At the end of December 2011, a meeting of the Holy Synod was held, devoted to the issues of managing church life, at which it was decided to withdraw from the Ufa diocese two independent administrative-territorial structures. These neoplasms were called the Neftekamsk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church and Salavat. According to the decree of October 4, 2012, the word "Birskaya" was added to the name of the first of them.
The new head of the Neftekamsk diocese
Both of these dioceses in administrative division are part of the Bashkortostan Metropolis, led by the ruling bishop of the Ufa diocese, Metropolitan Nikon (Vasyukov). At the same meeting of the Holy Synod, a decision was made, according to which the Diocese of Neftekam was entrusted to His Grace Bishop Ambrose (Munteanu), Bishop of Neftekam and Belebeyevsky.
On that day, the service was personally led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. His name was held a week earlier. Already in the middle of the month, His Grace Ambrose, having arrived at a new place of service, began to fulfill his archpastoral duties.
Geography of the Neftekamsk diocese
It should be noted that he was faced with considerable work, since the diocese of Neftekamsk was very extensive and extended to the territory of twenty-six administrative districts that are part of the Republic of Bashkortostan, including Askinsky, Baltachaevsky, Bakalinsky, Belebeyevsky, Belokataysky, Blagovarsky, Birsky, Buraevsky, Buzdya Dyurtyulinsky, Duvan, Ilishevsky, Ermikeevsky, Karaidelsky, Kaltasinsky, Krasnokamsky, Kiginsky, Mishkinsky, Mechetlinsky, Salavatsky, Nurimanovsky, Tuymazinsky, Tatyshlinsky, Sharansky, Ch kmagushevsky and YANAULSKY.
The Neftekam Bir diocese includes six deaneries - territories where parishes are located that are in close proximity to each other and are led by clergy appointed by the diocesan bishop, in this case His Grace Ambrose. Among them - Belebeyevskoe, First Birskoe, Second Birskoe, East, Neftekamsk and October deanery.
The cloister is a repository of miraculous relics
The Diocese of Neftekamsk is famous throughout the country for holy monasteries located on its territory. The most famous of them is the Mother of God-Tikhvin Monastery, located in the Belebeyevsky district, in the village of Priyutovo. Hundreds of pilgrims flock to him every year to bow to the relics of Saint Blessed Barbara Skvorchikhinsky, glorified in 2001 in the guise of local saints, stored in its walls.
This ascetic, who chose the feat of seclusion in her earthly pursuit, away from a world full of fuss and unbelief, spent about forty years in a cramped village barn, which she adapted under her cell. The blessed one spent days and nights in unceasing prayers, nonetheless finding time to receive all who went to her for spiritual instruction. After her death, which followed in 1966, miracles began to be performed on the grave of the righteous, which was an indisputable proof of her holiness.
Monastery in Birsk
Another well-known and highly revered monastery, which is famous for the Diocese of Neftekamsk, is the Holy Trinity Convent, located in the city of Birsk, headed by Abbess Filareta (Gavryushenko). He gained his fame thanks to the many miracles revealed through prayers before the icon of the blessed Matrona of Moscow with particles of the holy relics that is stored in it.
Monastery in the name of the prophet Elijah
The Prophet-Ilyinsky Monastery in the village of Mesyagutovo, Duvan District, is also widely known. His rector is personally the head of the Neftekamsk diocese, His Grace Ambrose. The monastery was founded in 1998, and its center was a miraculously preserved rural church, built in 1826 and closed and defiled during the years of Soviet rule, like many shrines in Russia.
Nowadays, the inhabitants of the monastery launched a wide church and educational work aimed at filling the gaps in religious knowledge that were the result of decades of national atheism. In addition, the monastic fraternity also provides practical assistance to all those in need, supplying them with products, warm clothes and basic necessities as much as possible. The entire diocese of Neftekamsk assists them in this charitable work.
Revival of the spiritual life of the region
In addition to the above on the territory of the diocese, another female monastery is being built, located in the village of Bugabashevo, Bakalinsky district. Currently, it is under construction and consists of only one wooden residential building and a small house church.
In the years following the restructuring and establishment of democratic government in the country, numerous temples were restored to life, previously closed, abandoned or used for various household needs. This beneficial process also affected the temples of the Neftekamsk diocese. Those that were to be restored were restored and consecrated, and the destroyed ones were rebuilt again.
Temples Returned from Nothingness
The main temple of the diocese is the Peter and Paul Cathedral of the city of Neftekamsk, built in 1845. After his return to the church in 1992, it took a whole decade of restoration and restoration work before he reopened his doors to parishioners.
The Holy Trinity Cathedral in the city of Birsk is also recognized as an outstanding monument of church architecture of the past centuries. Built and consecrated in 1841, it became the main spiritual center of the region. During the years of communist rule, the temple was closed and only thanks to perestroika was returned to believers. In the process of restoration on its walls, under the layers of plaster, discovered unique murals, which are a valuable monument of temple painting.
Church services in the Neftekamsk and Birsk dioceses are held daily in churches, around which more than one hundred parishes are formed. The spiritual nourishment of such a large flock is occupied by a large army of clergy, which is the true army of Christ, and has entrusted itself with the great mission of the revival of Russian Orthodoxy.