Pyukhtitsky monastery - the center of Orthodoxy in the B altics

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

In the 17th century, far from us, Estonian shepherds were honored with a wonderful vision: on the top of a mountain called Crane, the Queen of Heaven appeared to them. When the vision dissipated, then in the same place, in a crevice of an oak, they found a marvelous icon of ancient writing "The Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos." Since then, the mountain began to be called Pyukhtitskaya, which means "Saint" in translation, and a convent was eventually founded on its top.

Birth of the Orthodox Brotherhood

The birth of the Pyhtitsa convent is due to the branch of the B altic Orthodox Brotherhood established in 1887 in the city of Ievva (modern Johvi). The establishment of this organization was an important step in the spread of Orthodoxy among the B altic peoples, who traditionally professed the religion of the Western Church. In the implementation of such a good undertaking, the most important role was played by the Governor of Estonia, Prince S. B. Shakhovskoy and his wife Elizaveta Dmitrievna, who was elected chairmannewly established branch.

Even before the Pukhtitsky Monastery was established, the Brotherhood launched a wide-ranging work to raise Orthodox orphan girls, provide medical assistance to the local population and create shelters for the homeless. Soon, through the efforts of members of the Orthodox Brotherhood, a school was opened, and not only girls, but also boys, regardless of their religion, studied in it. Emperor Alexander III provided great support to the undertaking. As a true Christian, he could not remain aloof from such a pious cause and ordered to allocate significant financial resources to the school.

Organization of women's community

Pyukhtitsky monastery was created in the same traditions as many other Orthodox monasteries. It all started with the fact that in the summer of 1888 five nuns arrived in Jyhvi from Kostroma, from a convent, to undergo obedience in the parish hospital. The abbess of the Epiphany Convent, Abbess Maria, sent them here. Soon five more orphan girls joined them. Thus a small congregation was formed, worshiping in a house church built by the Brotherhood.

Before the Pyukhtitsky Monastery got the right to exist, its founders had to work hard. There were no obvious opponents of its creation, but at every step it was necessary to overcome the resistance of the clumsy bureaucratic machine. Chairman of the B altic branch of the Brotherhood, Princess Shakhovskaya, in her letter to the bishopRiga Arseniy pointed out that the monastery being created could become the custodian of the miraculous icon of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially since she would be worshiped at the very place where the shrine was found.

Abbess Varvara

The Pyukhtitsky Dormition Monastery was founded in 1891, when, having settled all the formalities related to the alienation of the land allotment necessary for it, the community safely moved to the Holy Mountain. The first abbess of the monastery was the nun Varvara (E. D. Blokhina). The choice was not random. This nun can be fully called a religious ascetic.

At the age of ten, she found herself in the walls of the monastery and since then, for forty years, she devoted all her strength to serving God. Having passed her obedience in choir singing, she also mastered the art of needlework, took a medical course, thoroughly knew the Church Rule and all the features of monastic life. But her main talent was organizational skills.

In the Kostroma convent, where mother Varvara used to live, an evacuation hospital was set up during the Russian-Turkish war, and the future abbess had the opportunity to gain rich experience in caring for the sick and wounded. This helped her to establish work in the monastery hospital and create a pharmacy with her. Under her leadership, an orphanage was also transferred to the Holy Mountain. But its main task was to create the foundations for a full-fledged religious life of the community.

Opening of the monastery

In 1892, based onBy decree of the Holy Synod, the Pukhtitsky Monastery received an official status, and its abbess, Mother Varvara, was elevated to the rank of abbess. When developing the charter of the monastery, the internal rules of the ancient Orthodox monasteries, which were distinguished by unusual severity, were taken as a basis. Everything worldly, which distracted the sisters from serving God and from fulfilling the obediences entrusted to them, was resolutely rejected. This helped to create an atmosphere of asceticism and spiritual asceticism in the monastery from the first days.

The religious community of Russia appreciated the works of the new abbess. Thanks to the fame spread about him, the monastery began to receive rich donations. The emperor personally sent rich church vestments as a gift. In addition, various benefactors regularly received spiritual books, lamps, altar crosses, silver vessels and much more.

One of the most famous benefactors of the monastery was the great preacher and miracle worker Archpriest John of Kronstadt. He provided very significant material assistance and sent new nuns to the Holy Mountain from St. Petersburg. When Father John came, especially on the feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, more than ten thousand pilgrims flocked to the monastery.

The twentieth century in the life of the monastery

In 1900, in St. Petersburg, in the Gavan, in the house of the tradesman A. Ivanov, a courtyard of the Pyukhtitsky monastery was created. A year later, after perestroika, a temporary church with a bell tower was consecrated, and in 1903 a new church was laid, the project of which was entrusted toarchitect V. N. Bobrov. It was a very impressive building, on the first floor of which cells were placed, and on the second - a temple and a belfry. K, after the October Revolution, the courtyard was closed, and the building itself was rebuilt for household needs.

Since in the twenties and thirties the Pukhtitsky Monastery was located on the territory of independent Estonia, the bitter fate of most Russian monasteries passed it. He continued to act, and the religious life in him was not interrupted. And after the end of World War II, the Lord saved it from closing. Already today, two new monastery courtyards have been created - in the city of Kogalym and in Moscow, at the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Zvonari.

Our days

Currently, the monastery on the Holy Mountain has one hundred and twenty nuns. Among them are nuns who have taken the tonsure and novices, many of whom are preparing for this great event in their lives. Under the leadership of its abbess, Abbess Filareta (Kalacheva), the monastery, as in previous years, conducts extensive charitable activities. The choir of the Pukhtitsky Monastery is well known throughout the country and abroad. CDs with recordings of Orthodox chants performed by him are released in large numbers and are always a success among believers and just lovers and connoisseurs of choral art.