On a high hill overgrown with picturesque greenery above the banks of the Oka River, the ancient Amvrosiev Dudin Monastery of the Nizhny Novgorod Region is located. The word "Dudin" appeared in the name because of the nearby village of Dudenevo, "Ambrosiev" - in honor of the monk Ambrosius, who was the first to settle in this place for a solitary prayer. It was he who formed the monastery cloister. By 1620, three wooden churches were built in it: the St. Nicholas Church, the Assumption Cathedral and the Church of Elijah the Prophet.
Dudin Monastery: History of Origin
The first wooden church was built in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Therefore, the name originally sounded like Amvrosiev Nikolaev Dudin Monastery, which at one time was one of the richest in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Once very reliable and well-built by conscientious builders, it eventually fell into decay, only ruins remained of it.
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin had a dull appearance, it stood without floors and doors, and through the empty openings of windows with wrought-iron figured gratings, the sunbeam penetrated in fine weather, as if encouraging: soon everything will change for the better.
First mention
An interesting fact is that in the Kremlin’s Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Nizhny Novgorod there is an old Holy Scripture with a record of 1408 about his contribution to the Dudin monastery by special order of the most reverend Sergius of Radonezh, who died in 1391. And this suggests that the monastery had already been operational by this time.
Another confirmation that the Dudin Monastery already existed is given by the Russian annals of 1445. At that time, it was located at a crossroads of the main roads from the Volga Ponizovye to the center of Russia and was constantly experiencing repeated ruin from Kazan-Nogai.
Kings and saints
In ancient legends, it is written that Sergius of Radonezh himself once visited the Dudin Amvrosiev monastery upon his return from Nizhny Novgorod, and Vasily Dark (Vasily Vasilievich Rurikovich) stopped at a tragic time for himself.
In 1535, the first stone structure was built - the bell tower. Before this event, the Tatars defeated Russian regiments near Suzdal. Prince Vasily, who was taken to the headquarters of the khan, was also captured. He had to pay a large ransom for himself and, having given the prince the city of Kasimov, accompanied by the khan princes, completely defeated by his failures, the prince stopped at the Dudin monastery.
Great Troubles
Russia plunged into a disastrous period of time of Troubles of the beginning of the XVII century. This also affected the Dudin monastery, to which aggressive detachments of Lithuanians and Tushins, and sometimes rebellious local peasants, often began to visit. But in 1613 the accession of the Romanov dynasty took place, and the wooden monastery was again restored.
In 1676, on the orders of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, the monastery was transferred to the jurisdiction of Patriarch Joachim and became the Patriarchal House Monastery. In early February, by decree of the Patriarch of All Russia, the Assumption Church was laid. However, under Catherine II, reforms took place and the monastery was abolished.
Heyday
When Ivan the Terrible annexed the Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates to Russia in 1552, the military threats from them finally stopped. The monastery again began to rapidly expand its land and become wealthy. By the sixteenth century, it belonged to the lands of such villages as Teteryugino, Polzo, Bolotets, Traders, Bolotets, Chernetsovo. In 1606, the village of Chernoye (now the city of Dzerzhinsk) was mentioned as the property of the monastery.
At the end of the 16th century, Prince Odoyevsky Nikita Ivanovich decided to invest a large sum of money in the development of the monastery. And after this began the revival of the monastery.
Fortress
The Dudin monastery for the city of Nizhny Novgorod was a defensive fortress, a log road was laid out from its gate to the banks of the Oka, and the Holy Gates of the monastery became a powerful fortress tower, over which a weather vane was installed in the form of a trumpeting angel.
The village of Dudenevo itself already existed before the creation of the monastery. The horizontal strata of stony white mineral, which was very popular in construction, are still preserved. These same layers were called pipes or pipes. Hence the name of the village itself.
The village of Dudenevo consists of two villages: Lower and Upper Dudenevo. At the beginning of the village in the first part on a hill of the river stands a stone church. Part of another village runs along the banks of the Oka River. Between them is an overgrown wasteland. Old-timers say that there used to be public festivities. A road is laid to the right of the Oka River through the coastline. Next is the marina called "Dudin Monastery."
Ruin
The territory of the monastery was abandoned for a very long time, only its remains were preserved from its once solid buildings. If you look closely, the masonry of the wall will seem surprising, since the old dark red brick fit perfectly, as well as the immaculate white strip of mortar.
There is still a cemetery in front of the Assumption Cathedral, on which there are many marble sarcophagi of white marble with Slavic inscriptions that are well read. In 1920, the ancient icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was lost, and in 1939 everything was closed.
Start of restoration work
The terrain of the Dudin Monastery, which opens from the hill, impresses with its freedom and beauty, at any time of the year you can admire this landscape. In the early 80s, a group of enthusiasts and a specially created commission came to explore the possibility of restoring an ancient monastery. It was concluded that this is almost impossible due to soft soil, since any weather can collapse it.
But despite such a sad verdict, according to someone’s holy prayers in 2000, the Dudin Monastery nevertheless began to be restored. This is the merit of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese. In 2006, priest Vasily Krivchenkov was attached to the parish. With his appearance, construction work resumed, prayers began to sound and services corrected.
Dudin Monastery: photos today
Since 2007, with the blessing of the Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas George, a monastic life begins in the monastery with a strict charter. In the summer, an Orthodox cross, huge in size, was installed, 9 meters high and weighing more than a ton. Once a week, hieromonk Mstislav from the Annunciation monastery comes here to perform prayers and memorial services.
Today, the Dudin Monastery, belonging to the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, is considered its property and cultural heritage. In March 2008, a motor road was built, and the cloister was surrounded by a 400-meter-long wooden fence, and electricity was supplied. The construction of the foundation of the bell tower began, a house for the inhabitants was built, the monastery lands were decorated.
In March, the lighting of the prayer room by Bishop George was also held. The first Divine Liturgy began on May 7, 2008.
First monks
In the same month, the first monastic brotherhood appeared: Father Seraphim and his novice Vasily Stegura. Vladyka performed a prayer service to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and then a procession was held with the miraculous icon of the Virgin called Oranskaya.
In December 2008, the bells and the dome of the bell tower were installed, in February 2009 - the dome of the restored Assumption Church. In May, the first Divine Liturgy was held with the participation of the Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas George. The restoration work involved 20 students of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary.
Consecration of the new life of the monastery
Under the high hill two holy sources make their way - St. Sergius of Radonezh and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In 2007-2008 a staircase was built on the slope from the monastery to the embankment of the Oka River.
When the main redistribution of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin was consecrated on August 23, 2009, before the consecration, Archbishop George addressed the parishioners with reverent words of gratitude. They were addressed to those who helped rebuild the monastery. He said that it was almost impossible to do this, because he was so badly destroyed. But everyone worked for the Glory of the Lord, and therefore they succeeded. After the consecration of the main limit, all forces were cast on the decoration of the chapel of St. Nicholas, which Metropolitan George consecrated on June 6, 2015.
How to get there
The road to the monastery is laid through the small town of Bogorodsk, this is in the southwest of Nizhny Novgorod. From it it is necessary to go towards the village of Shvarikhi, passing by the Peasants to the village of Podyablonnoe. Before Teteryugino the road is interrupted. Further along the sign you need to go down the stairs. In the middle of the path, the Oka River will be visible, and there, between the villages of Dzherzhinsk and Zhelnino, an overview of the monastery opens.
Address: 607615, Russia, Nizhny Novgorod region, village of Teteryugino.