Ascension Monastery in Tambov is one of the main city Orthodox sights. It is located on Moskovskaya Street, in the place where it intersects with the street. B. Vasiliev. It belongs to the Tambov diocese. On its territory there are many buildings. This place is interesting for its history. And today thousands of pilgrims come here not only from all over Russia, but also from foreign countries.
The foundation of the monastery
The foundation of the Ascension Monastery in Tambov dates back to the distant 1690 year. At its origins stood St. Pitirim, along with Bishop of Tambov. They chose a place for him in the north of the city, which turned out to be very successful, since it so happened that the monastery came to our days without radical restructuring.
Bishop Pitirim is an outstanding person of his time, who was engaged in Orthodox and educational work. He made a significant contribution to the development and establishment of the Tambov diocese.
Today, little is known about the initial stages of the development of the monastery. The fact is that a lot of documents prepared for its foundation, as well as other valuable things were lost as a result of a fire that happened here in 1724.
Only two decades after this event, the Ascension Convent began to revive and develop again. At the same time, a monastery wall was erected around it.
The expansion of the territory and the increase in the number of buildings proceeded gradually. In ancient times, the monastery was in poverty. Originally built 18 wooden cells.
The first church in the framework of this monastery was founded only in 1791 according to the project of I. Kruglikov and Nathanael. Subsequently, the church was repaired and painted several times, the Church of St. John of Kronstadt and other churches that adorn the Ascension Monastery in Tambov today were built.
History of the cloister
Ascension Convent, like other buildings made of wood, at that time often burned. The largest fire in the monastery happened in 1724. Two decades were required for rebirth.
The history of the Ascension Monastery consists of a series of events that did not always positively affect its development. One of its most important milestones is the laying of the first church stone. The construction of the temple was fully carried out with funds received from the townspeople and pilgrims as donations.
Already in 1816, the total number of novices and nuns in this monastery reached one and a half hundred.
The second large church in the monastery began to be built only at the beginning of the XIX century. Completed the construction and painting in 1820. Then she was consecrated, after which she received the name of the Church of the Icon of the Sorrowing Mother of God.
The development of the monastery in the XIX century
In tsarist Russia in the XIX-XX centuries there was a clear flowering of monasticism. The Tambov Ascension Monastery was actively developing. Female monasticism especially expanded in those distant years - over the course of a century, the number of convents increased by about five times. And many of them were newly formed.
In the early 1800s, only one female monastery was listed in the Tambov diocese.
From the second half of the century, young monasteries were actively rebuilt and developed.
On the territory of the Ascension Monastery in those days there was only the Ascension Church, which occupied the southern part, as well as several monastic cells, which formed a quadrangle by their location.
It was during this period that the first repair of the Ascension Monastery in Tambov began in the monastery. It was repaired again in 1906. Then the workers expanded and rebuilt it by moving a couple of side aisles.
The renewed Ascension Temple was completely renovated by 1907. It was carefully trimmed from the inside - the workers not only inserted new doors and windows into the building, but also paved floors throughout the church, as well as an altar, plastered and painted arches, and installed iconostases. Both the walls and the roof of the building were finished with oil paint.
Such large-scale construction and reconstruction was carried out in the Tambov Ascension Monastery under the leadership of Mother Superior Eugenia. In the same period, a public prosphora was built on the territory of the monastery. This room became one of the main sources of income for the monastery, supplying prosphora to other city churches.
In 1868, another unit was opened in the monastery - a shelter for girls. At first it was placed in one of the old wooden buildings, but by the end of the century a separate brick house was built for the shelter.
At the end of the 19th century, the number of monastery buildings increased significantly. Here, in addition to the buildings listed above, a large sister building, a water intake station, a brick refectory, a laundry room and a bathhouse appeared.
The revival of the monastery in the XX century
At the end of the 19th century, the monastery flourished and was transformed. At the beginning of the 20th century, he was also waiting for positive changes. So, in 1904, a girls' shelter moved to a three-story building made of stone. At that time, it was already called the parish school, later it received the name Holy Olginsky. More than two hundred girls were studying here, half of whom lived in the monastery.
One of the main achievements of the monastery of those times is the development of this school. According to the documents, at that time the parish school held leading positions in the diocese.
Monastery production flourished and developed in those years. From the beginning of the 20th century, a bee-keeper was kept here, silver and gold icons were embroidered, bishops' mitres were made, raw-weaving fabrics were woven, the orchard grew and pleased with crops, black cloth for cassocks and mantles was blackened.
Until its closure, the monastery remained the largest Orthodox center in the territory of the Tambov province.
But since 1918, the monastery became Soviet property, like many other religious sites. All the buildings of the monastery were used for urban purposes.
Current state
By the direction of the Holy Synod of December 1992, the Ascension Convent was reopened in Tambov to conduct monastic life on its territory.
In recent years, the monastery has again switched to active revival and development. Here, the original Church of the Icon of the Sorrowing Mother of God was restored, and a two-story building was built, which included the baptismal church, known as the Church of St. John of Kronstadt. Later, a hotel appeared for pilgrims and a new building for Sunday school activities.
Ascension Cathedral was consecrated in 2014.
Today, the monastery holds daily services. The number of inhabitants is increasing. A large library opened here several years ago.
Temples
On the territory of the modern Ascension Monastery there are several temples:
- Church of Anthony Pechersky.
- Church of John of Kronstadt.
- Chapel in honor of the nun Miropia.
- Cathedral of the Ascension.
- Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Sorrows.
- Water Chapel.
Monastery Shrines
After the reopening of the monastery, several shrines appeared in its temples. Many pilgrims come to the relics of the Monk Martha of Tambov. They were transferred to the monastery on September 23, 2005.
In addition, other ancient icons and relics of the saints are stored here.
In conclusion
At the moment, the nunnery continues its active development. In addition to expanding and updating buildings located on its territory, attention is paid to small things. Not so long ago, the area immediately in front of the main temple was completely paved. They also tidied up all the tracks running through the cloister. The local flower beds received patterned fences made of cast iron.
Under the leadership of the current abbess of the Ascension Monastery, nuns Tabitha, who has been in this post for more than a decade, the monastery is actively flourishing. Recently, it was recognized as one of the most beautiful in the Tambov diocese.