorge. On the opposite side, on Mount Pastukhov, the dome of the Zelenchuk Observatory is visible.

It is no longer possible to get close to the Face itself; access to it is blocked by a metal fence, and it itself is covered with thick glass. Why such precautions? “Over the past ten years, Lik has suffered more than in a millennium,” Mikhail explained to us. - Unfortunate tourists and similar pilgrims either chipped off a pebble as a souvenir or scraped off the paint. I had to close access to Lik.” Candles are now placed and lit in a niche under the rock.

I climbed along the steep ledges to the face of Christ as close as possible, but the grating reliably blocked the way, and I had to go back down.

There are billboards on the site, on one of them is written Short story acquiring an image in Russian and English languages, on the other there is a troparion and a prayer to the Savior Not Made by Hands.

When we went downstairs, the Liturgy began in the church, and I joyfully, as time allowed, prayed to God at the Sunday service...

The place where the capital of the ancient state of Alanya was located is now called the Settlement. There is the oldest functioning temple in Russia today. It was built at the beginning of the 10th century, even before the baptism of Rus', and was consecrated in the name of the prophet of God Elijah.

According to historical evidence, Christianity came to Alanya from Byzantium in the 7th century. The reason for this was that the Arabs began to enforce the Mohammedanism they had adopted with fire and sword. In such a difficult situation, the Alans needed a powerful ally, which could only be the Byzantine Empire. Therefore, the Alan princes, even if for political purposes, accepted Christianity.

Seeing a large group and a familiar guide, one of the servants of the Settlement approached the Elias Church and opened the doors. The temple, of course, turned out to be very small, for a maximum of thirty worshipers, but for more than a thousand years it was so prayed for that inexplicable grace was felt in it. And there were quite a few ancient icons hanging in the temple.

In addition to Ilyinsky (called the southern one), in Gorodishche you can visit two not yet operating temple- Holy Trinity (middle) and Great Martyr George (northern). They have been partially restored. All the temples were built in the Byzantine style, and the largest of them is St. George's. Apparently, it was intended for the capital's nobility.

IN late XIX century, Athonite monks came to Nizhny Arkhyz. On the site of the Settlement they built the Alexander-Athos Zelenchuk Monastery. The monks here not only prayed and had an extensive household, but also educational activities. Opposite the Elias Church there is a two-story building. Once upon a time there was a school in it, where children from the village of Zelenchukskaya were brought to classes. The monks planted an orchard in the monastery, and what is surprising is that the apple trees planted in the 19th century still bear fruit. Mikhail climbed onto a tall, spreading apple tree and shook apples for us. They, of course, have gone wild for more than a hundred years, but they are still sweet and aromatic.

Now the monastery is slowly being revived, there is a rector there, and services are held.

The entrance to the Settlement is guarded by the vulture Gosh. They found him in the forest with a wounded wing, they went out and left him with him. Now Gosha is sitting on long chain next to his enclosure. He is used to people and allows them to film him and photograph him at close range. However, when he gets tired of it, he spreads his huge wings and runs after photographers. This is how we sit on the chain of our sins, which do not allow us to rise into the sky and rush to God...

It’s good to visit the North Caucasus, it’s good to relax in the Caucasian Mineral Waters. But it’s even better to rest your soul in holy places and pray for the health and salvation of your family and friends.

Still, progress has come a long way - in past centuries, pilgrims took months to reach holy places, but it took me only 12 hours to get from Kalach to the St. Michael the Athos Monastery in Adygea. This is taking into account the delay that occurred on the road due to a minor breakdown of our pilgrim minibus. On the occasion of this breakdown, we arrived at the monastery instead of the planned six in the morning at the beginning of eight, and therefore we went straight “from the ship to the ball,” that is, to the morning service.






I would not say that the decoration of the monastery church was any richer or more beautiful than in the Kalachev church, but in terms of the solemnity and majesty of the services, the monastery can probably give odds to any ordinary parish. Which is not at all surprising, in view of the fact that, for example, in our St. Nicholas Church there are two priests - Father Dimitri and Father Valery, and in the St. Michael Athos Monastery - a dozen and a half monks, all of them are clergy and conduct services in a crowd.
For almost the entire liturgy, for some reason I remembered another church - very small and modest, in Moscow, on the banks of the Yauza, where I went almost a year ago to stand and light a candle. It was completely different from a monastery church, I don’t even know why I had these associations and parallels, the atmosphere, or something, was the same there, it felt like it.
At the end of the service, we went to the monastery refectory. This slightly gloomy room, with walls made of rough-hewn stone, overhanging vaults and a stained glass window in a small window, is much more reminiscent of a set for a movie about the Middle Ages than an ordinary dining room. The impression is completed by simple, rough-hewn tables with benches lined up in rows against the walls.
Before sitting down at these tables, we all read in chorus the prayers “Our Father” and “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary.” Despite the fact that there were still two days left before the start of Lent, there was no meat in the monastery diet at all - only potato and cabbage soup, which, despite the fast, turned out to be incredibly tasty, buckwheat for the main course and bread baked by the monastery. The meal also ended with a prayer, this time of thanksgiving.
After we were satisfied with material food, it was the turn of spiritual food - our group went on a tour of the monastery. Our guide was an intelligent young monk whose name was the same as heavenly patron of this monastery - Father Michael. He began with a story about the history of the St. Michael-Athos Trans-Kuban men's coenobitic hermitage - this is the full name of this place.

Our guide, Hieromonk Mikhail

This history is very rich, and dates back to the times of the Byzantine Empire and the Principality of Tmutarakan. This picturesque secluded place has long been chosen by Christian hermits and schema-monks; the first cave cells here were dug by them back in the 6th century. But over time, the region became more and more Islamized, and to XIV century In the Caucasus, only the last rare pockets of Christianity remained, and they soon ceased to exist. Here, the underground catacombs and cave temples were most useful, in which the last medieval Christians of these places, like their predecessors from the times of Nero and Diocletian, hid from their persecutors.



Orthodoxy returned to these lands only half a millennium later – as a result of Russia’s expansion into the Caucasus. At the end of the Caucasian War, after the settlement of the Kuban by the Cossacks, the question arose about creating a monastery in these places, because monastic monasteries were then the most important component of not only the spiritual and religious, but also the cultural life of the then society. And in 1877 the monastery finally appeared. Its founder was an Athonite monk, a native of Russia, Father Martyrius (in the world - Martin Ostrovykh), who, for the sake of this feat, returned to his historical homeland with several of his Athonite brothers. They brought with them the so-called Athonite Rule, by which the brethren of the monastery still live (and the Athonite Rule is not something you can eat, it is one of the most severe and stringent monastic rules, and requires maximum dedication and complete dedication to “monastic work ").
The new monastery was named St. Michael's, in honor of the heavenly patron of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich Romanov, the son of Emperor Nicholas I, who took an active part in the creation of the monastery and became its ktitor (official founder). In a short time, the inhabitants of the desert erected five temples, and in addition - hospice, a hospital, as well as two dozen “dormitory” buildings with cells for monks and novices. And within a few years, the St. Michael the Athos Monastery became the largest monastery in the Caucasus and a pilgrimage center. More than 100 thousand pilgrims visited it annually. The second, unofficial name of the monastery was “Cossack Lavra”.

Monument to the monastery patron Mikhail Romanov

But since 1917, new times have come in Russia, which have become no less hostile for the St. Michael’s Monastery than the 14th century was for the then inhabitants of this place. Archangel Michael was never able to defend his monastery, although he once defeated Lucifer himself. The Bolshevik commissars turned out to be opponents more serious and terrible than the Prince of Darkness. And the Cossack Lavra shared the fate of hundreds of other monasteries and temples - in the twenties the monastery was closed, the monks were dissolved, and a GPU sanatorium was created on its territory. After the war, in 1946, some of the churches on the site of the former monastic monastery were blown up, including the main, largest of them - the Assumption Cathedral.
Only at the beginning of the two thousandth, what remained of the once great monastery was transferred again Orthodox Church. And now the revived desert is operating again and receiving pilgrims.
Father Mikhail showed us the tomb of the founder of the monastery, Archimandrite Martyrius. Associated with his relics whole story. Father Martyrius, in view of the self-abasement often characteristic of many Christian ascetics, considered himself such a sinful person that he bequeathed to be buried under the threshold of the Assumption Cathedral, so that all visitors to the temple would trample his ashes underfoot. Many years later, after the cathedral was destroyed in 1946, local residents raked out everything that could be of any value from the ruins, and the remains of the former archimandrite were simply thrown away as unnecessary. And they would have been lost if not for one woman who buried the relics of the ascetic on the edge of the city cemetery, and, having lived until the moment when the monastery began to be restored, indicated that place. Now the process of canonization of Archimandrite Martyrius is underway. Soon he will be canonized.

Tomb of Archimandrite Martyrius

Father Mikhail took us through all the monastery churches and briefly told us their history. In one of them I saw an icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant, one of those that had been in space, on the ISS, for which there is a corresponding certificate confirming this fact. However, in addition to this relic, there are others in the monastery, immeasurably more ancient and venerable. In particular - pieces of the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Mary Equal to the Apostles Magdalene, the Great Martyr Panteleimon, St. George the Victorious, John the Baptist, Theophan the Recluse, Maxim the Greek, the twelve Elders of Optina and many other revered saints, as well as the pride of the monastery - a piece of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, in other words, the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. All this wealth, at least most of it, was brought to the Caucasus from Athos by Father Martyrius.





But the biggest surprise for me was to see within the walls of the monastery... a paleontological museum! A huge number of fossils from time have been collected in a specially designated room. Mesozoic era, when the territory of modern Adygea was the bottom of the sea, mainly the shells of huge marine mollusks.
Here I could not resist and asked Father Michael, how, in fact, do fossils from millions of years ago agree with the biblical Sixth Day?
“It is said that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day,” Father Mikhail smiled in response. - So there is no contradiction.



A visit to the museum was the final part of the excursion. After this, our monastic Virgil left us, and our group set off independently in the direction healing spring, which is located on the slope of the neighboring Mount Fiziabgo (which is translated from the Circassian language as “Evil Woman”), a 25-minute walk from the monastery, according to the signs. It was not possible to check whether this is really true, because our path to the source turned out to be very tortuous.
First, our entire group was taken to the monastery pancake house, where we refreshed ourselves before the ascent delicious pancakes with jam (even I recognized their culinary merits, although in general I don’t like pancakes), and then we decided to turn towards the caves.
I can’t tell you anything about the monastery catacombs, because I haven’t been there - I refused the excursion due to claustrophobia, and stayed at the entrance to admire the mountain beauty alone. It turned out that I was not the only one - about two minutes later another woman from our group appeared from the entrance to the caves, saying: “I can’t! It’s pressing, there’s not enough air, and my heart is bad.” It’s a pity, of course, but we claustrophobes will never know the attractiveness and aesthetics of ancient dungeons.
According to the guide, previously the network underground passages was incomparably wider - they connected all the monastery churches with each other, and even led to the neighboring Cossack village, but now only a small part of them is accessible. Of course, the passages themselves have not gone away, they continue to exist, but the entrances to them were walled up after several pupils of the colony for “difficult” teenagers, which was opened on the territory of the monastery after the war, disappeared in the dungeons (available in rich history monasteries and such a page).
Further our path lay to the observation deck at the top of Fiziabgo, on which stands the revived Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and offers stunning views of the surrounding area and the distant, blue-hazy, snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. True, getting to it was not an easy task. By the end of the ascent, “there were only three of us left out of eighteen guys” - only our organizer Svetlana, I and another Kalachevetsman from our group, Pavel, reached the top. The rest dropped out of the race. However, it later turned out that there was a much easier route. But real Russian pilgrims are not afraid of difficulties and there are no barriers for them! So I honestly achieved the reward that is awarded to everyone who has the strength and perseverance to rise to this peak - to ring the bells of the temple bell tower under construction, addressing their most important dream to the Almighty.

View of the monastery from the top of Fisiabgo

And only descending from the top, along the other side of the mountain, we finally got to the original goal of our hike - the source of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon. They say about this source that its waters help in healing from various diseases, and even bad habits. There is a font near the spring, and one of the pilgrims was just coming out of it, so for a second the thought flashed through my mind to take a dip too. But then I decided that swimming on the first day of spring in water whose temperature is only +4 degrees means tempting the Lord in vain, and I abandoned the idea, prudently limiting myself to simple washing.
After lunch, which was also dinner (in the monastery they eat only twice a day), the same fast as breakfast, an evening service took place. Then I walked around the monastery again, trying to capture in my memory these temples, trees and humid mountain air, knowing that I would remember these places with nostalgia more than once (for some reason, during the walk, it again felt out of place for me, like a Moscow church in the morning, I remembered Elagin Island), and went home, to my pilgrimage hotel. During this day I received, probably, two weeks worth of sensations and impressions.


And the next morning another service awaited us (the beginning of which, at 7 o’clock, I, I confess, overslept, although I went to bed very early the day before), after which a short procession, which ended with the opening on the territory of the monastery of memorial plaques to the Cossacks - full Knights of St. George, who were natives of local villages, with the participation of representatives of the Cossacks who specially came to this event. The Kuban people were in full dress - in Circassian coats with gazyrs and daggers, I involuntarily admired such splendor.
After this “bonus” part of the program, we had a final meal and headed back. We left, of course, very late, as a result of which I ended up at home only at half past twelve in the morning (my respects to the Volgograd residents, who had to get there for another hour and a half) and immediately collapsed on the sofa, not even making it to the shower.

10 chosen

“People are people, and, unfortunately, they are more sinners and more often than saints.”

(Vladimir Borisov)

Caucasian Mineral Waters is not only unique places of interest, beautiful mountains, but also a large number of holy places, which thousands of tourists, vacationers, and pilgrims from all over our vast country come to worship. And now I want to introduce you to the Second Athos Holy Dormition Monastery, which is also called Beshtaugorsky, named after Mount Beshtau, on which it is located.

The monastery was founded by ascetic monks on one of the slopes of Mount Beshtau at an altitude of 830 m above sea level. This mountain is one of the highest in the CMS territory, 1400 m above sea level. It impresses with its majesty everyone who comes to our region. According to legends, the remains of Noah's Ark, this is a favorite landing spot for UFOs and is home to a temple of sun worshipers.

The popularity of climbing Beshtau before the revolution was so great that a restaurant was even built here, where up to 100 people rested daily. There is very strong energy here.

From the height of the mountain, Zheleznovodsk and Mount Sheludivaya can be seen at a glance, and at the foot of Beshtau the favorite city of the great Lermontov is comfortably located. It was this mountain that reminded the monks of the holy Mount Athos of Greece. According to legend, in Greek Athos the Mother of God herself began to preach Christianity and took this place under her protection. This year marks 1000 years since Russian monks lived in Greek Athos. According to legend, a long time ago, at the foot of Mount Beshtau there was a Greek Christian monastery, which over time turned into ruins. And Russian monks, immigrants from Saint Athos, decided to build a new temple, reminiscent of a Greek shrine. It was the handsome Beshtau who inspired the church ministers to found a new monastery on its slope, which was named the Second Athos Holy Dormition Beshtau Monastery. And Beshtau was not chosen by chance as the site for the construction of a new shrine; it captivated the elders with its beauty, its grandeur, the incredible blueness of the sky over the peaks of the mountain, which brings the monastery so close to God, a large amount of miraculous mineral water, and of course, its incredible similarity with Greek Athos.

The revolution and wars did not have a beneficial effect on the appearance of the monastery; it was destroyed and rebuilt at the beginning of this century. 13 monks live here, they run their own households and do educational work; you won’t find female nuns here.

The monastery is accessible for visiting throughout the whole day; there are also walking routes and car roads. It is not fenced with powerful, impenetrable fences, but construction here does not stop for a single day. Residents of the KMS, tourists, and vacationers come here to pray, talk with the monks, who with great pleasure organize an excursion and show and talk about the few attractions of the holy complex, which occupies a small area. This is the temple itself, where there is a piece of the relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon and the icon of the Iveron Mother of God from the early 19th century, donated to the monastery; a building for novice monks, a multi-faceted three-story building, it is also called the Brotherhood Building, here are the monastic cells; church shop; several administrative buildings. Behind the temple is the grave of Archimandrite Silouan, the founder of the monastery after its restoration.

And under the open sky on the monastery courtyard, the faces of saints are located in a semicircle. Everyone who comes here can venerate the saints, relax, drink the most delicious tea, breathe deeply in the purest air filled with health, quiet happiness, strength, and faith only in the good and bright. And of course, the hospitality with which the monks welcome visitors to their holy monastery will not go unnoticed. This place is incredibly beautiful, radiant, every pebble radiates goodness and grace. The monastery does not claim the glory of the Greek Saint Athos and is called Second Athos because it is its prototype.

But time inexorably runs forward, and my next stop is at the St. George Convent, which is located near the city of Essentuki in a picturesque place, on Mount Dubrovka, at an altitude of 730 meters above sea level and built in honor of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious.

A panorama of extraordinary beauty opens up to the eyes of everyone who comes to these holy places. The blessing for the construction of this temple was received at the end of the 20th century and within several years the monastery was built by volunteers and named in honor of St. George the Victorious. I believe that woman and beauty are synonymous, which is why this monastery is surrounded by incredibly picturesque views, it couldn’t be otherwise!

On the territory of the temple there is a bathhouse, a church shop, a holy spring, a bell tower and a shelter for girls who do not have parents. In the holy monastery live 25 nuns who run the household themselves, cultivate a vegetable garden, cultivate a garden plot, graze cows, even make delicious cheese that can be tasted in the church shop, raise foster girls who only here could find affection, care, love, beautiful conditions for living and studying. But the main thing here is prayer.

The nuns pray for all of us, for the world, for the country, undoubtedly, this is why our land is so generous with beautiful, talented, kind people always ready to help the sick, suffering, and infirm.

From a distance, the structure of the monastery seems grandiose and fundamental, but when you get closer, there is nothing left to do but admire the elegance of all the buildings on the monastery courtyard.

It is here that an artist can paint a picture worthy of admiration for centuries, it is here that one can feel the breath of human immortality, and only here one can understand how many interesting things pass us by in the bustle of worldly life. And in our turbulent times, in places where people forget about spiritual kindness and goodness, visiting such shrines makes us brighter, more kind-hearted, more complacent, and more responsive.

Having found peace, spiritual harmony, tranquility, having been alone with myself in silence, I return to worldly life, breathing in plenty of mountain air, shaking off the burden of problems and worries, and most importantly, receiving spiritual healing.

« People are strange creatures. We defile everything we touch, but in our souls we have all the makings of becoming saints..."(Yukio Mishima)

One after another, dozens of monasteries destroyed in atheistic times are being restored in different parts of Russia. But the construction of new monasteries is not such a frequent occurrence. That is why the story about the St. George Convent, which is located near the city of Essentuki, on the 35th kilometer of the federal highway Mineralnye Vody - Kislovodsk, is so interesting and important. The golden domes of the temple and its snow-white buildings are visible from afar - after all, the monastery was built on the very top of Mount Dubrovka, which, according to some experts, with its outlines resembles the famous biblical Mount Tabor.

Saint George commanded

The history of the emergence of an Orthodox convent in such an unstable place as the North Caucasus is very unusual. However, it can be said that the restless disposition of some local residents is somewhat balanced by the traditional religiosity of the Orthodox Greeks. Since ancient times, the Pontic Greeks inhabited the south of the Black Sea region; back in the 17th century they moved to Georgia, and from there to the North Caucasus. In Pyatigorye, the territory of the present Caucasian Mineral Waters, today there are entire Greek villages, the inhabitants of which preserve many of the customs of their historical homeland. One of these customs is the construction of votive temples. About this and we'll talk.

In 1998, Greek cousins ​​Pavel Muzenitov and Konstantin Aslanov decided to build an Orthodox church in the name of Dubrovka on the top of Mount Dubrovka. Having received the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz, they began building the church. The brothers invested a lot of personal funds, and devoted even more effort to the construction of the temple in the name of St. George the Victorious. Their relatives, many surrounding residents and the local administration provided enormous support.

“The monastery should have a shelter for girls here”

He came to inspect the temple under construction in May 2003, replacing the deceased Metropolitan Gideon at this see. The Bishop really liked the temple, but only raised doubts about its use as a parish church.

And a few years later, a majestic temple in the Byzantine style already stood on Mount Dubrovka. Next to the church there was a snow-white bell tower, openwork, unusually airy, looking like a fragile porcelain figurine. Following this, the construction of a large four-story building began, which included nursing cells, shelter rooms (including bedrooms, classrooms, a house church, etc.), as well as two refectory and utility rooms.

Bishop Feofan, experienced practitioner and organizer church life, all the years of his stay in the Caucasian Mineral Waters paid special attention to the creation and formation of the St. George’s Monastery. We can say that this monastery became his favorite brainchild, because even after his elevation to the rank of metropolitan and appointment as head of the Tatarstan metropolitanate, he does not leave his care for it, still considers the sisters his spiritual children and receives their respectful love in return.

Unlike most other monastic shelters, where the role of educators is performed by nuns, in the St. George's Monastery children are cared for by professional teachers. Olga Goloshchapova, to whom Mother Abbess entrusted the post of director of the orphanage, is precisely such a specialist. The girls go to the city every day not only to a regular school, but also to a music school, and choreography and painting teachers come to study directly at the monastery. The choreographic hall is like in a ballet school, with mirrors and a barre. Preschoolers are taken to the city kindergarten. It’s interesting that girls of different ages live in the same room so that the older ones can look after the younger ones, play with them, and help them do their homework.

Prayer is not interrupted

- the main monastic activity, and in any monastery the main attention is paid to divine services and prayer rule its inhabitants. They pray for the whole world, for the Church, for the country, for the people, for everyone who asks them to pray, and they fulfill this obedience carefully, with love for God and people.

The St. George Monastery has a special purpose - to pray for many thousands of sick people

But the St. George Monastery also has its own special mission. Here they pray not only for everyone living in the Caucasus, but also for those who came here to improve their health and receive treatment for diseases of varying severity. Thousands of people from all over the country come to the sanatoriums of Caucasian Mineral Waters every month, and almost all of them visit the St. George Monastery. Some do this quite consciously, with the desire to pray for their health and that of their loved ones; many simply out of pure curiosity go on an excursion after medical procedures. But even such “excursionists,” even if for company, certainly buy candles in the church shop and write notes about the health of living relatives and friends and about the repose of those who have passed on to another world. Another person left and forgot about it. But his sisters did not forget him and remember him in their prayers. So it turns out that the St. George Monastery has a special, responsible purpose - to pray for the many thousands of sick and suffering people who come to these regions in the hope of receiving healing of soul and body.

Monastery - ten years

Despite the young age of the monastery, it has already collected many shrines. These are the miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Tsaritsa” and “Theodorovskaya”, particles of the holy relics of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, the Venerable Jonah of Kyiv, and all the venerable wives of Diveyevo. Thousands of people have already been able to venerate these shrines and receive support and consolation. The sisters of the monastery carefully record all cases of miraculous healings and grace-filled help that believers report to them.

The heart of the monastery is the temple in the name of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. Its interior strikes with an extraordinary combination of sophistication and splendor. Snow-white columns made of Ural marble, granite floor with built-in mosaic in the form Star of Bethlehem, icons emitting golden light - all this creates a reverent feeling of peace and harmony and encourages heartfelt prayer to God. This spiritual mood is supported and enhanced by wall paintings in the Byzantine style, masterfully executed by local icon painters Andrei Bukhnikashvili and Vyacheslav Simakov.

The monastery celebrated its tenth anniversary in a special way: on June 9, 2016, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Archbishop Theophylact of Pyatigorsk and Circassia solemnly consecrated the site for the construction of a new cathedral - of course, the Ascension Cathedral. By the way, the first in the diocese dedicated to this great event for all Christians.

Today, the monastery complex includes two more chapels - the Arkhangelskaya, where the Sacrament of Baptism is performed, and the water-sanctuary - in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring”, a bathhouse in honor of the Baptism of the Lord; a modern residential building, a spacious church shop, premises for pilgrims and, of course, outbuildings. And the farm in the monastery is large: the sisters keep cows, chickens, an apiary, providing the monastery with dairy products, eggs and honey. The orchard, raspberry and strawberry plantations are pleased with the harvest. There is, of course, a vegetable garden - tomatoes and cucumbers, beets, potatoes and carrots, onions, beans, cabbage and greens, as they ripen, decorate the monastery meal. All these fruits are enough to prepare for the winter, so sisters and children do not suffer from a lack of vitamins.

Territory of faith and hope

Parting with the hospitable monastery and Mother Abbess Varvara, I linger on the cathedral square, lined with patterned tiles and enclosed by an openwork wrought-iron fence with round decorative lamps. Along the fence stretch wonderful flower arrangements, elegant alpine slides, and unusual-looking coniferous shrubs. With this magnificent observation deck, located at an altitude of seven hundred meters, a picturesque panorama of the Caucasian Mineral Waters opens up - numerous villages scattered along the green valleys along the river bed, blue specks of lakes, roofs of the city blocks of Pyatigorsk and Essentuki, mountains Mashuk and Beshtau. And from the north side, in clear weather, the snow cap of Elbrus and the spurs of the Caucasus Range are clearly visible.

To confirm my enthusiastic attitude towards this truly special monastery, I will quote the words of one of the pilgrims: “St. George’s Convent in Essentuki is a special man-made landmark. This is not just a place of hermits, it is a powerful energy of goodness and positivity, rich healing opportunities for parishioners and pilgrims, a territory of faith and hope for the fulfillment of any dream!”

I’ll end my story with a poem from Olga Svistelnikova, a sixth-grader from Pyatigorsk:

Among the fields, among the flowers,
Among the hills, among the forests,
Under a bright blue sky,
With a cross like the golden sun,
Like a white bird soars -
The temple is on the top of the mountain.
The bell is ringing
And it rushes along through the air,
Below him in the blue sky
Saint George on horseback
Flies, blessing us,
And prays for the entire Caucasus .
Here is the work of nuns and humility,
And warm prayers to God.
There is peace and kindness in their faces.
There is love and purity in the eyes.
Seeing this beauty,
I can't forget her!
The soul trembles and burns,
And thanks the Lord.

Some go to the temple, hoping to receive help, others seek healing and atone for sins, others light candles in memory of deceased relatives, and for others, the cultural component is important: they consider the building as an object of historical and architectural heritage. the site has collected the most important and interesting shrines in the North Caucasus.

Chapel of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus

Near Mineralnye Vody, in the cemetery of the village of Leninsky, for a long time a holy burial rested. The relics of Saint Theodosius, a native of the Perm province, who at the age of three consciously dedicated himself to God and went to Athos, were buried there. After serving there, Theodosius went to Jerusalem, and then returned to Russia. The clergyman was repressed. Feodosius came to Minvody after exile. Pretending to be a holy fool, Theodosius helped people - he healed, gave instructions to everyone who came for them. They came to Theodosius even after his death to visit the saint’s grave. Now his relics no longer rest in the cemetery. In 1996, the burial was moved to the church in the village of Leninsky, and two years later - to the new Church of the Intercession Mother of God in Mineralnye Vody.

St. George's Convent

St. George's Convent, built in honor of the Great Martyr George, is located near Essentuki. The building, lined with white marble, has a residential building for nuns and an orphanage for female pupils. In addition, the monastery has two chapels, a bathhouse and an icon shop. Famous Holy place with his relic - a piece of the patron’s relics and a piece of his tunic.

Deuteronomy Monastery

Nearby is the Deuteroathon Monastery. The building was erected at the beginning of the 20th century and has survived many attacks in its lifetime: fires, armed attacks, expulsion of ministers, poverty. During the war years, the monastery served as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Then the Deuteronomy Monastery moved to a new building built on the same site. Within the walls of the monastery are kept particles of the relics of the venerable fathers of Kiev-Pechora and an ark with a particle of the relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon the Healer.

St. Nicholas Cathedral in Kislovodsk

In the center of the resort town is the first temple built in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Initially, the church was wooden, but already at the end of the 19th century a stone one was erected in its place. But it didn’t last long - the building was blown up in 1936. The new building, built on the same site in the 90s, was made as similar as possible to its predecessor. Within the walls of the cathedral there is an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with a particle of the relics of the holy great martyr, which miraculously survived the explosion.

The miraculous face of Christ in Arkhyz

Near the village of Nizhny Arkhyz in Karachay-Cherkessia, in one of the grottoes on the rock you can see the shrine that glorified these places. The face of Christ is clearly visible on the stones: almost one and a half meters high, 80 centimeters wide. The origin of this rock icon is still shrouded in mystery: scientists have not been able to find out how and by whom the drawing was made. According to one version, the author of the image is a Byzantine artist of the 9th-10th centuries. This assumption is also supported by finds made by archaeologists nearby, among which there are pagan burials dating back to the same centuries.

Epiphany Alan Monastery in North Ossetia

The convent, located near the city of Alagir, was founded in 2002. Eight robed nuns, three schema-nuns, two nuns and four novices live here. Every day they rise at 5:30 am to pray. The monastery is actively developing: new buildings are being built, the infrastructure is progressing.

St. George's Cathedral in Vladikavkaz

The Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Vladikavkaz was built on the site of an old cemetery. Pilgrims and tourists come here to look at the shrine - the ark with the relics of the patron saint of the temple. The relic was donated to the Vladikavkaz Cathedral in 2010 by the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodore II. In addition, an icon with the relics of Admiral Ushakov is kept within the walls of the temple.

St. George's Cathedral. Photo: Wikipedia

102 kilometers from Vladikavkaz, in the center of the republic, between the villages of Lezgor and Donifars, Irafsky district, in the Digor Gorge, you can find a huge crypt burial ground. Here, on the mountain slopes, there are 64 tombs and 7 tsyrts - memorial pillars. Burials in this city of the dead were carried out from the 5th to the 19th centuries, scientists believe.

Donifarsko-Lezgorsky necropolis. Photo: Frame youtube.com

The convent of the All-Holy Life-Giving Trinity and St. Seraphim of Sarov was built on the lands of Kabardino-Balkaria more than 100 years ago. The monastery temple is famous for its rich decoration: turquoise decoration, colored stained glass windows in the window openings. But pilgrims come to the monastery because of the unprecedented concentration of shrines. Here there is a source of Seraphim of Sarov, a Hierarchal copy of the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the relics of the venerable fathers of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the relics of the Venerable Nikita the Stylite and venerable lists with miraculous icons and images.