One and a half hundred kilometers south of the city of Voronezh is the monastery of the Holy Savior. This is one of the oldest Russian monasteries, founded even before the adoption of Christianity by Russia. It is located in Kostomarovo. The monastery is located in caves. The Church of the Savior is also located there, which goes deep into limestone rocks and can accommodate up to 2 thousand people, as well as a small church of Seraphim of Sarov. There are about forty caves in the chalk hills, eight of which house the Spassky Monastery of Kostomarovo. This is a place of deeds and labors of generations of monks and Christian ascetics.
Legend and history
According to legend, the first cave temple was founded on the banks of the Don even before the adoption of Christianity. To avoid persecution, monks hid in the caves, and in the 12th century a monastic monastery was established in Kostomarovo. The monastery was built so that people in the event of an attack by enemiescould not only hide in it, but also withstand a long siege. The cells for the monks were made inside the walls, and a small window was carved into the rock for contact with the outside world.
The monastery in Kostomarovo has seen a lot in its long and eventful history. The monastery has undergone various structural changes throughout its existence. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the construction of the cave temple of Seraphim of Sarov was organized. However, it ended only today. With the coming to power of the communists, the monks were executed, and the complex was closed. Since that time, a difficult period began for the monastery in Kostomarovo. The monastery, however, was not forgotten by believers.
War and post-war years
During the Second World War, the monastery caves served as a refuge for civilians and Soviet soldiers who fought against the Nazi troops. After Stalin met with Metropolitan Sergius in 1943, the Soviet authorities allowed many Orthodox churches to reopen. In 1946, the Church of the Savior was also registered. Work on the restoration of the temple quickly moved forward. But already in the early 60s, on the orders of Khrushchev, the authorities curtailed all work under the pretext of the unsuitability of church premises. The caves were flooded, the outer buildings were burned, and property was partially confiscated. The Orthodox community, which permanently lived in the monastery, was forced to leave the holy monastery. However, there is evidence that believersin small groups secretly continued to gather for prayers in one hidden cave in the 60-70s. They spent several days there.
Our days
In 1993, the modern Spassky Convent of Kostomarovo was built. Thanks to the efforts of believers, the cave complex was cleaned and electrified. In 1997, it already had living quarters, a refectory, a chapel and a building for nuns. Now the Spassky Monastery has become an object of pilgrimage, where people come from all over the CIS. Pilgrims venerate the icon "Blessed Sky", dedicated to the Mother of God. It is made on iron (for cave temples, icons were often painted on metal) in human height in the style of the artist Vasnetsov. Bullet holes were preserved on it, which were left by the shots of the god-fighters aiming at the divine faces. However, none of the bullets hit the target.
