There are a lot of picturesque places in Novgorod. One of them is the Anthony Monastery. Tradition says that it was founded in 1106. Its founder was Anthony the Roman. The creation legend is fascinating and amazing. In the Middle Ages, the monastery was one of the most important Novgorod monasteries.
Rise
It is believed that Anthony was born in 1067. He was rich enough. The place of birth was the city of Rome. That's why they called him Roman. Having reached the age of majority, Anthony took monastic vows. He sealed the accumulated gold and silver in a barrel and threw it into the sea. On the example of Anthony the Roman, one can clearly see what happens to the soul of a person when the world of God is revealed to him. Nothing matters to him anymore - the main thing is to serve the heavenly father for the good of his neighbors.
Twenty years have passed. The monk decided to withdraw from the world and pray for all the Orthodox people, staying on a rock by the sea and sighing to God. Suddenly a storm arose and the stone on which he was standing becamecarry into the sea. He swam like a boat. So two days passed. And now he washed up on the shores of the city. It was the day of the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin.
That's where the St. Anthony Monastery was erected. Novgorod became a haven for a brave prayer book. A few years later, the fishermen were lucky enough to catch a barrel with Anthony's we alth. Thus, a stone church was built with these funds and the land for the monastery was purchased. Tradition says that it was September 8, 1106.
The Antoniev Monastery (Novgorod) is located on the right bank of the river. Volkhov in the north direction from the city center. The chronicle of the 16th century says that Bishop Nikita blessed Anthony to build a monastery. Spiritual literacy testifies to this.
Misunderstandings
After the death of Bishop Anthony had to endure a conflict with the prince and the new lord. Moreover, misunderstandings with Bishop John Popian were in a serious degree of bitterness. The probable reason is called, as it were, the hidden connection of Anthony with the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The fact is that Bishop John was not disposed towards Kyiv. Perhaps he wanted to receive autocephaly for his see. Then Vsevolod reigned.
Only when the department was headed by Nifont (1131), Anthony again headed the Anthony Monastery. Novgorod already then showed a desire for independence from Kyiv. An interesting fact is that Bishop Nikita and Bishop Nifont are from the Kiev Caves Monastery.
Despite various obstacles,managed to build a cathedral of stone and carry out its painting. Kyiv provided support in construction. To this day, the majestic Anthony Monastery (Novgorod) stands, although it has lost its religious purpose, but retaining its educational one.
History
In the Novgorod chronicle, the year 1117 is marked as the time of the laying of the cathedral, and 1119 is the time of completion of its construction. The temple was painted in 1125, and 1127 was marked by the construction of a refectory church. Saint Anthony passed away into another world in 1147. He bequeathed to be rector to his student Andrei. After a while, the pupil of the elder was the first to describe the Life of the teacher. But this text, unfortunately, has not survived to this day.
Today the Anthony Monastery (Veliky Novgorod) has educational status. Like many religious buildings, the monastery near the Volkhov River ceased to exist in 1920. Fortunately, there were no ruins and destruction of the complex of historical buildings.
Attractions
The oldest building that Antoniev Monastery (Veliky Novgorod) has is the same stone cathedral, named in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin (1119). Today there is a museum here. The cathedral often hosts concerts of spiritual and church music.
The main attractions of the temple are frescoes of amazing beauty. The style of writing and arrangement of figures differs from the canons generally accepted at that time. Holy faces are very realistic. Most likely, the artists were inspired by the living environment and the life of the city.
Still savedits uniqueness Anthony Monastery (Novgorod). The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin and other buildings of the monastery today serve for educational purposes. University buildings are located there.
Art
Monumental paintings appeared in 1125. These are frescoes of the XII century, which are made in a peculiar style. They are among the most significant in terms of volume among such works of art. The scene of the Annunciation, as well as the figures of healers, makes a particularly strong impression. All the images that adorn the Cathedral of the Antoniev Monastery in Novgorod are large and harmoniously fit into the architecture. In terms of color, the works are made in pure open colors, combined with each other.
Scientists are still arguing about the painting of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. Some see it as a significant Romanesque influence. Despite the existence of such an opinion, most scholars attribute it to the number of monuments of the Byzantine tradition, which forms a special style.
Middle Ages
By the name of the monastery, you understand who was the founder of the Anthony Monastery in Novgorod. The history of the monastery is rich and, in principle, typical of the Middle Ages. He had to survive the fire, rebuild and be ruined. In 1570, all the monks and the abbot Gelasy died from the sword of the oprichnina. And in 1611 the Swedes ravaged it.
Today the monastery complex includes the Nativity Cathedral with later annexes, a monastery wall withtravel arches, the Treasury, Rector's building (XVII-XIX centuries) and the Church of the Presentation with a refectory (XVI century).
Modernity
You can see how the Antoniev Monastery (Veliky Novgorod) looks today from a bird's eye view in the photo below.
One of the temples of the monastery complex is still active. This is the Church of the Presentation of the Lord - a monument of ancient Russian architecture (the first half of the 16th century).
The Sretenskaya Refectory Church is a representative of the first pillarless temple structures on Novgorod land. It has survived to this day. The temple is single. It is covered with a sloping dome, which rests on the walls and a system of tromps over the corners of the quadrangle.
What temples were there in the monastery?
According to the chronicle, in the middle of the 16th century, the church of St. Anthony the Great was built in the monastery. It was dismantled in 1804, as a collapse occurred. At the same time, the hospital church of Alexander Nevsky was dismantled.
The Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist, which was located above the southern gate, did not escape this fate. It was built in 1670. The foundation of the temple in honor of Anthony was discovered only in the 80s of the last century.
Where the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist used to be, a bell tower of three tiers was erected. This is a characteristic monument of classicism. In the 30s of the last century, two tiers on top of the bell tower were demolished and dismantled into bricks.
Services
So, here you can get spiritual advice and participate in churchsacraments. Between Parkovaya and Studencheskaya streets there is a modern Antoniev Monastery (Novgorod). Divine services are held according to the schedule, which can be found by calling the temple or looking at its website. Confession usually starts on weekdays and Saturdays at 8:30, and on Sundays at 9:00.
The construction of the church took place between 1533 and 1535. It was rebuilt in the 19th century. Then the temple was damaged during the Great Patriotic War and was restored in the 60s of the XX century. Today it is a student church at Novgorod State University.
Seminary
It was here, in the St. Anthony's Monastery, that the residence of vicar Novgorod bishops was located. This was in the period from 1708 to 1723. Later, the department moved to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. During the existence of the residence, the bishops carried out active construction work in the monastery. A hospital was erected with the temple of Alexander Nevsky, the Kelar chamber, treasury and other cells, baths and kvass.
In 1740, Archbishop Ambrose, who bequeathed to bury him on the porch of the cathedral, founded the Novgorod Theological Seminary at the monastery. Among its first graduates in 1754 was Tikhon Zadonsky. Later, in 1788, the status of the seminary was reduced to four classes. This continued until 1800. Almost all the abbots of the monastery were also rectors of the seminary. In 1918 the seminary was closed. A couple of years later, in 1920, the St. Anthony Monastery itself was abolished.
According to visitors, it is worth coming here to get to knowsights of this historical religious and cultural monument. There is something to see here - especially painting. At the monastery address: Antoniev Monastery, Novgorod, Parkovaya st., 11B.
How to get there? From the Novgorod Kremlin, you can get to it by bus number 5. Go to the stop "Studencheskaya". If you go from the railway or from the bus station, then you need to take bus number 8A and go to the stop "Parkovaya street 7".
Iconostasis
The Novgorod Museum has preserved many relics that the Antoniev Monastery (Novgorod) had at its disposal. An icon is an image painted by the hand of an artist so that believers can sigh in prayer to the prototype. The museum has a lot of icons from the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. Unfortunately, it was not possible to save the most ancient, relating to the initial period of the creation of the monastery. But the main advantage of the collection is the cathedral iconostasis of the 16th century.
Most likely, the iconostasis was formed gradually. The quality of the painting is impressive. It preserves the Novgorod style, betraying the image of an unusual sonority, dynamism of the composition, color fullness of colors. At the same time, the painting is done boldly, without fear of contrasting combinations. The iconostasis fully conveys the originality of the art of Novgorod in the middle of the XVI century.
In the local row there are icons of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Mother of God “Rejoices in You”, “Sophia the Wisdom of God”, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with the image of his life and the temple icon “ChristmasMother of God”, which also depicts the life.
The iconostasis also includes three rows:
- deesis (9 icons),
- festive (11 icons survived),
- prophetic (12 icons).
At the end of the 17th century, the iconostasis was supplemented with a row, which is called the forefathers. It consists of 12 full-length images. In 1716, a new, already carved iconostasis was completed with the sixth row, called the passionate one. At the same time, a crucifix appeared at the top of the iconostasis.
The main icon of the temple was most likely painted in the 1530-1540s. This is the period of activity of Metropolitan Macarius. He was the archbishop of Novgorod (1526-1542) even before the Moscow cathedra. The bishop himself was an icon painter and actively contributed to the development of painting in Novgorod.
The temple image of the Mother of God retains features dating back to the traditions of the Novgorod school of the 15th century in the late period. The icon has refined and chased forms, clarity, smooth contours, exquisite and perfect lines of drawing. The image is made harmoniously and in bright colors. All this emphasizes the precious texture of the painting.
Miniature writing has gone beyond individual icons and book illustrations. It has become a mass phenomenon. Thus, in Russian painting, the appearance of a broad stylistic direction was determined.
A lot of orders were completed in the Novgorod Monastery for the renewal of city and monastery churches. The main part of the iconostasis of the main temple of the Antoniev Monastery was already completed when Macarius left Novgorod for Moscow, taking his place on the metropolitan cathedra.
