There are many sights in Rostov the Great. Visits worthy of the Rostov Kremlin, Lake Nero, various museums. But the place where the emperors of Russia once prayed deserves special attention. This is the Spaso-Yakovlevsky monastery. Once in these places there was a lonely monastery of St. Jacob. However, in the XVIII century, one of the most beautiful monasteries in the country appeared here. What is it today and what shrines are stored in it? We invite you to a virtual tour of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery!
Middle Ages
This monastery appeared here in 1389. Its founder is Saint James, the bishop of Rostov. When Jacob was expelled by his flock from the city for having mercy on a criminal who was awaiting execution, he moved south of Rostov. He settled near the Church of the Archangel Michael, which was founded in the XI century. Near the source, Jacob built a small temple with his own hands, consecrated it in honor of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After a short time, a community of like-minded people was formed near the church, a little later - a new monastery. When the bishop died, they began to venerate him as a saint. The burial of Jacob was guarded. And the general church glorification was performed in 1549 by the Makaryevsky Cathedral.
Initially, the Spaso-Yakovlevsky monastery was called Zachatievsky or Iakovlevsky. From the very moment of its foundation (that is, from the 14th century) to the second half of the 17th century, all the buildings on the territory of this monastery were wooden. Of course, not one has survived to this day. The Trinity Cathedral was the first to be built of stone, and later, Zachatievsky. The latter, by the way, was built on the site of the eponymous church made of wood. Then he did not differ in rich decoration, with him there was only a hipped bell tower and three altar apse.
History of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery in the 18th century
For seven years - from 1702 to 1709 - the monastery was patronized by Metropolitan Dimitry of Rostov. He arrived in Rostov the Great on behalf of Peter I. He was solemnly met in the monastery. The first thing that Demetrius did here was to serve a thanksgiving service. There is a legend that on the same day the Metropolitan indicated a place in the southwestern corner of the church, where he asked to be buried in the future. Dimitri of Rostov was buried in 1709 in the Trinity Church. A tomb was built above the burial place of the metropolitan, on which the verses of Metropolitan Stephen Ryazan, who was a close friend of the deceased, were applied. By the will of Demetrius after his death, two icons of the Mother of God - Vatopedi and Bogolyubskaya - were immediately brought to the monastery.
In 1725, Rostov Bishop George ordered the northern Zachatievsky chapel to be attached to the Trinity Cathedral. Later, in the XIX century, the chapel was rebuilt into a separate cathedral. In 1754, the Trinity Cathedral was renamed Zachatievsky, and the chapel was named after Jacob of Rostov.
In September 1752, repairs began in the church. When opening the floor, the relics of Dimitry of Rostov were discovered. Information has come down to our days that neither the relics nor the clothes of the saint were touched by decay. Five and a half years later, Demetrius was canonized. This contributed to the increase in the number of pilgrims to the monastery, located on the shores of Lake Nero in Rostov the Great. In 1757, a guest yard appeared at the western wall for those wishing to visit the monastery. And Metropolitan Arseniy Matseevich ordered the monastery’s economist to have a notebook in which all the pilgrims could write down the stories of their miraculous healing at the tomb of St. Demetrius. The result was a huge manuscript book covering events from 1753 to 1764. This book contains nearly 300 different stories. Today this book is kept in the archive of the city museum.
From 1764 to 1888, the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery was considered stauropegic - subordinate to the Holy Synod. In 1764, the buildings that formerly belonged to the Spaso-Pesotsky Monastery, which at that time was abolished, were added to the monastery. A year later, the monastery received a new official name - Spaso-Iakovlevsky Zachatievsky monastery.
In the 60s of the 18th century, a carved iconostasis was delivered to the cathedral called Zachatievsky, and in 1780, icons were painted for this iconostasis. Their author was the famous Kharkov icon painter Vedersky. Another update affected the wooden walls of the monastery. They were replaced by a stone fence. Graceful towers, a high bell tower were erected above the gate. Then in the courtyard of the monastery appeared two-story cells and the building of the abbots.
In 1794, the construction of the Demetrius Cathedral began. Funds for this were allocated by Count N. P. Sheremetev. The temple was designed by an architect from Moscow Nazarov, architects Mironov and Dushkin. The goal for the builders was set by Sheremetev grandiose - this cathedral was supposed to be a haven for the relics of St. Demetrius of Rostov. According to the count, they should have been moved here. However, the clergy of the Yaroslavl diocese took into account the will of the saint himself, and the count was refused. Despite this, Sheremetev went down in history as the largest philanthropist. In addition to funds for the construction of the cathedral, he granted the monastery church utensils and vestments. And after the death of Sheremetev in 1809, a golden miter with precious stones was delivered to the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery, intended for crayfish with the relics of Dimitry of Rostov. By the way, in memory of this unique man, the Cathedral of St. Demetrius is often called Sheremetevsky today.
What the monastery looked like in the 18th century
Descriptions of the monastery dating back to the middle of the 18th century have survived to this day. Then there was a chopped fence, in each wall of which there was a gate. The main gate, decorated with painting, was located on the east side. Near the western wall were the chambers of the abbots. They were wooden, with a canopy, four rooms and a small lamp. There was a bread chamber and a kitchen at the main gate, in the northeast corner there were cell buildings, and in the southeast corner there was a brewery and a cookery. On the east side were outbuildings - two large stone cellars, a barn, a barn, a stable. And behind the eastern wall at that time was a monastery courtyard with three huts. Behind the western was a guest yard for pilgrims.
XIX - beginning of XX century
Built in 1754, the Iakovlevsky chapel of the Conception Cathedral was replaced by the church of St. James of Rostov. It happened in 1836. The funds were allocated by the benefactor of the monastery Countess A. A. Orlova-Chesmenskaya. Murals were then performed by Timofei Medvedev. Unfortunately, they have not survived to this day.
An extremely important event occurred in 1836. It was then that the Holy Synod granted the request of the archimandrite and approved the new official name of the monastery - the monastery located on the shores of Lake Nero in Rostov Veliky was called the Savior-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery.
On a pilgrimage, Catherine II, Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II and Nicholas II came to this monastery. The monastery kept a huge number of manuscripts, books and historical documents. A part has reached us. So, from the documents it is known that in 1909 a tradition appeared in the monastery to transfer the relics of St. Demetrius of Rostov from the Zachatievsky Church to Dimitrievsky. From May 25 to the end of October, the relics were in the Dimitrievsky Cathedral, as Sheremetev once wanted. Each time the transfer of relics was accompanied by a mass religious procession.
The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the consecration of new temples inside existing buildings. So, in 1909, a temple appeared in honor of the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God, in 1912 a cathedral in honor of the Resurrection of Christ was opened in the Church of St. Jacob.
The abolition of the monastery
In 1917, services in the monastery practically ceased. The only exception was the Yakovlevskaya Church - services did not stop here. However, already in 1923 the monastery was completely closed, and the monks were expelled. The premises housed apartments and workshops. Part of the monastery property, including books and manuscripts, was transferred to the Rostov Museum, but many items were simply looted. In the 80s of the last century, the iconostasis of the 18th century was dismantled in the Conception Church. Now visitors to the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery can only see the skeleton of this iconostasis.
The revival of the monastery
The Russian Orthodox Church, this monastery was returned in mid-April 1991. And by the decision of the Holy Synod, dated May 7 of the same year, the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery was opened. The monks returned here again, and divine services began to take place.
Shrines
Those wishing to visit the monastery are often worried by the question of what shrines in the Spaso-Yakovlevsky monastery are now. Currently, there are icons: the cell of St. Demetrius of Rostov, the Vatopedi Mother of God. They are kept in the monastery and relics of Rostov saints - Demetrius and Abraham. By the way, even the monastery necropolis has reached our time!
By the way, in 1996, a small wooden chapel was erected above the source located here. They consecrated it on December 10 in honor of St. Jacob.
What the monastery looks like today
On the territory of the monastery today are fraternal cells, the building of the abbots. A strict classic look ensures the location of the temples - all three are built along the eastern wall in a clear line.
Conception Cathedral
The building of the cathedral, which visitors to the monastery can see today, was erected in 1686. It is made in an unusual patterned style. The vaults of the temple are supported by 4 pillars. The altar is separated by an impressive stone wall. In the XIX century, annexes appeared around the cathedral. Believers note that inside the Conception Cathedral, frescoes dating back to 1689 have been preserved. These murals are decorated in delicate blue, brown and yellow shades.
Demetrius Cathedral
This temple was built as cold. Only aisles are heated here, in which services are held all year round. Believers note the fact that in the Cathedral of St. Demetrius it is always very light - the matter is in the high side windows of the drum and the altar. In front of the entrance to the cathedral there is a refectory with two chapels dedicated to Nicholas the Wonderworker and Dmitry Solunsky.
Initially, all the iconostases in the Dimitry Cathedral of the temple were made of wood. But in the early 1860s, the main iconostasis of the temple was replaced by a marble one in the form of a triumphal arch.
The main decoration of the cathedral is wall paintings. Most of them were made by the artist from Rostov, Porfiry Ryabov. On the central dome, the artist depicted the Holy Trinity, on the walls of the cathedral - Sergius of Radonezh, Alexander Nevsky, etc. Hilarion and the martyr Alexander. On the walls of the refectory are scenes from the life of Dimitry of Rostov.
Yakovlevskaya Church
In 1836, on the site where the Jacob’s chapel was formerly located, the Church of St. James of Rostov appeared. This church is attached literally right up to Zachatievskaya, they have a common porch. By the way, unlike the summer Dimitrievsky church, Yakovlevsky is heated. Painted the church Timothy Medvedev. Unfortunately, the murals have not been preserved to this day.
Bell tower
In the second half of the 18th century, a three-tier bell tower appeared on the territory of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Convent. The number of bells in different centuries has changed, for example, at the end of the XVIII century there were four, and at the beginning of the XX century their number increased to twenty-two. The weight of the largest bell was 12.5 tons!
The chapel
For a long time in the monastery there was a source. Locals for centuries considered it healing. Legends connect the source with the name of St. James. True, there is no documentary evidence of this connection. But there is a chapel built in honor of this saint.
Abbots of the cloister
It is worth noting that the names of the priors who ruled the monastery after the death of St. Jacob, unknown. In separate documents you can find only the names of two abbesses - Joachim and Paul. Detailed information is preserved only about the abbots who led the monastery from the first years of the XVIII century.
Spaso-Yakovlevsky monastery in Rostov: reviews
In reviews, believers who visited this monastery note a special atmosphere of goodness and spirituality. The highlight of the monastery is considered to be architecture - with elements non-standard for domestic architecture. They also say that it is from here that truly magnificent views of Lake Nero open. By the way, in front of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky monastery there is a tent where you can buy monastic products.
By the way, in the monastery there is an opportunity to take an individual guide. For a moderate fee, you can learn a lot about the monastery and even listen to the church choir!
How to get to the monastery
The exact address of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery is the city of Rostov, Yaroslavl Region, 44 Engels Street. It is not difficult to get to the monastery. At the station you need to take a minibus number 3, which will take you directly to the monastery. Motorists need to drive along the E115 highway. In Rostov, you need to go to Kommunarov street, then to Spartakovskaya, and then you should go to Moskovskaya street, where there will be a sign.
Muscovites need to go along the M-8 highway. Upon reaching Rostov, you need to go to Moskovskoye Shosse, and then to Dobrolyubova Street, which leads directly to the monastery.