On a high, overgrown with picturesque greenery hill above the banks of the Oka River, the ancient Amvrosiev Dudin Monastery of the Nizhny Novgorod Region is located. The word "Dudin" appeared in the name because of the nearby village of Dudenevo, "Amvrosiev" - in honor of the monk Ambrose, who was the first to settle in this place for solitary prayer. It was he who formed the monastery monastery. By 1620, three wooden churches had been built in it: Nikolskaya Church, Assumption Cathedral and the Church of Elijah the Prophet.
Dudin Monastery: history of occurrence
The first wooden church was built in honor of Nicholas the Wonderworker. Therefore, initially the name sounded like Amvrosiev Nicholas Dudin Monastery, which at one time was one of the richest in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Once very reliable and competently built by conscientious builders, it eventually completely fell into disrepair, only ruins remained of it.
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin had a dullview, it stood without floors and doors, and through the empty openings of windows with wrought iron bars in good weather, a ray of sunshine penetrated, as if encouraging: soon everything will change for the better.
First mentions
An interesting fact is that in the Kremlin Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Nizhny Novgorod there is an old Holy Scripture with a record of 1408 about his contribution to the Dudin Monastery by special order of St. Sergius of Radonezh himself, who died in 1391. And this suggests that the monastery was already operating by that time.
Another confirmation that the Dudin Monastery already existed is given by the Russian chronicle of 1445. At that time, it was located at the crossroads of the main roads from the Volga Lower to the center of Russia and constantly experienced repeated devastation from the Kazan Nogais.
Kings and Saints
In ancient legends it is written that St. Sergius of Radonezh himself once visited the Amvrosiev Dudin Monastery upon his return from Nizhny Novgorod, and in a tragic time for himself, Vasily the Dark (Vasily Vasilyevich Rurikovich) stopped.
In 1535 the first stone building was built - the bell tower. Before this event, the Tatars defeated Russian regiments near Suzdal. Prince Vasily himself was taken prisoner, who was taken to the headquarters of the khan. He had to pay a large ransom for himself and, having given the city of Kasimov to the prince, accompanied by the khan's princes, completely broken from his failures, the prince stopped at the Dudin Monastery.
The Great Trouble
Russia plunged intothe disastrous period of the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century. This also affected the Dudin Monastery, which was often visited by aggressive detachments of Lithuanians and Tushins, and sometimes by rebellious local peasants. But in 1613 the Romanov dynasty came to power, and the wooden monastery was restored again.
In 1676, by order of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, the monastery was transferred to the jurisdiction of Patriarch Joachim and became the Patriarchal House Monastery. In early February, by decree of the Patriarch of All Russia, the Assumption Church was laid. However, reforms took place under Catherine II and the monastery was abolished.
Flourishing
When in 1552 Ivan the Terrible annexed the Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan to Russia, the military threats from their sides finally stopped. The monastery again began to rapidly expand its land and grow rich. By the 16th century, he owned the lands of such villages as Teteryugino, Poltso, Bolotets, Tredvortsy, Bolotets, Cherntsovo. In 1606, the village of Chernoye (now the city of Dzerzhinsk) was mentioned as the property of the monastery.
At the end of the 16th century, Prince Odoevsky Nikita Ivanovich decided to invest a large amount of money in the development of the monastery. And after that, the revival of the monastery began.
Fortress
The Dudin Monastery was a defensive fortress for the city of Nizhny Novgorod, a log road was laid out from its gates to the banks of the Oka, and the Holy Gates of the monastery became a powerful fortress tower, above the roof of which a weather vane in the form of a trumpeting angel was installed.
The village of Dudenevo already existed before the creation of the monastery. Beforestill preserved are horizontal layers of stony white mineral, which was in great demand in construction. These same layers were called pipes or duds. Hence the name of the village itself.
The village of Dudenevo consists of two villages: Lower and Upper Dudenevo. At the beginning of the village, in the first part, on the height of the river, there is a stone church. Part of another village runs along the banks of the Oka River. Between them is an overgrown wasteland. Old-timers say that folk festivals used to be held there. To the right of the Oka, a road has been laid across the coastline. Further there is a pier called "Dudin Monastery".
Ruins
The territory of the monastery was abandoned for a very long time, only remnants of its once solid buildings have been preserved. If you look closely, the masonry of the wall will seem surprising, as the antique dark red brick fits flawlessly, as does the immaculate white strip of mortar.
In front of the Assumption Cathedral there is still a cemetery, where there are many marble sarcophagi made of white marble with Slavic inscriptions that are well read. In 1920, the old icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was lost, and in 1939 everything was closed.
Start of restoration work
The area of the Dudin Monastery, which opens from the hill, impresses with its freedom and beauty, you can admire this landscape at any time of the year. In the early 80s, a certain group of enthusiasts and a specially created commission came to studythe possibility of restoring the ancient monastery. It was concluded that this is almost impossible due to the soft ground, since any bad weather can collapse it.
But despite such a sad verdict, due to someone's holy prayers in 2000, the Dudin Monastery nevertheless began to be restored. This is the merit of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese. In 2006 priest Vasily Krivchenkov was attached to the parish. With his appearance, construction work resumed, prayers began to sound and services were corrected.
Dudin Monastery: photo today
Since 2007, with the blessing of the Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas Georgy, monastic life with a strict charter begins to emerge in the monastery. In the summer, a huge Orthodox cross was erected, 9 meters high and weighing more than a ton. Hieromonk Mstislav from the Annunciation Monastery comes here once a week to perform prayers and memorial services.
Today, the Dudin Monastery, belonging to the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, is considered his property and an object of cultural heritage. In March 2008, a road was built, and the monastery was surrounded by a 400-meter long wooden fence, electricity was supplied. The construction of the foundation of the bell tower began, a house for the monks was built, the monastery lands were decorated.
In March, the prayer room was also illuminated by Bishop George. The first Divine Liturgy sounded on May 7, 2008.
First monks
In the same month, the first monastic brethren appeared: Father Seraphim and his novice VasilyStegur. Vladyka performed a prayer service to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and then there was a procession with the miraculous icon of the Mother of God called Orange.
In December 2008, the bells and the dome of the bell tower were installed, in February 2009 - the dome of the Assumption Church being restored. In May, the first Divine Liturgy was held with the participation of Archbishop George of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas. 20 students of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary participated in the restoration work.
Consecration of the new life of the monastery
Under a high hill, two holy springs break through - St. Sergius of Radonezh and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In 2007-2008 a staircase was built along the slope from the monastery to the embankment of the Oka River.
When on August 23, 2009 the main redistribution of the Church of the Assumption of the Theotokos was consecrated, before the rite of consecration, Archbishop George addressed the parishioners with trembling words of gratitude. They were addressed to those who helped restore the monastery. He said that it was almost impossible to do this, because he was so badly destroyed. But everyone worked for the Glory of the Lord, and therefore they succeeded. After the consecration of the main limit, all forces were thrown into the decoration of the chapel of St. Nicholas, which Metropolitan George consecrated on June 6, 2015.
How to get there
The road to the monastery is laid through the small town of Bogorodsk, it is in the south-west of Nizhny Novgorod. From it you need to go towards the village of Shvarikhi, passing by Trestyana to the village of Podyablonoye. Before Teteryugino the road is interrupted. Fartherfollow the sign to go down the stairs. In the middle of the path, the Oka River will be visible, and there, between the villages of Dzherzhinsk and Zhelnino, a view of the monastery opens up.
Address: 607615, Russia, Nizhny Novgorod region, Teteryugino.
