Several monasteries bearing the name Boris and Gleb, however, the monastery in Dmitrov is unique. Next to it is a monument to the holy brothers, and it is interesting that both of them stand on the same pedestal and are depicted riding horses.
The monastery itself houses such shrines as the relics of the evangelists Luke and Matthew, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, John Chrysostom, St. George the Victorious, Saints Peter and Fevronia, as well as a piece of the Holy Cross. Unfortunately, in Soviet times the relics of Gleb and Boris were lost.
During this period, the monastery was closed, many shrines were looted and destroyed, but today the architectural ensemble has been restored, supplemented with modern buildings: the Blessed Water Chapel, the Chapel of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (built in honor of Dmitrov’s anniversary). On the territory of the monastery there is a poultry house and pheasant farm; it attracts with its coziness and abundance of greenery and flowers.
Where is the Boris and Gleb Monastery located?
How to get to the monastery
- First of all, you need to get to Dmitrov itself. This can be done from the capital by train from Savelovsky station, as well as by bus, which runs from the Altufevskaya metro station, flight number - 401. You can get there and by car, moving along Dmitrovskoye Highway.
- It is most convenient to use in the city public transport: minibuses No. 40, 3, 36, 11, 30 or buses No. 63, 1, 54, 10, 45, 22, 41 and 2 will take you to the monastery. In all cases, you must get off at the “Ulitsa Minina” stop.
Visit to the monastery
Although services are held in this monastery every day, it is better for tourists to arrange a visit and excursion in advance. This can be done by calling the church store, which is open seven days a week.
Note, that in the monastery excursions are conducted exclusively from 10.00 to 15.00. It is at this time that visitors are told about the past and present of the monastery, its shrines, and the life of Boris and Gleb.
Important! A visit to the monastery requires an appropriate appearance: for women, this is a covered head and a skirt or dress covering the knees; for men - modest appearance, trousers, not shorts, bare head.
On the territory of the monastery there is Water Chapel, where everyone can get blessed water.
The refectory is open until 18.00.
Schedule of services of the Boris and Gleb Monastery in Dmitrov
note that akathists are served alternately to the icon of the Mother of God " Unexpected joy", as well as Saints Gleb and Boris.
Where to stay nearby
- Since there is no monastery hotel at the monastery, pilgrims and tourists should find a place to spend the night in Dmitrov in advance. The closest place to the monastery is Hotel "Four Crowns", which has 11 rooms, a restaurant and a swimming pool.
- You can also stay at apartments on Shkolnaya, hotels Dmitrov Grad, Crystal.
- Another option - rent housing in the private sector of the city.
History of the Boris and Gleb Monastery in Dmitrov
- Borisoglebsky was founded monastery almost at the same time as Dmitrov himself, in the 12th century, and, according to legend, he did this Yury Dolgoruky. There is no exact information about this, since at the beginning of the 17th century the monastery along with the archive was burned by Polish-Lithuanian gangs.
- In the early period of its history, the monastery was subordinate to the Moscow princes of Dmitrov, but later came under the hands of the Patriarch and Metropolitan. It was at this time that a stone stone building was erected here Boris and Gleb Cathedral.
- Later, after the restoration of the monastery, he became residence of the Novgorod Patriarch Nikon, however, at the end of the 17th century, a new fire destroyed a significant part of the monastery, many wooden buildings. They were erected from stone, and they did it quite quickly. Thus, in the nineties of the 17th century, the architectural appearance of the monastery became the same as it is today. At this time, a stone wall with towers was built around the monastery.
- In the next century, the pace of construction slowed down somewhat - like other monasteries, Borisoglebsky suffered as a result of Catherine’s reforms, which significantly infringed on the rights of the monasteries.
Did you know? The Borisoglebsky Monastery kept a handwritten chronicle almost until the end of the 19th century.
- At the very beginning of the 20th century, the monastery began to be restored with funds from local manufacturers. However, the result of the reconstruction did not please Dmitrov’s believers for long: with the advent of the revolution, dark days began for the monastery. Initially, its inhabitants organized an agricultural artel, but it was soon abolished, and the monks were transferred to one of the neighboring monasteries. Nuns from one of the Western Ukrainian monasteries, as well as community sisters from the Ryazan diocese, moved to Dmitrov.
- Services at the monastery have finally ceased in 1926, and here they opened local history museum. After a while, the territory of the monastery was occupied by the administration of “Dmitlag”. During this period, many monuments were destroyed.
- Later, military units were quartered in the monastery and various organizations and offices were located. Only in the mid-nineties did the return of the monastery to believers begin. Churches, chapels, and the refectory were gradually restored, the area and the library were cleaned and improved. Today the monastery impresses with its well-kept appearance, rebuilt buildings, and cozy courtyard.
Photo of Boris and Gleb Monastery
- The golden domes of Boris and Gleb Cathedral are visible from afar.
- In the warm season, the monastery is surrounded by greenery.
- The thickness of the external walls of the monastery is slightly less than a meter.
- The Chapel of the Descent of the Holy Spirit was built for the anniversary of the founding of Dmitrov.
- The openwork Water Blessed Chapel attracts the attention of many pilgrims.
- Near the monastery there is a unique monument to princes Boris and Gleb.
Boris and Gleb Monastery - video
Boris and Gleb Monastery is almost the same age as Dmitrov. The chronicle of the monastery contains many bright and dark pages, but today the temples have been restored, and the territory pleases with its well-groomed and neat appearance. There are many flowers and trees here, and in the monastery bakery they bake bread, the aroma of which instantly awakens the appetite.
The Boris and Gleb Monastery has been documented since 1472. A small suburban one, it was supported by contributions from appanage princes, then from Moscow sovereigns and private individuals. From 1652 to 1664 he was assigned to the Novgorod Bishop's House, and from 1682 to the Zaikonospassky Monastery in Moscow. The first stone structure - the cathedral - appeared in the monastery in the first third of the 16th century. The rest of the buildings were built before the 70s. XVII century remained wooden. Formed by the middle of the 18th century. The small architectural complex has generally retained its composition. Only dilapidated outbuildings, eastern cells and the hospital Church of the Intercession of 1702, heavily rebuilt in 1791, which stood at the northern monastery wall, were lost. In the 19th century a new rector's house appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. - a modest administrative building.
The compositional and artistic center of the monastery is the Cathedral of Boris and Gleb, built before 1537. In the middle of the 17th century. it was adjoined by a western porch and a three-tiered tented bell tower with a fighting clock. In 1656, the wife of steward A.I. Chaplin erected a miniature single-domed Alekseevsky chapel at the southwestern corner of the building. At the end of the 18th century. The roofs of the cathedral, the top of the bell tower and the porch were altered. The former appearance of the ancient part of the monument was returned in the 1900s. Under the supervision of I.P. Mashkov, the tiered end of the drum built in 1778 was dismantled, a new chapter was made, and the mosquito cover was restored.
A brick cathedral on a white stone basement, a striking example of the Moscow school early XVI c., is a four-pillar, now single-domed, cross-domed church with three lowered apses of equal height. Until the middle of the 18th century. it had a second chapter above the Ascension chapel, located in the southern apse. The cathedral is covered with box vaults with lowered girth arches, and the basement is covered with cross vaults. The facades are divided by blades into three unequal panels framed by panels. Semicircular zakomaras with a thin profile are separated from the walls by an elegant cornice with “towns” and geometric patterns made of round holes. These motifs, partly extending to the volume of the bell tower, were repeated at the completion of the drum and apses. The entrances are framed by white stone perspective portals with a keeled top, “melons” and sheaf-shaped capitals. Near the western portal, a funerary carved stone cross from 1467 was built into the wall, now transferred to the local history and art museum.
The internal divisions of the cathedral do not correspond to the external ones. Thanks to the wide arrangement of pillars, the interior is dominated by a high dome space. The western pillars stand on pedestals. The heels of the arches are marked with profile cornices made of white stone. The wall paintings, first completed in 1824 and renewed in 1887 and 1901, have been whitewashed. There is no iconostasis.
The architecture of the Alekseevsky chapel corresponds to its time. Particularly interesting is the elegant western portal, richly decorated with carved brick details. The different styles of the porch reflect the stages of its alterations.
The Holy Gate complex, facing the former road to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, was formed in the 17th-19th centuries. The two-story brick building initially combined the functions of a refectory church with the composition of a gate structure. The lower tier with single-bay gates, vaulted storage rooms and a bakery was built in 1672 in 1685-1687. completed by the small pillarless, single-domed St. Nicholas Church with a developed apse, refectory and porch. In 1834, an equal-sized Empire aisle was added to the building from the north, which in 1852 was combined with the premises old building arched passages. As a result, two walls of the ancient temple were replaced with pillars, and a new porch was built. In 1887, the St. Nicholas Church, on top of the tray vault, was completed with a false dome and a new drum with a dome. Despite numerous alterations of the building, the remains of 17th-century decor are visible on its facades: a number of small crowning kokoshniks and keel-shaped window frames. The interior decoration has been lost.
The two-story fraternal cells were mainly built of brick in the last third of the 17th century, the upper floor is partly wooden. The building has been modified by later renovations. The external blades and cornice with curb have been preserved from its previous architectural forms. Under the plaster are hidden the remains of cut-down platbands with a figured tympanum. The interior layout is new. Vaulted ceilings were replaced with beams.
The two-story brick plastered Rector's building with a corridor system on both floors and laconic Empire facades is typical of monastic housing of the first half of the 19th century; It was built, apparently, according to a “model” design - the base, window sills and interfloor belt are made of white stone, the crowning cornice is strongly extended - wooden. The windows, devoid of platbands, rhythmically divide the smooth planes of the walls. The second floor has corner tiled stoves, and the ceilings have stretched cornices.
The spiritual board, adjacent to the building of the cells, has no independent significance in the ensemble of the monastery. A small two-story red brick building was built according to the design of P.A. Ushakov in 1902 with funds from E.S. Lyamina. The layout is based on a corridor system. In the interpretation of national forms of restrained external processing the influence of Art Nouveau architecture is felt.
The brick fence, which had no defensive significance, about 4 m high, 0.9 m thick, with four round towers at the corners, was built in 1685-1689 and was repaired several times. In addition to the main Holy Gate, in the southern section there is a second, front gate, and in the northern section there is a back gate. Residential and administrative buildings are built into the walls.
Borisoglebsky Dmitrovsky Monastery, 3rd class, in the city of Dmitrov. Founded in the 2nd half of the 12th century by Grand Duke Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky. The main church, in the name of the holy martyrs Princes Boris and Gleb, with a chapel in the name of St. Alexis the man of God, was restored in 1620 and in 1902. In its narthex there is kept a very ancient cross carved from stone, found in 1840 under the altar of the Alexievsky chapel; at the top of the cross there is a relief image of the Holy Trinity, on the sides there are also relief images: on the left side of the Mother of God and the Apostle Peter, on the right - the apostles John and Paul and below - the saints “Basileus, Nicholas and Egorey”, with an inscription indicating the year 1388, like the time of putting up the cross. There is a school at the monastery.
From the book by S.V. Bulgakov "Russian monasteries in 1913"
Boris and Glebky Monastery is one of the oldest in the Moscow region. According to legend - obviously far from the truth - the Boris and Gleb monastery was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky himself shortly after he founded the city of Dmitrov. We will trust the documentary evidence, especially since it confirms the venerable age of the monastery. So, in the 19th century, under the altar of the cathedral, they found a stone cross with the date written on it - 1388! And the cathedral itself is significantly outstanding. Visibly ancient, it reminds of Ancient Rus', which is not surprising: despite its rather late dating (the first third of the 16th century), the temple was built in forms that were already somewhat archaic by that time. It is four-pillared, three-apsed, with a mighty head; However, it is known that in ancient times the cathedral was double-domed. The second, smaller chapter crowned the southern extension - the Ascension chapel. For a long time the cathedral remained the only stone building of the monastery. In the middle of the 17th century, the Boris and Gleb Monastery was assigned to the Novgorod Bishops' House as the residence of Metropolitan Nikon, the future Patriarch, near Moscow. Nikon, contrary to usual, did not begin stone construction in the monastery, being at that time busy with other matters. So the monastery was rebuilt “for centuries” only later - after the fire of 1672. Then the holy gates with the gateway St. Nicholas Church, the cell building, walls and towers appeared. In one of them there are the abbot's chambers. Further, the architectural appearance of the monastery was formed in a generally unsystematic manner.
At the end of the 18th century, the tented cathedral bell tower was replaced by the current one. It would seem that the new bell tower should have introduced a “stylistic discrepancy” and entered into dissonance with the ancient temple, but this, surprisingly, did not happen - the “fitting in” of the bell tower turned out to be quite delicate. Much more noticeable are the results of the reconstruction of the gate St. Nicholas Church in the 19th century - as a result of this intervention, the temple lost its clarity of form and “floated”. At the same time, in the 19th century, most of the residential and service buildings of the monastery were built. The towers have reached us more or less unchanged, with the exception of the northwestern one - it is already in modern times For some reason they took it apart and re-arranged it “almost as it was.” Whatever the motives for such a restructuring, it would not be amiss to recall: dismantling the original and replacing it with a copy in restoration work is the most extreme measure when nothing else can save the monument. Soon after the revolution, the monks, having formed an agricultural artel, moved to the Nikolo-Peshnoshsky monastery, and the nuns of the Turkovitsky monastery, evacuated from Western Ukraine in 1914, settled in Borisoglebsky. Later they were joined by the sisters of the Bakhrushin community, located near Zaraisk, which by that time was already closed.
However, very soon a full-scale persecution of the Church began, and the monastery was closed, expelling all the nuns from there. In 1926, it was transferred to the local history museum, and in 1932, the administration of Dmitlag, a forced labor camp that “specialized” in the construction of the Moscow-Volga canal, settled in the former monastery... However, as you know, the canal was not only built by prisoners. The civilians settled on the streets adjacent to the Borisoglebsky Monastery, forming the so-called town of Dmitlaga. When the construction of the canal was completed and Dmitlag was disbanded, a military unit moved into the former monastery and occupied it for about thirty years. Then the buildings were turned over to institutions (and the fraternal building was even turned over to housing). The monastery was returned to the Church in 1993, and has now been completely restored. In 2006, a sculpture depicting the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb appeared on the square near its walls. The author of the monument is A. Rukavishnikov.
Magazine "Orthodox Temples. Travel to Holy Places." Issue No. 162, 2015
Borisoglebsky Dmitrovsky Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in the Moscow region. According to one version, he is in the ninth century, and according to another - the fifth. There is a long-standing legend about the founding of the monastery by Grand Duke Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky in the 12th century, almost simultaneously with the founding of Dmitrov in 1154, which he named in honor of his youngest son, who received the name Dmitry in baptism. There is no exact information about the foundation of this monastery; most likely, it arose in the third quarter of the 15th century (in 1841, under the aisle of the monastery cathedral, a stone cross was found with the date of its installation - 1467; and in written documentary sources the monastery was first mentioned in 1472 in a will specific Prince of Dmitrov Yuri Vasilievich). People believed the legends, especially since documentary information few people knew about the monastery (in 1610, during the Time of Troubles for Russia, a fire that raged within the monastery walls destroyed the entire monastery archive). Dmitrov and Moscow princes, and in the 19th - early. XX centuries entrepreneurs and manufacturers, with thoughts about the founding of the monastery by Yuri Dolgoruky himself, the founder of the capital of Moscow, sought to be generous to this monastery, which allowed it to successfully develop and carry out construction, including stone construction.
In 1537, a wonderful cathedral was built in the name of the passion-bearing saints Boris and Gleb. This brick, four-altar, single-domed, cross-domed church on a white stone basement is a striking example of the Moscow architectural school of the early 16th century. It was completed and rebuilt several times (1620, 1656, 1778, 1824, 1887). Another interesting structure in the monastery that has survived to this day is the complex of the Holy Gates with the gate St. Nicholas Church (XVII-XIX centuries) - this is a two-story brick building that originally combined the functions of a refectory church with the composition of the gate structure. The lower tier with a single-span gate (1672), closets and a bakery (1685-1687) topped with a small pillarless, single-domed St. Nicholas Church. As a result of reconstructions (1852 and 1887), the Holy Gate complex somewhat changed its original appearance. But the gateway St. Nicholas Church with a refectory (1685-1687), with a chapel in honor of the Feodorovskaya icon, has been preserved Mother of God(1834). The Brethren's cells (the last third of the 17th century), the Abbot's building (the first half of the 19th century), the building of the Spiritual Board, the two-story red brick building (1902), the monastery fence (height about 4 m, thickness 0.9 m with four round towers in the corners, 1685-1689) and some other buildings.
Like other monasteries, the monastery of St. Boris and Gleb suffered from various disasters: invasions and devastation of enemies (for example, in 1610 from the detachments of Polish-Lithuanian interventionists Hetman J. Sapieha), fire (1672), and other disasters and misfortunes. However, the monastery has always been restored, helped by its legendary history and proximity to Moscow. In 1652, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov issued a decree according to which the Boris and Gleb Monastery became the residence of his friend, adviser, and confidant - Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod (in the same 1652 he became patriarch and remained so until 1666), but soon lost interest in this monastery.
In 1656, Patriarch Nikon founded on the banks of the river. Istra Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery, which became his favorite country residence. Since 1652, the Boris and Gleb Monastery was subordinate to the Novgorod Metropolitan House; from 1664, it was briefly independent; in 1682 it was assigned to the Zaikonospassky Monastery in Moscow, but in 1725 it again became an independent independent monastery. The personality of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (1629-1676) influenced the fate and development of the monastery at least twice: directly in 1652, when, at his request, the monastery became the residence of Nikon, and indirectly in 1656. The wife of steward Alexei Chaplin, Praskovya Chaplin, added a chapel to the Boris and Gleb Cathedral in the name of Alexis, the man of God - the patron saint of her husband, but she and her husband looked further - with this construction, their family first of all paid tribute to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and their common with Alexei Chaplin to the saint.
The long history of this monastery and the participation of prominent personalities in its life invariably attracted rich investors and influential patrons to it, which ensured its well-being. Significant repair and improvement work was periodically carried out in the monastery, and in 1689 the stone walls and towers of the monastery were erected. By the beginning of the 18th century, the monastery owned a stable yard south of the Borisoglebsk monastery, where a military unit was located until 2009, an area with outbuildings behind the northern monastery wall, a settlement of 14 courtyards and a mill on the Berezovets River (a tributary of the Yakhroma). After Catherine's decree of 1764, the Boris and Gleb Monastery remained the only monastery of Dmitrov (the other two - Pyatnitsky and Nikitsky - were abolished).
In the middle of the 18th century the monastery experienced hard times, its buildings had become very dilapidated by that time. True, since 1777 a theological school operated at the monastery. In 1888, the 500th anniversary of the monastery was celebrated, which caused an increase in interest in it. Under the supervision of the architect Ivan Pavlovich Mashkov, the cathedral is being restored to its original form, the buildings of the monastery are being restored, at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. In the Borisoglebsk monastery, large repair and restoration work was carried out at the expense of E. S. Lyamina, the widow of the large manufacturer I. A. Lyamin, the founder of the Pokrovskaya Manufactory partnership, and in 1902, the architect Pyotr Anisimovich Ushakov built the Spiritual Board with donations from the same Lyamina. It is worth saying that until the end of the 19th century, a handwritten chronicle was kept in the monastery.
After the autumn events of 1917, the monastic brethren united into an artel, but already in 1918 the monks from the Borisoglebsky monastery were transferred to the Nikolo-Peshnoshsky monastery in the Dmitrov district, and it housed the sisters of the Turkovitsky convent, evacuated from Western Ukraine. In the first half of the 1920s. the monastery still existed, but it was already a women’s monastery, and not a men’s monastery, as before. In 1921, they were joined by sisters from the Zaraiskaya Bogoroditskaya Bakhrushinsky women's community, expelled by the Bolsheviks.
In 1926, the local authorities finally closed the Boris and Gleb Monastery and gave its buildings away to house the exhibition of the Dmitrov Region Museum on its territory. Its employees, led by director K. A. Solovyov, were competent and patriotic people; they did everything in their power to preserve the monastery complex as a monument of history, culture, and architecture. The fate of most museum workers turned out to be tragic; they were repressed and almost all died. In 1932, the museum was transferred to the Assumption Cathedral. In the same year, the Moscow-Volga Canal and DMITLAG Administration was located in the buildings of the closed monastery. DMITLAG was one of the divisions of the Gulag - Government controlled camps. Here, in the Dmitrovsky district, there was a specialized camp for prisoners who mainly worked on the construction of this canal along with civilians and military personnel. This camp was called Dmitlag; its managing structural unit was located in the monastery. The adjacent streets: Komsomolskaya, Pionerskaya, Chekistskaya, Bolshevistskaya, Inzhenernaya, Energeticheskaya, Shlyuzovaya - formed the “DMITLAG town”, where engineers and civilian workers settled. Most of those who worked on the construction of the canal died from exhaustion, inhuman working conditions, an incredible amount of work, or were shot. About 200 thousand repressed people worked here. In memory of them, a memorial cross was erected along the canal route. DMITLAG existed until 1937. From the 1940s to the 1970s. in the monastery there was a military unit, later warehouses, various organizations - mainly offices of city institutions; Some of the buildings were given over to housing for ordinary citizens.
In 1993, the Boris and Gleb Monastery was revived as the spiritual and religious center of Dmitrov. In 2003, there were 8 monks: the rector, Archimandrite Roman (Gavrilov), 3 hieromonks, 2 hierodeacons, 2 novices. On August 31, 2003, a visit to the monastery of Patriarch Alexy II took place. On August 6, 2004, Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomensky Juvenaly re-consecrated the revived and restored Boris and Gleb Cathedral with a chapel in honor of Alexy, the man of God. The monastery bell tower has a chiming clock and a belfry of eight bells. The Holy Spirit Chapel (2000), a new hotel building for pilgrims, and an administrative building were rebuilt.
The Boris and Gleb Monastery also has its own courtyard - Transfiguration Church in the Balashikha district in the village of Poltevo. The monastery lives according to the communal rules: in addition to church services, the brethren are busy with various obediences - baking prosphora and bread, making candles, beekeeping, poultry farming, and landscaping the territory. Today ancient monastery attracts many pilgrims - people want to pray in a special, concentrated monastic atmosphere, to venerate the shrines, of which there are many here.
From the book by Glushkov V.G. Monasteries of the Moscow Region. - M: Veche, 2005 and from the site www.dmitrov.bgm.ru/history/Borisoglebsky Monastery
August 6 The Church honors memory of the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb. The holy noble passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb were the youngest sons of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles. They were born shortly before the Baptism of the Russian Land and were raised in the spirit of the Christian faith. The eldest of the brothers - Boris received a good education. Gleb shared his brother’s desire to devote his life exclusively to serving God. The brothers were distinguished by their mercy and kindness, imitating the example of their father, Prince Vladimir, who was merciful and sympathetic.
Life of Princes Boris and Gleb
Boris and Gleb were the sons of Grand Duke Vladimir of Kyiv (c. 960 - 07/28/1015) from his wife, the Byzantine princess Anna (963 - 1011/1012) from the Armenian dynasty, only sister ruling emperor Byzantium of Basil II (976-1025). At holy baptism, Boris received the name Roman, and Gleb received the name Davyd. From early childhood, the brothers were raised in Christian piety. Loved to read Holy Bible, creations of the holy fathers. They ardently wanted to imitate the feat of God's saints. Boris and Gleb were distinguished by their mercy, kindness, responsiveness and modesty.
During the lifetime of Prince Vladimir, Boris received Rostov as an inheritance, and Gleb received Murom. While ruling their principalities, they showed wisdom and meekness, caring primarily about planting Orthodox faith and establishing a pious lifestyle among people. The young princes were skilled and brave warriors. Shortly before his death, their father Grand Duke Vladimir summoned his older brother, Boris, and sent him with a large army against the godless Pechenegs. However, the Pechenegs, frightened by the strength of Prince Boris and the power of his army, fled to the steppe.
After the death of Vladimir the Great in 1015, his eldest son from a Greek woman, the widow of the Kyiv prince Yaropolk Svyatoslavich (? - 06/11/978), Svyatopolk (c. 979 - 1019) declared himself the great prince of Kyiv. Upon learning of his father's death, Prince Boris was very upset. The squad persuaded him to go to Kyiv and take the grand-ducal throne, but the humble Boris disbanded the army, not wanting internecine strife:
I will not raise my hand against my brother, and even against my elder, whom I should consider as my father!
Svyatopolk was a fairly insidious and power-hungry man, did not believe the sincerity of the words of his brother Boris and saw in him only a rival, on whose side the people were. Immediately Svyatopolk decided to commit a terrible crime, sending assassins to Boris. Boris was notified of this, but did not hide. Remembering the exploits of the first Christian martyrs, he readily faced death. The assassins sent by Svyatopolk overtook Boris at Matins on Sunday, July 24 (old style), 1015, in his tent on the banks of the Alta River. After the service, the criminals broke into the prince's tent and pierced Boris with spears.
The servant of Saint Prince Boris Georgy Ugrin rushed to the defense of his master, but was immediately killed. However, Boris was still alive. Coming out of the tent, he began to pray, and then turned to the murderers:
Come, brothers, finish your service, and may there be peace to brother Svyatopolk and to you.
Then one of the killers came up and pierced him with a spear. Svyatopolk's servants took Boris's body to Kyiv; on the way they met two Varangians sent by Svyatopolk to speed up the matter. The Varangians noticed that the prince was still alive, although he was barely breathing. Then one of them pierced his heart with a sword. The body of the passion-bearer Prince Boris was secretly brought to Vyshgorod and laid in a church in the name of St. Basil the Great.
After this, Svyatopolk decided to kill younger brother- Gleba. Svyatopolk summoned Gleb from Murom and sent his warriors to meet him so that they would kill him on the way. At this time, Prince Gleb learned about the death of his father and the fratricidal crime of Svyatopolk. Grieving about this, Gleb, like Boris earlier, preferred martyrdom brotherly war. The killers met Gleb at the mouth of the Smyadyn River, not far from Smolensk. The murder of Prince Gleb occurred on September 5, 1015. The killers buried Gleb's body in a coffin consisting of two hollowed out logs.
The martyrdom of princes Boris and Gleb
The life of the passion-bearers Russian princes Boris and Gleb was sacrificed to the main Christian good deed - love. The brothers, by their will, showed that evil must be repaid with good. This was still new and incomprehensible to Rus', accustomed to blood feud.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28).
Boris and Gleb gave their lives for the sake of obedience, on which a person’s spiritual life is based. " You see, brothers, - speaks Reverend Nestor Chronicler, - How high is obedience to an older brother? If they had resisted, they would hardly have received such a gift from God. There are many young princes today who do not obey their elders and are killed for resisting them. But they are not likened to the grace that these saints were awarded».
The Russian passion-bearing princes did not want to raise their hands against their brother, but the power-hungry Svyatopolk was punished for fratricide. In 1019 Prince of Kyiv Yaroslav the Wise (c. 978 - 02/20/1054) - half-brother of Boris and Gleb, one of the sons of Prince Vladimir, gathered an army and defeated Svyatopolk's squad.
By God's providence, the decisive battle took place on a field near the Alta River, where Prince Boris was killed. Svyatopolk, called the Accursed by the Russian people, fled to Poland and, like the biblical fratricide Cain, did not find peace and refuge anywhere. Chroniclers testify that even his grave emanated a stench.
« Since then, - writes the chronicler, - sedition has died down in Rus'" The blood shed by the brothers Boris and Gleb to prevent internecine strife turned out to be the fertile seed that strengthened the unity of Rus'.
Veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb
The noble passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb are not only glorified by God for the gift of healing, but they are special patrons and defenders of the Russian land. There are many known cases of their appearance in difficult times for our Fatherland, for example, to Saint Prince Alexander Nevsky on the eve of Battle on the Ice(1242), to Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy on the day of the Battle of Kulikovo (1380). They also talk about other cases of the intercession of saints during wars and armed conflicts in later times.
The veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb began very early, shortly after their death. The service to the saints was compiled by the Metropolitan Kyiv John I (1008-1035).
The Grand Duke of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise took care to find the remains of Prince Gleb, which had been unburied for 4 years, and buried them in Vyshgorod, in the church in the name of St. Basil the Great, next to the relics of St. Prince Boris. After some time, this temple burned down, but the relics remained unharmed, and many miracles were performed from them.
One Varangian stood irreverently on the grave of the holy brothers, and a suddenly emanating flame scorched his feet. From the relics of the holy princes, a lame youth, the son of a resident of Vyshgorod, received healing: the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb appeared to the youth in a dream and made the sign of the cross on his sore leg. The boy woke up from sleep and stood up completely healthy.
The noble prince Yaroslav the Wise built a stone five-domed temple on the site of the burnt church, which was consecrated on July 24, 1026 by Metropolitan John of Kyiv with a council of clergy.
The year of canonization of the holy passion-bearers is considered to be 1072. They became the first Russian saints. However, it is known that the Greek bishops, who at that time headed the Russian Church, were not particularly enthusiastic about the glorification of Russian saints. But a large number of miracles emanating from the relics of the holy passion-bearers and popular veneration did their job. The Greeks finally had to recognize the holiness of the Russian princes. In popular legend, the holy princes, first of all, appear as intercessors of the Russian land. In honor of the saints, many prayers were composed, including the unique, famous hagiographic Proverbs, which were preserved in Russian worship until the beginning of the 17th century.
The number of icons, copper castings and other images of Saints Boris and Gleb is enormous. In almost any historical museum dedicated to ancient Russian icon painting, today you can find icons of saints of various sizes and levels of icon painting skill.
The Old Believer icons of Boris and Gleb are also known. Thus, after the church schism, cast icons of saints, of which there are about 10 different versions, became widespread.
There are also several cities and towns named after the saints.
The following days have been established for the veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb:
- May 15 - transfer of the relics of the holy martyrs Russian princes Boris and Gleb, named Roman and Davyd in holy baptism (1072 and 1115);
- June 2 - the first transfer of the relics of the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb (1072);
- August 6 - joint celebration of Saints Boris and Gleb;
- August 24 - transfer of the old shrine of the holy passion-bearers Princes Boris and Gleb from Vyshgorod to Smolensk (1191);
- September 18 - Dormition of the holy and blessed Prince Gleb, brother of Saint Boris according to the flesh (1015).
————————
Library of Russian Faith
→
Troparion, tone 2
A truthful passion-bearer, and a true listener to the Gospel of Christ, chaste Romane, with the kindly Davyd, without resisting the enemy, I am a brother who kills the body, but cannot touch the soul. Let the evil power-hungry weep, but you, rejoicing with the faces of the angels, stand before the Holy Trinity. Praying for the power of your relatives to be pleasing to God, and for your Russian sons to be saved.
Kontakion, tone 3
Today is the glorious memory of the noble passion-bearer of Christ, Roman and David, calling us to the praise of Christ our God. Therefore, the gift of healing that flows to the race of relics is acceptable, through the prayers of the holy Vayu, you are a divine physician.
Temples in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb
It is interesting that the veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb in ancient Rus' was much more widespread than even the veneration of the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga. This is especially noticeable in the number of churches built in the name of these saints. Their number reaches several dozen.
The construction of churches in honor of the holy Russian princes Boris and Gleb was extensive throughout the history of the Russian Church. In the pre-Mongol period, this was, first of all, a church in Vyshgorod, where pilgrimages were constantly made.
In honor of Saints Boris and Gleb, monasteries were created: Novotorzhsky, in Turov, Nagorny in Pereslavl-Zalessky. By the beginning of the 70s. XI century At the sites of the death of both princes, wooden churches were built, which were eventually replaced by stone ones. One of the centers of veneration for princes Boris and Gleb was the monastery on Smyadyn. In the 12th century Boris and Gleb Cathedral, which still exists today, was erected in Chernigov.
Similar stone buildings appeared in Ryazan, Rostov-Suzdal land, Polotsk, Novgorod, Gorodnya and others.
The dedication of temples and monasteries to Boris and Gleb did not stop in subsequent times. Boris and Gleb churches were built: in Rostov, Murom, Ryazan, in the village of Lyuboditsy (now Bezhetsky district of the Tver region). Several churches were dedicated to Boris and Gleb in Novgorod: at the gates of the Kremlin, “in Plotniki”.
A significant number of Boris and Gleb churches existed in Moscow and the outskirts of the city: at the Arbat Gate, on Povarskaya street, the upper temple of the church in Zyuzin, as well as in the Moscow region.
In the XIV - early XX centuries. there were monasteries in the name of Boris and Gleb: Ushensky on the banks of the Ushna River near Murom, in Novgorod “from Zagzenya”, in Polotsk, on the Sukhona River in the Totemsky district of the Vologda province, in Solvychegodsk, in Mozhaisk, in Pereslavl-Zalessky “on the sands”, in Suzdal, in Chernigov.
In 1660, the monks of the Mezhigorsky Transfiguration Monastery received a letter from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich to build a monastery “on the blood” of Boris, but for unknown reasons the monastery was not created. In 1664, the archpriest of the Pereyaslav Assumption Cathedral, Grigory Butovich, erected a stone cross here. At the end of the 17th century. a temple in the name of Boris and Gleb is mentioned not far from the place of Boris’s death.
Currently operating are the first in Rus' Novotorzhsky Borisoglebsky monastery in Torzhok, Tver region, Borisoglebsky monastery on Ustye in the village of Borisoglebsky, Yaroslavl region, Borisoglebsky monastery in Dmitrov, Anosin in the name of Boris and Gleb, Borisoglebsky convent in the Istra district of the Moscow region, Borisoglebsky convent in the village of Vodyanoye, Kharkov region, Ukraine.
In Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, the Russian Old Orthodox Church and other Old Believer agreements do not have a single temple dedicated to the holy princes - passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. Which, it must be admitted, indicates a decline in the veneration of Russian saints in the Old Believers. At the same time, it should be noted that the passion-bearers are still revered in the South Slavic countries, and in the Moscow Patriarchate new churches and monasteries are periodically opened in the name of these saints.
Although some people confidently claim that the earth is unique under the silvery light of the moon, but just look! - how beautiful she is in the light of day! We are driving to the Rostov Boris and Gleb Monastery, and along the road, dense pine forests turn dark with green, the snow turns white, their combination harmoniously complements the gray cloudy sky. The car bounces on Russian road eternal quality, we are thoroughly shaken from time to time.
We are going to admire another historical place in Rostov with several unsurpassed architectural monuments.
Still, what a wonderful thing – travel! New places always promise previously unknown and unforgettable experiences! Where we are going now, we will get them in abundance - we will simply choke on the impressions of a beautiful and truly Russian place, almost untrodden by tourists. At least that's what we were assured.
Not the most welcoming weather
Go! Overboard is about zero, but strong wind. On the way out of the city, a gust of wind tore off a passerby’s hat, and it quickly ran away from its owner along the roadway. The citizen was at that age when it is still important how you look in the eyes of others. The fear of appearing ridiculous prevented him from going after the fugitive with all his might, and the prudence that had come over the years did not allow him to give up on the loss.
The headdress was briskly jumping along an arbitrary trajectory into the distance, but the general direction of its movement was still visible: somewhere on the opposite side of the road. Its owner, smiling embarrassedly at the motorists, puffed, rushed along the highway and tried to seize the right moment to catch his thing. Finally, the hat swerved and hit the wheel of the Muscovite walking in front of us, and the catcher himself almost fell under him.
Sanya quickly stopped, thereby securing the arena of action. Taking advantage of this favorable circumstance, the object of persecution, and then its unlucky owner, jumped out onto the sidewalk, where the criminal headdress was quickly captured by passers-by. Having finally received the property in his hands, the happy Rostov resident left. We followed his example.
The first Russian saints Boris and Gleb
Briefly - who are they?
In the summer of 2015, it will be a thousand years since the soul of the baptizer of Rus', the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir, flew to the Lord. Little is known about the details of his life. What are the details? Both his birth itself and the circumstances of his death are shrouded in fog.
But it is known that Vladimir the Red Sun during the pagan period of his life was an inveterate polygamist. Therefore, he had many children from different wives. It is believed that there were twelve sons alone.
And especially among them he singled out the younger ones - Boris and Gleb. Who was their mother? Unknown. For a long time it was believed that she was the daughter and sister of the Byzantine emperors - the porphyry Byzantine princess Anna. Now this statement in the scientific community is considered unfounded and not confirmed by sources.
Only a few days passed after the unexpected death of Vladimir, when his beloved sons were killed in different places, who did not want to participate in the internecine war with their brothers - Rostov prince Boris and Gleb, who reigned in Murom.
In those distant times, succession of power relied solely on force and went hand in hand with the murder of pretenders. Even close relatives were dealt with mercilessly.
And then something amazing happened: having each a strong squad under their command, they did not want to go the bloody path and did not raise their hands against their brothers. Having accepted martyrdom, they established a new model of behavior - not all means are good for achieving power.
Boris and Gleb became the first saints canonized by the Russian Church. Hundreds of monasteries and temples were built in their honor in Rus'.
I knew absolutely nothing about the Borisoglebsky Monastery, which is located in the Yaroslavl region, but this is tenderly the younger brother. Seven hundred years ago, two monks Theodore and Pavel came here to the thicket of the forest and decided to found a monastery in the local desolation. He showed them the place for the monastery.
First, the monks built a wooden church. It was 1363, less than thirty years had passed since Makovets grew up on Mount Makovets.
But, if the Trinity-Sergius Monastery occupied a strategically important position, blocking access to Moscow, then, standing on the road connecting Uglich and Rostov, the Boris and Gleb Monastery was unable to block the approach to any of these cities. To get to any of them, both then and now, there are many other possibilities - this road is not the only one.
The reasons why the remote Boris and Gleb Monastery did not decay, but began to grow and become rich, are not very clear. And even less clear are the reasons that caused a special attitude towards him on the part of the Grand Dukes of Moscow and the Rurik Tsars. The monastery received favors from them, very rich contributions, they generously donated lands to it, gave it icons and jewelry.
For example, the Tsar of All Rus' Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible. How good Christian, he repented of his actions. On his orders, a synodik was compiled - a list of those executed, in order to remember them in churches.
Lists of victims, with large monetary donations in addition, were sent to a number of monasteries. The Boris and Gleb Monastery was among these chosen ones. By the way, Grozny also contributed significant sums here to commemorate the souls of his wives - the meek Anastasia Romanovna, the Circassian Maria Temryukovna, as well as the son of Tsarevich Ivan.
In the 16th-17th centuries, the Boris and Gleb Monastery was rightly considered one of the richest in the Rostov Metropolis. The end of his prosperity came during the reign of Catherine the Great, when she transferred the monastery lands to Count Grigory Orlov, her favorite.
In 1924, the Borisoglebsky Monastery in the Yaroslavl region was completely abolished, and only seventy years later a new stage of its life began, and the monks returned here. Nowadays, two organizations somehow coexist on its territory - active monastery and a branch of the Rostov Kremlin Museum.
The inhabitants of the holy monastery and the Venerable Irinarch, the recluse of Rostov
Monasteries are communities of special people who are alone with God. The number of brethren in them varies, on average from 20 to 100 people. Only nine monks currently live in the Boris and Gleb Monastery.
And in the 14th century, the monk Peresvet lived here, the one whom he, together with his brother Oslyabey, blessed for the battle of good and evil Venerable Sergius.
At the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, another monk lived in the monastery - Irinarh, who was later glorified as a saint.
In the prime of his life, he took monastic vows and for 38 years, until his death, he lived in a voluntary seclusion - a tiny cell measuring one and a half by three meters. Taming his flesh, he wore chains on himself: a chain of twenty fathoms on his neck, eighteen shackles on his hands, seven weights on his shoulders, weighty fetters on his legs, a belt weighed down by a pound of metal, and there were some other little things - one and a half hundred crosses on his body and an iron stick with which he beat himself.
But the main thing was not the ascetic life of the Monk Irinarch, but the gift of clairvoyance that allowed the Boris and Gleb recluse to foresee the future.
So, he predicted the invasion of the Poles to Tsar Shuisky, and then suggested to him the moment of the victorious offensive. And he himself, unafraid, predicted right to his face that he would be killed if he did not leave Rus'. Saint Irinarch blessed the campaign and army of Dmitry Pozharsky to fight the invaders.
Holy spring of Irinarch
Near the village of Kondakovo, which is forty kilometers from the Borisoglebsky Monastery in the Yaroslavl region, there is a source dug by the hands of the young Irinarch, before he became a holy recluse.
The fontanelle is in the forest, it’s cold healing water smells slightly of clay - the soil around is clayey. The holy spring of Irinarch does not freeze; believers come here in winter and summer for healing from illnesses. There is a comfortable bathing area nearby. This spring water is believed to cure infertility, skin and heart diseases.
Every year before the celebration of the day of Elijah the Prophet, which is celebrated on August 2, a crowded religious procession comes from the walls of the monastery to the source. Pilgrims follow the cross, banners and icon of St. Irinarch for four whole days, while taking turns putting on the chains of the recluse of Rostov...
Hello, Borisoglebsky village!
Eighteen kilometers north of Rostov the Great is one of the regional centers of the Yaroslavl region - the village of Borisoglebsky.
After the establishment of the monastery and as it flourished, settlements of artisans and peasants began to grow near its walls. They grew up, but they didn’t grow up. If Sergiev Posad grew into a full-fledged city from the same settlements, then this did not happen here - there was no large and rich trade route nearby.
We left the car in the parking lot, went out into the open space, and the weather ruined our mood. The wind was blowing almost gale force.
A black and white long-tailed magpie that was sitting on a tree suddenly decided to fly across the square. We stared at the white-sided bird - my daughter is a big bird lover. And we see - the poor thing waved and waved its short wings, and the wind kept blowing it to its original place. She chirped something angrily, turned around and flew in the opposite direction - it’s not for nothing that they say that the magpie is a smart bird.
Something spiky was falling from the sky. I immediately didn’t want to go anywhere. But they planned to start the inspection from all three monuments of the village - to Prince Pozharsky and the monks - Peresvet, and Irinarkh. But don’t leave without a sip! Having cowered and gathered their will, they went to the walls of the monastery.
Forest Kremlin – Boris and Gleb Monastery
The road leads to the northern wall of the monastery. Along it there are shopping arcades from the century before last.
A lace and patterned gate with the Sretenskaya Gate Church leads into the monastery itself. Monumental and beautiful, with five domes, a carved gallery and twisted columns, it is a pleasant yellow-orange color. It is decorated with white belts and also white multi-layer platbands. Two round towers with faceted tops guard it on the sides.
Ancient terracotta walls made of stone surround the monastery, forming an irregular quadrangle with a perimeter of just over a kilometer (1040 meters). Their thickness is impressive - three meters, and their height ranges from ten to twelve meters. The ensemble is complemented by 14 powerful towers - 9 round and 5 square, which rise to a height of 20 to 40 meters.
Inside the wall there is a large space where only a few buildings stand, but many trees are planted. It feels like it’s unusually good here in the summer.
The great builder, Bishop Iona Sysoevich
Initially, the monastery was built of wood; under no circumstances could these buildings have survived to our time. You can read about how long wooden buildings last.
The first stone church in the name of Saints Boris and Gleb was founded on the site of a dilapidated wooden one in 1522. What appears before us now - the walls and buildings - were made through the efforts of the creator of the Rostov Kremlin, the tireless creator, Metropolitan Jonah. He was neither an outstanding preacher nor a famous theologian, but he was a builder whose sense of harmony and taste never wavered.
Jonah Sysoevich decorated the metropolis with magnificent churches and buildings. He carried out large-scale work at the Boris and Gleb Monastery, rebuilt existing buildings and built new ones, creating that monastic ensemble that has survived to this day, which can compete with the best examples of world architecture.
However, the first impression of the monastery is bewilderment.
Why was such a powerful fortress needed among dense forests? It’s hard to believe that the smart and practical Iona Sysoevich erected powerful walls of such thickness and height solely for the sake of beauty. No, there's definitely something going on here.
Or maybe Patriarch Nikon really had an idea to put church power above secular power?
And for this reason it was necessary to surround Moscow with a ring of monasteries, which were essentially super-powerful military fortresses? And Metropolitan Jonah of Rostov acted within the framework of the patriarchal master plan and only the unexpected death of the main organizer changed everything? Only some time after her did the Metropolitan dare to violate the rules of his former idol...
Temples and main buildings of the monastery of the stern and courageous
- The Church of Boris and Gleb is small, four-pillared, single-domed.
- Church of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God with the refectory.
- The Holy Gates and above them the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh are wonderful buildings.
- In the center of the courtyard stands a stone three-tiered belfry, on the lower floor of which there is the Church of St. John the Baptist, and hanging bells can be seen in the openings of the upper tier.
- The gate and gateway church of the Presentation of the Lord are a magnificent example of decorative architecture of the 17th century.
- Cell of St. Irinarcha - stuck her butt to the wall of the monastery near the tower.
You can't stop looking at it enough, however
Paths were laid inside the courtyard, but not a single living creature was observed in the entire domain of the Boris and Gleb Monastery. Only at the entrance did a single monk hurriedly walk past us, pointing to the Cathedral of Boris and Gleb: “It may still be open there.”
But the doors there were already locked. And not only there, in the monastery absolutely all the doors were closed, no matter where we tried to enter. It definitely wasn't our day.
Somehow I felt sad: we weren’t able to climb the walls or the tower, we couldn’t go inside the churches or see the museum exhibitions.
We walked around the area aimlessly for some time. The complete desertion, unpleasant for the residents of the metropolis, and the uncomfortable weather with its damp cold literally squeezed us out of here. If it weren’t for the wind, the silence would probably be simply frightening. And we left.
We decided for ourselves: the Boris and Gleb Monastery is a place where you definitely need to go again, but only when it’s warm.
Photos by S.M. Prokudin-Gorsky
At the beginning of the 20th century, a certain Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorsky lived in St. Petersburg and he had a hobby - photography. Moreover, he took photographs in color. And this was half a century before the invention of color photography! Each photograph was captured by three cameras with different filters onto three separate glass plates.
One day, the finest hour came in his life - Nicholas II himself saw his work. The owner of the Russian land instructed him to take photographs of the entire empire. Work began to boil, and then suddenly a revolution broke out. The photographer, taking his family and some of the photographs, fled abroad. In the end, need forced him to sell the collection to the Library of Congress, where it was forgotten for a long time.
RSS Email Address: Russia, Yaroslavl region, Borisoglebsky village
Date of foundation: 1363
Main attractions: Cathedral of Boris and Gleb, Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, Belfry, Church of the Presentation of the Lord
Shrines: list from the Lydda (Roman) Icon of the Mother of God, Security Banner of Sapieha
Coordinates: 57°15"31.1"N 39°09"09.3"E
In the small regional center of Borisoglebsk near Rostov there is the old Borisoglebsky monastery. It was founded here, near the Ustye River, in the 14th century and survived many difficult trials. The monastery, surrounded by pine forests, amazes with the grandeur and beauty of the preserved ancient temples and revered shrines. And many pilgrims flock to them, especially during the famous Irinarchsky procession.
History of the Rostov Boris and Gleb Monastery
Accurate documentary data about the time of creation of the monastery has not survived to this day. The very first to build a home for himself on the banks of the Ustya was the hermit Fyodor, who came here from near Novgorod. Three years later Pavel joined him. These two monks became the first residents of the new monastery.
South Gate and Sergius Gate Church
In 1363, Sergius of Radonezh came to Rostov land in order to pacify the enmity between local princes. This was the period when Rus' began to noticeably strengthen, preparing to deal a decisive blow to the Horde. And it was important to achieve the unity of the fragmented principalities for joint political and military actions. For these purposes, fortress monasteries began to be built along the perimeter of Rus'.
Fyodor and Pavel visited Sergius of Radonezh and asked him for assistance in establishing a new monastic monastery. He, in turn, convinced the then ruler of this. Rostov land Prince Konstantin Vasilievich. The decision was made, and the holy noble princes Boris and Gleb, especially revered in Rus', were chosen as patron saints of the monastery.
According to its geographical position, the monastery was on the northeastern borders of the growing Moscow state. It grew quickly, gathering monks and artisans, and soon the first wooden churches and cells were built here. And the territory of the monastery was surrounded by a large fortified wall, which served for several hundred years, protecting it first from the Tatars, and then from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders.
The fame of the new monastery very quickly spread far and wide, and pilgrims came to the monastery from all sides. When visiting his native places, the Monk Sergius of Radonezh visited here. In the monastery, fleeing the persecution of Yuri of Zvenigorod, the Great Moscow Prince Vasily II the Dark found refuge. And later, within the walls of the Borisoglebsk monastery, he even baptized his son and heir - the future Russian Tsar Ivan III.
Sretenskaya Gate Church
According to widespread legend, it was within the walls of the monastery that the legendary Peresvet became a monk. All the rulers of Rus' belonging to the Rurik dynasty, as well as the first sovereigns of the Romanov family, who revered this monastery as their “home”, showed their special favor to it. As a result of such special royal favor, the monastery turned into one of the largest land owners in Russia. It owned 360 rural settlements and 22,000 acres of land.
A special page of the monastic history is connected with the life of the Monk Irinarch (1547-1616), who in the world bore the name of Elijah. Until the age of 30, he was engaged in trade, and then took monastic vows at the Boris and Gleb Monastery. In subsequent years, this monk led the life of a recluse and did not take off his heavy chains. To receive the blessing of Irinarch, Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky came to the monastery.
The monastery survived almost the entire 18th century without any major shocks, flourished and became the center of the Boris and Gleb settlements. Traditional lavish fairs were held around it and local crafts developed.
But at the end of the 18th century, events occurred that greatly influenced the further history of the monastery. By order of Tsarina Catherine II, part of the monastery settlements was immediately confiscated in favor of the royal favorite, Count Orlov.
In subsequent years, many of the valuables stored in the Boris and Gleb monastery were stolen and sold, and its well-being was under threat. Subsequently, the monastery was never able to restore its former power and grandeur. Sretenskaya Gate Church with inside
monastery With the advent of Soviet power, years of persecution of religious institutions began, and in 1924 the monastery was abolished. A branch of the Rostov State Museum was located in its premises. At this time, many ancient icons and bells were destroyed. And only thanks to the intervention of the People's Commissariat for Education, the destruction of the monastery belfry was avoided. Those valuables that managed to be transported to the Moscow
Tretyakov Gallery
or to the Yaroslavl Kremlin, they still saved him. But most of the ancient utensils and relics were irretrievably lost. Divine services in monastery churches nevertheless continued until 1928.
Since the 30s of the last century, the monastery housed the local police, a post office, a savings bank, warehouses for storing flax and grain, and even a confectionery production. Only the buildings of the Annunciation Church and the abbot's building belonged to museum exhibitions. The museum was even closed for the period from 1954 to 1961. True, later the entire monastery territory was returned to him. During these years, large restoration and restoration work began, thanks to which it was possible to return the architectural monuments to their original image.
In 1994, part of the monastery territory was given to the Orthodox Church. And in 2015, the entire monastery was completely transferred to her management.
Fortress walls Architectural monuments of the Rostov Boris and Gleb Monastery
The very first stone buildings on the territory of the monastery appeared in the 16th century. The Boris and Gleb Cathedral, made of stone, was founded in 1522 by decree of Tsar Vasily III where a wooden temple of the same name stood before him. The merits in the construction of the beautiful cathedral are attributed to the then famous architect Grigory Borisov, who two years later participated in the construction of the Annunciation Church on the monastery territory. Near the wall of the Boris and Gleb Church there is a tomb in which Pavel and Fyodor, who founded the monastery, are buried., over time, its sub-gable roof was replaced with a modern hipped roof. This coating was cheaper and more practical, but not better side changed appearance church building. During the reconstruction of the Boris and Gleb Cathedral carried out in 1925, evidence was found that it was once even made with five domes.
The stone Annunciation Church was also built in the 16th century as a refectory church on the site where it stood before wooden church. A century later, it was also subjected to major alterations.
In addition, a stone two-story abbot's building, erected in the 16th century, was preserved on the territory. This was a great rarity and spoke of the wealth of the monastery. Since in other places in those days, monastery buildings were made only of wood. To the north of the abbot's chambers there is a one-story building for the brethren, in which monks and novices lived.
Inner courtyard of the Rostov Boris and Gleb Monastery
The monastery was surrounded by a brick wall during the reign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. At the beginning of the 17th century, in Troubled times, it was this defensive line that met the approaching Polish-Lithuanian army. But historians have different versions about the outcome of the confrontation. Some believe that the monastery was conquered and plundered, others that the Poles were forced to retreat. There is also a legend that the Monk Irinarch managed to convince the Poles, led by Hetman Sapega, not to touch the monastery. What is known for certain is that after the invasion the monastery fortifications were rebuilt.
What makes the monastery very expressive is not only the defensive walls with powerful towers, but also the majestic gate churches - Sergievsky (1679) and Sretensky. Climbing up the monastery fortifications, you get an excellent overview of the entire territory and the surrounding area.
Current state and mode of visiting the Rostov Boris and Gleb Monastery
The territory of the monastery is open to free visits from 7.00 to 20.00. Photographing the brothers and interior decoration Visiting churches during services is possible only with the permission of the abbot of the monastery.
Now the abbot and ten monks live in the monastery. They have their own small garden and apiary. They also work here church shop and a museum introducing the centuries-old history of the monastery. For groups of pilgrims or tourists, you can book an excursion.
Belfry
Today, tourists and pilgrims strive to visit the cell built into the monastery wall, where Irinarch the Recluse lived, as well as the tomb with his relics.
The revered chains, cap and whip of St. Irinarch, unfortunately, were lost during the Soviet era.
The monastery annually hosts the Irinarchovsky readings and the Irinarchovsky religious procession, held since 1997 and highly revered by believers, which starts from the walls of the monastery and goes to a source located 40 km away. Services begin on weekdays at 7.30, on Sundays and holidays
