For centuries, Russia has been the center of Orthodoxy, and even during the years of the Atheism in our country managed to save a significant part of church shrines. In addition, over the past quarter century, much has been done to revive the monasteries. Among these cloisters is the Seraphim-Diveevsky monastery, where thousands of tourists come from every corner of Russia every year.
Village Diveevo
The settlement of Diveevo was allegedly founded in the middle of the 17th century, during the campaign of Ivan the Terribleβs troops in Kazan. According to legend, the settlement received its name in honor of the Tatar Murza Divey, who, together with his detachment, joined the troops of the Russian Tsar. Today, about 9 thousand people permanently live in Diveevo, and several industrial enterprises operate. In addition, over the past ten years, several small hotels and guest houses for pilgrims have been built there. Tourism infrastructure is developing.
Where is the monastery and how to get there
It is easiest to get to the Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery (whose address is Nizhny Novgorod Region, the village of Diveevo, Diveevsky District) from the city of Arzamas, from where passenger buses leave almost every hour to the point of interest to us. If you get from Nizhny Novgorod, then you will have to spend almost 4 hours on the road. To do this, from the bus station located on Lyadov Square, you need to transfer to the bus next to Diveevo. It should be remembered that such flights are not daily, so you may have to make a change in Arzamas. Pilgrims traveling to Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery from Moscow in their own car are better off driving along the highway passing through Balashikha towards Vladimir, turn onto Murom, and then drive through the cities of Navashino and Ardatov to Diveevo. The Serafimo-Diveevsky monastery itself is located on the banks of the Vichkinza River, and you can find it by following the signs or by asking residents of Diveevo. As for accommodation options, the necessary information can be obtained at the pilgrimage center located in a yellow building near the Kazan Cathedral.
History
Serafimo-Diveevsky monastery was founded in the 18th century. At its origins stood the young widow Agafiya Melgunova, who, becoming the inhabitant of the Florovsky monastery, began to wander around Russia and in 1760 settled not far from Diveev. After the death of a young daughter, mother Alexander, who had a vision, built a stone church of the Kazan Mother of God in Diveevo at her own expense. After some time, the Kazan community was formed around the church, and in 1788, the Nizhny Novgorod landowner Zhdanova donated to the sisters a piece of their land near the temple, where a house was built for mother Alexandra and four novices. In 1789, Hierodeacon Seraphim, now known as the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, took care of the community of nuns, and almost 10 years after his death, the Seraphim-Diveevsky monastery was founded.
Throughout the second half of the 19th century, the monastery was built, and new buildings and temples were erected there. Thus, by 1917, about 300 nuns and 1,500 novices lived in the monastery, while in the village of Diveyevo, according to the census, there were 520 inhabitants. In 1927 the monastery was closed, and only after 6 decades its revival began. And the most significant event in the history of the monastery happened in 1991, when the relics of Seraphim of Sarov, which have since been in the Trinity Cathedral, were transferred there.
Seraphim-Diveevsky monastery: description
The architectural complex of the monastery consists of more than two dozen objects, most of which are significant monuments of religious architecture.
Trinity Cathedral
The temple was founded in 1848 on the site indicated by Saint Seraphim, and was erected in the Russian-Byzantine style under the guidance of architect A. I. Rezanov. During the period when the monastery was closed, a warehouse was arranged in the temple. The revival of the cathedral began in the fall of 1989, and since 1991 daily services have been performed there. Photos of this building are often an adornment of albums and books dedicated to the most beautiful churches of Russia.
Transfiguration Cathedral
On the territory of the monastery services are held in several churches. The second most important of them in the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo monastery is the Transfiguration Cathedral, founded in 1907. It is interesting that the interior decoration of the church and the icons were painted by the sisters themselves, however, before the events of 1917, the church was not consecrated, and this sacrament took place only in 1998. Since the original interior decoration was not preserved, the cathedral was re-painted by the artists of the wife Belyaeva.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
The Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery, whose photo is striking in the perfection of the architectural monuments depicted on them, continues to beautify today. In particular, in 2012, the construction of the Annunciation Cathedral in the style close to Russian Baroque, characteristic of the beginning of the 18th century, was begun there.
Kazan Cathedral
This is the oldest building of the monastery, founded in 1773, the construction of which was carried out under the vigilant supervision of the founder of the monastery, mother Alexandra. In addition, in the Seraphim-Diveevsky monastery you can see the Refectory and hospital churches, the temple in the almshouse, the chapel of St. Seraphim, the house in which blessed Paraskeva lived, the bell tower, the Kazan Church at the source, ancient buildings and other buildings of the 18-20th centuries.
Relics of the cloister
If tourists come to the Diveevsky monastery to see its architectural monuments and take some good pictures against their background, then pilgrims visit it in order to worship such relics as the relics of St. Seraphim and the venerable mothers Alexandra, Elena and Martha, the blessed wives of Diveevsky Paraskeva, Pelagia and Mary, as well as the reverend Matrona.
Compound of the Seraphim-Diveevo monastery
Today, the Diveevo sisters live and serve outside the cloister. So, in Moscow, Arzamas and Nizhny Novgorod there are monastery courtyards. They perform representative functions and are engaged in the reception of commemoration for the monastery. Address of Moscow Compound: Prospekt Mira, 22-24.