The monastery in Diveevo is often confused with the Serafimo-Sarov desert. Both of these monastic cloisters are associated with the name of the same great holy Russian land. Meanwhile, the first monastery is a male monastery, and Diveevo (Seraphim of Sarov was his trustee) - a female. In addition, one of these monasteries is located in the Tambov province, and the second - in Nizhny Novgorod. The history of this stronghold of monasticism began in the city of Kiev, in the Kiev Pechersk Women's Lavra.
The beginning of the history of the monastery
In the XVIII century there lived one nun who came from a noble family. She devoted herself to God after her husband tragically died at a young age. Mother Alexandra (she received this name when she was tonsured) once in a dream was a miraculous occurrence. She saw the Mother of God, who told her that the nun was destined to end her life not in the Kiev Lavra, but in another monastery. She herself is destined to base this monastery on the place indicated by the Virgin. Following the tradition, the nun asked the significance of this dream among several elders. They agreed that the appearance of the Blessed Virgin was true. Therefore, they blessed the servant of God, Alexander, on the long journey that the Virgin Mary commanded her to do.
From a small church to a large monastery
She wandered around Russia for a long time, staying for the night in various monasteries, until, finally, the Mother of God appeared to her again and told her to finish her wanderings around the world and establish a monastery where she was at the moment. This place was a small church in the village of Diveevo. The nun built a stone temple with her own money not far from this only wooden cathedral in the village. This was the first task of the future monastery of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo. The Mother of God told Alexandra that this monastery would soon become the third most important female community in the entire Orthodox world. It is believed that now the monastery of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo takes fourth place after the Kiev Lavra, Athos and two others. This was predicted by the elder when he forbade sisters to call a rural wooden church a parish church.
Grand Cathedral
Seraphim of Sarov said about the temple in Diveevo that he would become a monastery cathedral, which had not yet been in the world. The elder took patronage over the new community. Among all the abbesses of the monastery, the third in a row stood out. She was distinguished by her severity in observing the monastery regulations for herself and for all sisters. Seraphim of Sarov himself, while in Diveyevo, praised her monastic feat. He spoke of her as an adamant servant of the Lord. Only after the death of Seraphim of Sarov in the XIX century, the monastery received official status. Soon a new cathedral began to be built, which was called Trinity and was built over 25 years. The project was developed by an architect who was designing the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the capital of Russia.
The heyday of the monastery
One of the benefactors who sat a lot for the monastery during this period was a man who wrote a biography of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, was his frequent interlocutor and wrote down the spiritual instructions of the elder. A feature of this monastic monastery was the presence of a stone mill, on which the sisters who inhabited the monastery worked. Towards the end of the 19th century, the number of nuns increased to about eight hundred people; there were twice as many novices. Moreover, the population of the village of Diveevo was significantly less than the number of people living in the walls of the monastery. After the October Revolution, the monastery underwent the same tribulations as many other religious institutions.
Hard times
Although immediately after the Great October Revolution, the monastery of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo for some time safely existed under the guise of a labor colony, which was registered in 1919, already less than 10 years later, in 1927, it was closed. The nuns had to disperse to different cloisters, which were still operational at that time. Many sisters of the Seraphim of Sarov Monastery in Diveevo found refuge in the Tambov Monastery, where many nuns from all over Russia got. In 1937, the Kazan Church, which was once the first temple of the monastery, was closed. The only nun who, thanks to her longevity, saw the monastery reborn in the 90s of the XX century, was mother Seraphim. She handed over to the cloister personal belongings belonging to the holy Monk Seraphim of Sarov. The monastery of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo began to revive in the late eighties of the XX century. The first event in a series of actions to restore the monastery was the construction of a new church on the basis of a house bought from a villager, which in the past belonged to a priest. This house was rebuilt into a wooden cathedral.
Community revival
When the temple was consecrated, the icon of Seraphim of Sarov was solemnly brought into it, which depicted the reverend in full growth, and on which one of the items of the priestly clothes of the saint was placed. Soon the Trinity Church was also handed over to the parish, which survived in the Soviet years, but was used for other purposes. He was restored and consecrated on the day of remembrance of the last Diveevo priest.
The relics of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo and the canonization of local saints
In the early nineties, it was decided to recreate the convent. Soon, the relics of Serafim Sarovsky were brought to Diveyevo, who several years earlier had been found in the Museum of Atheism in St. Petersburg.
In the nineties, the monastery was transferred to all the temples that belonged to him in the past. Restoration work has begun. At the beginning of the new millennium, three Diveevsky nuns were canonized, including mother Alexander, the founder of the monastery.
In 2003, during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the glorification of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov in the form of saints, a procession with relics was held at the monastery, as well as solemn services by Patriarch Alexy II. They were also attended by the current Bishop Cyril. Since 1988, the monastery has restored and built seven new churches. The main temple, as in the old days, remains the Trinity Cathedral, which hosts all the celebratory services, and where are the relics of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo. Other laurel temples also contain the relics of some holy sisters of this community.
Holy groove
Another shrine of Diveevo is the Groove of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is known that the creation of this structure was bequeathed to Seraphim of Sarov, the Holy Mother of God at the beginning of the 19th century.
According to the instruction of the Mother of God, only the sisters who lived in the monastery should dig a groove, that is, a ditch up to 2 meters deep. Local residents and priests could only clean the land and help bring in the tools. On some holidays, a procession was made along this groove. In Soviet times, the moat was bombarded by order of the government. Prayers on its territory were prohibited. Since the beginning of the restoration of the monastery, negotiations began to take place on the revival of the Holy Canal of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
At the beginning of the two thousandth year, work was undertaken to find the real place of its location and the restoration of this shrine. In several places near the groove, worship crosses were erected. One of the many shrines of the monastery is also the icon of the Tenderness of the Mother of God, which was located in the Sarov desert before it was brought to the monastery after the death of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The holy elder himself was praying in front of her. Before the same image, he died. According to his will, the icon was transferred to the Diveevo monastery and placed in the house church. In the Trinity Cathedral of the monastery is a miraculous list with this icon.
Source of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo
Also in the monastery lands there are several springs, the oldest of which is called Kazan and is located near the eponymous cathedral. The most revered of them - the source of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo is located on the outskirts of the monastery lands. During the years of Soviet rule, many of these sources were bombarded, but then regained. Near the spring of St. Seraphim two chapels were built.
One was consecrated in 1993 by Alexy the Second, and the second was created over several years and opened at the beginning of the two thousandths. Near the source of the holy spring Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo, after the construction of two chapels, two places for dipping into water were organized. Numerous cases of healing people after visiting this spring are known. One of the places for dipping is called the Font of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo.
At the end of the 2000s, a bell was brought to the territory of the monastery, which the monk himself purchased at the Nizhny Novgorod Fair. The name of the buyer is embossed on it. This shrine weighs one pound. Due to damage, namely a crack in the case, the bell is not currently operational. It is being prepared for the local museum exposition.
Monastic cell and portrait
In the new century, the monastery was replenished with another shrine, a portrait of the first abbess of the monastery and its founder, Rev. Alexandra, who belongs to the nuns of the monastery, who lived in it in the 19th century. After the closure of the laurels during the years of Soviet rule, the picture was kept by the sisters. The portrait was discovered in one of the antique shops of Nizhny Novgorod and bought out by philanthropists. When transmitting, the donors mentioned that in the biography of each of them there was an episode related to this monastery. It is believed that in the old days, that is, before the closing of the laurels after the Great October Revolution, the picture changed its color according to the nature of the visitor who came for advice to the abbess of the monastery. Currently, the canvas is undergoing restoration. After completion of the work, it will be placed in one of the churches of the monastery, where there is a chapel dedicated to St. Alexander. A few years ago, a house was opened for visitors, which served as the cell of nun Paraskeva Ivanovna, who is glorified in the face of saints and is considered blessed. There are three halls in this building, one of which is dedicated directly to the saint who owned the house, as well as to several other nuns who lived in this monastery.
The next hall is named after the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, where there is an exposition recreating a fragment of the saint’s cell, with furniture that belonged to the old man during his lifetime. Another hall is dedicated to the visit of Emperor Nicholas II to the monastery.
Despite the fact that many have heard about the monastery of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo, not everyone knows how to get to it.
Way to Diveevo
Getting to the monastery by public transport is best. You should first get to the city of Arzamas. And how to get to Diveevo, to the Seraphim-Sarov monastery from Arzamas? There are two stations in this village. You need to take the train to Diveevo at the station, which is number 2. This route runs every two hours. You can return to Arzamas at seven in the evening. It is best to come to the monastery for the evening worship in the church of Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo, which begins at five o’clock.
Before arrival, you must inform in advance the time and date of your arrival at a special pilgrimage center, which operates on the territory of the monastery. After evening service, a meal is arranged for ladles, which can be accessed by special coupons that are issued in the center. After dinner, everyone can make a procession, which is held by the nuns of the monastery daily on the Holy Groove.
During this procession, the sisters carry the Icon of Tenderness of the Mother of God. It should be remembered that all visitors must have a passport with a stamp on registration. On the territory of the monastery there is a hotel for clergy, laity can be accommodated in the one located in the village of Diveevo. It should be remembered that the monastery is open at night only in the days of memory of the saint.
For those wishing to visit the spring
How to get to the source of Serafim Sarovsky in Diveevo?
Every day, a bus leaves from the pilgrimage center to the healing spring. In the warm season, such flights are up to three per day. Sources located on the territory of the Diveevsky monastery can be visited on their own, it is also allowed to pray in five churches.
In the pilgrimage center there is the opportunity to book a tour of the monastic monastery, which is held for an hour. Visitors should remember that there are rules in the monastery that are similar to the general church regulations on how to dress in worship. You can not wear clothes above the knees, open elbows are also unacceptable. Women should be in headscarves. Pilgrims who wish to stay in Diveevo for more than one day can visit several nearby monasteries with excursions. Currently, thousands of tourists visit the monastery annually. About 400 nuns constantly live in the monastery. The main temple of the monastery, Trinity Cathedral, was given the status of an architectural monument. The Lavra was visited several times by the President of the Russian Federation, as well as other dignitaries. The monastery includes more than 20 monastic monasteries, as well as farmsteads.
Each of them has at least one church that has been restored or built after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many courtyards have icons or relics of saints revered in the Orthodox world. In the main temple of the monastery there are constantly the remains of St. Seraphim of Sarov. A particle of them also arrives in one of the courtyards, in its main church. This shrine during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the glorification of St. Seraphim in the face of the saints of the Russian land made a trip to Kursk, to the monk’s homeland. She stayed for some time in the temple built by his parents, as well as in the church where he was baptized. Near the first of the mentioned cathedrals, a chapel was opened, made of wood, which was consecrated in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
About the Rev. Elder
It is worth recalling some facts from the life of St. Seraphim, whose name is inseparably connected with the monastery, which is discussed in this chapter.
The saint came from a noble merchant family. As already mentioned, the reverend was born in Kursk. His father was a religious person, often attended church and donated a lot of money to temples. Many cathedrals were erected under his supervision, since one of the areas of his activity was construction. The mother of the saint was also very pious, and did a lot of charity work. The head of the family died at a fairly young age. His wife alone had to bring up three children and complete the work begun by her husband, the construction of a church in honor of St. Sergius. From childhood, the reverend felt his special purpose in this world. He liked to attend church, read spiritual books. At an early age, he fell from the bell tower of the temple being built by his parents. However, the boy remained safe and sound and immediately got to his feet and went.
Seraphim (in the world of Prokhor) fell seriously ill at the age of ten. But miraculously healed when his mother brought him to the icon, which was carried near the house during the procession.
In adulthood, he assumed the feat of seclusion. For several years Seraphim lived in solitude in the forest, where according to legend, the branches of trees blocked the path of uninvited guests to his home. When some wanderer nevertheless managed to get into this place and see Seraphim, the saint lay down face down on the ground and remained in this position until the person moved away. For a long time he accomplished the feat of pillarwork. That is, the reverend spent most of the day standing on a stone and offering prayers to the Almighty. At this time, his hands were constantly raised to heaven.
Once a gang of robbers wandered into this forest. Seeing Seraphim of Sarov, they demanded money from him. He told them: "Do what you came for." Hearing this, they brutally beat him. After the robbers entered his home, but did not find the coveted money there. Seeing in what poverty he lived, they were ashamed and left. Seraphim of Sarov, collecting all his strength, was able to get to the monastery, where he spent a long time in the hospital. After this incident, the saint remained hunchback for life. However, the robbers who beat him, and who were soon caught, he asked not to punish. After leaving the hospital, he remained in the monastery, but took a vow of silence. , . , , . , . , , . . , « ».
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