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Many pilgrims from Moscow want to go to the village of Diveevo for a vacation, a religious holiday, or simply to visit the holy springs and the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery. They are interested in the question of how to quickly and inexpensively get to Diveevo from Moscow, as well as hotel prices and the possibility of booking. There are several routes by which you can get to the holy village. Below we will tell you how to get from Moscow to Diveevo by train, plane or car.
History of the formation of the monastery
The monastery chronicle contains the history of its existence, which tells that the founder of the monastery was the noblewoman Agafya Semyonovna Melgunova (nee Stepanova). Having become a widow early, she and her three-year-old daughter went to Kyiv, to the Florovsky Monastery.
Takes monastic vows under the name Alexandra. In a vision, the Mother of God blesses mother to travel in search of a holy land to found a monastery. In the village of Diveevo, the Mother of God indicates that the place has been found.
Having lost her only daughter, Alexandra heads to her native land. Sells estates, releases serfs. By 1767 he returned to Diveevo. Having built a cell in the courtyard of priest Vasily Dertev, she begins a new life, entirely devoted to the service of the Mother of God.
Mother Alexandra erects a stone temple in the name of the Kazan Mother of God on Diveyevo land to replace the dilapidated building of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Later, next to the church, a women’s community is established, which lives according to the difficult rules of the Sarov monastery.
On June 13, 1879, the founder died. First Father Pachomius took charge of the women's monastery, then Seraphim of Sarov.
Since 1825, Father Seraphim has been establishing a new Seraphim community. The community lives according to the charter, which the Mother of God gave, telling it to St. Seraphim. A windmill - a feeder - is being built here. In 1829, Seraphim blesses the sisters for digging the Mother of God ditch, which is now a place of pilgrimage for pilgrims.
In 1829, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was added to the Kazan Church. In 1830, a temple was built under it in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which became the place of worship for the sisters of both women's communities: Kazan and Melnichnaya Seraphimo-Diveevskaya.
After his death, landowner Nikolai Aleksandrovich Motovilov becomes the breadwinner of Seraphim’s community. Father Seraphim heals him, who is seriously ill. The elder bequeathed to him to take care of the Diveyevo sisters and serve the monastery.
The Diveyevo monastery becomes widely known, where widows and girls from various parts of Russia come to live. In 1842, the communities united into one - Serafimo-Diveevskaya.
From 1848 to 1875, the stone five-altar Trinity Cathedral was built here. The territory is being improved. By the beginning of the 20th century, the following were operating in the monastery: the Trinity Cathedral, the Nativity and Tikhvin churches, the Preobrazhenskaya church in the cemetery, house churches in the Igumensky, Refectory, and Almshouse buildings.
Photo of the Diveyevo Monastery of Seraphim of Sarov during the Tsar’s visit
During the revolutionary years, a labor artel was opened on the territory of the monastery. In 1927, the monastery was closed, desecrating the temples. The famous Kazan Church is closed after 10 years.
The revival of the monastery began in 1990. Trinity Cathedral is consecrated. In 1991, the grave of Mother Alexandra was restored and the relics of Seraphim were transferred to the cathedral. Alexandra's relics were transferred to the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in 2000. The Diveyevo Monastery of Seraphim of Sarov begins to operate, multiplying the power of Orthodoxy.
Transfiguration Cathedral
Construction began a year before the revolution, but consecration took place only almost 80 years later - in 1998. The Cathedral is part of a mini-architectural ensemble.
According to legend, Father Seraphim bequeathed to build a cathedral at the mouth of the ditch along with the Trinity Cathedral. As a result, after his death, the Tikhvin Church was erected in the bequeathed place, which was eventually renamed the Transfiguration Cathedral.
Diveyevo Monastery today
Diveevo amazes with its beauty, inspires with its history, and with the presence of the grace of the Holy Spirit. The abbess of today's monastery, Abbess Sergius, notes that at present everything here has been restored spiritually as in the old days.
Churches were restored, monastery buildings were repaired, the Holy Kanavka was dug up. The plan of the monastery, drawn by the hand of Father Seraphim, miraculously coincides with today’s layout of churches. This is clearly visible from a bird's eye view. Kazan Cathedral, Bell Tower, Trinity, Transfiguration, Annunciation Cathedrals are built in one line.
20 hermitages and farmsteads appeared. Here the relics of the blessed ones found peace - Praskovya, Pelageya and Mary, the nun Matrona. Through the efforts of the nuns of the icon-painting workshop, the walls of the Kazan, Transfiguration, and Trinity cathedrals were painted. New buildings were built: church shops, religious kiosks, refectories, buildings for pilgrims.
Seraphim revered earthworks. Hectares of the monastery land are decorated with flower beds. Numerous fruit trees and berry bushes grow and bear fruit. Vegetables are grown in the gardens. More than 500 sisters work in the monastery. Their life is spent in worship and obedience.
What time to visit the monastery
People rush to the shrines at the call of their hearts exactly when they should be here. The timing of the trip is also chosen based on priority desires. The nature of the monastery reflects the natural beauty of all seasons. Therefore, you can opt to visit the monastery during your favorite season.
From May to September the opportunity to swim in healing springs is added. The mildest months for this are May and September. In May, mosquitoes appear near the water, people stock up on protective equipment. If it is more important to take part in special events or memorable ones, get acquainted with the Orthodox calendar in advance.
The monastery is crowded on weekends and church holidays. Therefore, it is better for those who like less crowds to visit the days when multi-day fasts take place. During such periods, fewer festive events are held, and the influx of pilgrims decreases accordingly.
There is less influx of people, slightly lower prices, discounts and promotions are organized more often in the winter months. The exception is during the New Year holidays.
How to get to the Diveyevo Monastery of Seraphim of Sarov
The Diveyevo Monastery of Seraphim of Sarov is located in good transport accessibility. It can be reached by various transport from Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Arzamas.
From any airport in Moscow, planes deliver tourists in 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes to Strigino Airport in Nizhny Novgorod. By train they travel from Moscow railway stations - Yaroslavsky, Kursky to the Moscow railway station in Nizhny Novgorod. More than 20 trains depart during the day. Direct and passing flights. Travel time – from 5 hours 17 minutes to 7 hours 13 minutes.
6 direct flights of the Strizh and Lastochka trains depart from Kursky Station daily. Travel time – 3 hours 47 minutes – 4 hours 13 minutes.
Private bus transportation on the route Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod is also organized by the Passenger company of the city of Sarov, individual carriers. Travel time is up to 7 hours. A similar travel time takes a trip from Moscow to the village of Diveevo using your own transport.
Transport campaigns “Fellow Traveler” and “Passenger” of the city of Sarov organize bus transportation from the city of Nizhny Novgorod to the village of Diveevo. Travel time is 3 hours. By your own car, you can get along this route in 2 hours 15 minutes.
You can take a passing flight from the city of Moscow from the Kursk railway station to the city of Arzamas. Travel time can last from 5 hours 58 minutes to 6 hours 50 minutes. From Arzamas to Diveyevo you can get there by bus from the “Helper Traveler” campaign or by your own car in 1 hour 30 minutes.
Hermitages and farmsteads
Diveevo (monastery), reviews of the miracles of which have long been known outside Russia, attracts with its numerous monasteries and farmsteads of the holy land, which are also popular and especially revered. Hermitages are secluded places remote from the main monastery complex that serve the function of supplying the monastery with food and other valuables.
They often contain a small church or chapel. They can be located in nearby villages and hamlets, in forest and steppe areas. The most famous monasteries of Diveevo include: St. Nicholas (in the village of Avtodeevo), Pokrovsky (in the village of Kenerga), Znamensky, Kutuzovsky (located on the Arzamas - Diveevo highway).
The courtyard of the Diveyevo Monastery, that is, the place where nuns and ministers from this monastery could always find refuge, is located in the nearest cities of Arzamas, Nizhny Novgorod, as well as in Moscow.
Where to stay in Diveevo
Everyone can find here a place to relax and spend the night in accordance with their income level. A cheaper option is accommodation in the private sector. There are a number of advertisements on the Internet for rooms, apartments, and houses for rent.
Addresses are also located in the pilgrimage center. Lovers of rural life choose just such housing. But there is deception in advertisements when the conditions provided do not coincide with the stated ones. A minimum of amenities is possible, sharing and living with owners of different behavior and lifestyles.
Campaign “House in Diveevo”, located at the address: lane. Golyakova, house 2, helps to rent an apartment, housing in the private sector.
Pilgrims who want to stay near the monastery choose pilgrimage buildings. There are 17 of them. They settle here only through the pilgrimage center. For registration, provide a passport with a registration mark or a driver's license.
Reservations are possible 2 months before your arrival date. The rooms are comfortable, with amenities. Single travelers settle here. Living as a family is impossible, since men and women live separately. You can stay in the village of Diveevo in hotels, there are more than 20 of them.
Among tourists, the following are rated higher:
- apartments – “On Komsomolskaya street, 9”, “On Rossiyskaya, 2”,
- guest houses “Visit”, “Izumrudny Bereg”, “Blagovest”, “On Vostochnaya 1d”, “On Vostochnaya 27”, “On Parkovaya 34”, “Radonezh”,
- mini-hotel "Moskovskaya",
- hotels “Valentina”, “Planet”, “Svetoch”,
- hotel complex "Olympus".
Booking possible without a credit card, free WI-fi. The cost of one night for an adult will be from 1000 to 4700 rubles. During major festivals and celebrations in the summer, 2-3 tent camps with a field kitchen are set up. Pilgrims live here, private guests and excursion groups can be accommodated.
Schedule of services
The schedule of the monastery in the village of Diveevo is similar to many monasteries. The first service begins at half past five in the morning. Next comes a prayer service at the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov. At 8 am, the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. On Sundays and holidays, the beginning of the liturgy is moved an hour later, the bell call sounds at 9 am.
You can visit the holy land of Diveyevo and the monastery at any time of the year, but its landscapes and holy springs are especially beautiful in the summer. By contacting the guides working on the territory after the service, you can listen to stories about miraculous phenomena, as well as learn the history of the monastery and its inhabitants.
Article design: Oleg Lozinsky
Where to eat in Diveevo
Free meals are provided on the territory of the monastery, in the refectory, using coupons purchased at the pilgrimage center. The dishes are simple: vegetables and porridge. During the holidays they add homemade cheese, sour cream, and honey.
Lunch is served from 11.00 to 13.00, dinner from 20.00 to 21.00. The monastery refectory is located in the Alexander Nevsky Church on the ground floor. In summer - next to the Museum of Blessed Paraskeva.
There are paid cafes on the territory of the Seraphim of Sarov Monastery. There is a canteen in the Pilgrim's House. Dishes are prepared lean, meatless, without meat. In the monastery food places, prices are slightly lower than in the village itself.
In Diveevo, food intake points are often located at guest houses and hotels:
Name | Menu |
"Hunting Lodge" Cafe. Pl. Blagoveshchenskaya, building 1. At the Diveevskaya Sloboda hotel complex. | Meat dishes, Japanese cuisine. |
"Expanse". Cafe. Pl. Blagoveshchenskaya, building 1. At the Diveevskaya Sloboda hotel complex. | Russian kitchen. Buffet/set menu. Homemade bread. |
"Raspberry ringing" Restaurant at the Diveevskaya Sloboda hotel complex. Pl. Blagoveshchenskaya, building 1. | Dishes from Russian and European cuisines. |
Cafe "Olympus". St. Arzamasskaya, house 1/2. At the Olympus hotel complex. | Dishes from Russian and European cuisines. For pilgrims - a Lenten menu. |
Cafe "Valentina". St. Stroiteley, house 2A/1. At the Valentina Hotel. | Russian kitchen. Bakery. Set lunches. |
Cafe at the Zarechnaya Hotel. St. Polevaya, house 2. | Russian kitchen. On fasting days, lenten dishes are prepared. |
Cafe at the Moskovskaya Hotel. St. Shkolnaya, house 5B. | European cuisine. |
"Diveevo NB", cafe at the hotel. St. Komsomolskaya, 4. | Dishes of European and Russian cuisines. Complex meals are offered for tourists. |
Cafe "Kameya". St. Arzamasskaya, house 49B. | Russian kitchen. Natural Turkish coffee. Blessed salt and spring water are used in dishes. |
Cafe "Hotel complex "Russian Troika". St. Oktyabrskaya, house 34/1. At the Russian Troika hotel complex. | Russian kitchen. On fasting days, lenten dishes are prepared. Complex meals are offered for tourists. |
Cafe "Veranda". St. Truda, house 5. | Russian and international cuisines. |
Coffee shop on Arzamasskaya. St. Molodezhnaya, building 52. | They serve coffee of various varieties, types, pastries, sandwiches, dumplings. |
Cafe "Pelmennaya". St. Mira, building 1A, shopping center "Crystal", 3rd floor. | Homemade Russian cuisine. |
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Ensemble of the Diveevo Monastery
The architectural ensemble of the Diveevo Monastery was created over many years, and represents a unique fusion of Byzantine and Russian styles. The entrance to the complex passes through a small street and opens with a massive gate. On the left hand of the entrance, pilgrims are greeted by a ditch made by Seraphim of Sarov himself.
The chronicle says that it was through this place that the Mother of God herself passed, appearing to him during prayer. This man-made evidence of a miraculous phenomenon is not just a path, but one of the shrines of the monastery. As they walk along it, they read the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice!” 100 times. Loud conversations and small talk are considered indecent in this place.
Near the ditch there is a mill and residential buildings for nuns.
On the right side there is a beautiful view of two majestic cathedrals: Spaso-Preobrazhensky and Trinity. Both of them have the appearance of a cross-domed structure, richly decorated with carved stone elements and unique mosaics. Architecture lovers will be amazed by the external simplicity and grandeur of these two temples. Their interior corresponds to the external design.
Trinity Cathedral opens its massive doors early in the morning, forcing those entering it to admire the beauty of its unique frescoes, gold frames and ancient icons. The high walls with paintings describing biblical events, the light streaming from large windows and the golden two-tiered royal doors amaze with their humble grandeur.
The cathedral has light shades and the feeling of air and Divine grace in it does not disappear throughout the entire stay. The Transfiguration Cathedral is more original. The walls are decorated with openwork Russian paintings with characteristic curls and foliage patterns. Soft, warm tones predominate.
Carved wooden frames of icons in combination with gilded royal doors create an atmosphere of domestic tranquility and reverent faith in forgiveness. Both cathedrals are surrounded by well-kept flower beds and rock gardens. They are watched over by the nuns and novices of the monastery. At the request of pilgrims, their personal inclusion in this work is possible. You can offer help by contacting the temple duty officer.
Further, the territory of the monastery is continued by the refectory temple of Alexander Nevsky and cozy gazebos. Next to the temple grows a unique birch tree, planted by Saint Seraphim himself.
Useful tips for pilgrims and tourists
When planning to visit the Diveyevo Monastery, take with you:
- containers for collecting water from 6 healing springs;
- bags for folding wet clothes after swimming;
- towel;
- packaging for soil from the groove, crackers;
- bottle for oil.
Car parking is available in the free parking lot to the right of the main entrance to the monastery. They also park on the side of the road directly along the road along which they go to the monastery.
The rules of behavior on the territory of the Seraphim of Sarov Monastery are presented on a poster that greets you at the entrance.
Silence is maintained here. Gadgets are put on silent mode or turned off. Maintain cleanliness and routine, do not smoke or drink alcohol. Children visit the monastery only with adults.
Women visit the shrine wearing a skirt or dress. Length – below the knees, sleeves covering the elbows. The head must be covered. Bright makeup and jewelry are not allowed. Men are allowed to visit in trousers and shirts. Baptized people must wear a cross.
When performing services, they do not go to churches. They stand and, if desired, quietly sing along with the choir. The sick and weak sit on benches.
They take photographs and film for free on phones and tablets. Filming with video cameras and cameras is carried out by purchasing a coupon at the pilgrimage center. Journalists and film crews must purchase permission for professional work from the press service of the Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas diocese.
People approach shrines with prayer. They cross themselves at the holy relics, bow twice, venerate, then bow again. People do not linger long at the shrines to which people stand in line.
Holy places of the Diveyevo monastery
Trinity Cathedral is a magnificent sanctuary. It was built on the site chosen by Father Seraphim himself. The architecture is similar to the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The developer is architect Alexander Ivanovich Rezanov.
4 chapels are consecrated in honor of: the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness”, the Mother of God of Vladimir-Oran, Seraphim of Sarov, the third finding of the head of John the Baptist.
In the temple, the elder prayed and died at the miraculous image of “Tenderness.” Its copy, made at the beginning of the 20th century, is in the cathedral. Since 1991, divine services have been held in the Trinity Cathedral every day. The relics and personal belongings of the saint rest here. Access to the relics and things of the elder is open daily from 5.00 to 20.00.
The Transfiguration Cathedral was founded on the same line as the Trinity Cathedral in 1907. The sisters painted it with their own hands. Construction was not completed before the revolution. Preobrazhensky was restored in 1991 and consecrated 7 years later. The temple is directed upwards and is distinguished by its lightness.
There are 5 limits in it, which are consecrated in honor:
- Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord;
- All Saints;
- icons of the Mother of God "Tikhvin";
- New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church;
- Archangel Michael and all the powers of heaven.
Divine services are held daily.
The Church of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God is elegant thanks to the Russian Baroque architectural style. The monastery began with her. Founder Alexandra founded it in 1773, completing construction in 1779.
The church was consecrated by Hieromonk Pakhom in 1780. At that time, the church had 3 altars, consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas, the martyr Stephen, and the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. In the 20th century, bell towers, bells, domes, and crosses were removed and destroyed.
The year the church was returned to the monastery was 1992. In 2003, the bell tower was renovated, crosses and a dome were erected on it. In 2004, the bells were consecrated and erected, the main one of which is decorated with images of saints. In the same year, the main altar of the revived temple was consecrated with celebrations. Famous artists and carvers decorate the interior.
Eight new chapels were built in 2007, and a year later they were consecrated. The church is being elevated to the status of a cathedral. Here are the holy relics of blessed Pelageya, Maria, Paraskeva, and the nun Matrona.
The Holy Kanavka , which begins behind the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral, is a unique shrine. Fulfilling the behest of the Mother of God, Seraphim instructed the sisters to dig a ditch for the community. The appearance of the spirit of Seraphim accelerated the work. In 1833, after 3 years of hard work, the Ditch was dug. In 1927 it was completely filled up. Later communications were laid.
Only since the beginning of 1991 have nuns revived their daily walk along the Holy Kanavka.
In 2006, the complete resurrection of the shrine was completed, exactly according to the legends of Seraphim of Sarov. The shape is a heptagon with a perimeter of 775 m. The ditch is surrounded by a high shaft. Grass, flowers grow along its slopes, and berry bushes bear fruit. This is a place for quenching sorrow, filling the heart with special joy. Seraphim bequeathed to pass here and read the prayer to the Mother of God 150 times.
The hermitage of the blessed Paraskeva is filled with grace - a house-museum where the spirit of holy antiquity is preserved. It was opened in 2004. A significant exhibition tells about the history of the monastery.
A large number of rare shrines are collected here: the true things of Seraphim, ancient handwritten notebooks of Diveyevo elders with records of his life, portraits of Diveyevo monks, clergy, icons. Also on display are portraits of benefactors, Abbess Maria, her seal and autograph.
Interesting things from the sisters' everyday life:
- watch;
- dishes from the abbot's chambers;
- monastic robes;
- harmonium;
- sisters' handicrafts;
- synodics;
- present;
- chests of drawers;
- sofas;
- carpets;
- blankets
Seraphim's cell was restored. With the caring hands of the nuns, their and the elder’s belongings were laid out just as they were during his lifetime. One of the exhibitions reflects the celebrations on the occasion of the discovery of the relics of the saint.
The final composition is the blessed cell, in which everything has been restored as it was during life. It is remarkable that Paraskeva received Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress in her cell. Here is a lithographic portrait of the king.
There are many icons in the house. The blessed one, playing with dolls, predicted, exposed vices, and helped in resolving life's difficulties. That’s why there are old dolls in the cell. Paraskeva's things have reached us: a shirt and dress, photographs of the doll and the blessed one, a lock of hair, a bookmark, a comb, a piece of canvas. The sacred spirit from the presence of many holy people, Paraskeva makes this place special.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
The monastery's cathedral is quite young. Construction began in 2012. The cathedral is planned in the Russian Baroque style. Another equally beautiful cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, was built in the same style.
The dimensions of the cathedral are calculated in accordance with the Belt of the Virgin Mary: 20 belts - width, 50 - height, 30 - length. The width in meters is 24 m, length 36 m, height 60 m. If you add together dimensions 20, 30 and 50, then the dimensions of the cathedral will correspond to the monastic centenary.
Holy Diveyevo springs
The Diveyevo Monastery on its territory has sources dedicated to holy people:
1. The source of St. Seraphim of Sarov near the village of Tsyganovka. Located in a quiet beautiful place. Surrounded by many trees. The spring has been landscaped and a highway has been built to it. There, where it comes out, a lake has been created. There is a pedestrian bridge leading to the baths. The Seraphim Chapel was erected on the shore. Water temperature +5-6 degrees.
2. Kazan source is the most ancient. Located on the territory of the village of Diveevo. The chapel at the spring has been known since 1845, and since 2003 it has been completely landscaped. Now there are stone paths, new baths, and a chapel.
3. Panteleimonovsky spring is located next to Kazansky. A bathhouse in the form of a large pool was built here. The water in the spring is less cold than in other springs. It has a pleasant taste and healing properties in the treatment of protracted illnesses in children.
4. The source of the Tenderness of the Mother of God is also located near the Kazan and Panteleimonovsky springs, in the ravine of the Lubinka River, which became a stream. The source is dedicated to the icon most revered by Seraphim. There is a chapel and 3 baths made of coniferous wood.
5. Source of the founder of the Diveyevo monastery, Alexandra . They believe in its beginning from the grave of the mother. There are wooden baths and a wooden chapel built here. Surrounded by trees. The paths leading to it are paved.
6. The source of the Iveron icon of the Mother of God is located on the south side of the Alexandra source. The chapel of the Iveron Icon was built here. Water can heal demon-possessed people.
One day in the Diveyevo Monastery
You can visit the Diveyevo Monastery of St. Seraphim of Sarov in one day, having time to do a lot:
1. Pray. Morning prayer begins at 5:30 am. Vespers ends around 20:00. You can also attend prayer services, liturgy, memorial services, and unction.
2. Take an hour-long excursion. Group and individual excursions are organized by representatives of the pilgrimage center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a sightseeing tour of the monastery, thematic - with a story about Seraphim, the monastery, and the blessed Diveyevo. Photo excursions through the history of the monastery and the city of Sarov.
3. Touch the relics. From 8 am to 8 pm daily - to the relics of Father Seraphim in the Trinity Cathedral. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – to the relics of the blessed in the Kazan Cathedral. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – to the relics of the Diveyevo monks in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
4. Get acquainted with the museum of Pasha of Sarov (Paraskeva). A visit on your own is possible from 12 noon to 3 p.m., with a guided tour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5. Visit the museum of the history of the monastery of the twentieth century. Independent visits are possible on Saturdays, on public holidays, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Excursions are organized daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
6. Plunge into the waters of holy springs. The baths are open to the public every day from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
7. Walk along the Holy Canal with prayer. The Kanavka operates every day from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The sisters make a procession along the Kanavka after the evening meal, and you can join them.
8. Work for the glory of God for an hour or 2. Those who want to work must have a passport and appropriate clothing. The pilgrim center will learn about what work can be done.
What do they bring from the Diveyevo Monastery?
From the holy place they bring:
- Icons, “Chronicle of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery” by Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov). They are purchased in church shops on the monastery territory.
- A handful of soil from the Mother of God Canal. A special space has been allocated for this, where the first monastery mill previously stood. The holy earth is then mixed with sand, clean earth. For application to wounds and sores, the soil is also diluted with holy water. Scattering the earth into bags, they use it to protect their homes and their territory. The bag is placed under the pillow to expel bad dreams and thoughts.
- The oil that is blessed on the relics of Father Seraphim and the Diveyevo mothers. Oil is poured in the Transfiguration Cathedral. When used, add a drop of holy oil to regular oil, obtaining oil with healing properties.
- A handful of Seraphim's crackers are given to those who wish in the chapel of Seraphim, located at the end of the Holy Kanavka.
The Bright Monastery of Elder Seraphim of Sarov is a unique place in Diveevo that every Orthodox believer must visit.
Article design: Mila Friedan
Origin of the name and its meaning
The appearance of the main shrine of the village of Diveevo is associated with the name of a simple girl, a native of Ryazan, Agafya Semyonovna Melgunova, who moved to Kyiv with her husband. She, who in her youth had devoted her heart to Christ, after the death of her husband, took monastic vows under the name of Alexander and received the patronage of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Soon after her tonsure, the woman saw the divine image of the Mother of the Lord in front of her. In her holy revelation, she called the virgin to a great pilgrimage to all the monasteries and monasteries built in her honor. Agafya’s goal was to find a place where a women’s monastery, unique in its beauty and grandeur, could be located, which could become the main stronghold and place of worship of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Mother Alexandra, with a humble heart, accepted the divine commission and set off on her journey. In the north of Russia, in the Novgorod lands, when the nun’s strength was already exhausted and only her vow and prayer supported her spirit, the Mother of God appeared a second time and pointed her palm to the place where Alexandra stood.
It was here, on the hills of the village of Diveevo, that the greatest in its beauty convent in honor of the Holy Trinity was founded. Mother Alexandra became the first abbess of the monastery.