The Timashevsky monastery was opened on Kuban land in difficult times for the country. The change in the economic system was hard on every person, but the same crisis opened up new opportunities and became the period when the revival of Orthodoxy in Russia began. Today, the monastery is known for many good deeds and the healing gift of its first abbot - Father George.
Creation of a monastery
In 1987, on the site of the present Timashevsky monastery, a small Holy Ascension Church was raised, Archimandrite George (Savva) fell in charge of the parish. With the assumption of duties, Father George considered the construction of a large church, which could accommodate all parishioners, as the first task. There was very little helpers in this aspiration, the local authorities were in no hurry to allocate land and did not approve the idea of construction.
It was possible to realize the plans with the acquisition of a plot of 15 acres on the outskirts of Timashevsk in a swampy area. The parish priest believed that over time the city would grow, the church would become the center of Orthodox life. A few years later, this happened, today near the Timashevsky monastery there are residential neighborhoods. With the purchase of land, construction began immediately, ending in 1991. The consecration of the church took place in 1992, also by the decision of the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, a monastery was opened. Archimandrite George was appointed viceroy of the monastery.
History of formation
The foundation of the Timashevsky Monastery took place during the difficult years of the transition period from the Soviet system to the current economic model of the state. It was difficult for everyone in the country, and the monastic brotherhood was no exception. The construction of cells and courtyards became possible with the participation of benefactors. As feasible assistance to the monastery, construction materials for the construction of the enclosure fence were allocated. The complex was formed of two residential buildings connected by an arch, in which an entrance gate is equipped.
The traditions of monastic life imply complete self-sufficiency. There were 12 monks in the community. For his needs and assistance to parishioners in need, the abbot turned to the city authorities with a request to allocate a plot of land for agricultural work. Thanks to the participation of the city administration, the monastery received at its disposal about 300 hectares of arable land.
Modernity
Today St. Timashevsky Monastery is the center of the spiritual life of the city. The brethren have at their disposal more than 400 hectares of land where vegetables are grown, a young orchard of fruit trees is planted, and a farmyard is equipped. The inhabitants of the monastery earnestly work on different obediences, trying to equip the monastery and benefit the community. Work is carried out in a carpentry workshop, in the production of candles, prosphorne, on fields and farms, there are many construction undertakings. The main obedience of the brethren is worship.
The first services in the Holy Spirit Timashevsky Monastery begin at 4 in the morning. Evening services open at 18:00, after dinner, prayer continues until bedtime. Throughout the day, during obedience, the brethren fulfill the prayer rule, practicing the continuous reading of Jesus prayer. To date, about 80 people live in the monastery, many of them are novices.
Temples and Shrines
On the territory of the Timashevsky monastery there are two churches:
- Transfiguration Church;
- Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.
In the monastery the icons of the Mother of God - “The Burning Cupid” and “Vladimirskaya” are carefully stored. The brethren and parishioners are honored with the icon of the saint and healer Panteleimon, painted in the workshops of Athos. A reliquary with the relics of several Orthodox saints was presented to the monastery as a gift, Archimandrite George the Elder Job received a reliquary with the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the healer Panteleimon.
History icons
The most revered image of the Timashevsky Spirit Monastery, the “Vladimir” icon of the Mother of God, has a very interesting story. The first parish, where Father George served, belongs to the Archangel diocese. Once the granddaughter of a priest killed in the 30s brought a holy image as a gift, telling the story of a miracle.
At that time, a godless campaign took place throughout Russia, which did not pass over the Arkhangelsk churches. People in power burst into the house of one of the priests and demanded immediate collection and the departure of the father and his family in exile. The priest decided to pray in front of a long journey and turned to the home iconostasis. At this moment, tears poured from the eyes of the image of the Mother of God. One of the artists who arrived, seeing a miracle, decided to end the icon and shot it, after which he shot at the priest.
Blood poured from the bullet holes of the icon. Towards evening, the man who shot the priest and the image committed suicide. The priest's family remained in their house, deciding to keep the miracle that happened secret. The icon was hidden and preserved to this day, and the priest’s granddaughter presented it to Father George. He brought her to a new place of service, now she is installed in the altar of the Church of the Holy Spirit of the monastery.
Rector Father George
The future governor of the Timashevsky Holy Spirit Monastery was born in 1942 in Transcarpathia. The family was a believer, and therefore it is not surprising that Savva decided to devote his life to God. He received his first obedience at the age of 14 in the Preobrazhensky monastery of the city of Tereblya. Gradually the cloisters closed, and in 1961 he left for Nikolaev. For three years (1962-1965) he served in the army.
In 1968 he received tonsure with the name of George, the ceremony in the Irkutsk Cathedral was conducted by the Archbishop of Irkutsk and Chita, Benjamin. In 1971 he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon and hieromonk. In December of the same year he began the work of a priest, working in various temples of the Far North. In 1978 he graduated from a theological seminary in Moscow.
On October 15, 1987, Bishop Isidore was appointed rector of the Ascension Parish in the city of Timashevsk. Since 1992, Archimandrite George was appointed governor of the Timashevsky Monastery. In this field, he worked hard for the formation and prosperity of the new monastery.
Activities
Under the leadership of Father George, the Timashevsky Monastery was actively developing, benefiting parishioners and society as a whole. Responding to requests from girls who wanted to become a monk, the abbot petitioned for the opening of a convent. The case was implemented in 1994 - the female monastery of Mary Magdalene was transferred to the village of Rogovskaya. Through the labor and cares of Father George, they built a temple, equipped a subsidiary farm.
The Timashevsky Monastery today has four courtyards:
- St. George's (Nekrasovo, Timashevsky district);
- Compound near the village of Dnieper (Timashevsky district);
- in the Mezmay settlement (Absheron district);
- in the Andryukovsky settlement (Mostovsky district).
Temples and outbuildings are being built on each compound, and a large subsidiary farm is being maintained. The fraternity fully provides itself with food, some of the surplus is sold at retail.
In 2011, Father George was tonsured to the rank of Great Angelic Image, adopting a schema with the name of George. Father throughout his life worked tirelessly, for which he was awarded many awards. In June 2011, Father George departed to the Lord, leaving a good memory, many completed works, and popular love.
Herbalist and healer
The rector of the Timashevsky monastery, father George was an outstanding healer, who was able to help many suffering. For several generations, the traditions of herbal medicine were maintained in the father's family. On the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains in the forests a storehouse of wealth is stored, you only need to know how to dispose of it. By creating herbs, accompanying the process with prayer and good wishes for health, healing the body and soul, the father helped in the treatment of the most complex diseases.
Many knowledge about the properties of herbs was gleaned from him in the monastery, which stood on the border of Ukraine and Romania, where he worked as a novice in his youth.
Towards the end of his earthly life, many people from all over Russia went to Timashevsky Monastery for treatment. Many pilgrims believe that the help received from the hands of Father George healed in cases where official medicine refused to recover. The shepherd himself noted that there was no merit in the retreat of the disease, only the Lord heals the bodies and souls of men, and he himself is only an instrument in the hands of Providence.
Famous gathering
Herbal collection from all diseases today can be found in many stores. It is offered as a delicious, rich tea that strengthens the body and treats many diseases. As part of the annotations, it is written that this is a monastic gathering against a whole list of serious diseases, including cancer.
The author of the collection is Father George. The composition of the mixture includes 16 herbs:
- sage, nettle, immortelle;
- bearberry, rose hip, chamomile;
- yarrow, lime blossom, wormwood;
- dried flower, savory, motherwort, dioica nettle;
- buckthorn bark, dried marshmallow, birch buds.
The benefits of tea
The herbs that make up tea have long been known for their healing properties: they strengthen the body, stimulate the immune system, promote the elimination of toxins, and help the body fight many diseases. Father George recommended that everyone who came to him for treatment add a few drops of holy water to the broth. But he considered the most important in treatment the internal state of mind of a person - repentance, communion, inner prayer and following the commandments.
Today, this and many other medical fees left by the rector of the Holy Spirit Timashevsky monastery can be purchased at the monastery shop. The fraternity honors the traditions laid down by the founder and strictly follows the recipe, trying to help every pilgrim or parishioner who has applied for help.
How to get there
Holy Spirits Timashevsky Monastery is located in the Krasnodar Territory, in the city of Timashevsk, on Druzhby Street, building 1.
You can get to the monastery in the following ways:
- By electric train from the Krasnodar-1 railway station to the Timashevsk station, then by minibus to the monastery.
- From the bus station "Krasnodar-2" by bus to the train station of the city of Timashevsk, from where minibuses No. 11 depart to the monastery.
- From Rostov-on-Don commuter trains depart to Krasnodar with a stop at a station in the city of Timashevsk. The monastery can be reached by shuttle bus or take advantage of private offers.
The monastery accepts pilgrims daily from 04:00 in the morning to 19:00 in the evening. Organized groups of visitors are asked to warn about their visit in advance, having informed about the day of arrival by phone of the Timashevsky monastery. Visitors are asked to observe the general rules of behavior in the monastery: not to make noise, to have appropriate clothes, not to distract the novices and novices from work and try to devote time to prayer.