Tver is one of the oldest cities in Russia. Its creation dates back to 1135, and by the middle of the 13th century, the region had significantly strengthened and was able to dissociate itself into an independent principality. The Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior, located in Tver, was erected by the end of the 13th century. It turned out to be the earliest monumental building built in the Suzdal region after the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. And how did the Tver diocese, one of the most ancient in Orthodoxy, develop? To answer this question, we must start with the history of its origin.
Diocese of Tver and Kashin as part of the Russian Orthodox Church
The history of the Orthodox Church in Russia has more than a thousand years. Created in the tenth century, and now has about 150 million believers. It is considered the largest autocephalous local Orthodox church in the world. Its main territorial unit is the diocese. It is noteworthy that at the beginning of this century there were 132 of them in the Russian Orthodox Church. The diocese is headed by a bishop, to whose assistance vicar bishops are appointed. It unites the monasteries, monasteries and parishes located on this land. One of the oldestis the diocese of Tver and Kashin.
The emergence of the Tver diocese
The diocese is part of the Metropolis of Tver. It was singled out as an independent diocese of Polotsk during the reign of Grand Duke Yaroslav Yaroslavich. This happened no later than 1271. In the surviving sources, this year is noted as the time of the burial of the Grand Duke in Tver by Bishop Simeon. Initially, the territory of the diocese covered the entire principality of Tver. In 1589 an archdiocese was established there. In 1681, there was a decision to raise the cathedra to the status of a metropolia, but it was soon abolished.
History of the diocese in the XVII-XIX centuries
In the existing hierarchy, the Tver diocese was next to Ryazan, and from the middle of the 17th century - after Vologda. From the very beginning of the 19th century it was the eleventh. She followed the Ryazan pulpit. In the winter of 1836, the Staritsky Vicariate was approved in it. It is worth noting that since the emergence of the diocese, seventy-eight bishops have succeeded each other. The Archbishop of Tver and Kashinsky, who is now heading it, is the seventy-ninth on their list.
Tver and Kashin diocese in the twentieth century
A century ago, the diocese of Tver was considered one of the most significant in the structure of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1917 it included 36 monastic organizations. Moreover, the convents of the Tver diocese were in greater numbers - there were 19 of them. Then there were more than one and a half million Orthodox parishioners in it. The total number of temples was1204.
The history of the Orthodox Church in Russia in the 20-30s of the last century was marked by continuous persecution of clergy and devout parishioners. This bitter fate did not bypass the Tver diocese. During the twenty years before the war, the number of clergy in it was reduced from almost four thousand to less than fifty. Then all the holy cloisters of the diocese were closed.
Diocese now
During the century, the diocese changed its name several times, and for 15 years now it has been called Tver and Kashin. In 1940, the Trinity Cathedral of Tver was recognized as a cathedral. The diocese connected all the parishes and monasteries that were located on its territory. Three and a half years ago, Bezhetskaya and Rzhevskaya diocese were separated from the Tver diocese, and a metropolis was formed within the borders of the region. Now it is headed by the Metropolitan of Tver and Kashin - Viktor.
The office is located in the heart of the regional center. It has a complex structure, including many divisions. Among them are a library, a public relations service, a department for youth affairs, as well as for religious education and others. On the territory of the diocesan administration, in addition, there is a choir singing school, a sewing workshop, a shop for church utensils and religious literature, and other premises.
Metropolitan of Tver and Kashinsky Victor
It is worth paying attention to the personality of the head of the diocese. So, Metropolitan of Tver and Kashinsky Victor came into the world on September 21, 1940 in Pochaev, Kremenets district, Ternopil region.
He wasworker's son. At school, he was expelled for going to the temple and forced to leave his religious beliefs.
In 1966 he graduated from the Leningrad Theological Academy as a candidate of theology. At the age of 26, he was tonsured a monk. He was given a new name in honor of the martyr Victor. In 1988, he was appointed Bishop of Kalinin, and two years later - Tver and Kashinsky. At the end of 2011, he was appointed head of the Tver Metropolis. He has several high church awards and orders. He is inspired and selflessly working for the benefit of the Metropolis
Diocese activity today
Currently, the Tver diocese is engaged in active social and educational work. It promotes the spread of Orthodoxy among young people, actively interacting with educational institutions of the region. Special departments of the diocese are engaged in helping socially disadvantaged people - distributing food, clothing and other necessary things. Actively counteracts drug addiction and alcoholism, regularly holding meetings and educational talks with young people.
Church organization provides all kinds of assistance to orphanages in the Tver region. It runs a number of charitable canteens and orphanages. A large number of media outlets are published under the auspices of the diocese, and activities are also covered in some secular media.
Helping pensioners and the disabled, supporting the poor, enlightenment and religious education of the younger generation - all this is diligent and inspiredthe Tver diocese is engaged, the clergy of which regularly holds general meetings to determine further work.
Temples and monasteries of the Tver diocese
There are 15 monasteries on the territory, including 10 women's ones. Of these, 12 are active. The oldest of them - Staritsky Svyato-Uspensky - is over 900 years old. On the territory of the diocese is also the Skete of the Vladychnya-Marfo-Mariinsky Convent. This is a stauropegial nunnery with a special order of existence. Now there is a shelter for orphans, as well as a charity canteen.
At the beginning of the last century, there were about fifty churches in Tver. However, most of them were destroyed in the 30s, when there was an active development of the regional center. Churches of the Tver diocese are located throughout the region. The main one is the Resurrection Cathedral, built in 1913 with the money of the royal family and the investment of the monastery itself on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Romanov dynasty.
It is also worth mentioning the Trinity Church in Zatmachie - the oldest and surviving stone buildings and the oldest functioning church in the city of Tver. It houses the ark with the relics of St. Macarius the Wonderworker. Numerous monastic and bishop's residences are also subordinate to the diocese.
Ascetics and miraculous places of the diocese
Among the bishops who ruled the Tver cathedra were holy ascetics and preachers of the Christian faith. First of all, this is St. Arseny the Wonderworker, the founder of many monasteries and templesTver region. In total, more than 150 ascetics from these places were canonized as saints. Over the past few years - more than 90 new martyrs of the Tver land. For sixteen years, festivities have been held in their memory on September 19.
The diocese of Tver steadily and respectfully protects the priceless shrines of the Orthodox Christian faith. They have been kept for centuries in its temples, monasteries and cathedrals. And now they attract believers from different cities and are the object of reverence for the inhabitants of the region.
Including the relics of the Holy Blessed Princess Anna Kashinskaya, the icon of the Holy Blessed Prince Michael and many, many others. Now pilgrimages are held in Tver land. There are many wonderful places in this blessed land. People with incurable and severe ailments arrive in the village of Maslovo, Staritsky District, Tver Region. There are two miraculous springs. Locals reverently call them living and dead water and believe that one of them promotes healing from serious illnesses, and the second helps eyesight.
Thus, the Tver diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church remains a reliable stronghold of Orthodox Christianity.
