Adygea, St. Michael's Athos Monastery: description, history and features

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

St. Michael's Athos Monastery in Adygea is located near the villages of Pobeda and Kamennomostsky. This is a major religious and tourist center, which literally attracts many believers and ordinary travelers every year. A large number of fascinating sights around and the hospitality of the monks attract here almost everyone who comes to rest in Adygea.

Prerequisites for the appearance of the temple

St. Michael's Athos Monastery in Adygea appeared in the 19th century. The prerequisites for its creation were the appearance of several Cossack stations in the mountainous zone of the Trans-Kuban region in 1864. Most of the local residents lived in poverty, so they could not afford either the maintenance or the construction of the temple. Due to the situation in the villagethe leadership of the Stavropol diocese was concerned, as there were many sectarians and Old Believers among the Cossacks. As a result, they decided to build the St. Michael Athos Monastery in Adygea.

Funds for the construction of the temple were collected from nearby villages and villages. The first attempt to found a monastery was made in 1874. In winter, a petition for the founding of the Mikhailo-Athos desert in Adygea was submitted by the tradesman Ilya Bezverkhov from Kharkov and the peasant Isidor Trubin. Both had served in churches for a long time and were drawn to the spiritual and moral life. Initially, they wanted to establish it near the Sakhray village, but they themselves were constantly drawn to the mountains. These places amazed the monks with their grandeur and beauty. In this they received support from the local Cossacks.

Inhabitants of the villages in the district donated 270 acres of land for the future temple, the Cossacks decided to transfer the prayer house, intended for the Sakhrayskaya village. The donated land turned out to be fertile, all this indicated that the future monastery would live in abundance.

As a result, Trubin and Bezverkhov decided that they could cope with the construction without the help of the state, since there were enough materials, and local residents expressed their willingness to participate in the work. The monks seriously hoped that the appearance of the St. Michael's Athos Monastery in Adygea would have a beneficial effect on the Cossacks and local residents. A school appeared on the basis of the monastery.

Failed attempt

Having prepared the ground, the monks turned to Bishop Herman for a blessing. He ordered that they be temporarily sent to anotherdeserts, so that they learn the rules of the monastery.

Herman himself began to collect the necessary information about the future temple. By 1876, it became obvious that the villagers did not have the right to transfer land for the construction of the monastery, since they were communal. It was strictly forbidden to dispose of them in this way.

Due to the fact that permission for the arrangement of the monastery was never received, Herman handed over all the valuables and donations that had already been collected to the church of the Trukhmyansky bailiff. As a result, the first attempt to found the monastery was not successful, but the idea of implementing this project did not leave the local residents.

Building Permit

In 1877, the stanitsa sent a petition to the Caucasian governor with a request to allocate 350 acres from the stanitsa lands in order to build an Orthodox monastery on Mount Fiziabgo. Already in May of the same year, a permit was issued for the construction of a monastery in Adygea in the village of Pobeda.

In September, work began. In the spring of 1879, the first temple dedicated to the guardian angel Archangel Michael was completed. Initially, it was used both for the residence of monks and for holding services.

In 1881, the construction of the temple in honor of Alexander Nevsky was completed. Four years later, the largest church of the St. Michael-Athos Monastery was built. It was the Assumption Cathedral, which managed to accommodate about a thousand parishioners.

The coming pilgrims participated in its further improvement. Everyone shouldwas to bring with him at least one stone for construction.

Foundation of the monastery

The monks who lived in the monastery constantly spent their time in prayers and labors. Their day began with worship at 2 am. It continued until dawn. After the meal, everyone went to work. At noon, everyone returned to mass.

From the end of the lunch service to the evening service, the monks could rest. If the order was violated, the monks were punished with additional work. Pilgrims and parishioners observed the same order.

Development of eldership

The first abbot of the monastery, Martyry, sought to cultivate eldership. Local elders built cells on Mount Shakhan, where they worked hard and prayed.

The elders, together with the monks, erected a temple of the Transfiguration of the Lord on the mountain. A few of them, who thought they were too sinful, dug underground passages in the mountain.

With the participation of Martyry, a parochial school was formed in this place, which began to be led by the monk Vakulin.

Influence on local residents

The emerging monastery had a great influence on the Adyghe settlements in the area. The ideas of Orthodoxy were actively spread among the local residents, a struggle was waged against schismatics, whose influence was quite great. To confront them, the monks constantly read sermons for everyone.

Soon a powerful economy appeared on the basis of the monastery itself. The novices were engaged in animal husbandry, grew all kinds ofagricultural crops, horses, cows, oxen and camels grazed on pastures. Many outbuildings were erected, including a barnyard, a farm, a sewing and shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, a bakery, a dye house, and a laundry. The monastery even built its own alabaster factory, hospital and climate observation station.

During the Soviet Union

After the Civil War, the lands of the monastery were confiscated, and the monastery also lost all inventory, production facilities and equipment.

In 1926, a rest home was opened here, and then a commune called "Vladilen". Despite all these changes, monastic life did not subside until 1928. Only then it was finally closed, and the guests were dispersed.

At the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the tourist base was liquidated, a hospital for the wounded appeared on the basis of the monastery. Adygea was liberated in 1944, when a labor colony for children was founded in this place.

In 1946, the Assumption Cathedral was blown up by the Soviet authorities, and a school was built from its stone. Then other buildings on the territory of the monastery were dismantled for the sake of material for the construction of hostels for the colonists. In 1946, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord was blown up.

The labor colony was disbanded in the 60s. The remaining buildings were transferred to the Kamennomostsky state farm. In 1972, the territory was transferred to the Krasnodar Tourism Committee. A camp site "Romashka" was opened on the site of the monastery.

Revival of the monastery

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, activists began to fight for the return of the monastery to the Orthodox Church. It was possible to do this only in 2001. Since then, the monastery began to revive the monastic life.

Hieromonk Martyry became its first rector in modern history. He managed to reorganize worship services, repair cell buildings and the Trinity Church. In 2004, he was replaced by Pimen, who increased the number of monks to 20.

From 2006 to the present, Hieromonk Gerasim has been in charge of the monastery. He managed to build the temple of Archangel Michael on the site of the destroyed one.

The monastery and its environs

Recently, the number of pilgrims and tourists is increasing every year. They get acquainted with the monastery from the Holy Trinity Church.

When describing St. Michael's Monastery, they always mention the Assumption Church, located in the very center. Among the attractions of the monastery there is also a mass grave of disabled soldiers who were tortured by the Nazis, and buildings that have not yet been fully restored. This is a hospitable house, the church of St. Alexander, a refectory. Work is underway to restore the Church of the Mother of God.

Many are attracted by the opportunity to plunge into the fonts of St. Michael's Athos Monastery in Adygea. The water from here is considered healing. Pilgrims are always advised to visit the top of Mount Fiziabgo to draw holy water from the spring. From there you have a beautiful view of the surroundings. Those whothey can’t climb up the mountain, they can enjoy the panorama that opens from the observation tower from the territory of the Soviet tourist base.

Impressions

Most people visit St. Michael's Monastery with excursions. Tourists and pilgrims are advised to enjoy the beauty and grandeur of these places.

The monastery is located on the territory of the modern village of Pobeda, about fifteen kilometers from the village of Kamenomostsokoye. In this place, the design of Orthodox churches is striking, which are more reminiscent of the famous Greek Christian monasteries. If you wish, you can climb up, from where you can see an amazingly beautiful view from the old bell tower.

In reviews of the St. Michael's Athos Monastery in Adygea, in addition to the beautiful surroundings, they always mention delicious monastery pancakes at good prices (about 25 rubles for one pancake).

The nearest major city is Maikop. It's about fifty kilometers away. The font, which we have already written about, is located approximately one kilometer from the monastery itself, this path is definitely worth taking for all believers and travelers who have reached these places. The road to the source is flat and wide, lined with paving stones. Along the way, you can find many benches where you can relax if you wish. It is believed that by plunging into this font, a person gets rid of all diseases.

It is important that although the monastery is male, women are also allowed into its territory. Before the entrance to the representatives of the weaker sexgive out scarves and skirts.