Crimean land is filled with legends, and one of them is the Toplovsky Trinity-Paraskevievsky monastery. This monastery is located in a holy place. Pilgrims who visited her tell stories of their miraculous healing, increasing the popularity of this monastery more and more. Tours in Crimea are also organized here. The prices for such tours depend on the place of departure of the group, the age of the traveler (adult or child), as well as on the travel agency, and range from 500 to 1000 rubles.
Location
The Toplovsky monastery on the map of Crimea is located 45 kilometers from Feodosia and 69 from Simferopol. You can find it near the village of Topolevka. If you go along the highway leading in the direction of "Kerch-Feodosia-Simferopol", Toplovsky Monastery is easy to find precisely in this locality. Anyone traveling by public transport will need to get to the bus stop called Topolevka. Next, you need to climb the road going up. The length of this path is 1 kilometer.
If you plan to visit the Toplovsky monastery, how to get to it from the side of Simferopol? Take the highway to the village of Topolevka. At its end, just behind the market, the road has a branch to the right. You can navigate by a small booth with a dome, on which there is a pointer. It is located just before the turn. And those who get to the Toplovsky monastery from Feodosia or Kerch will see a booth with a sign at the beginning of the village. And he will need to roll not to the right, but to the left.
The road to the monastery is narrow but paved. Three minutes of steep climb, and you have reached the end point of the travel route. Before you is the monastery of Toplovsky. Its buildings are located among the Crimean forest, on the ledge of Mount Karatau.
Motorists do not have to worry about the parking space of their car. Directly in front of the gates to the Toplovsky monastery there is free parking.
Today this holy monastery is a place where pilgrimages are made by believing Christians, as well as those who wish to get rid of diseases. The address of the monastery: with. Educational, Belgorod region, Crimea. Additional information can be obtained on the official website of the monastery.
Rules for visitors
For the entrance to the monastery Toplovsky do not take money. However, visitors must follow some rules. For example, men and women do not have the right to be in the territory of the holy monastery with open knees and shoulders.
Those who did not bring a handkerchief with them on their heads are invited to purchase it in a stall right at the gate. There you can take a long skirt for temporary use, leaving a deposit for it in the form of a certain amount of money.
The legend of St. Paraskeva
This momentous event happened many years ago in Rome. In this ancient city, in the family of pious Christians, a daughter was born. This was St. Paraskeva. Father and mother raised the girl in a true Christian spirit. After the death of her parents, Paraskeva distributed the property to the poor and began to preach the Gospel. However, the emperor Anthonyan, who was living in those days, trying to strangle Christianity, decided to force his own subject to renounce the faith. Persuasion and threats were used. In addition, they tried to kill Paraskeva by putting a red-hot copper helmet on her head, throwing it in a boiler with tar and oil heated to a boil. However, all the attempts of the emperor were in vain. Despite the sophisticated torture, Paraskeva remained safe and sound. Then the emperor ordered the woman to be poured with the contents of a red-hot cauldron, but the brave Christian poured a hot mess into his eyes. Anthonyan went blind and immediately begged for mercy.
Tradition says that Paraskeva returned his sight, which made the emperor believe in God. Further, the holy Martyr went to foreign lands in order to read her sermons there. Her path lay through several cities. In each of them, the appearance of Paraskeva was accompanied by inexplicable miracles. However, in one of these places, the ruler Tarasius put her to torment and death. In this way, he stopped the Christian sermons of the saint. This happened, according to legend, in the Crimea, near the village of Toply, which today is called Topolevka.
According to legend, where the saint was cut off his head, living healing water began to trickle from the depths of the earth. Not far from this place the Toplovsky St. Paraskevievsky convent was erected. Its official opening took place on 08.25.1864.
At all times, the memory of Paraskeva was sacredly honored in the Crimea. Proof of this are the ruins of Greek churches, once built near the villages of Topolevka and Zemlyanichnoe, found by archaeologists. And today the relics of the Martyr are stored not far from the place of her martyrdom, on Athos.
The foundation of the monastery
Even before 1864, in the place where the holy monastery is located today, there lived a Bulgarian Constantine. She came from the village of Kishlav (the modern name is Kursk). To this hermit, who heard the voice of God and went into the mountains to pray, a few more women soon joined. These were the times when Crimea had just become part of Russia and was not very crowded. This was facilitated by the massive migration of Muslims and Christians to the territory of the Ottoman Empire. Greek and Armenian churches were desolate and slowly recovering.
Toplovsky Monastery was opened on lands donated by Catherine II to Zakhar Zotov, the Empress's favorite. By the middle of the 19th century the owners of these territories were two sisters. This is Theodore Zotov and Angelina Lambiri. Angelina bought the land from her sister and transferred it in order to build the Toplovsky Convent. However, the opening of the holy monastery was preceded by another event. The Toplovsky Nunnery began to function only after a small church was erected on July 26, 1863, named after St. Paraskeva. They built it near a healing spring. An active part in the construction of the church and the arrangement of the monastery was taken by Parthenius, the Kiziltash igumen. In 1866, he was killed by the Crimean Tatars. In 2000, Parthenius was counted among the saints.
At the beginning of its existence, the Toplovsky St. Paraskeviev Monastery was inhabited by only nine women. Bulgarian Constantine became a nun. She took the tonsure, calling herself Paraskeva.
Extension of the holy cloister
In the years following the opening, the monastery continued to be built. On its territory appeared household and residential buildings. A hospital was opened here, in which the church "All Who Sorrow Is Joy" worked. Some changes have affected the already erected buildings. So, they rebuilt and somewhat expanded the church of St. Paraskeva. According to the project of architect V.A. Feldman, the construction of the Holy Trinity Cathedral was begun.
The Toplovsky monastery in Crimea had an exemplary garden economy for its time. Workshops functioned on its territory. Such significant successes of the holy monastery were promoted by the activity of Mother Superior Paraskeva, who headed it. She stood at the head of the holy monastery until her death. In 2009, Mother Superior Paraskeva (Rodimtseva) was counted among local saints.
Donations
At various times, some sacred relics were transferred to the Toplovsky monastery. So, in 1886, this holy monastery was visited by Father Barsanuphius. In those days, he was a hieromonk of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery, located on Old Athos. He, along with his brotherhood, handed over to the Toplovsky monastery a particle of the Life-giving and Honest Cross of the Lord, as well as particles of the relics of St. Paraskeva and St. Panteleimon. All of these donations were greeted with appropriate honors.
The name of Count Nikolai Fedorovich Heyden is inextricably linked with the history of the Toplovsky monastery. He, being the headman of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, donated his own cottage, which was located in Feodosia, to the Crimean monastery. At the request of the donor, a monastery courtyard, the Church of Our Lady of Kazan, a shelter for pilgrims was opened here. An elementary school for girls began to work here.
In April 1890, N.F. Heyden donated the icon of the Kazan Mother of God to the Toplovsky Monastery, which was a family heirloom of his kind, inherited. Such a valuable gift was made by the count in honor of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian emperor from the death of 10/17/1888.
The donated icon was decorated with a silver robe with gilding. Around the face of the Virgin was a ubrus made of pearls and precious stones (including diamonds). With this icon, by permission of the Holy Synod, they made annual religious processions in honor of the emperor’s salvation.
Another precious gift to the monastery was the cross, in which were the holy relics of the Kiev-Pechersk saints. This is another heirloom, which passed to the count as an inheritance from his grandfather.
At the expense of N.F. Heyden on Mount Athos, a picturesque crucifix was acquired, which has a life-size. On it were inscriptions in three languages - Latin, Greek and Jewish. The foot of the crucifix adorned the stone from the Holy Sepulcher. His count brought from Jerusalem in 1884.
Had a monastery and other donations. So, the Simferopol tradesman Fedor Kashunin donated a house to the holy monastery.
A large number of shrines stored in the monastery attracted many travelers and pilgrims here. All of them wanted to see the relics there and bow to them. Many peasants from nearby villages also came to the Sunday service. Even the Muslims treated the shrine with reverence. They also came to the monastery in order to ask for health from the icon of the Mother of God and bathe in a healing spring. Visitors by all means left donations to the holy cloister.
Monastery Closure
During the existence of the USSR, the church was persecuted. This fate did not pass the Toplovsky monastery in Crimea. But in order to avoid closure, for several years in a row the holy monastery officially existed under the cover of the labor commune of gardeners. Formally, they were engaged in the cultivation of fruits. Yes, the nuns courted the garden. However, they continued their ritual life.
The final closure of the monastery took place after the authorities decided to liquidate the agricultural cartel with the name “Women's Labor”. It happened on September 7, 1928. In December of the same year, the abbess of the monastery died. A month later, in January, the NKVD soldiers who arrived at the Toplovsky Monastery evicted nuns from his buildings, taking a receipt from them to return to their former place of residence.
The weak and old women were disassembled by the population of the surrounding villages into their homes. But the priests and nuns who directed the economic activities of the monastery, a sad fate awaited. Many of them were arrested and exiled to camps. Then they blew up the Holy Trinity Cathedral, which was still unfinished to the end. In the surviving buildings of the monastery housed the state farm "Atheist."
New life of the holy monastery
Toplovsky Trinity-Paraskevievsky monastery began its revival in the nineties of the last century. The first service in it after a significant break took place on 08/08/1992. Almost a year later, the charter of the monastery was registered. 12/20/1994 the transfer of the holy monastery of 10.76 hectares of land took place. Returned to the monastery and its former buildings, which in the postwar years served as a pioneer camp. Today in the holy monastery there are 2 churches - the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" and the Rev. Martyr Paraskeva.
Healing water
What is especially famous for Toplovsky monastery? Reviews of pilgrims and tourists visiting it most of all relate to healing springs located near the holy monastery. These springs have certain names. These are the sources:
- St. Paraskeva.
- St. George the Victorious.
- Three Saints (Gregory the Theologian, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom).
In addition to these, pilgrims are also attracted by Orthodox relics of particular value, such as the crucifix with holy relics and ancient icons.
It is advisable to visit the Toplovsky monastery to everyone who chooses various excursions in the Crimea for their trip. Prices for visiting the holy monastery will not cause significant damage to the family budget. In addition, life-giving water, simple and tasty food in the refectory, as well as friendly nuns are waiting for each of the visitors.
Source of St. Paraskeva
The spring, which appeared on the site of the execution of the Martyr’s Martyr, was landscaped in 1882. A peculiar iconostasis appeared in the form of a semicircular wall near the reservoir lined with granite. A year later, a special font was constructed near the source, consisting of two compartments (male and female), as well as a water tank.
Every year on July 26 (according to the new style on August 8) a huge number of people made pilgrimages to the monastery. Bulgarians and Greeks, Tatars and Russians carried their sick relatives on carts. On this day, they honored the memory of St. Paraskeva and dived into the spring. People believed that healing water would save them from illness and regain their lost health.
The
holy spring of Paraskeva is a place of pilgrimage in modern times. And today, many believers seek to plunge into life-giving water. The source, as in previous times, looks similar to a well located in the chapel. Above the water is an icon depicting St. Paraskeva. For those who decide to take a bath, the Toplovsky Monastery offers a font. They are located near the source. It is believed that this living water heals eye diseases and head ailments.
Source of St. George the Victorious
This healing spring is 2 km from the Toplovsky Monastery. It is located in a picturesque forest. There is a legend that exactly in the place where the holy spring strikes from under the ground, the horseman appeared three times. The nuns recognized him as St. George.
Not far from this source two open fonts were built. One of them is male, and the second is female. Here the chapel of St. George the Victorious and the bell tower were erected.
According to pilgrims, the water from this spring heals nervous diseases, as well as pathology of the organs of movement.
Source of Three Saints
The farthest spring of the Toplovsky monastery is located in the mountains. It is named after the Three Saints, namely Gregory the Theologian, Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. This source has three water outlets at once. They are located next to each other and subsequently merge into one bubbling stream. Having made a short journey, holy water literally falls into a small lake, in which pilgrims take baths.
At the very foot of the waterfall, the stream is bubbling and foaming. In the lake, the water is clear and calm. It is believed that ablution in this source is especially useful for nervous diseases. However, the path to the holy spring is not a short one, and not every person is able to overcome it. For those who want to try healing water on the territory of the Toplovsky monastery, a column is arranged. It can be distinguished by the red roof. You can also wash yourself with this healing water on the territory of the monastery. To do this, go to the lower font.
Bathing rules
Sources of the Toplovsky Monastery are visited annually by a significant number of pilgrims. And those who decided to take a bath should adhere to certain rules. Their observance in conjunction with the action of healing water will eliminate many ailments.
You need to plunge into the font three times with your head. The following words should be spoken: "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen." In addition, the bodies of both women and men must be covered. Clothing for swimming can serve as a long T-shirt or nightgown. A new sheet is also suitable, in which a person should simply turn around. It should be borne in mind that such clothes are sold in the monastery stall.
Baptized Christians should have a pectoral cross with them when they bathe. It can also be bought at the church shop.
Conclusion
In 2009, the monastery celebrated 145 years since its foundation. And, as in previous times, every year on August 8, the holy monastery receives thousands of pilgrims. People of all walks of life and ages come on ordinary days. Their goal is to bow to the holy relics of the monastery and take a bath in the healing spring water.
Years pass, and the Toplovsky monastery is becoming prettier and more and more decorated. Today, a chapel has been restored here, erected over the grave of Paraskeva - the first of the abbess. Every day a lot of people visit this place. They bring their troubles and sorrows here, in the hope of help. According to the already established tradition, people write notes with requests and put them in a box installed at the abbess’s grave.
There is a legend that the Toplovsky monastery is protected from all sorts of troubles by St. Paraskeva herself. At night, she walks around the cloister, holding a staff in one hand and a palm branch in the other. She blesses everyone who met on the path of the saint. Sick Paraskeva immediately heals. And those who seek to harm the monastery are punished by invisible force.