Novospassky Monastery is considered one of the largest operating cloisters of the Russian capital. Thousands of believers come here daily who seek spiritual help and support. The monastery is visited by many tourists interested in Orthodox culture.
From the history of Novospassky Monastery
In the 13th century, a monastery in honor of the All-Merciful Savior was founded near the Serpukhov outpost by Prince Daniil of Moscow. Ivan Kalita subsequently transferred the monastery to Borovitsky Hill. When stone construction began in the Kremlin under Ivan III, the monastery was transferred to its current place, Krutitsky Hill. Since then, it began to be called the Novospassky Monastery. The Transfiguration Cathedral, also known as the Savior on Bor, remained in its former place, within the Kremlin.
According to the will, the Moscow elder nun Dosifei was reburied in the monastery. In the world, she was known as Princess Augusta, daughter of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. In the tomb, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who was killed by a terrorist in 1905, was also buried. He became the last representative of the Romanov clan, who found peace in the monastery.
A memorial cross was erected on the territory belonging to the monastery. It was recreated by the project of V.M. Vasnetsova and exactly repeats the cross that was installed in the Kremlin on the site of the death of the prince (in the XX century, the original cross was destroyed).
On the territory of the Novospassky monastery lies the ashes of the old man Filaret, who worked in this monastery for about half a century.
The insistent building of the monastery was built by Patriarch Filaret in the first quarter of the 17th century. The stone walls and towers of the monastery were erected in the same century.
Having become Archimandrite Novospassky, Patriarch Nikon transferred the miraculous icon of the Savior to the Novospassky Monastery to the Novospassky Monastery. For several centuries, the icon was the main shrine of this monastery.
In 1918, the Novospassky Monastery was closed, and the necropolis was destroyed. A forced labor camp is located within the walls of the monastery, and a female prison was set up in the tomb of the Romanov family. After the closing of the temples, warehouses and prison barracks were created in their place.
The monastic community until 1926 existed at the church of St. Nicholas. The main shrine of the monastery was moved there. After the closure of the temple, the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands was lost.
In 1935, the monastery complex became part of the structures under the jurisdiction of the NKVD. An archive was placed in one of the churches, and a vegetable storehouse and a confiscated warehouse in another. In one of the buildings of the monastery, a medical detox station was located for some time. Most of the premises were converted into housing.
Since the late 60s of the last century, the Novospassky Monastery housed the All-Russian Research Institute of Restoration. Later, a furniture factory was immediately equipped.
The Russian Orthodox Church monastery was returned in December 1990. In March 1991, the first liturgy was celebrated in the reconstructed monastery.
Novospassky Monastery: information
The architectural complex of the Novospassky Monastery includes:
- Transfiguration Cathedral;
- the temple in honor of the Monk Roman the Sweet singer;
- Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin;
- Church of St. Nicholas;
- Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Within the walls of the monastery are many shrines. Family burial places of the Romanov imperial house are also located here. On the territory of the Novospassky monastery there are five temples. There is a publishing house, a Sunday school. One of the activities of the community is education in the field of religion.
On the territory of the monastery photography and video are allowed.
The monastery has several courtyards located in the Moscow and Kaluga region.
The morning service begins on every weekday at 8 o’clock, and the evening at 17 o’clock. On Sundays and public holidays, a liturgy is held here.
The address of the monastery: 115172, Moscow, Peasant Square, 10.
Novospassky Monastery: the oldest Orthodox community
The monastery is the oldest monastic monastery of the capital of Russia. Novospassky Monastery got its name after moving it from Borovitsky Hill to its current place.
After the election of Mikhail Romanov to the kingdom in 1613 and after the transfer of the capital of Russia to St. Petersburg, the imperial house continued its old traditions: emperors were buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, and relatives of the tsars - in the family tomb of the Novospassky monastery. All these graves after the October Revolution were destroyed. The tomb was restored only in the 90s of the last century. Now a small museum is located here, which tells about the history of the monastic monastery.
The architectural ensemble of the monastery took shape over the years. Stone walls were erected in the XVII century. At that time, they had not artistic, but strategic importance. The monastery was one of the fortresses, capable of defending Moscow in the attack of the enemy.
To get to the monastery, you need to pass the gate. Above them rises a bell tower, built in the XVIII century. Its height is 78 meters. On the same axis as the bell tower is the Transfiguration Cathedral. This is the main monastery church, founded in the XVII century. The interior of the temple is decorated with murals symbolizing the genealogy of the Romanov dynasty. On the porch of the cathedral, visitors can see images of famous philosophers of antiquity: a unique case for the Orthodox cathedral. The peculiarity of this fresco is that it expresses a deep thought: Christian wisdom is always higher than any pagan wisdom, no matter what heights it reaches.
The Transfiguration Cathedral collected many images of saints-martyrs, prophets, reverends and righteous ones. The temple is also known for its images on the walls. Most of them date back to the 17th century. In the central part of the temple is a seven-tier iconostasis, which depicts saints, the Savior and the Mother of God.
The Transfiguration Cathedral was built in the image of the Assumption Cathedral by the future Patriarch Nikon. All the rulers of Russia, beginning with Mikhail Romanov, made “royal exits” to the monastery here, without exception. The royal persons considered it their duty to bow to the fatherly tombs.
Shrines of the Novospassky Monastery
Within the walls of the Novospassky Monastery many shrines are kept. Among them are priceless relics:
- a particle of the Savior's robe;
- particle of the robe of the Virgin Mary;
- a sliver of the cross on which Jesus was crucified;
- parts of the relics of many saints.
A special ark is provided for storing shrines. In the second reliquary, the relics of the saints of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery are stored. Among the shrines of the monastery is the belt of St. John of Kronstadt. The shrines belonging to the monastery attract thousands of pilgrims. Visitors to the Orthodox monastery can venerate the holy relics here.
On the territory of the monastery is a copy of the cross, located within the Kremlin. This shrine is dedicated to the slain terrorist Prince Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov, the former governor of Moscow. He died in the explosion of a bomb thrown by the Social Revolutionary. The prince’s wife, having a deep faith in the power of confession, went to prison to a terrorist and began to persuade him to repent of his deed. She promised that she will petition for his forgiveness. But the terrorist did not accept the conditions and went to execution.
There are especially revered icons in the monastery. Among them is the icon “The Tsaritsa”. This is an exact copy of the Athos image. She became famous for the many healings of those who prayed for help with sincere faith.
