Boldinsky Monastery is considered the oldest in the entire Smolensk region. Located 15 km from the city of Dorogobuzh, near the Old Smolensk road. This article offers the history of the creation of the shrine and a description of this outstanding monument of Christianity.
Historical information
Boldinsky Monastery was founded through the efforts of St. Gerasim. On the 9th day of May 1530, this man performed the consecration of the first wooden Trinity Church.
The location of the monastery Gerasim chose the bank of the river, where grew amazing age-old oaks. Previously, they were called bolds, so the area became known as Boldinskaya. The habitat of Gerasim soon became widely known. The brethren actively replenished their ranks, and soon almost 130 people lived with him.
The life of St. Gerasim was interrupted in the year 67. He was buried in the first aisle created by this man. The venerable deeds in which Gerasim distinguished himself served as a pretext for canonizing this Christian as a saint.
Golden Age Achievements
After the death of Gerasim, the monastery became even more popular. The spiritual life of the Smolensk region is concentrated here. Thanks to the receipt of large cash donations under the constant care of the royal authorities, the monks were able to build stone structures.
The end of the sixteenth century was marked by the appearance on the territory of the Boldin Monastery:
- Five-domed Trinity Cathedral, to which are attached two symmetrical aisles in honor of such saints as John the Theologian, Boris and Gleb.
- The room of the refectory, where the tent church is located in honor of such a big Christian holiday as the Entry into the Temple of the Virgin.
- A six-sided construction of a pillar-shaped three-tiered bell tower.
All the described buildings of the Boldin Monastery became masterpieces that marked the golden age in Russian architecture.
The best of the best
Boldinsky monastery in the Smolensk region has a lot of undeniable artistic merit. The best royal masters took part in their creation:
- Fyodor Kon, sovereign master;
- Terenty, church master;
- Postnik Dermin, icon painter;
- Stepan Mikhailov, icon painter;
- Ivan Afanasiev, Lietz.
Boldinsky monastery in the Smolensk region was famous for its pundits. The abbot of the monastery, whom the Monk Gerasim appointed during his lifetime, was called a painter. The next Abbot of Boldino, Anthony, Bishop of Vologda, managed to write a work on the life of St. Gerasim.
Hard times
The monastery of Gerasim Boldinsky experienced a difficult time when the Jesuits captured it at the beginning of the seventeenth century. It took almost half a century to return the shrine to Orthodox Christians again. As before, the monastery was not deprived of royal attention and patronage. But it took time and money to restore the buildings to their former luxury.
The next difficult period was the time of the seizure of the monastery by Napoleonic soldiers. They kept their horses within the walls of the temple, setting up a stable there.
But the conflagrations dissipated, the monks whitewashed the walls, and to the sounds of the gospel, the faithful again rushed to prayer.
Rebirth
Boldinsky Monastery is the venue for fairs that were held in honor of the patronal holidays twice a year - on the day of the Holy Trinity and the winter celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The end of the nineteenth century was marked by the construction of new wooden cells, a hotel appeared where pilgrims could stay. With the help of Archimandrite Andrei, in addition to the above works, it was possible to restore the cell where the Monk Gerasim, the founder of the monastery, lived.
St. Boldin Monastery was also influenced by time. When the beauty of the buildings began to fade, at the beginning of the 20th century, by the efforts of a young restorerPeter Baranovsky, a unique technique was proposed for carrying out restoration work. But the architectural monument began to be restored only in the thirties.
In parallel with the restoration work, Baranovsky began to create a museum.
At this time, due to the influence of the policy of the new Soviet government, the persecution of believers began, up to the desecration of the relics of Gerasim, the founder of the monastery. Years of godless power were lost to the restorers. Moreover, these people were repressed.
The Great Patriotic War brought new losses. Then the Nazis destroyed the buildings of the Trinity Cathedral, the bell tower, the refectory chamber and the Vvedenskaya Church.
Our time
In the mid-seventies, the already well-known restorer Pyotr Baranovsky again began construction work, which was continued by his student and assistant Ponomarev A. M.
And the restoration of the bell tower began, which was blown up by the Nazis during the war. This building was erected in such a way that the brickwork could be preserved, falling apart into large parts. Despite the fact that some fragments of the building weighed from 20 to 40 tons, the restorers used a method such as anastylosis - when the fragments were returned to their places.
A significant event took place at the end of the century - the consecration of the restored Vvedensky refectory church, completely destroyed in the old days. This symbolized the victory of the Christian faith over all the invaders and enemies whomade themselves felt during the existence of the monastery.
Summarize
Boldino Monastery was founded at the beginning of the sixteenth century by St. Gerasim. This area immediately began to attract hundreds of novices to its territory. The monks were not only deeply religious, but also literate people who were able to write books about the history of the monastery buildings. In peacetime, the Boldin Monastery has always received the patronage of the kings and was considered the center of the spiritual life of the Smolensk region. But aggressive wars contributed to the destruction of shrines. It took centuries to restore them. Restorers were persecuted and repressed. But times have changed, and confidence in the inviolability of the Christian faith has grown stronger.
The monastery, created by the novice Gerasim, withstood the hard times of the wars of conquest. This area was originally the center of the spiritual life of the Smolensk region. The cultural and national life of Russians developed here. And so today the holy cloisters continue to be revived. Today, the male Boldin Monastery provides shelter to twenty-one novices. They are engaged in the restoration of buildings and the construction of new structures, take care of the apple orchard. The collection of spiritual treasures continues to this day.
St. Gerasim is commemorated on May 14th. It was this day that was considered to be a common diocesan holiday, which will be celebrated annually.
