The cultural Christian heritage of the Russian Federation is very great. The most beautiful temples and cathedrals towering above the modern buildings of cities testify to the well-established ancient canons of the Orthodox faith. After passing through difficult trials of history, Christian relics survived and retained their value to this day, delighting many parishioners and tourists with their unsurpassed beauty.
Most of the Orthodox churches were built by our ancestors in honor of certain miraculous spiritual images that influenced the course of the country's development history.
One of the most picturesque Christian objects of cultural heritage in modern times is the Moscow Don Monastery, the icon of the Mother of God for which became the basis of a magnificent erection.
Monastery Location
The majestic monastery is located on Donskaya Square, the capital of Russia, not far from the Shabalovskaya metro station.
The territory occupied by the monastery parish unites several Orthodox churches: Alexander Svirsky, George the Victorious, the Archangel Michael, the hospital church, the large and small cathedrals of the Don Icon of the Mother of God, John Climacus, John Chrysostom, Tikhon of Moscow and the gateway church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
The historical significance of the Don Icon of the Mother of God
The Don Temple was erected in honor of the Virgin. It is the picturesque Don Icon of the Mother of God that is the shrine that saved Moscow from the invasion of the Crimean Tatar troops during the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich. In 1591, before the advance of the enemy troops, a ministry with this icon was held around the city, the next day the Russian army won.
The miracles of the
icon of the Virgin is described in early historical events. So, in 1552, Ivan the Terrible himself prayed before her Kazan military campaign.
Very many historians attribute even the victory of the Don Cossacks in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 to the icon. It was on the eve of the battle that the Don Icon of the Mother of God was brought to the soldiers from the city of Sirotin, and was handed to the Prince of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich. It was she who blessed his army to victory.
Interesting Facts
The ancient original of the miraculous icon in modern times is stored in the Tretyakov Gallery.
The Don icon of the Mother of God is double. On the front part is the face of Mother with Jesus in the style of Tenderness.
And on the reverse side is the Assumption of the Virgin.
The true author of the holy images is considered a follower of
Theophanes the Greek. And many attribute the icon to the works of the most outstanding master of painting.
The Don icon of the Mother of God is not only a symbol of military victories, but also has the ability to heal many ailments, which is why it is assigned to the number of miraculous shrines.
Several lists were made from the original icon, the artistic decoration of which looks more attractive than the original itself. The Don Icon of the Mother of God (photo below) is depicted on a rich golden background, which expresses the great importance of this image for believers.
In the seventeenth century, for the wondrous icon, a precious salary was made in which she put on. But the beautiful decoration was sacked by Napoleon’s troops in 1812.
The historical past of the monastery
The construction of the temple dates back to 1591-1593 years. It began with the construction of the so-called now small cathedral. The Church of the Don Icon of the Mother of God did not differ in well-being, its appearance was similar to the simple churches of that time.
Only during the reign of Catherine were organized work on the construction of a new Temple and the reconstruction of old premises, a beautiful fence rose around the buildings. The church parish developed, had in its possession a vast territory in which he was engaged in agriculture. It is the seventeenth century that is the most favorable for the formation of the Christian faith, for which the queen very strictly followed, during the reign of which the temple was considered the richest and had significant significance in the historical and political life of the country.
During the war with Napoleon, the most beautiful Temple of the Don Icon of the Mother of God was plundered by the French. But, despite this, its walls survived, the monastic life in it was in full swing until 1920. Then, with the advent of revolutionary anti-religious time, the monastery was closed for worship, all important documents were sent to the archive, and the building itself was used to organize anti-religious exhibitions.
In the 90s, the church was transferred under the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate and is now acting according to its Orthodox mission. To this day, the Don Icon of the Mother of God is mainly worship before God in this monastery, built in her honor.
Beautiful architecture
The Church of the Don Icon of the Mother of God has a beautiful baroque wall with exquisite tiles and twelve towers, reflecting the rich essence of the monastery. The Big Don Cathedral is made in the Ukrainian style, the emphasis in the structure is on non-canonical architectural solutions. But the small cathedral dates back to the Godunov era, which was characterized by the elevation of the main dome of the building on the round kokoshniks.
All buildings within the monastery were built gradually and cover the historical period from 1591 to the end of the twentieth century.
Christian heritage of the monastery
The main holy values of the temple are: the Don Icon of the Mother of God and the relics of St. Tikhon, the patriarch of All Russia, who were discovered only in 1992, during the extinguishing of the fire after the provoked arson of the monastery.
The modern purpose of the temple
Thanks to this Christian attraction, Orthodox believers do not forget the miraculous deeds of the icon for many centuries, worshiping it. In the cathedral built in her honor, a prayer always sounds, the Don Icon of the Mother of God is a divine symbol of peace on Russian soil, which to this day has the ability to protect, heal and give strength in matters related to resistance to evil intent.
In modern times, a spiritual and educational center is developing on the territory of the monastery, which implements such Christian projects as a Sunday school, a volunteer youth movement, the Donskoy club for believers, an Orthodox education for adults, and a Christian center that organizes study tours for the territory of the monastery, including pilgrimages to Russia and Europe.