At a distance of several kilometers from Rostov towers the walls of the Varnitsa Monastery, which is the courtyard of the famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In view of such a high status, the general management of the life of the monastery is carried out directly by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Let us turn to the wanderers of the history of this hotbed of Orthodoxy, lit several centuries ago in the homeland of the “great sadder of the Russian land” - Saint Rev. Sergius of Radonezh.
The cloister born almost six centuries ago
As in the history of many Russian monasteries, very little information has been preserved about the early existence of the Trinity-Sergius Varnitsky Monastery. It is generally accepted that it was founded in 1427, that is, only thirty-five years after the blessed death of the native of those places - St. Sergius of Radonezh and five after gaining his relics.
This suggests that in those days many of those who were fortunate enough to personally see the saint of God and hear the stories of his contemporaries about his pious parents Cyril and Mary were still alive. The name of the founder of the monastery remains unknown.
Entrepreneurs from the shores of Pesosha and Liver
Varnitsky Monastery was founded in the neighborhood of a settlement located near a small settlement, the original name of which was not preserved. It is only known that in the scribal books of the XVI and XVII centuries. it was officially called Nikolskaya by the name of the church of St. Nicholas located on its territory.
The main occupation of the Slobodans was the extraction of salt, for which along the banks of the two rivers flowing nearby - Pesosha and Pecheni - there were salt baskets. Over time, their trade fell into decay, and the settlement, which began to empty, gradually turned into a small village. However, the name given to her once was firmly rooted in the people - Varnitsa, reminiscent of the previous occupation of the inhabitants.
In an atmosphere of desperate need
The decline in the commercial activity of the weaklings adversely affected the lives of the inhabitants of the Varnitsky Sergius Monastery, whose well-being largely depended on their voluntary donations. It so happened that the Lord did not send the monastery to the great ascetics, to whom crowds of people flocked from everywhere, neither the relics of the holy saints of God, nor miraculous icons that bring healing from ailments. That is why the monastery treasury was always empty, which doomed the brethren to a half-starved and almost destitute existence. Note that even at the beginning of the XVII century, when stone temples were erected throughout Russia, the inhabitants of the Varnitsa Monastery continued to worship in a wretched wooden church.
On the brink of starvation
In a dashing year, called the Time of Troubles, the Polish interventionists captured the monastery and burned all its buildings. But anger for the fact that there was nothing to rob, they expelled on the monks themselves, giving many of them a fierce death. Even after the invaders were expelled, the remaining monks were on the verge of death from starvation and disease for a long time.
Their situation partially improved only after the sovereign Mikhail Fedorovich sent them a letter of merit in 1624, which gave them the right to receive from the treasury, albeit small, but extremely necessary contents. This made it possible to slightly improve the condition of the inhabitants of the Trinity-Sergius Varnitsky Monastery, but did not save them from constant and hopeless need.
Burdens unbearable to women
There was a period in the history of the monastery from 1725 to 1731, when the brethren were forced to cede their places to nuns. This happened by order of the Rostov Archbishop George. The Varnitsa Monastery for men was converted into a monastery for women, and its cells were filled with sisters from the nearby Christmas cloister. However, the hardships and hardships that the monks had long been accustomed to, proved beyond the power of weak women, and they requested the same place. Their desire was granted, and the men returned to the walls of the monastery.
The further life of the monastery in the XVIII century
During the reign of Catherine II, who carried out large-scale secularization (withdrawal in favor of the state) of church lands, many Russian monasteries lost their main source of livelihood. The trouble did not pass by Rostov the Great. The Varnitsky monastery in those years was taken out of state, that is, left without state maintenance, but, fortunately, it managed to preserve, albeit small, but profitable land plots. In addition, in the second half of the 18th century, he was actively helped by voluntary donors from the local merchants.
It was during this period that many stone structures were erected, making up its unique architectural complex. So, on the site of the old wooden church in the late 70s, a monumental stone cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Holy Trinity. Its bell tower has long been the tallest building in Rostov. At the same time, another temple was built in the Varnitsa Monastery dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, but he was destined to stand for no more than half a century. In 1824, the temple was destroyed by the fire of a terrible fire that engulfed the monastery.
Old Book Entries
Despite the fact that at the beginning of the next XIX century the monastery suffered significant material damage caused by a hurricane that swept over Rostov and its environs in 1811, on the whole this century was favorable for him. In a special book designed to record all any significant events from the life of the monastery (it is now in the Rostov Museum), you can find very interesting information about this period.
So, on its pages it is said that during the cholera epidemic that raged in 1871 and claimed the lives of many citizens, continuous prayer services were carried out in the monastery, thanks to which not only monks but also lay people who sought salvation within its walls escaped death.
Charity Countess Orlova
Opening the book, you can learn about the good deeds given to the monastery by one of the representatives of the higher Petersburg society - Countess Anna Alekseevna Orlova-Chesmenskaya. The maid of honor, who once ruled the Empress Catherine II and the daughter of her closest associate - the legendary Count Alexei Orlov - she repeatedly contributed large sums of money to the monastery treasury. At her expense, the brethren managed not only to overhaul previously constructed structures, but also to erect new ones. An example of this is the stone Vvedensky church, built on the territory of the monastery in 1829.
Almshouse open in the cloister
An interesting record dates back to 1892, when the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated the 500th anniversary of the blessed death of St. Sergius of Radonezh. This significant event was marked by the construction of an almshouse in the monastery, designed to accommodate people from the elderly or extremely impoverished clergy.
Thanks to this good undertaking, church ministers, who dedicated their lives to God but did not gain earthly goods, were able to find a piece of bread and shelter at sunset. This record is very important, because it indicates that the affairs of the monastery have improved so much that the brethren has the opportunity to engage in charity work.
Under the yoke of godless rulers
The coming to power of the Bolsheviks was a real tragedy for the entire Russian Orthodox Church. Very soon, a wave of anti-religious campaigns swept over Rostov. The Trinity-Varnitsa Monastery was closed in 1919, but long before this, many inhabitants of the Polotsk Spaso-Efrosinievsky monastery, which had been ravaged and plundered in the autumn of 1917, found refuge in its walls. Later, the old people from the city almshouse abolished in Rostov joined them.
So, in monks crowded with hungry people, monks met in March 1919. By order of the new city authorities, their abode was closed, and they themselves were expelled. This was immediately followed by the seizure of everything that, according to the Bolsheviks, was of value, and the rest, including church books and ancient icons, was ruthlessly destroyed as a relic of the past. Many monks were then arrested and sunk into the vast expanses of the Gulag. Those who escaped reprisals were assigned to the local parish church, which was closed several years later. The further fate of these people is unknown.
Return to life and light
The spiritual darkness that reigned with the coming to power of the atheistic government began to dissipate only after almost seven decades. In the summer of 1989, in the wake of the perestroika that began, the residents of the village of Varnitsa created and registered a religious community of 110 people. Two nearby church buildings were handed over to her. After the completion of the necessary restoration work, they began to conduct divine services.
The revival of the monastery
At the same time, with this leadership of the diocese, vigorous activity was launched aimed at the return of the church of the Varnitsa Monastery, which had once existed in Rostov. Due to the fact that the political situation in the country was very favorable to this undertaking, three years later, on the day of the 600th anniversary of the death of St. Sergius of Radonezh, a chapel was erected on the site of the Holy Trinity Cathedral destroyed in 1919, which marked the beginning of the further revival of the monastery.
A powerful impetus that contributed to the successful implementation of all the planned work was the decision of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II to take the Trinity-Sergiev Varnitsky Monastery (Rostov) under his protection. This made it possible, first of all, to resolve the issue of transferring all the buildings that once belonged to the monastery to its ownership, as well as a number of other legal problems. At that time, the first rector of the reviving monastery was appointed. Hegumen Boris (Khramtsov) became them.
The fruits of tireless work
Today, after almost three decades, the monastery, brought back to life by the work of monks and many hundreds of their voluntary assistants, has become one of the largest Orthodox centers in Russia. Her clergy carries out extensive pastoral activities, nourishing not only the residents of Rostov and nearby settlements, but also the many pilgrims coming from all over the country. It is enough to say that the hotel of the Varnitsa Monastery is never empty.
Of particular note is the Orthodox gymnasium opened at the monastery, which has gained wide popularity in recent years far beyond the borders of the Rostov Region. Along with general education subjects, the Law of God and a number of other religious disciplines are taught there, the knowledge of which helps young people to fully feel their unity with the Orthodox Church and turn to the patristic spiritual heritage. For a detailed acquaintance with the conditions of admission, you should contact the address of the monastery: Yaroslavl Region, Rostov Veliky, Varnitsa, Varnitskoye Shosse.