The Siberian city of Verkhoturye, located on the banks of the Tura River, several centuries ago was perhaps the largest settlement of the Russian kingdom in the region of the Trans-Urals. At the end of the sixteenth century, Yekaterinburg did not yet exist, Demidov's factories were not built, and Verkhoturye already existed. In those days, the Verkhoturskaya customs house worked in the city, and it was the center of trade with the peoples inhabiting Eastern Siberia. Today, Verkhoturye is the spiritual capital of the Urals, thanks to several religious institutions that many pilgrims come to visit.
The Archbishop went to meet the requests of the old women and ladies
The convent in Verkhoturye is the first monastery for the fair sex, established beyond the Ural Mountains. The year of its foundation is believed to be 1621, when the archbishop of the Siberian diocese Cyprian, traveling from Moscow to Tobolsk, stayed in the city for four years.day and learned that many worldly ladies and old women are in search of monastic life. After a consultation with the city governor, Vladyka decided to build a church in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and several cells, in which about ten women initially began to live. It was in honor of this church that the Pokrovsky Monastery was named. Verkhoturye did not have its own convent for long enough - in 1764 this church institution was abolished and for many decades the old buildings stood empty, gradually collapsing until the last decades, when restoration programs appeared.
Not the entire territory of the monastery is available for visiting
Today the convent in Verkhoturye is active. This is a small neat building of snow-white color with silver domes of the Intercession Church, which is available for visiting. The rest of the territory of the monastery is closed. On the territory of the temple are the relics of Kozma of Verkhoturye, which many pilgrims come to bow to. This well-known Ural holy fool was lame from birth and walked on crutches. From an early age, he took on the feat of foolishness, went to all church services, including leaving home to pray at night. His death dates back to 1680, when he was buried in the fence of the Verkhotursky Cathedral.
Through his prayer the weight of the precious burden has changed
After his death, the blessed one appeared in a dream to a widow with a request to “cover the grave from cattle” and the woman arranged over the burialchapel. In addition, Kozma is credited with participating in the transfer of the relics of Simeon of Verkhoturye, during which the holy fool allegedly asked the saint to interrupt the transfer, as his legs hurt and were tired, and people were forced to put the burden on the ground, as it became unbearable. After Kozma had a rest, the procession continued to move, and at the stopping place they put the Holy Kosminskaya desert. How to find a convent in Verkhoturye? The monastery is located downstream from the city Kremlin and, as tourists note, there are no signs to it, so you need to check with local residents how to get there. Finding the building will not be difficult, since the city itself is small, with about 7.5 thousand inhabitants, and all the sights are within walking distance.
The smallest Kremlin in Russia
Pilgrims consider it appropriate and interesting to also visit the Verkhoturye Kremlin, the smallest Kremlin in Russia. On its territory is the Trinity Cathedral, dating from the beginning of the 18th century. This building is notable for the clock located on the bell tower of the cathedral, the cast-iron floor, which allows you to keep the rooms cool even in the heat, and the view of the city's suspension bridge over the river. What else is interesting about the city of Verkhoturye? The monastery for males, founded in 1604 by a native of Poshekhony, hieromonk Iona, is known for its large area, which is larger than the Kremlin in Moscow.
The coffin with the incorruptible body rose from the grave
One hundred years after the founding of the St. Nicholas Monastery in Verkhoturyeacquired the relics of St. Simeon, who is revered as the patron saint of the Ural lands. This man was born in we alth and nobility, but in the Time of Troubles he left his family and home, located in the European part of the Russian kingdom, to the Urals, where he settled in the village of Merkushino. Here he hid his origin and lived as a simple peasant, embodying the Christian feat of "simplification". Simeon attended the local church, went into seclusion for prayers, sewed fur coats for the peasants without charging a fee, and preached to the local Vogul tribes. Fifty years after his death in 1692, the coffin with the imperishable body of Simeon was raised from the grave, and many people suffering from skin diseases were healed with the earth from his grave. Two years later, the relics were examined and transferred to the St. Nicholas Church.
The relics of the saint turned out to be immune to fire
What other miracles happened in Verkhoturye? The monastery, on the territory of which the relics of the saint were found, burned in a fire in 1716, and the church where the remains of Simeon were located was completely destroyed, but the cancer miraculously did not suffer. In 1838, the temple was restored and the ark with the relics was placed in its chapel. In addition, the place of worship is the burial place of Simeon Verkhotursky in his native village of Merkushino, where a spring gushed from the grave, over which a chapel was erected, first wooden, then stone. Righteous Simeon left an indelible impression in the souls of people, therefore, at the end of the 19th century, the Brotherhood of St. Simeon appeared in Yekaterinburg, which was engaged in spiritual enlightenment, as well as support for the disadvantaged. Simeon's relicsattracted many pilgrims, the number of which numbered in the tens of thousands a year, so the monastery in Verkhoturye underwent significant architectural changes to accommodate everyone.
Five thousand people can pray in this cathedral
The main cathedral of the monastery, Holy Cross, was founded in early 1905 and can accommodate about 5 thousand people. It is one of the largest cathedrals in Russia along with St. Isaac's and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The religious building was erected for 8 years and has a seven-domed design in combination with four belfries of the towers. Before the revolution, the temple was decorated with 64 icons, a faience iconostasis, German tiles on the floor, and cast-iron screw elements. The temple has 137 windows, which is twice as many as in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, and its altar, thirty meters high, leaves an unforgettable impression on visitors. What was the fate of this religious building during the years of Soviet power in Verkhoturye? Monastery after the 30s. used for business purposes. On the territory of the temple there was a cinema hall, a warehouse for building materials, and a department of a colony for minors. The revival of religious buildings began only in the 90s of the twentieth century.
All churches of the monastery in Verkhoturye
Verkhoturye, the St. Nicholas Monastery of which has more than one church, demonstrates the diversity of architectural styles that prevailed in religious buildings in Russia at one time or anothertime. For example, the Simeon-Annenskaya Church, located above the gates (gateway), was founded in the middle of the 18th century and built in the "Asian" style in the form of a two-story tetrahedron. The temple has a two-tiered iconostasis, and the decoration is close to the Russian style and classicism. Today, the building is considered small and secondary, so liturgies are rarely served in it and therefore access is limited.
Those who wish to visit Verkhoturye, the monastery, the photo of which is presented here, cannot always provide access to the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built on the site of a large temple that once existed. The original building, erected in 1712, was destroyed in 1936, and in its place in 2000 a new church was built in the name of the same saint, where liturgies are held periodically. You need to check with the brethren of the monastery about the time of their holding. But for those who come to worship the Transfiguration of the Lord in Verkhoturye, the monastery provides the opportunity to do this daily in the temple of the same name, built in 1821 and little subjected to any changes. In addition to religious institutions, Verkhoturye is interesting with well-preserved examples of ancient architecture, a local history museum, as well as a peaceful and quiet atmosphere conducive to relaxation, which is absent today in large metropolitan areas.
