In Belarus there are many churches, temples, monasteries. One of them is one of the hundred most revered Orthodox shrines in the world that has an ancient history. We learn about it further from the article.
Small icon
For almost five hundred years, the Holy Assumption Monastery in Zhirovichi has served people. And his life began with a very small icon. There is a legend on this score.
The temple owes its appearance to an amazing event. It was a long time ago (in 1494). Then the shepherds who grazed the flock of their master Alexander Soltan wandered into the dense forest. We stopped at a wild pear. And suddenly among the branches they saw some kind of radiance. It was an icon that hung directly on a tree. With a quivering feeling, they shot the image. They brought to the owner. He almost dismissed the shepherds, did not even believe this story. Indifferently removed the find in the chest. And in the evening, feasting with his guests, I remembered. I decided to show it. I went into the room to take it, but there was no icon in place.
In the morning he ordered the shepherds to go to the forest, to the same place. They came, looked around. The icon hung in the same way, on the same tree - all in the rays of light. Her workers took it, returned the boyar. And then he only believed in this miracle of God. He took the wondrous shrine with great reverence and went to where it was found. After praying, he promised the Lord that here in Zhirovichi he would erect a temple and give him a name in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos.
People who wanted to lead a monastic life began to come to the miraculous image (of the Mother of God). So a man’s monastery was formed here.
Never closed
In 1520, a church built by a boyar and neighboring buildings were destroyed by fire. In the fire, people thought, the icon disappeared. However, she was soon found. And who? Kids who played near the conflagration.
Once (1613) the already new wooden Assumption Church was handed over to the Basilian (Catholic) monks. They built a stone temple and the same monastery. These structures have survived to the present day, but with minor changes. And in 1839, with the permission of Emperor Nicholas I, the entire monastery became Orthodox.
It is also noteworthy that during the time of the Soviets it was not only not closed, it even had a theological seminary. Here they prepared future priests.
Healing body and soul
Chroniclers carefully recorded the entire history of the monastery. Of course, we did not miss those numerous cases of miraculous healing of people from serious illnesses with the help of the miraculous icon that is in Zhirovichi. Not only did she heal the body, but also the soul. Helped find a way out of difficult situations in life.
Not only ordinary people came to Zhirovichi. The monastery also saw the kings of the Commonwealth, other higher persons. And on the Feast of the Intercession only in the 19th century, a lot of people came here, sometimes more than 30 thousand people from different countries.
An interesting fact: before this icon (called the "Zhirovichi Mother of God") not only the Orthodox bowed their heads. In one Roman monastery, which belongs to the Basilian order, there is a copy of it. In the capital of Italy, she is very revered.
“We must go to the village of Zhirovichi. The monastery should be visited, ”such plans are built by many people. They overcome hundreds, or even several thousand kilometers, in order to bow their heads in front of the miraculous icon, drink water from the spring and ask the Mother of God to heal from ailments.
Three styles of architecture
Historians will confirm that this monastery (Zhirovichi, Belarus) became widely known and rich by the 17th century. And as revered as the Catholic in Poland, in the city of Czestochowa. He also has his icon of the Mother of God and is famous for it. This monastery became a historical monument and a symbol of the unity of the Polish nation.
But Zhirovichi was built in the XVII and XVIII centuries. Therefore, it is very interesting in terms of architecture. After all, it combines such styles as Rococo, Baroque and Classicism. The whole ensemble consists of several parts: the Cathedral (Holy Assumption) - once, the churches of the Holy Cross and Epiphany - two, the bell tower - three.
On the territory there are also educational institutions (seminary, theological academy). Add housing for housing, outbuildings, refectory, etc. The whole town! And over time, a village grew near.
It is interesting that the monks themselves are now reviving Old Zhirovichi - the very village where the landowner Soltan mentioned in the legend lived for a long time.
Overnight in a holy place.
When there were too many travelers, they built a Pilgrim House for them. He is 500 meters from the monastery. Here people can relax and even spend the night. You just need to reserve a place in advance. Moreover, women are settled in it, and men are placed in different places (on the territory of the monastery). Of course, these are not hotels, as we used to understand them. Have to spend a day or two without the usual amenities. The house has three-, six- and ten-bed rooms. There are no frills in them, only everything you need.
Open to visitors and refectory. Everything cooked in it is very tasty and healthy. Most vegetables are grown by monks in their gardens. Lunches are paid, but inexpensive. There are no meat dishes.
In a word, everything is attractive: the administrative center of Zhirovichi itself, a monastery. Photos presented in the article will confirm this.
There is something to see
First of all, it attracts the Assumption Cathedral. The story of its transformation is unusual. After all, at first the cathedral was built in the Baroque style. Completion of work was in 1650. On the facade, he had two beautiful towers. Later, already in the first half of the 19th century, a reconstruction was carried out. And the appearance of the cathedral added other features - classicism. The turrets were dismantled, the decor was changed. They also made changes to the shape of the dome, a drum for light. Facades decided to decorate with columns and pilasters. They ended in a triangular configuration with gables. Only the interior of the temple was kept baroque.
Under the Holy Assumption Cathedral there is a healing spring. According to an old legend, he scored when they found the icon here. The temple (the very first, burnt down later) was specially erected near this place. Now the placement of his altar is marked with a small wooden cross. This is the very point where a wonderful icon appeared to people. All this is worth seeing with your own eyes.
Special tours
As the number of people wishing to visit here is increasing every year, pilgrimages were organized. Many people aspire to go to Zhirovichi, to see the monastery as an architectural monument and to join the shrines. A similar voyage began to include travel companies in their plans. And they saw that the route to the village of Zhirovichi (monastery) turned out to be very popular. A tour of it raises enthusiastic responses. The decline in the number of people wishing to come here has not yet been observed. They come from all over the country. Many tourists come from foreign countries.
You can take such a voyage yourself. Whoever has a car is not a problem at all. And some come together in groups, companies, and ride small buses.
The final destination is known: Zhirovichi (monastery). How to get there, we will tell. The exact address is: Belarus, Grodno region, Slonim district. The village itself is 11 kilometers from the district center. Exact address: 57 Soborna Street.
So you came by train to Grodno. There are no direct bus connections to Zhirovichi from it. You must first get to Slonim. It’s two hours in time (you have to leave early, at 7 in the morning). And from the district center to the desired village, buses often travel. It will take half an hour to go all the way.
Holy springs
In addition to visiting the monastery town, be sure to go to the holy sources. There are only three of them. True, only two are open for guests, since one is located under the altar. And only monks have the right to go down to him. But the most interesting is the very source that made its way from under the roots of the pear, where a wonderful icon appeared!
And one more moment. Both springs are at the same distance from the monastery. But they are called so: Far and Middle. The first is about two hundred years old. You need to go right along the main street of the village. Close to him and in the summer, in extreme heat, always cool. It is created by tall trees with a dense crown surrounding the source. There is also a swimming pool.
To the Near source (it was consecrated 9 years ago) there is a road that stretches to the city of Ivatsevichi. Here baths are arranged - for men and women. It is very convenient, especially for those who came as part of tourist groups. They say that in winter, of course, people don’t enter the water - it’s cold. But the most courageous, for the sake of familiarizing themselves with this shrine and their healing, nevertheless descend into the ice font.
Touch a miracle
The monastery complex is large. A whole tour of it is usually carried out. This is an examination of the Cathedral of the Holy Assumption, and the Nikolskaya Church attached to it. Next in line are Yavlenskaya, also Krestovozdvizhenskaya and Georgievskaya. It is interesting to climb the belfry, to look into the buildings of the old and new seminaries. And, of course, to the refectory. The main thing that people come here for is to touch the main shrine, the Zhirovichi icon of the Mother of God. She, by the way, is the smallest of miraculous. Just with a palm.
It is also worth looking at the stone that stores the traces of the Virgin, and the Zhirovichsky Gospel, handwritten.
Noble, bright feelings gives rise to a monastery in Zhirovichi. The reviews of those who visited it are worthy of writing them down and composing an entire book. Useful for posterity.