The Conception Monastery in Moscow, whose address is known to any resident of the throne, is the first and therefore the oldest nunnery in the capital. We know for sure the date of its foundation - 1360. However, one should not think that until this time there were no women's cloisters. Incidentally, the founder of the first convent would be Prince Yaroslav the Wise himself. And the first, perhaps, the most famous nun is his granddaughter, Princess Anna or, as she was then called, Yanka. Just in those days, women's monasteries did not have independence and were an integral part of men's.
On the origin of convents
Monasteries in the church have existed since antiquity and came to Russia with the adoption of Christianity. Initially, male cloisters developed . Women's appeared a little later. Moscow Metropolitan Alexy at the request of his sisters blessed them to organize an independent and independent convent. One of the sisters became the first abbess of this monastery. From this moment, male and female monasteries have always existed separately from each other.
The Conception Monastery in Moscow is located. The address of the monastery is 2nd Zachatievsky Lane, 2. This is the very center of the capital. This is not only the first convent in Moscow, but also a model for the emerging convents of the Mother See.
Juliana and Eupraxia the Conception
Rev. Juliania and Eupraxia the Conception - these names came to us from the distant past, from the great 14th century. Despite the nobility and wealth, the presence of a huge number of servants and serfs, parents raised girls in love and Christian virtues - respect for people, reverence for elders. Personal work became the basis of life for future holy wives, and, of course, Orthodoxy became for them not just the faith of their ancestors, but the whole being. They lived and breathed the Orthodox faith. Their modesty and mercy were well known. Many grooms of noble families wanted to marry them, but the girls, as a teenager, made a firm decision to go to the monastery and take monastic tonsure.
The nuns wanted to devote their monastery to the Monk Alexy - the man of God, the patron saint of heaven. The Moscow Metropolitan blessed such a charitable work of his sisters and even allocated land for the construction of a female monastery. And so, on a small plot of land occupied at that time by forests and flood meadows, the Zachatievsky Monastery in Moscow was built, the address of which now everyone in the capital knows.
Monastery construction
In 1360, the Moscow hierarch built a small wooden church in honor of the Monk Alexy at his own expense. Near the church, the metropolitan arranged monastic cells and the necessary monastic buildings. There was also a monastery cemetery. And all this was surrounded by a common wooden fence. This is how the Conception Monastery in Moscow took shape, the address of which you already know. He became the first female communal monastery with a very strict charter. Following the example of the monastery of St. Sergius of Radonezh, where they preached humility and obedience.
The monastery economy also gradually grew, donations to the holy monastery from people of all classes increased. Thus, the economic independence of the female monastery was strengthened, which took care of numerous widows and orphans. The fame of the monastery also grew. Currently, the monastery is located next to the metro station "Park Kultury", and it is easy to find on a map of the city.
The patronage of Princess Eudokia of Moscow
Grand Duchess Evdokia of Moscow, wife of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, was very friendly with the reverend sisters. Saint Alexy played a huge, if not the main role in the life of the great princely pious family - it was he who arranged their marriage, and then took care of the young. Honoring the great old man, Princess Evdokia of Moscow patronized the monastery, making generous contributions, sacrificing holy icons. On the night of May 3, according to the old style of 1393, joyful Easter chants were interrupted by a triple blow of the bell, heralding the death of the pious abbess. A year later, her pious sister also rested. But with their death, the spiritual life of the monastery did not fade. The natives of the monastery led the same strict ascetic life, combined with labor and mercy. For a whole century the monastery was a worthy example of Russian sociable monasticism.
Fire in Moscow
In the middle of the 16th century, the capital suffered in a terrible fire, which destroyed many buildings, including the Zachatievsky monastery. It was so badly damaged that John the Terrible abolished it. The new location was determined closer to the Kremlin. However, several nuns continued to live in the ashes. They were sure that their abode would certainly be reborn. Prayers were heard and the monastery restored. This happened thanks to Prince Fedor Ioannovich Godunov.
The restoration of the monastery
Since that time, the restored monastery began to be called simply Zachatievsky, and a small chapel was built above the burial place of the reverend sisters. In the mid-18th century, a temple was built in honor of the icon of the Mother of God, which was later connected to the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and consecrated in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Soviet years
In 1918, the Soviet government issued a decree on the nationalization of church lands and property. The confiscation of church property began. To protect the shrines and the charitable institution of the monastery, Mother Superior Maria establishes a brotherhood in the name of the Queen of Heaven under the auspices of the Holy Patriarch of Russia Tikhon. After the monastery was closed, many nuns were sent to Siberia by stage. Some were simply evicted without a residence.
In the 90s, the revival of the monastery began. They began to return the shrines of the Conception Monastery in Moscow. In June 2008, a decision was made to worship the reverend sisters Juliania and Eupraxia. The restoration of the monastery continues to this day. Divine services are held in the reconstructed cathedral church, and prayers are offered to the reverend sisters every day.
How to get to the Conception Monastery in Moscow
The Conception Monastery is a famous place for pilgrims and tourists from different cities. People come here to pray, ask for help from the Monks Julian and Eupraxia, and make a donation to the temple. Zachatievsky Lane - the central street of Moscow. It is here that the monastery of nuns is located. It is here that faithful people gather, and just tourists. Finding a monastery in the capital is very easy - get off at the metro station "Park Kultury", walk along the street. Ostozhenka towards the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and turn right. At the end of the alley, the monastery itself will be visible.