Diocese of Rybinsk: description, history and interesting facts

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

During the period of communism, Orthodoxy was not popular in our country. But in the last 20 years there has been a revival of old traditions. Therefore, this topic has become relevant. Let's talk about several church parishes and monasteries located in the Yaroslavl region and better known as the diocese of Rybinsk.

What is a diocese

First, let's clarify the necessary concepts.

A diocese is a certain part of the Russian Orthodox Church, the boundaries of which usually coincide with the boundaries of the federal arrangement of our state. In any case, before unification, they are first agreed with the Holy Synod. The diocese is led by the diocesan bishop.

The diocese unites churches, monasteries, deaneries located within its borders.

The deanery, in turn, is a part of the diocese, uniting parishes located next to each other. The boundaries coincide with the boundaries of the districts. The Deanery is managed by the Dean.

History of the emergence of the Rybinsk diocese

In 2012, twelve cities of the Yaroslavl region united,forming a new Orthodox unit known as the Rybinsk diocese. The path to this was very long.

In fact, the association began back in 1909. Then the Rybinsk vicariate of the Yaroslavl diocese was established.

Even before 1934, it was renamed the Rybinsk diocese. But after 1937, after the death of the last bishop of Rybinsk, Ioannikius (Popov), no other bishops were appointed. Only in 2010 the Rybinsk Vicariate was revived, and in 2012 the Diocese of Rybinsk.

Monasteries and deaneries included in the Rybinsk diocese

The Diocese of Rybinsk unites 12 districts, includes 9 monasteries, 130 parishes, 13 deaneries. Many temples were built in antiquity and carry history. There are small villages where new churches have been built through the efforts of residents.

Most famous monasteries:

• Preobrazhensky Gennadievsky Monastery, p. Sloboda, was founded in the 20s of the 16th century by the Monk Cornelius of Komel and Gennady of Kostroma.

• Holy Dormition Adrianov Monastery, p. Adrian freedom. The place for this monastery was indicated by a certain monk. To him and two other reverend hermits, Adrian and Leonid Peshekhonsky, the icon of the Assumption of the Mother of God appeared on a tree, thereby showing divine protection to the chosen place for the construction of the monastery. It happened in the middle of the 16th century.

• Kazan nunnery on Gorushka, village Gorushka. It was founded at the end of the 19th century near the city of Danilov by a certainnun Michaela.
• Mologsky Intercession Convent, p. Bykovo. It was founded at the request and desire of the noblewoman Elisaveta Yermolinskaya in 1883. After the construction of the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station, when the city of Mologa was flooded along with other churches and parishes, it was the only one left intact.
• Sophia Convent, Rybinsk. This monastery was glorified by the deeds of many righteous women, now revered by believers. Founded in the late 19th century.

Some deaneries included in the diocese:

• Danilov Deanery;
• Nekose Deanery;
• Prechistensky Deanery;
• Rybinsk Deanery;
• Breytian deanery;
• Favorite Deanery;
• Poshekhonskoye deanery;
• Romanovo-Borisoglebsk Deanery and others

The clergy of the Rybinsk diocese

All the bishops who led the Rybinsk diocese at different times, bore the rank of bishop of Rybinsk and Danilovsky. And in total there were 18 of them since 1909, since the founding of the Rybinsk Vicariate.

Many of them are known for their righteous deeds, some of them wrote many essays on the Orthodox theme.

It is known that, starting in 1930, the persecution of the church by the authorities began. At this time, Rybinsk bishops were shot: Sergius (Zenkevich), Fedor (Yakovtsevsky), Varlaam (Pikalov), Venedikt (Alentov), Alexander (Toropov), Andrey (Solntsev). They were all rehabilitated posthumously in the 1980s.

Bishop Benjamin

Currently this diocese is headed by Benjamin(Likhomanov), he accepted the appointment in 2012.

It is known that he was born in 1952 in a family of Orthodox believers. At the beginning of his life, Veniamin worked as an engineer, and was ordained a deacon in 1978.

Since that time, Father Benjamin has come a long way, he has written many works on Orthodox topics that are popular with believers.

Veniamin (Likhomanov) has many church and secular awards.

Abbess Feodorita Markova

The Rybinsk diocese is famous for its clergy. Abbess Theodorita Markova is the abbess of the Mologa Intercession Convent in the village of Bykovo, which is part of the Rybinsk diocese. She accepted her appointment in 2011.

First time in this monastery in 2004, mother Theodorita found him in a terrible state. About three thousand square meters of the main building were not suitable for housing novices and nuns. For a long time, there was a tractor school on the territory of the temple and the entire courtyard.

Through the work and care of the abbess, the monastery was completely restored and restored from the foundation to the roof, water and heating were installed.

An interesting fact is that, when she first got to the Mologa Monastery and sorted out the rubble, matushka found a metal black sheet in the attic, which, upon closer examination, turned out to be an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Through the prayers of mother and other novices, the icon was cleansed by itself andstreamed myrrh. That's how strong faith is!

Inside the monastery there is a house church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, where services are regularly held.

Also on the territory of the Convent there is a second church of the Most Pure Mother of God, but it is completely destroyed. The bishop of the Rybinsk diocese gave his blessing for its restoration.

Abbess Feodorita Markova is an example for Orthodox people.

It so happened that in her youth she fell badly and received a severe spinal injury. For several years, the bones of the neck refused to grow together. Mother Theodora could only pray for her recovery. And a miracle happened: after a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Abbess Theodorita was completely healed.

The Mologa Intercession Convent miraculously remained intact during the flooding of territories for the construction of the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station.

The impact of the construction of the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station on the composition of the diocese

Everyone knows that during the construction of the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station, a significant part of the Yaroslavl region and partly of the Tver region were flooded.

Along with dozens of villages under water, the city of Mologa, famous for its amazing architecture, also disappeared.

Until now, the banks of the Rybinsk reservoir are considered holy. Every year in the summer, Orthodox Christians perform the so-called Leushinsky stands on its banks - sacred services led by the priest.

Together with Mologa, the Leushinsky convent, the Afanasevsky Monastery, and the Resurrection Cathedral were flooded. In particularly dry years, the bell towers of these temples and monasteries protrudeabove the water, personifying great sadness. At such a time, local priests go by boat to the place of flooding and serve prayers there.

A lot of grief suffered by settlers in the distant 40s of the last century. Many could not leave their homes and, having chained themselves to their houses, drowned during the flood.

Inactive monasteries of the Rybinsk diocese

In the Rybinsk diocese there are ruins of a monastery that has not been functioning for more than two hundred years. This is the Poshekhonsky Ilyinsky Monastery. It was located in the Danilovsky district and ceased to exist in the 17th century, abolished by order of the then king.

An interesting fact is that the Poshekhonsky Eliinsky Monastery was assigned to the Trinity Kolyasnikov Hermitage, which also no longer exists. In former times, these monasteries were revered by believers.

Reason for cancellation unknown.

The closure of the monasteries in the Rybinsk diocese is not yet expected, moreover, the existing monasteries are being actively revived.

This is the end of a brief overview of the Rybinsk diocese. It is interesting that in the Krasnoyarsk Territory there is a deanery of the same name - Rybinsk, we will tell about it.

Rybinsk deanery of Kansk diocese

Kansk diocese is part of the Krasnoyarsk Metropolis. It was allocated in 2011 by the decision of the Holy Synod. Bishop Philaret Kansky and Boguchansky governs the diocese.

One of the deaneries included in this diocese is the Rybinsk deanery. The parish is located in the city of Zelenogorsk, it includesthe city of Zaozerny, the villages of Ersha, Uspenka, Ural.

The Rybinsk deanery includes: the Church of the Archangel Michael, the Church of St. John the Theologian, the Church of St. Innocent of Irkutsk, the Church of St. Princess Olga, the Church of Seraphim of Sarov, the Church of the Archangel Gabriel, the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, the chapel of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.

All the monasteries of such a diocese as the Rybinsk diocese are popular with believers, pilgrimages are often made there.

This can complete a brief overview of the Rybinsk diocese and the Rybinsk deanery of the Kansk diocese.