Among the people there is a saying "In the sketches, but in the same vanities." The monastery is a conditionally closed settlement. They were created by monks and hermits. You can learn more about them from the story.
History
In ancient times, in Russia, the hermitages were dwellings located far from any settlements, in impassable terrain. They were set up by hermits who protested against reforms and the dominance of secular and religious authorities.
Skit - this was the abode for the Old Believers, refugees, hermits. They built their cells or wooden houses. They were fenced with a picket fence.
There were such shelters in many countries of Eurasia. In Russia, a large number of settlements appeared after 988, when the introduction of a new official religion, Christianity, began. Other impetus for the creation of the hermitages was the activity of Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, Soviet power.
Many monasteries were destroyed by the 18th century, and their former buildings were transformed in the 20th century into museums, archives, storage rooms. In modern times, the monastery is an ancient monument that has great cultural and historical significance. They are witnesses to a contradictory past and present.
Word interpretation
Skeet is a concept that can be interpreted in different ways. There are several versions of the origin of the word:
- "Ascetic" is a word of Greek origin, which means a place for asceticism;
- from the name of the settlement in Egypt in which the monks settled;
- from the old Russian "skytanin", that is, "hermit";
- from the old Russian word "whale", which means the integrity of something disparate.
Modern monasteries are created with cultural, historical and economic significance.
Chernihiv monastery
The monastery was founded in the middle of the 19th century and very quickly became famous among pilgrims. There is a legend that in 1905 he was visited by Nicholas II, to whom the old man Barnabas predicted martyrdom.
He stands surrounded by a forest. Originally called Gethsemane Skete. The exact date of its foundation was 1844. Initially, it consisted of an old wooden church brought from the village of Podsosenie. When cave cells appeared here, he began to be called the Chernigov Skete. All of them have survived to the present day.
The formation of the monastery is associated with the name of the holy fool Philip, who went around many monasteries, but founded his underground shelter not far from the nascent monastery. Over time, cells began to appear on the surface, and under the ground the monks descended for prayer.
By the end of the 19th century, the architect Sultanov was instructed to build an upper temple over the caves so as not to destroy the underground cells. Later, through the efforts of the architect Latkov, the exquisite structure was supplemented by a stone five-tier bell tower.
The life of the old man Barnabas
The worldly name of the elder is Vasily Merkulov. He was born in 1831 in a family of serfs in the Tula province. By the age of 20, he went to Sergius of Radonezh, having tonsured monks, received the name Barnabas, meaning "comforter."
The monk possessed, besides the gift of consolation, the ability to reason spiritually understand the spiritual and worldly wisdom. Pilgrims often visited his cell, and the elder received them, listened, gave good advice, which often became prophetic. Barnabas predicted that soon there would be persecution for the faith.
The spiritual children of the elder:
- Ivan Shmelev - writer;
- Rev. Seraphim Vyritsky;
- Konstantin Lavrentiev is a philosopher in the world, he is also a monk Clement;
- Vasily Rozanov - writer, philosopher.
The relics of the elder are stored in the Chernigov monastery, and more precisely in its main temple.
Historical name
The name Chernigov Skete is associated with the icon of the Mother of God. She became famous in 1662 near the Chernihiv monastery. The monks prayed in front of the icon, and this saved her from the Mongol Tatars, who, thanks to an unknown force, fled away. A lot of copies were created from the image of the icon.
In 1852, Alexandra Filippova presented one of these reproductions to the monastery, which came to be called Chernigov, although many remember it as Gethsemane.
There is another miraculous icon in it called the Unbreakable Wall. She depicts the Virgin, surrounded by angels. People testify that new faces of angels continue to appear on the icon. The monks attribute this to the fact that perhaps the design of the icon painter was such.
Nikolsky monastery
Located on the island of Valaam, a kilometer from the monastery. A road paved in the 18th century leads to it. The first monks were able to settle here at the same time. At the beginning there were twelve, their main occupation was fishing.
The monks also had to ensure that parishioners did not bring tobacco and alcohol to the island. If the visitors gave away such things voluntarily, they were returned to them after leaving the territory of the monastery. When seizing prohibited items on the island, they were taken and thrown into the water.
The walls of the temple, which stands on top of the island, were painted by the monks who lived there. The main theme was the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker.