The holy places of St. Petersburg and its suburbs are visited by pilgrims from all over the world. Numerous temples and monasteries with relics of saints and revered icons are open here for believers. The peculiarity of the holy places of St. Petersburg is their location in the buildings, which are masterpieces of world architecture, closely connected with the history of Russia.
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
St. Isaac's Cathedral - one of the first cathedrals, was founded on the same days as the Northern capital itself, under Peter 1. It acquired a modern look under Tsar Alexander 1, when it was rebuilt according to the project of architect Montferrand.
When one of the first holy places in St. Petersburg was consecrated, the Holy Synod presented shrines with a particle of the Cross of the Lord and the ark with a particle of the relics of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called.
In 1871, an icon with a particle of the relics of St. Panteleimon was brought from Athos.
The miraculous Image of the Savior, written in 1693, is considered miraculous; Emperor Peter I prayed before him.
In this holy place of St. Petersburg is the revered list of the Tikhvin Icon of the Virgin.
In 2017, the Church presented St. Isaac's Cathedral with an ark with the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Spiridon of Trimnfoot, the apostles Peter, Paul and Andrew the First-Called. They are stored in the aisle of Alexander Nevsky and taken out every morning.
Alexander Nevsky Lavra
One of the famous holy places in St. Petersburg is the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. It was built on the site of the battle with the Swedes in 1241 on the orders of Peter the Great. The relics of the Kiev Pechersk Saints, St. Innocent of Irkutsk, Alexander Nevsky.
You can pray in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Nevsky Skoroshlushnitsa", brought from Athos, the holy martyr of Paraskeva Friday, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov and other shrines.
The great commander A. Suvorov is buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Kazan temple in Vyritsa
In the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Saint Seraphim Vyritsky labored. Later he served in Vyritsa, where he received people even in Soviet times, during the war, not a single shell fell on the city. The saint repeated the feat of Seraphim of Sarov, praying for the salvation of the Fatherland for 1000 days in stone. In Vyritsa there is a chapel in which the saint is buried.
Kazan Cathedral
Under Alexander 1, in 1801, the Kazan Cathedral was founded on the site of the Nativity Church. His visit is included in the program of any trips to the holy places of St. Petersburg.
The temple was specially built to store the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. In 1812, he became a repository of trophies of the Great Patriotic War, army banners of Napoleonic troops, the keys to the conquered cities, and in 1813 field marshal M.I. Kutuzov was buried in the cathedral.
It immediately became a famous holy place in St. Petersburg, helping with marriage, healing eye diseases. Before the Kazan Icon, they also prayed for the defense of the Fatherland from enemies.
After the revolution, a cross was removed from the temple, in the place of which a gilded ball with a spire was installed, and later the Museum of the History of Religion was opened in the church.
During the war, the temple was damaged by bombing, then major repairs were carried out.
In 1991, with the beginning of the revival of Orthodoxy in Russia, it was open for worship, became one of the most important holy places in St. Petersburg and all of Russia. Today it is the central cathedral.
The Cathedral opens daily at 6.30, the Liturgy and Confession begin at 7.00, the second Liturgy at 10.00. Closes after the evening service.
Xenia's Chapel
Ksenia the Blessed during her life gained fame and national love for her service to God and people, amazing blessed gifts. She often appeared in visions: warned of danger and saved from disasters.
The absence of children for many couples is a great cause for sadness. Year after year, and pregnancy does not occur even when you turn to the most modern possibilities of medicine. It is no secret that prayer to God often helps give birth to the long-awaited child. The holy place of St. Petersburg that helps to become pregnant is the chapel of Xenia the Blessed.
Having lost her beloved husband at age 26, Ksenia broke all ties with worldly life, devoting her life to serving God. She distributed all the property to the poor. During the day, she wandered around the city in her husband’s uniform, and at night she went to deserted places and prayed. She was always invited to go into trading varnishes, since after her there were many buyers, she was often consulted for healings. She helped during her life in the arrangement of marriage unions, in finding children, finding a job, possessed the gift of prophecy.
Now Ksenia often comes in dreams to those who turn to her with prayers, warns of danger.
The people during her lifetime revered her as a saint, although officially she was canonized only in 1988. Ksenia Blessed was buried in the Smolensk cemetery near the Smolensk church. Her grave is now under a stone slip in the chapel, which was erected in 1902. Inside is a mosaic icon of Blessed Xenia.
For a long time the tradition to leave notes with wishes on her grave in the walls of the chapel has been preserved.
It is open daily; in the summer - from 10.00 to 17.00, in the winter - from 10.00 to 16.00.
Temple of the Mother of God of Smolensk
One of the healing holy places in St. Petersburg is the Church of Our Lady of Smolensk, which is located near the Chapel of Xenia Blessed in the Smolensk cemetery.
Getting here is easy. From the metro station Vasileostrovskaya go here minibuses. According to legend, blessed Ksenia helped to wear stones during the construction of the church.
The shrine of the temple is a list of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk “Hodegetria” and the relics of the great saint Alexander Svirsky, who is turned to for healing.
The Divine Liturgy is held daily at 8:00, the evening service at 17:00. On Sundays, two services - early - at 7:00 and late - at 9:30; evening service - at 17:00.
Before the icon "Hodegetria" they ask for blessings on the road, the Mother of God will help and find her way in life. Akathist ministry is held on Fridays.
On Sunday evenings, an akathist is read in front of the icon "The Tsaritsa", it is believed that turning to the Virgin before this icon helps in the treatment of cancer.
St. John's Monastery
One of the holy places in St. Petersburg that helps to heal is the St. John's Monastery on Karpovka Embankment.
St. John of Kronstadt served in St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kronstadt, near St. Petersburg. A huge number of beggars lived here, crime flourished. The priest walked around the poorest neighborhoods, preached, served in houses of worship for the healing of the sick.
Soon it was noticed that the grave patients were healed by the shepherd’s prayers. Alcoholics got rid of heavy addiction. The people began to gather for services in St. Andrew's Cathedral in the thousands. Huge amounts of money were donated to him, he received envelopes with donations and distributed them in the evening, without even counting them. There is evidence that people often received exactly the amounts that they asked God for some needs. With the funds raised, he built the "House of industriousness."
Confessions continued for hours, he often held general confessions, in which thousands of people shouted their sins at the same time, since there was no way to confess everyone in turn. During a visit to Kharkov, 60,000 people gathered for service.
In 1899, he founded the St. John’s Monastery on the Karpovka River, in which he was buried under a cover on the ground floor.
He possessed the gift of insight and predicted many events coming in Russia. He wrote several books, composed many amazing prayers.
Pilgrims from all over the world come to worship the tomb of St. John of Kronstadt, to tell about their needs, to ask for healing. A special grace is present in this place, the soul immediately becomes joyful and bright, every prayer will surely receive an answer to his prayers.
Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
The miraculous image of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” (with pennies) was brought to St. Petersburg by the sister of Peter 1 Natalya Alekseevna. From her home, she made a house church, a shelter for the poor, and later an orphanage was organized here. The king loved to come here to visit his sister.
In 1888, during a thunderstorm, lightning struck the chapel, the icon was not damaged, but coins from the church circle stuck to it, and after ten years the temple was rebuilt.
“Naked robe” and “sick healing” are given by the prayers of the Mother of God before the miraculous icon.
Theodore Cathedral
Theodore Cathedral was built in 1913 in memory of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the Romanov dynasty. After the revolution, it was a dairy. The service began again only in 1993. And he was completely revived in the year of the 400th anniversary of the imperial Romanov dynasty. In front of the icon they pray for the giving of children and help in childbirth.
The holy places of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region are included in many tourist and pilgrim routes. You can go on a two-day excursion to the Northern capital and to Valaam, tourists are accommodated at the hotel for the night, spend the first day in the city, and the next day go to the island.
One day on a tour of the holy places of St. Petersburg, of course, is not enough: there are so many places worth visiting.