It was not at all easy for the first Archpastor, Archbishop Gaius Takaov. Historically, the diocese united two regions: Saratov and Penza. This was the difficulty of management. Due to the fact that there were no premises for a bishop or consistory on Saratov land, they were located in Penza. The diocese manages 176 temples and churches throughout the region. It has many revered shrines, including the Kazan Nizhelomovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, the Penza Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich himself presented to the townspeople.
The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, which found refuge in the Vadinsky Monastery, as well as the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God, which has long been located in the Trinity-Skanovo Monastery, are especially revered. The holy relics of Innocent, clergyman John attract crowds of suffering Orthodox.
First person
The bishop of the diocese is Seraphim, Metropolitan of Penza and Nizhnelomovsky. In the world Domin Sergey, hetook the tonsure on April 2, 1999, was born and raised in the city of Kamenka. He received his spiritual education at the Saratov Seminary, and in 1997 he was ordained a priest. Soon, in the temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring", which is located on the territory of the St. Tikhvin Kerensky Monastery, he was tonsured a monk. He received a name in honor of the holy martyr Seraphim.
Since 2009, he worked at the Penza School, and since 2011, he began teaching at the Theological Seminary. Despite his “young age”, this talented and dedicated clergyman became a metropolitan on February 1, 2014, and in May of the same year he received the post of rector of the Penza Theological Academy. At the same time, he became the sacred archimendrite of the Nizhnelomovsky Kazan Monastery.
From a young age
Currently, the Penza Orthodox Gymnasium is open in the region, which has its own unique history. And it was like that. In the 90s of the last century, a Sunday school was opened on the territory of the Assumption Cathedral, in which the children studied the Law of God with pleasure on weekends. The importance of the church increased over the years, and it became clear that the school must grow and develop. So in 1998, the Orthodox gymnasium opened its doors, in which little Penza residents began to study. In 2007, the institution received the status of a municipal general educational institution and received the name "Gymnasium in the name of St. Innocent of Penza." The institution trains children from grades 1 to 11 according to the established program. AtThe Church in the name of St. Innocent works there, in which services are regularly held. The diocese of the Penza region pays attention not only to school-age children, but also to the smallest citizens: the School of Early Development operates on the territory.
Diocese parishes
As mentioned above, more than 170 parishes throughout the Penza region are in charge. The largest of them are the Spassky Cathedral, the Assumption Cathedral, the Pokrovsky Bishops' Cathedral. Thousands of pilgrims are drawn to the Church of the Blessed Princes Peter and Fevronia of Murom, the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, the Church of the Holy Blessed Matrona of Moscow and many other parishes.
Each village of the Penza region has its own temple, to which the "folk trail" does not overgrow. A large number of parishes are located in nursing homes and boarding schools, correctional institutions, clinical hospitals and other medical institutions. The Russian people have always been extremely pious, and the inhabitants of the Penza land are no exception.
The Archbishop of the diocese is subordinate to the Trinity Women's Monastery, the Transfiguration Monastery of the Savior, the Nizhnelomovsky Kazan Bogoroditsky Monastery, the Assumption Women's Monastery. In these holy cloisters day and night brothers and sisters pray for peace, tranquility and prosperity of the Russian land. The monasteries of the Penza diocese are famous throughout the country and gather hundreds of pilgrims within their walls.
Welcome
With open armsThe Penza diocese is waiting for guests with hugs. The pilgrimage department organizes trips for both children and adults to the territory of temples and monasteries of the region, Russia and neighboring countries. Everyone can choose a tour according to their pocket, destination and duration. Every day, pilgrims are sent on Orthodox trips. In the company of other Orthodox Christians and an experienced guide, everyone can celebrate any holiday on the territory of a majestic temple or monastery with a long history.
I do good
It's no secret that all churches and monasteries in Russia cannot exist without parishioners. With charitable money and donations from pilgrims, new monasteries are built and existing ones are restored, inventory is purchased, and the needs of parishes are paid for. Everyone who has the opportunity should contribute to the common cause and support those who pray for us day and night.
So, the Penza diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church needs financial resources. Residents of the Shemysheyka village are looking forward to the opening of the temple in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It began to be built with the money of a businessman who sponsored the laying of the foundation, the erection of the walls of the bell tower and the church. Later, the money ran out and construction stopped. Many thanks to the person who made a huge contribution to the birth of a new temple, but a lot of material and financial resources are still needed in order to continue what we started.
Diocese Office
Despite the fact that the church is a spiritual body, it needs a firm andan intelligent hand that can rationally conduct the affairs of the ward. The diocesan administration includes departments of religious education, youth affairs, interaction with the Armed Forces, social service and charity. The pilgrimage department, the union of Orthodox women, the department for combating alcoholism and drug addiction, the union of Orthodox youth are working. The Penza diocese in modern realities is forced to cover all spheres of human life with its attention.
Note
Each of us at least once in our lives has been to the temple, put a candle in front of the icon, asked the Lord God about something of our own, secret and intimate. Despite the progress and leap of civilization, the spiritual component of our life has not sunk into oblivion. All of us should help churches and temples where they pray for our he alth and well-being. As far as possible, you need to visit holy places, make pilgrimage excursions. During them, it is important to follow certain rules: to be clean both spiritually and physically. Each woman must be dressed in appropriate clothing: a scarf on her head, a skirt below the knees, and her shoulders must be covered. Men are not allowed to visit the holy cloisters in flip flops, shorts, open T-shirts.
Soul haven
Now you know what kind of land this is - the Penza diocese. Photos clearly demonstrate how temples and monasteries flourish. During the year during which Vladyka Seraphim began to lead the diocese, many parishioners of churches note dramatic changes for the better. With his light hand began to be carried outregular meetings with pupils of colonies, orphanages and boarding schools for children and the elderly. All sorts of literary competitions on Orthodox topics contribute to the fact that the importance of the church is increasing in society. The Penza diocese encourages every Orthodox to visit churches as much as possible, take communion and confession, show compassion and be human towards others.
