Holy Spiritual Monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery. St. Dimitrievsky Ilarionovsky Troekurovsky Convent

The exact date of the founding of the monastery has not been established, since the monastery archives were lost during a fire in 1732. What is certain is that the Holy Spirit Monastery is one of the oldest Russian monasteries. It was founded at the beginning of the 14th century, during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Kalita. On the ancient shrine of St. Jacob, an inscription was preserved, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345.

Tsar Ivan the Terrible, having a great love for the newly-minted saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and lands. In 1613, during a period of troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered by gangs of Swedes and Poles.

In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iveron Monastery on Valdai “Russian Athos,” ordered the Borovichi shrine to be moved to the new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to Iverskoye-Valdaisky.

In 1724, the relics of St. were kept in the monastery for some time. blg. Vlk. book Alexander Nevsky during the solemn transfer of them, on the orders of Peter I, from Vladimir to St. Petersburg.

Since 1741, the Borovichi Holy Spirit Monastery was assigned to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

In April 1918, by resolution of the district commission of the city of Borovichi, the monastery was closed, its churches were turned into parish churches, which did not function for long. Soon the churches were closed, almost all signs reminiscent of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was destroyed.

During the Great Patriotic War, there was a hospital for prisoners of war on the territory of the former Holy Spiritual Monastery. Later, for a long time, a military unit was located on the territory of the monastery.

On September 14, 2000, the Holy Spirit Monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church; in 2002, the golden dome and cross were re-erected on the Church of the Holy Spirit.

After a fire in the 18th century, the cathedral was renovated and the narrow chapels were expanded. There were other renovations to the temple. As a result, the cathedral lost its original appearance. Now the temple retains elements of classical architecture. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with interceptions, the dome and the cross remained from the original appearance of the temple of the 17th century.

The temple in honor of the Holy Venerable Jacob of Borovichi the Wonderworker, built in 1872 from red brick, was warm, two-story. It was decorated with five chapters.

The temple had thrones: the main one was in the name of St. Jacob Ave., on the south side - in the name of St. blg. Vlk. book Alexander Nevsky. At the moment, the chapters are lost, restoration work is underway.

Holy Spirit Monastery (Vilnius)

The Vilna Holy Spirit Monastery was formed at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries. After the conclusion of the Union of Brest in 1596, the previously existing Orthodox Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery came under the rule of the Basilian Uniates. They began to expel the brethren from the monastery, who by 1609 gradually formed a new monastery at the Holy Spiritual Church built in 1597. The printing house, school and almshouse were also moved here from the monastery taken away by the Uniates. Among the inhabitants of the new Holy Spiritual Monastery there were monks from other Orthodox monasteries captured by the Uniates. The first abbot of the monastery was Archimandrite Leonty (Karpovich), known for his feat of confession: in 1610 he was imprisoned. The monastery was initially subordinated to the Patriarch of Constantinople. But since 1686 - under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarch. The Main Altar of the monastery cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The cathedral has two limits: the right one - in the name of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, the left one - in the name of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles kings Constantine and Helen. Below, under the main altar of the cathedral, there is a cave temple in the name of the holy Vilna martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius, canonized at the end of the 14th century. Metropolitan Joseph (Semashko) of Vilna and Lithuania was buried in the cave church († November 23, 1868).
Currently there are ten inhabitants living in the monastery:
1. Archimandrite Ephraim (Iodo)
2. Archimandrite Ermogen (Klimov) - housekeeper of the monastery
3. Hegumen Anthony (Gurinovich) - dean of the monastery
4. Hieromonk John (Kovalev)
5. Hierodeacon Meletius (Grushchenko)
6. Hierodeacon Tikhon (Fokin)
7. Hierodeacon Nikita (Vasiliev)
8. Monk Bogdan (Kalashnik)
9. Monk Eustathius (Nikulin)
The monastery is managed by Metropolitan Chrysostom of Vilna and Lithuania.
Monastery address:
Vilnius, Aušros Wartu str., 10
Tel. monastery: +370-5-212-78-81
Source: http://www.orthodoxy.lt

Of. Lithuanian Diocese website.
Vilnius Holy Spiritual Monastery.
Vilnius city, Aušros-Vartu street, 10-3. With a common spiritual orientation, each monastery has its own traditions associated with its history. The Vilna Monastery of the Holy Spirit has been serving in Lithuania for almost 400 years among Lithuanians and Poles, the vast majority professing Catholicism. The monastery walls are closely adjacent to the Church of St. Teresa, and this is seen as a symbol of the difficult past of the monastery, associated with the dramatic history of Orthodoxy in the Western Region. The Holy Spirit Monastery continues to witness the truth of Orthodoxy to the world and pray for it.
With a common spiritual orientation, each monastery has its own traditions associated with its history. The Vilna Monastery of the Holy Spirit has been serving in Lithuania for almost 400 years among Lithuanians and Poles, the vast majority professing Catholicism. The monastery walls are closely adjacent to the Church of St. Teresa, and this is seen as a symbol of the difficult past of the monastery, associated with the dramatic history of Orthodoxy in the Western Region. The Holy Spirit Monastery continues to witness the truth of Orthodoxy to the world and pray for it. Vilna was founded at the beginning of the 14th century by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas (1315 - 1340), who made Lithuania a powerful principality.
The son of Gediminas Olgerd, according to some sources - baptized, according to others - a pagan, was married to the Vitebsk princess Maria Yaroslavna, and after her death - to Juliania, the daughter of the Tver prince. Apparently, not without the influence of the princesses, Orthodoxy continued to spread in Lithuania. And, as was the case in the Ancient Church, true faith was affirmed by the blood of martyrs.
The confessor of Princess Maria Yaroslavna, Presbyter Nestor, secretly baptized three close associates of the prince, giving them the names John, Anthony and Eustathius. Having learned about this, the pagan priests demanded their punishment. Algerd, even if he wanted, could not protect the courageous confessors - he had to take into account popular beliefs. On April 14, 1347, Anthony was hanged on the execution site on the outskirts of the city, in an oak grove where criminals were executed. Nine days later, John, Anthony’s brother, was also executed. Soon the same fate befell their relative Eustathius. Local Christians buried the bodies of the martyrs in the Church of St. Nicholas in Vilna, one of the first Orthodox churches in the city. Two years later, Christians, taking advantage of the patronage of Olgerd's second wife, Juliana, asked for a hill for prayer - the place where the saints were executed. A wooden church in the name of the Holy Trinity was built here. Her throne, according to legend, was located on the site of the oak tree on which the martyrs suffered for the confession of the Holy Trinity. Their bodies were also transferred to this church. 27 years after their death, the Vilna martyrs, on the initiative of Patriarch Philotheus of Constantinople (1354 - 1355, 1364 - 1376), were canonized. In 1374, particles of their relics were solemnly transferred to the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. He compiled the service and life in Greek. The news of the martyrs was apparently brought to Constantinople by Hieromonk Cyprian (the future Metropolitan of Kiev), who visited Lithuania in the 70s of the 14th century.
Between 1354 and 1374, the Vilna martyrs were glorified in the Russian Church on the initiative of Metropolitan Alexy, apparently not without the participation of Patriarch Philotheus, who confirmed Saint Alexy to the metropolitan see. However, Metropolitan Alexy himself visited Lithuania, albeit under tragic circumstances: Olgerd held the hierarch in captivity for almost two years because of a dispute about the Kyiv See, to which the Lithuanian prince installed his supporter. It was then that the saint could learn about the feat of the holy martyrs. A notable evidence of the early veneration of the Vilna martyrs in Rus' and Byzantium is their image on the so-called “great sakkos” of Metropolitan Photius of Moscow (1410 - 1431), which is now kept in the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin.
All-Russian veneration of saints was established at the Council of 1549, under Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow. In the 16th century, their relics were transferred to the Holy Spirit Monastery and placed in the pre-altar cave; in 1826 they were opened for worship. During the First World War, in view of the threat of the capture of Vilna by the Germans, the relics of the Vilna martyrs were transported to Moscow, to the Donskoy Monastery. They were returned to the Holy Spiritual Monastery on July 26, 1946.
In 1387, under Olgerd's son Jagiello, Catholicism was declared the dominant religion in Lithuania. From this time on, Orthodoxy's struggle for existence began. Those who refused to convert to Catholicism were tortured, deprived of property, and threatened with death. For a more successful Catholicization of the population in Lithuania, as well as throughout the Western Region, union was introduced. Since 1569, when Lithuania and Poland united into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the influence of Catholicism became predominant due to the influence of the Jesuits on Orthodox youth and, above all, through attracting them to their “collegiums”, which were distinguished by a high level of teaching. In cities that had self-government, to which Vilna belonged, in accordance with Magdeburg Law, guild brotherhoods of artisans and other societies were created that united people by interests. In 1585 in Vilna, at the Holy Trinity Monastery, the Orthodox Brotherhood arose and by 1588 was finally formed, whose task, in addition to religious and educational purposes, included the defense of Orthodoxy. The brotherhood consisted of several hundred people, among whom were representatives of the aristocracy and artisans - shoemakers, tailors, furriers.
A significant event in the life of the brotherhood was the arrival in Vilna in July 1588 of the Patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah, who approved “this brotherhood pleasing to God.” At the same time, the Patriarch issued a charter to the brotherhood of the Life-Giving Trinity, in which he ordered it to have a school in the fraternal house for teaching Greek, Latin and Russian, as well as a printing house for printing books of the Holy Scriptures. Many wealthy members of the brotherhood gave him houses and lands, which made it possible to invite the best teachers in the Western Region to the school and build his own temple. By the end of 1594, alarming rumors began to appear about the preparation of a union with Catholics and sad news about the betrayal of some Orthodox hierarchs. When the rumors were confirmed, it was members of the Trinity Brotherhood who began to express concern. The school preacher Stefan Zizaniy was particularly zealous, revealing all the secret plans of the initiators of the union. In 1596, Zizanius was excommunicated from the Church by bishops who were planning a union. The king also confirmed the condemnation. War was declared. This was followed by the oppression of a number of Orthodox priests and the confiscation of land from some churches and brotherhoods. At a council held in Brest in 1596, all eight representatives from the Vilna Orthodox Brotherhood spoke out against the union. In turn, the Uniate bishops issued a decree on defrocking and cursing the bishops who rejected the union: Gideon (Balaban) of Lviv and Mikhail (Kopystensky) of Przemysl. This is how the division of the Western Russian Church into Orthodox and Uniate took place.
The Orthodox found themselves in a difficult situation. After the death of Metropolitan Michael (Rogoza), Metropolitan Hypatiy Potsey, an active supporter of the union, became his successor. In Vilna they expected that he would begin to introduce Catholicism, and they decided to take a desperate step: they accepted Stefan Zizaniy, who had been hiding until then, into the Trinity Monastery, who did not hesitate to deliver a sermon, the content no different from his previous bold anti-Unitarian speeches. The enraged Potsey ordered the temple to be sealed and the Orthodox to be brought to their senses. The suggestion to the Orthodox was made so decisively that Zizaniy had to escape through the chimney.
The publishing activities of the Vilna Brotherhood played a huge role in the defense of Orthodoxy. Many books and brochures outlining Orthodox doctrine were published. The Uniates also knew the power of the printed word. Potsey published the book “Harmony” with slander against Orthodoxy. In response, the famous member of the Brotherhood Meletiy Smotritsky, whose grammar of the Slavic language subsequently taught many generations of seminarians and high school students, published the work “Antigraphs.” At this time, one of the Orthodox tried to make an attempt on the life of Metropolitan Hypatius (Potsey), but the Uniate patriarch remained unharmed. The assassination attempt only complicated the position of the Orthodox, and in the end, in 1609, the Trinity Monastery and churches in Vilna were taken from them. The Vilna brotherhood lost many of its members, who joined the union. The brotherhood moved to the Church of the Holy Spirit, built in 1595, and moved the remains of its property and printing house. But the publication of another polemical book by Meletius Smotritsky, “Frinos,” was the reason for the closure of the printing house, and its workers were imprisoned. Among them was the proofreader Longin (in monasticism Leonty) Karpovich, who later became the first abbot of the Holy Spirit Monastery.
The Holy Spirit Monastery apparently arose immediately after these sad events - around 1609, the brotherhood at the monastery also began to be called the Holy Spirit Monastery. Archimandrite Leonty (Karpovich) introduced a communal charter in the monastery and regulated the life of the brethren. His successor was Meletiy Smotritsky. In 1633, the famous Peter Mogila became Metropolitan of Kyiv, and it became easier for Orthodox Christians to breathe easier throughout the Western Region.
At this time, the monastery and brotherhood were helped by its permanent patrons Lavrenty Drevinsky, Prince Bogdan Oginsky, tradesman Semyon Azarich and many others. In the end, in the middle of the 17th century, 17 male and 2 female (Vilna and Minsk) monasteries were subordinated to the Holy Spiritual Monastery. Holy Spirit monks were often elected abbots of other monasteries. Thus, the importance of the monastery in the Lithuanian part of the Kyiv Metropolis increases significantly.
Immediately after the voluntary annexation of Little Russia to Russia in 1654, the war between Russia and Poland began and the Western Territory found itself between two fires. The war with the Swedes brought even greater devastation. And when Russian troops entered Vilna in 1655, they saw an almost empty city. It was from this time that Vilna lost its significance as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
After the Poles reoccupied Vilna in 1661, breaking an eight-month siege of the Russian garrison under the command of Prince Myshetsky, who preferred death to captivity and was buried in the Holy Spirit Monastery after execution, the position of the Orthodox in the city again deteriorated. The Holy Spirit Monastery began to be accused of treason, complicity with Moscow, etc. The monastery was depleted of brethren. But under her, however, the school continued to exist. Among the significant events of the second half of the 17th century, one should note the arrival of the Chernigov preacher, later St. Dmitry of Rostov, to the monastery in 1677. Here, at the Holy Spirit Monastery, he delivered two sermons.
From 1702 to 1708 inclusive, Vilna was occupied four times by Swedish and twice by Russian troops. From 1708 to 1710, famine raged in the city, which claimed the lives of almost 30 thousand people, then almost the same number died from pestilence.
The monastery enjoyed support from Peter I, who gave the monastery letters of grant and benefits. During the terrible fire of 1749, the Holy Spirit Monastery burned down completely. Only a small maiden church remained. The Russian government allocated 6,000 rubles for the restoration of the church. It is interesting to note that according to the list of 1765, there were 40 Orthodox men and 27 women left in Vilna. After 30 years, this number has almost halved. The activities of the monastery seem all the more important in such conditions. The Poles committed the last cruel outrage against the monastery in 1794, robbing it and committing violence against the abbot, the eighty-year-old elder George, almost the only monk remaining in the monastery. The revival of the monastery began on August 11, 1794, when Vilna became a Russian provincial city. The Holy Spirit Monastery was designated as a full-time second-class monastery with an appropriate salary. In 1797, the monastery was transferred to the jurisdiction of Archbishop Job of Minsk and Volyn. By this time, there were 13 monks in the monastery, and four of them lived and served in the monasteries subordinate to the Holy Spirit. In 1833, at the request of Archimandrite Platon (Rudinsky) of the Holy Spiritual Monastery and at the request of the Vilna Governor-General, Prince Dolgorukov, the monastery was transferred to first class, which entailed an improvement in its material condition. The Synod allocated the necessary funds, and in 1896, with the blessing of Archbishop Smaragd of Minsk, the Holy Spiritual Church was rebuilt on the model of an Orthodox church, as it previously resembled a church.
In 1839, a significant event took place in the religious life of Lithuania: 700 thousand Uniates returned to Orthodoxy. This happened thanks to the efforts of Archbishop Joseph (Semashko) of Vilna and Lithuania, a great admirer of the Vilna monastery and a prayer book for the Lithuanian region.
In 1850, the Right Reverend began the intense glorification of the holy martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius. At his own expense, he arranged a convenient, sloping, and existing to this day, descent into the cave where the relics of the martyrs rested. He built a church in a cave. The icons for the altar were painted by Academician Khrutsky. The cave church was consecrated on April 14, 1851 in the name of the holy Vilna martyrs. Through the efforts of the Right Reverend and with donations from parishioners, a bronze, chased, gilded shrine was built, into which the relics of the martyrs were placed on April 14, 1852. When constructing the church, Archbishop Joseph prepared a stone coffin for himself in a cave and covered it with a cast-iron board with the inscription: “Remember, Lord, Your servant Saint Joseph. Holy martyrs Anthony, Joanna and Eustace, pray to the Lord for me, a sinner, 1850.” He was buried there in 1868.
The activities of Archimandrite Plato (Gorodetsky) also date back to the same period. He carried out enormous restoration work in the monastery. In 1844, the Annunciation Church was turned into a monastery refectory and the holy gates were built. On June 4, 1845, Archbishop Joseph consecrated the main chapel in the reconstructed Church of the Holy Spirit. The monastery acquired a modern appearance.
On August 6, 1865, upon approval of the charter by Metropolitan Joseph, after the liturgy, the Vilna Holy Spiritual Brotherhood, which ceased to exist in 1796, was again solemnly opened. Now his goals were charity and promoting public education.
After the death of Metropolitan Joseph, Archbishop Macarius (Bulgakov), later Metropolitan of Moscow, author of the multi-volume “History of the Russian Church,” became the holy archimandrite of the monastery. Since 1945, the Holy Spirit Monastery, which was located in Poland from 1922 to 1939, is again part of the Vilna diocese. He, as in previous years, carries out his main task - prayer, which is the basis of the life of a monk. In Rus' they have always believed that the world is maintained by the prayer of a monk and the native land is protected by its power.
During the years of militant atheism, the monastery survived. It was even noticeably improved. In 1959 - 1960, steam heating was installed in the Church of the Holy Spirit; in 1976, the entire monastery complex was connected to the city heating system. In 1982, under Archbishop Victorin (Belyaev), the chapel of St. John the Evangelist in the main church was restored and consecrated, at the same time an elevator was equipped in the bell tower, and the fraternal building was also landscaped. Under Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Vilna and Lithuania, the Church of the Holy Spirit was thoroughly renovated. In 1996 - 1997, a major overhaul of the floor coverings of the main temple was carried out, the wooden beams were replaced with metal ones, and the floor itself was laid with ceramic tiles. At the same time, the cave church was expanded and two entrances and exits were made to it. Cosmetic renovations were carried out inside and outside the church building. In July 1997, the 400th anniversary of the monastery was widely celebrated in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the 650th anniversary of the death of the holy Vilna martyrs. On the anniversary days, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II visited the diocese. In the Holy Spirit Church, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated an all-night vigil, co-served by nine heads of dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church and local clergy, and the next day a liturgy. In prayerful memory of his visit to the Holy Spirit Monastery, His Holiness donated Eucharistic vessels to the monastery. On behalf of the brethren of the monastery and the entire Orthodox community of Lithuania, Metropolitan Chrysostom of Vilna and Lithuania presented His Holiness with an icon of the holy martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius.
In 1993, a public library of spiritual literature was opened at the Holy Spirit Monastery. Now it contains about 13 thousand volumes. On Sundays, the monastery hosts meetings between clergy and laity, conversations on issues of faith, and viewings of audio and video materials. For the past few years, the monastery has been providing free meals to about thirty people in need every day. The monastery also has a small hotel for receiving pilgrims.
On the territory of the monastery, in a newly rebuilt building, there are management structures of the Vilna diocese: the “Archdiocese” - the office of the diocese and the “Orthodox Economy”, which is in charge of property affairs, including issues of returning property that the diocese owned before 1940. The residence of the ruling bishop is also located here; Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Vilna and Lithuania, Holy Archimandrite of the Holy Spirit Monastery.
As of February 15, 2004, the brethren of the monastery included: 3 archimandrites, 1 abbot, 1 hieromonk, 1 hierodeacon. In the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, services are held daily. Every Saturday a liturgy is served in the cave church, followed by a litiya in memory of St. Joseph Semashko. And on Sundays, in the main Church of the Holy Spirit, an akathist to the holy Vilna martyrs is read. All holidays and Sunday liturgies in the church are held with the participation of the festive cathedral choir under the direction of its long-term leader, Honored Artist of the Republic Leonid Adamovich Murashko. Two choir choirs - monastics and laymen - take part in the services.

While we are covered in snow, I am trying to embrace the immensity and rake through gigabytes of photographs over several years. Well, okay, at least for the past year. I realized that I never showed some pictures here. Here I am, correcting myself.

She lived in Borovichi for quite a long time, but was honored to go to the monastery only last summer. It is located on the bend of Msta, on Alexander Nevsky Street, 6. Various sources on the Internet tell us this.

Holy Spirit Jacob Borovichi Monastery on the banks of the Msta River. Who was the founder of this monastery and what its initial fate was, this is not known: because written monuments, from which reliable information about its initial existence could be borrowed, were destroyed by the fire of 1732. The only certainty is that it belonged to the number of ancient Russian monasteries, which began in the first half of the 14th century, probably during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ioann Danilovich Kalita. The Monastery of the Holy Spirit became famous when the incorruptible relics of St. Jacob, who openly rested there for 109 years and gathered pilgrims from all over Russia. In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iveron Monastery on Valdai - “Russian Athos”, ordered the Borovichi shrine to be moved to the new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to Iverskoye-Valdaisky. The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness" was built in 1881 on the site of the discovery of the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi. In the basement of the church there is a holy spring, which opened at the moment of the discovery of the relics of the holy righteous James. End of quote.

In my opinion, the location is extremely unfortunate. Perhaps many years ago the monastery complex of buildings stood on the outskirts, but now it is built up on all sides, fenced off, covered with wires, fenced off with pillars. It's almost impossible to find a good vantage point outside. Here, maybe, from above if. From the river side it is more visible, but still flat and does not reflect the scale.

If you stand with your back to Msta

Teddy bear for comparison

Closer windows

The same building from the back. Renovations are in full swing. Workers lay tiles, carry sand, rush back and forth. We did not come closer so as not to interfere.

Inside, in the courtyard, there are flower beds with a variety of flowers. Everything is well-groomed, people are scurrying about, clearly busy. And we came with Maya. She refused to go to the temple, but tried to take away the wheelbarrow with roses standing at the entrance. They didn’t give it. I was offended.

I think it's the gate church. Although I could be wrong, because my daughter climbed in to help the builders.

Temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. In the foreground you can see that same holy spring with a mug. For some reason I was embarrassed to approach.

On the website of the Borovichi diocese we read:

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676, on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It is the first stone building of the Borovichi family that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main altar, had two more chapels: on the northern side of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this place, on the southern side - in honor of the prophet Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery.
After a fire in the 18th century, the cathedral was renovated and the narrow chapels were expanded. There were other renovations to the temple. As a result, the cathedral lost its original appearance. Now the temple retains elements of classical architecture. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with interceptions, the dome and the cross remained from the original appearance of the temple of the 17th century.

Temple doors:

As it turned out, this building also belongs to the monastery. It seemed to me that these were garages.

Unfortunately, we did not receive any useful information on the spot due to an inconvenient travel companion. However, afterwards I found something interesting about this place.

Shrines located on the territory of the monastery

Reliquary with a particle of the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi. Located in the central chapel of the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles since 2001.

Reliquary with particles of the holy relics of the venerable fathers of Kiev-Pechersk and other holy wonderworkers.Located in the central chapel of the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles since 2012.It contains particles of the relics of the venerable fathers of the Kiev Pechersk Lavrain the Near Caves (St. Anthony) resting:

1. St. Pimen the Many-Painful (†1110)

2. St. Nestor the Chronicler (†c. 1114)

3. St. Erasmus, monk (†c. 1160)

4. St. Mark the Grave Digger (†c. 1102)

5. St. John, youth, Kiev, first martyr of Russia († 983)

6. St. Titus, presbyter (†1190)

7. St. Nikon, 4th abbot (†1088)

8. Prmch. Eustratius, monk (†1097)

9. St. Lavrenty, recluse, bishop. Turovsky (†1194)

10. Prmch. Theodore, monk (†1098)

11. St. Savva, the miracle worker (†XIII)

12. St. Damian, presbyter, healer (†1071)

13. Sschmch. Anastasius, deacon (†XII)

14. St. Nicodemus, prosphora (†XII)

15. St. Pimen, faster (†after 1114)

16. St. Paul the Obedient (†XIII-XIV)

17. St. Sisoi, recluse (†XIII)

in the Far Caves (St. Theodosius) resting:

18. St. Zechariah, faster (†XIII-XIV)

19. St. Theodore the Silent (†XIII)

20. St. Nestor Neknizhny (†XIV)

21. St. Achila, deacon (†XIV)

22. St. Joseph the Many-Sick (†XIV)

23. Sschmch. Lucian, presbyter (†1243)

24. St. Arseny the Hardworking (†XIV)

25. St. Gerontius, canonarch (†XIV)

26. St. Agathon, wonderworker (†XIII-XIV)

27. St. Silouan, schema-monk (†XIII-XIV)

28. St. Pimen, faster, abbot (†XII)

29. St. Benjamin, recluse (†XIV)

30. St. Zinon, faster (†XIV)

31. St. Martyrius, deacon (†XIV)

32. St. Ignatius, archimandrite (†1435)

33. St. Philaret (in the schema of Theodosius), Metropolitan. Kyiv (†1857)

34. St. Euthymius, Hieroschemamonk (†XIV)

35. St. Paisius, monk (†XIV)

36. St. Longinus the Hardworking, goalkeeper (†XIII-XIV)

37. St. Theophilus, Archbishop Novgorod (†1482)

38. St. Titus, former warrior (†XIV)

and particles of the relics of other saints and other shrines:

39. St. Kuksha Odessa, confessor (†1964)

40. Rights Jacob Borovichsky (approx. 1452)

41. Piece of the coffin of St. Ambrose of Optina (†1891)

42. St. Amfilohiy Pochaevsky (†1970)

43. Sschmch. Thaddeus (Uspensky), Archbishop. Tverskoy (†1937)

44. Sschmch. Konstantin Bogoslovsky, archpriest (†1937)

45. Sschmch. Vladimir (Epiphany), Metropolitan. Kyiv (†1918)

46. Sschmch. Clement, Pope of Rome, disciple of St. Petra (†101)

47. Martyr. Theodore, psalm-reader, Ostrovsky

Temples of the monastery:

Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit

Church of Jacob Borovichi

Gate Church of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God

Chapel of Taisia (Solopova)

The monastery gained great fame in the second half of the 15th century, in connection with the transfer of the relics of St. Jacob (1545).

In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iversky Monastery on Valdai - “Russian Athos”, ordered the Borovichi shrine to be moved to the new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to Iverskoye-Valdaisky.

In 1724, the relics of St. were kept in the monastery for some time. blg. Vlk. book Alexander Nevsky during the solemn transfer of them, on the orders of Peter I, from Vladimir to St. Petersburg.

Since 1741, the Borovichi Holy Spirit Monastery was assigned to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

During the First World War, part of the monastery buildings was used as an infirmary.

In February 1918, the district commission of Borovichi adopted a resolution to close the Holy Spiritual Monastery; on April 17 of the same year, the liquidation commission began work. The monastery was closed, its churches were turned into parish churches, which did not function for long. In 1920, silver church valuables weighing more than 16 kg were confiscated from the churches of the former Holy Spiritual Monastery. Soon the churches were closed, almost all signs reminiscent of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was destroyed.

The exact date of foundation of the monastery has not been established, because the monastery archives were lost during a fire in 1732. The only certainty is that the Holy Spirit Monastery is one of the oldest Russian monasteries. It was founded at the beginning of the 14th century, during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Kalita. On the ancient shrine of St. Jacob's inscription was preserved, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345. The monastery gained great fame in the second half of the 15th century, in connection with the transfer of the relics of St. Jacob (1545). Tsar Ivan the Terrible, having a great love for the newly-minted saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and lands. In 1613, during a period of troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered by gangs of Swedes and Poles.

In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iveron Monastery on Valdai - “Russian Athos”, ordered the Borovichi shrine to be moved to the new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to Iverskoye-Valdaisky. In 1724, the relics of St. were kept in the monastery for some time. blg. Vlk. book Alexander Nevsky during the solemn transfer of them, on the orders of Peter I, from Vladimir to St. Petersburg. Since 1741, the Borovichi Holy Spirit Monastery was assigned to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. During the First World War, part of the monastery buildings was used as an infirmary.

On September 14, 2000, the Holy Spirit Monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church; in 2002, the golden dome and cross were re-erected on the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676, on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It is the first stone building of the Borovichi family that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main altar, had two more chapels: on the northern side of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this place, on the southern side - in honor of the prophet Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery. After a fire in the 18th century, the cathedral was renovated and the narrow chapels were expanded. There were other renovations to the temple. As a result, the cathedral lost its original appearance. Now the temple retains elements of classical architecture. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with interceptions, the dome and the cross remained from the original appearance of the temple of the 17th century.

The temple in honor of the Holy Venerable Jacob of Borovichi the Wonderworker, built in 1872 from red brick, was warm, two-story. It was decorated with five chapters. The central chapter with a large cross was placed on a beautiful octagonal light drum with a tent top. One side of the church faced the street, which was also named in honor of the Borovichi miracle worker Yakovlevskaya (Alexander Nevsky Street). The temple had thrones: the main one - in the name of St. Jacob Ave., on the south side - in the name of St. blg. Vlk. book Alexander Nevsky. At the moment, the chapters are lost, restoration work is underway.

http://www.borovishi.narod.ru/monastir.html; http://novodev.narod.ru/borovichi.html

Holy Spirit Monastery, unofficial, communal, on the Msta River, near the city of Borovichi. Founded in 1327. Part of the relics of St. James Borovitsky is kept here (see October 23). On the day of Pentecost and the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple, a religious procession is held from the monastery to the city cathedral, on the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and on October 23 - from the cathedral to the monastery.

From the book by S.V. Bulgakov “Russian monasteries in 1913”

The Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327 on the right bank of the Msta, between two Borovichi churchyards. In 1452, after Jacob of Borovichi was canonized, his relics, buried near the monastery, were transferred to the Holy Spirit Monastery. The incorrupt relics rested openly in the monastery, attracting pilgrims from all over Russia. This brought great glory to the monastery. In 1654, Patriarch Nikon ordered the relics of the righteous Jacob to be transferred to the Iversky Monastery being built. Only the reliquary with a particle of relics (rib) was left in the Holy Spirit Monastery. Somewhat later, Patriarch Nikon started the construction of the Novo-Dukhov Monastery on the left bank of the Msta, opposite the Holy Spirit Monastery. In 1664, a stone church was laid there, the bricks for which began to be made here, on the territory of the monastery. After Nikon fell into disgrace, the unfinished stone church was dismantled, and the wooden buildings were moved to the Holy Spirit Monastery. The gate church of Iakov Borovicheski was returned to its old place - this happened in 1673. In 1676, a cathedral church was built from Nikon bricks, which has survived to this day.

In 1809, a Theological School was founded in Borovichi. Until 1859, when a building was built for it in the city center, it was located in the Holy Spirit Monastery. During the First World War, part of the monastery buildings was used as an infirmary - the monks cared for the wounded. After the revolution, the monastery was closed. During the Great Patriotic War, the monastery was a hospital for prisoners of war, and after the war a military unit was located.

Currently, the Bishop's Compound is located on the territory of the monastery. Opposite the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, the holy well of Abbess Taisia (Solopova), abbess of the Leushinsky monastery, was restored, who here in 1861 received a blessing to become a monk and began her spiritual path - this is reported by the memorial plaque on the building of the abbot's building. Taisin readings are held annually.

Information: The Legend of Jacob Borovichsky. Holy Spirit Monastery. Borovichi 2008; Polevikov A.P. Borovichi is a beautiful city on Msta. - Borovichi, 2006

The spiritual and historical monument of the Borovichi region is the Holy Spirit Monastery. It is believed that it was founded in very ancient times by pious hermit monks who chose a quiet and beautiful place for prayer and the salvation of their souls. On three sides, a small low-lying plain was covered with hills covered with coniferous and mixed forests, which sheltered it from strong winds. From the southwestern side, the Msta River flowed its waters in a clear and quiet stream, changing its violent character here. Nature itself in this place seemed to humble itself and fall silent.

It was not possible to establish the exact date of the foundation of the monastery, since the monastery archives were lost during a fire in 1732. On the ancient shrine of the righteous Jacob there was an inscription, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345

The monastery became widely known in the second half of the 15th century. in connection with the transfer of the relics of the righteous Jacob of Borovichi to it.
Ivan the Terrible, having a penchant for newly-minted saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and farmland. This enabled the monastery to build a new cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit. The day following Trinity is called the Spiritual Day and is dedicated to the glorification of the Holy Spirit, which gives a person reason and wisdom, helps his heart to love and understand Jesus Christ, and opens the world of spiritual life.

The temple was wooden, with tent architecture. In the 16th century it had a very rich four-tiered iconostasis. Its Deesis row, in addition to the large image of the Savior, included nineteen more icons. In the first tier there were icons painted in gold, this was a great rarity for that time. The temple icon, two icons of the Mother of God, and the righteous Jacob in the Life were written on gold. Next to the cathedral church, a small warm winter church was built in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This temple was famous for the miraculous icon of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, icons of St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas. Soon after the relics of St. of the Righteous Jacob, with funds donated by the residents of Borovichi, a gate wooden church was built in the name of the saint. The Holy Gate (the main entrance to the monastery), located in the western part of the monastery, overlooked the river. Mste. Later they were moved to another place, because the water was strongly washing away the shore in this place. The main entrance began to be located in the eastern part of the monastery, from where the Borovichi cathedrals were visible. The monastery ensemble was complemented by a bell tower with four bells.

For the few inhabitants of the monastery, a wooden building was built, which contained monastic cells, a kitchen and a refectory.
In 1613, during a period of troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered. The monastery architectural ensemble that has survived to this day is a monument of Russian architecture of the 17th-19th centuries.

There were five monastic churches: the cathedral - in honor of the Holy Spirit, the second - in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, the third - in the name of the Righteous Jacob, and behind the monastery fence - a temple in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God of Tenderness and a temple in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva.

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676. on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It was probably the first stone building in Borovichi that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main altar, had two more chapels: on the northern side - the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this place, on the southern side - in honor of the prophet of God Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery. After a fire in the 18th century. The cathedral was renovated and the narrow chapels were expanded. There were other renovations to the temple. As a result, the cathedral in honor of the Holy Spirit lost its original appearance. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with interceptions, the dome and the cross, now lost, conveyed the features of the architecture of the 17th century.

As a result of the fire, the holy gates and the Church of the Righteous James were completely destroyed. In 1792, in the same place, a new monastery holy gate was built from brick, and above it the stone Church of the Righteous James. This temple, built in an oblong quadrangle, was painted inside and out. Its architecture was completed by a stone quadrangular single-tier bell tower with a beautiful metal cross. On it at the beginning of the 20th century. there were 10 bells, some of them were very ancient.

In 1872, the Church of Righteous Jacob was reconsecrated in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, because the construction of a new majestic church in the name of St. righteous Jacob in the northeastern part of the monastery. The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God was very revered in Borovichi, since the appearance of the relics of the Borovichi wonderworker occurred on the feast day of this icon.

Since 1654, the Holy Spirit Monastery was assigned to the Valdai Monastery, built in honor of the Iveron Icon by Patriarch Nikon.
New church in the name of St. St. Jacob of Borovichi the Wonderworker, two-story, warm, was built of red brick in 1872. The church had a rectangular shape. It was decorated with five chapters. The central chapter with a large cross was placed on a beautiful octagonal light drum with a tent top. One side of the church faced Yakovlevskaya Street (now A. Nevsky Street). The temple had thrones: the main one - in the name of St. righteous Jacob, on the south side - in the name of St. blg. ow. book Alexander Nevsky. On the first floor of the temple a throne was consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas.

At this time, a stone fraternal building was built, which was located on both sides of the holy gate. A two-story stone abbot's house was erected on the monastery's cathedral square. It housed the bishop's, abbot's and fraternal cells, a kitchen, a refectory, and a bakery. Not far from it there was a stone building with services. There were several fraternal cells, a bathhouse, a brewery, a storeroom, cellars and cellars. Next were a stone barnyard, a stable, a barn and living rooms for workers.
The monastery was surrounded by a brick fence with six towers. Four of them were located at the corners of the fence, and two were in the middle of the northeastern and southwestern walls. The southwestern tower overlooked Meta and was especially decorated with wall paintings in memory of the fact that previously there was the main entrance to the monastery and there was a wooden church in honor of the Holy Rights. Jacob. Only the corner towers have survived to this day.

In front of the monastery there was a large square and a birch grove. Fairs were held here on the feast of St. Righteous Jacob of Borovichi. Peasants came on horseback and brought piglets, chickens, geese, apples, pickled lingonberries, mushrooms of all kinds and other products for sale. Merchants brought their goods. There was brisk trade.

From 1830 to 1845, extensive construction work was carried out in the monastery. Material assistance to the Borovichi Monastery was provided by Metropolitan of Novgorod and St. Petersburg Seraphim (Glagolevsky) and Archimandrite Photius, abbot of the Novgorod Yuriev Monastery.

During the First World War, part of the buildings of the Holy Spiritual Monastery were used as an infirmary. The inhabitants of the monastery cared for the wounded soldiers.

In February 1918, the city's district commission adopted a resolution to close the Holy Spiritual Monastery and other monasteries in Borovichi district. This was motivated by the lack of buildings in the city for shelters, almshouses and schools. It was considered possible to leave the elderly clergy and monks at the monastery in the almshouse. Younger and healthier people were asked to find another place within two weeks. On April 17 of the same year, the liquidation commission began work. She was accompanied by soldiers armed with rifles and bayonets. The monastery was first surrounded on all sides, and then the liquidation commission began checking the monastery's inventory, interest-bearing papers and cash. Such measures were not accidental. Back on January 19, when commissars came to the Holy Spirit Monastery to inventory the property, the believers, deciding that the monastery was being closed, beat up these commissars. Two hieromonks, a monk and several parishioners were sent to prison. The remaining monks were given an iron bed, a stool and a table. Only Hieromonk Misail and Archimandrite Vladimir were left with a little more things.

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit was abolished, its churches were turned into parish churches, which did not function for long. In 1920, silver church valuables weighing more than 16 kg were seized from these churches. Soon the churches were closed, almost all signs that reminded them of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was destroyed. During the Great Patriotic War, a hospital was again located on the territory of the former Holy Spiritual Monastery. Hospital No. 3810 occupied all the premises of the monastery. Russians, Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Poles were treated here... Later, for a long time, a military unit was located on part of the monastery’s territory, thanks to which this part of the monastery was preserved.

An event of particular importance in the spiritual life of the Borovichi was the return of the Holy Spirit Monastery to the Orthodox Church. Despite numerous reconstructions, the ensemble of the Holy Spiritual Monastery is still distinguished by the proportionality of its structures and its special architectural appearance. On September 14, 2000, after a 70-year break, believers again entered the ancient shrine, and in the church of St. A prayer service for the righteous Jacob was served by a council of Borovichi priests.

Priest ALEXANDER DUMCHEV, Intercession Cathedral, Veliky Novgorod, Magazine "Sofia" No. 4 2010

Orthodox Holy Spirit Monastery.
In September, on our way to Barcelona, we decided to visit Vilnius. Not just passing through, but a thorough walk around the capital of Lithuania, taking in the sights of the once accessible and beloved city, which today you cannot get into without a Schengen visa.
Walking through the Old Town we saw the Orthodox Holy Spirit Monastery and decided to look into it.
Beauty. There are few places where such monumental religious buildings have been preserved.

Entering the gates of the monastery, we immediately saw in front of us the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit. It was an ordinary weekday. There were many people in the church; filming was prohibited. We walked and admired the beauty.
When the service ended, the caretaker allowed us to take a few shots. I will show them to you, and also briefly tell the history of the shrine.

The Church of the Holy Spirit has several names. This is the Church of the Holy Spirit Monastery, and the Temple in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, the temple of the Orthodox monastery in Vilnius. This is the most important Orthodox church in Lithuania, a historical and architectural monument. Temple address: Aušros Vartų g. 10 (formerly Ostrovorotnaya Street).

Initially, a wooden church was built at the expense of two sisters Theodora Volovich (wife of the Brest governor) and Anna Volovich (wife of the Smolensk governor) in 1597. This piece of land also belonged to them.
After the conclusion of the Union of Brest in 1596, the previously existing Orthodox Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery came under the rule of the Basilian Uniates. After they began to expel Orthodox Christians from the monastery, a new monastery was gradually formed at the newly built Holy Spiritual Church. This happened in 1609.

The first abbot of the monastery was Archimandrite Leonty (Karpovich), known for his feat of confession: in 1610 he was imprisoned.
The monastery was initially subordinated to the Patriarch of Constantinople.
But since 1686 - under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarch.

The Main Altar of the monastery cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.
The cathedral has two limits: the right one - in the name of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, the left one - in the name of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles kings Constantine and Helen.
Below, under the main altar of the cathedral, there is a cave temple in the name of the holy Vilna martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius, canonized at the end of the 14th century.
Metropolitan Joseph (Semashko) of Vilna and Lithuania was buried in the cave church (November 23, 1868).

The architectural style of the church is Borroque.
The church contains the relics of the Vilna martyrs.
The church is active.
So, if you are in Vilnius, be sure to visit the Old Town and stop by the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit.
By the way, the Orthodox Holy Spirit Monastery is both female and male.
Yes, you heard right. The male and female monasteries are located in the same enclosure and are the only Orthodox monasteries operating on the territory of Lithuania.