New Jerusalem Monastery in the Moscow region. Photos, what it is famous for, museum, excursions. How to get there. Schedule of services

How to get there

You can get to the monastery by train, bus or car. The train ride will take approximately 50-60 minutes. You need to get off at Rizhskaya, Dmitrovskaya, Voykovskaya or Tushino stations and get to Novoierusalimskaya. Now you can get to the monastery by minibus or walk.

A trip by bus No. 372 from Moscow (Tushino metro station) to the Pochta stop in Istra will take approximately 60 minutes. You can walk to the temple in 15-20 minutes.

The trip by car will take about 40-60 minutes. You can get there along the Volokolamsk Highway, bypassing Krasnogorsk and across the Pesochnaya River. If you drive from the Moscow Ring Road along the Novorizhskoye Highway, then at the turn to the city of Istra you need to move onto the Volokolamskoye Highway and then move to the monastery. If the parking lot at the front entrance is occupied by vehicles, you can drive to the larger parking lot at the western gate.

New Jerusalem Museum

The museum's exhibition is based on original monastic artifacts, including religious objects, utensils, documents and icons; the museum collection numbers over 180 thousand items. In 2014, the museum moved to a new building and received a modern, interactive look. The permanent exhibition tells about New Jerusalem as a historical, cultural and architectural monument of Russia, allows you to better learn about the stages of construction of the monastery, get acquainted with the craftsmen who worked on its creation, see ancient icons, original documents and get more information about Patriarch Nikon.

New Jerusalem Museum

New Jerusalem Museum The
museum also hosts exhibitions of famous artists, for example, in October of this year the works of Robert Falk were presented.

The concert program deserves special attention. In October 2018, “Moscow Virtuosi” performed for the first time on the stage of the New Jerusalem Museum.

Address of the New Jerusalem Museum: Istra, Novo-Ierusalimskaya embankment, 1, https://njerusalem.ru

The organization of tours by train is carried out by JSC "Central PPK".

History of the New Jerusalem Monastery

The New Jerusalem monastery in the vicinity of Moscow was planned by Patriarch Nikon as a similarity to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The Resurrection Heath was purchased from the patrimonial owner Bobarykin, on which the construction of the temple began in 1656.

After the purchase of the necessary lands from the patrimonial owners and boyars, the area was cleared of forest, and the first wooden buildings appeared in the form of the Resurrection Church and the fortress wall. In 1657, in the presence of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the church was consecrated by Patriarch Nikon. The Resurrection Cathedral was started in 1658 and its construction continued until 1666 under the supervision of the patriarch.

Due to Nikon's exile to the Ferapontov Monastery, construction of the temple stopped for some time. The resumption of work was continued under Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich and with the help of the Workshop Chamber. In 1685, the construction of the temple was completed. Although the tsar allowed Nikon to return to the monastery in 1681, he died on the way.

His body is buried in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of the Lord, at the location of the chapel of John the Baptist.

In 1684, management of the monastery was transferred to the Order of Detective Affairs and, under the reign of Tatyana Mikhailovna and Sofia Alekseevna, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was built along with the refectory chambers and consecrated in 1692. In the 18th century. under Peter I, the monastery's funding was reduced, and it was forced to supply the state with horses, provisions and peasant workers.

During the reign of Elizaveta Petrovna, funds in the amount of 30,000 rubles were allocated. for the renovation of the monastery. Since 1762, several fires occurred within the walls of the temple, and Empress Catherine II had to eliminate their consequences. In the 19th and early 20th centuries. The monastery becomes a center of pilgrimage for believers thanks to the construction of a railway line.

By 1913, the number of pilgrims who visited the New Jerusalem Temple amounted to 35 thousand people a year. In 1919, the Temple was closed, and a historical museum was created in it by the Soviet authorities. In 1941, Nazi troops destroyed the main buildings of the monastery and blew up the Resurrection Cathedral. Only in 1959 did the museum continue its work and its buildings were restored.

The New Jerusalem Monastery resumed its activities in 1994 and in 2012 the museum was moved from the territory of the holy monastery to a new building.

In 1994, the activities of the New Jerusalem Church were resumed, and in 2012 the museum was moved from the territory of the holy monastery to a new building.

Founding of the monastery by Patriarch Nikon

In the northwest of Moscow, near the city of Istra, there is the Resurrection New Jerusalem stauropegic monastery. It is also called New Jerusalem. The decision to build “Russian Palestine” was made by Patriarch Nikon in 1656. He was supported by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. The New Jerusalem is an image of the Holy Land and the greatest Jerusalem shrines, transferred thousands of kilometers to the banks of the Istra River.

Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery

Patriarch Nikon often stayed in the village of Voskresenskoye and was imbued with special feelings for this picturesque place. According to one version, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich once compared this area to the outskirts of Jerusalem. This is how the idea was born on Russian soil to build a temple-copy of the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of the Lord.

Patriarch Nikon compared the construction of the temple to writing a copy of a miraculous icon. The Patriarch tried to recreate the shrines of the Holy Land as accurately as possible, which was technically difficult to achieve in the realities of the 17th century. At the same time, he wanted to create a residence of the Patriarchs near Moscow. Thus, Nikon emphasized that church and secular authorities, although closely related to each other, should not interfere in each other’s affairs.

The church schism, the tsar's disfavor and subsequent removal from the Patriarchate did not allow Nikon to complete the construction. He was unable to see the completion of the construction of his beloved brainchild. Today we can contemplate and visit the New Jerusalem Monastery.

Current state

In 2008, the New Jerusalem Monastery in the Moscow region found a new abbot, Hegumen Theophylact (Bezukladnikov), approved by the Holy Synod. Soon, Patriarch Alexy II and the country's President D. Medvedev visited the temple, which served to establish a Board of Trustees to resolve all issues regarding the reconstruction and arrangement of the monastery.

The Patriarch declared that the monastery should develop as a center of spiritual, educational and social culture. The president also signed a decree to provide comprehensive assistance in recreating the historical image of the monastery.

By 2014, the bell tower with new bells near the Resurrection Cathedral was restored, and 2016 marked the end of restoration work. They cost the state 10 billion rubles, part of which was taken from public donations.

Ascension Convent in the Kremlin

The Ascension Convent stood in the Kremlin for about six centuries. Founded by Grand Duchess Evdokia at the end of the 14th century in memory of the Battle of Kulikovo, it shared with Moscow the most glorious and difficult pages of its history.

Evdokia's cry

The Kremlin Ascension Monastery was one of the first women's monasteries in Moscow.
Only two Moscow monasteries - Zachatievsky and Rozhdestvensky - were a little older than him, but they were also founded in the same XIV century: the Nativity monastery on the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was founded by the mother of Prince Vladimir Serpukhovsky, the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo, in memory of the glorious and great victory won Russians on the Kulikovo field. Grand Duchess Evdokia, the wife of the Grand Duke-warrior, blessed Dimitry Donskoy, also built a church in her Kremlin chambers in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, in order to have such a temple near her and be inseparable from it. The small white dome with the golden dome of this miraculously preserved temple is now clearly visible from Mokhovaya Street against the backdrop of the Grand Kremlin Palace. And a little later, Evdokia founded the Ascension Monastery in the Kremlin in memory of the victory sent down and her husband. In this monastery she was going to take monastic vows herself.

Saint Eudokia, one of the great women of Russia, was the daughter of the Suzdal prince Dmitry Konstantinovich. Her father revered Russian antiquity: it was for him that the monk Lavrentiy compiled the famous Laurentian Chronicle. It was an anxious time. Rus' was tormented by civil strife, relations with Moscow were also turbulent: the Suzdal prince sought a great reign for himself, but after the Moscow Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich provided him with military assistance in appanage disputes, their reconciliation took place. This peace had to be consolidated by some significant event - evidence of reconciliation and a guarantee of peace in the future. And then the Suzdal prince gave his daughter Evdokia to Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich. The bride was only 13 years old, the groom was eighteen years old. The wedding took place on January 18/31, 1367, on the feast of Saints Athanasius and Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria. In memory of this, the Grand Duke ordered to erect a wooden church in the name of Saints Athanasius and Cyril at the Spassky Gate (then still Frolovsky) of the Kremlin.

This marriage became one of the happiest in the history of Russia. However, the couple did not have many days of peaceful happiness and peace: troubles followed one after another: the invasions of Mamai, Tokhtamysh and the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, the Horde captivity of the son Vasily, a pestilence and internecine strife.

In August 1380, Evdokia accompanied her beloved husband to the Battle of Kulikovo. Praying incessantly, she looked in tears after the army from the window of her mansion, which stood at the Spassky Gate, asking God to grant her the happiness of seeing her husband again. From the window of the same mansion she looked at the road, waiting for her husband in victory. Fate gave them another nine years of life: the blessed Prince Dimitry Donskoy went to the Lord on May 19, 1389. The Church celebrates his memory on May 19/June 1.

Inconsolable Evdokia remained a widow. It was then that she decided to go to the monastery, because nothing else connected her with the world. All that remained was to fulfill the husband’s behest - to raise children and rule with them until they came of age. So Evdokia fell to bear the burden of power, and her reign faced another terrible test. In the terrible year 1395, Tamerlane marched on Moscow. And then Evdokia ordered the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God to be transferred to Moscow, and she herself met it with the people on Kuchkovo Field, where the Sretensky Monastery was later founded. Muscovites remembered the Grand Duchess as a kind and compassionate woman: she helped the poor, rebuilt their houses after a fire, buried the poor, and gave them money.

Then she founded the Ascension Monastery in the Kremlin, intending to take monastic vows there. Wanting to devote the rest of her life to God and withdraw from the world, Evdokia secretly prepared herself for this fate, spending her nights in prayer and fasting. Carefully concealing her preparations, she dressed in lush, expensive clothes so that the thinness of her emaciated body would not be noticeable, she always appeared cheerful in public, and no one could discern her deep sorrow. The Grand Duchess began to be condemned for living too joyfully after the death of her husband, and even the children treated their mother with suspicion until she revealed the truth to them, ordering them to keep it in the strictest confidence. No one knew about Evdokia’s secret intention until the time came for it to come true.

A temple was erected

There is no reliable information about the exact date of foundation of the Ascension Monastery.
Evdokia gave her Kremlin palaces to the Ascension Monastery: it was founded on the place where, according to legend, the Grand Duchess saw off her husband on the Kulikovo Field and where she met him with victory. By the time its founder was tonsured, the monastery was already sufficiently equipped and ready to receive the holy nun. There was a wooden cathedral in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, and cells were built in the former grand ducal chambers given to the monastery. Shortly before her death, Evdokia received a vision of the Archangel Michael. They said that when she saw the bright angel, she suddenly fell mute. Others said that by this time she had already lost her speech from a serious illness. Archangel Michael, who announced to Evdokia about his imminent death, ordered her to paint his image. When the miraculous vision ended, Evdokia showed with signs that the image of the Archangel Michael should be painted and three times rejected the painted icons as unreliable, until they brought an image in which she recognized the messenger who had appeared - and speech returned to her, which was considered proof of the truth of the image.

Another legend says that the Grand Duchess did not recognize the Archangel Michael in the messenger, and after the vision she ordered an image of the angel to be painted. Three times they brought her a painted icon, she bowed to the image, but asked to paint a new one, because the angel depicted did not look like the one who appeared to her. And then the icon painter painted the canonical image of the Archangel Michael. When he was shown to Princess Evdokia, she immediately recognized who had appeared to her and regained the ability to speak. She first placed this icon in the church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary at her Kremlin chambers, and then donated it to the Archangel Cathedral, where it still stands today as a temple icon in the iconostasis to the right of the royal doors. In front of this image, they prayed to the holy archangel for health and healing of the sick, according to ancient custom, lighting candles the size of the sick.

After the miraculous vision, the Grand Duchess retired to the monastery. When she walked from her palace to the Ascension monastery, on the way she met a blind man who had seen Evdokia in a dream the day before, saying that tomorrow he would receive healing from her. With this he approached the Grand Duchess: “You promised me healing. The time has come to fulfill the promise." Evdokia, without stopping, lowered her sleeve. The blind man grabbed it, put it to his eyes and received his sight. And many more people were healed on the Grand Duchess’s way to the monastery.

At the monastery, she took monastic vows under the name of Euphrosyne and a few days later she ordered the stone Ascension Cathedral to be laid in place of the wooden one. Having lived in monasticism for only a few weeks, on July 7/20, 1407, Saint Eudokia peacefully departed to the Lord. In front of the eyes of Muscovites, who crowded into the Kremlin to honor the memory of their beloved ruler, a candle spontaneously lit up at her coffin. Then, healings were performed more than once at the tomb and candles were miraculously lit. The holy nun Euphrosyne began to be revered as the patroness of Moscow. The church honors her memory on May 17/30 and July 7/20.

The construction of the stone Ascension Cathedral was continued by the daughter-in-law of Saint Eudoxia, Grand Duchess Sofya Vitovtovna, who became the wife of Vasily I. The monastery often burned in Moscow fires, and in the middle of the 15th century the cathedral was still unfinished. In 1467, the widow of Vasily II, Grand Duchess Maria Yaroslavna, who decided to take monastic vows at the Ascension Monastery after the death of her husband, ordered the famous master Vasily Ermolin to dismantle the old cathedral to its foundations and build a new one in its place. However, an experienced architect preserved the ancient building, only re-laying the burnt vaults and covering the walls with new bricks. This restoration of the Ascension Cathedral is considered by some historians to be the very first in Rus'.

The restored Ascension Cathedral stood for a relatively long time. Only in 1518, Grand Duke Vasily III ordered his favorite Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin to build a new cathedral on the site of the old one, so the Ascension Cathedral was built by the same architect who built the Archangel Cathedral. Under Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, the Ascension Cathedral was built again as an exact architectural copy (“replica”) of the Archangel Cathedral. This is how Boris Godunov, whose sister, Irina, was the wife of Fyodor Ioannovich, strengthened his position at court. Boyar Godunov tried in every way to emphasize his kinship with the royal family, and since the Archangel Cathedral was a tomb for kings, and Ascension Cathedral was for queens, the royal brother-in-law ordered the construction of a women’s tomb as a copy of the sovereign’s, equal to her in status.

The decoration of the Ascension Cathedral has not been preserved. The only thing left from it is the iconostasis, which after the revolution was moved to the Kremlin Cathedral in the name of the Twelve Apostles. This is precisely what explains the strange fact that the temple image in the iconostasis of the cathedral in the name of the Twelve Apostles is dedicated to the Ascension of Christ, and not to his disciples. The magnificent baroque iconostasis that has survived to this day was executed quite late - at the very end of the 17th century and in the style of its era. Decorated with Flemish “flaming” carvings, it symbolically represented the Garden of Eden. Elaborately carved chiseled fruits and flowers symbolized eternal bloom and heavenly abundance, and the vine was a symbol of Christ himself. To the left of the royal gates is the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, patroness of the Romanov dynasty. In March 1613, nun Martha blessed the reign of her son, Mikhail Romanov, with the Feodorov image. The images in the top row of the iconostasis, copied from illustrations of the Dutch Bible, are dedicated to the Passion of Christ.

The shrine of the Ascension Cathedral was the ancient image of the Mother of God "Hodegetria" ("Guide"). According to legend, Princess Evdokia herself saved him from the fire during the invasion of Tokhtamysh in 1382. Exactly one hundred years later, this icon burned down, and then the famous icon painter Dionysius painted a new image of the Mother of God on the burnt board. On great holidays, this icon was brought out to meet the Tsar and Patriarch, and they venerated it at the gates of the monastery. (In our time, the image is kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery).

In the 1730s, two chapels were built in the Ascension Cathedral, both in memory of royal persons. The first, the Assumption chapel, was founded by the brother of Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna, who was the wife of Ivan Alekseevich, co-ruler of Peter I. The other chapel in the name of the icon “Joy of All Who Sorrow” was built by Empress Anna Ioannovna in memory of her sister Praskovya Ivanovna, the daughter of Ivan Alekseevich and Praskovya Fedorovna. Already in 1737, the monastery burned down in a great fire, and the empress ordered its restoration. Since then, the monastery has had a special celebration of the icon of the Mother of God “The Burning Bush,” revered as a protector from fiery disaster. This celebration took place on the first Sunday after All Saints' Week.

By the time of the revolution, there were three churches in the Ascension Monastery: the Ascension Cathedral, the church in the name of St. Michael Malein with a chapel in the name of Theodore of Perga, and the church in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine. It is believed that the wooden St. Michael's Church was founded by the nun Martha herself, the mother of the first Romanov, who at the end of her life settled in the Ascension Monastery: this temple was consecrated in the name of the heavenly patron Mikhail Fedorovich, and the chapel - in the name of the heavenly patron of his father, Patriarch Philaret, who bore name Fedor. That is why on the temple icon the holy warrior was depicted in bishop’s robes. In 1634, the famous architect Bazhen Ogurtsov built a stone temple on the site of a wooden one, and another relic of Moscow was transferred to it - a sculptural image of St. George the Victorious, executed by Vasily Ermolin. Previously it stood at the Spassky Gate.

On the site of the ancient church in the name of Saints Athanasius and Cyril, which Dimitri Donskoy ordered to be erected in memory of his wedding day, a church was erected in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine, the revered patroness of women in labor and children. The first altar in the monastery in the name of St. Catherine was consecrated back in 1586, but an independent stone church appeared a hundred years later. This is how Princess Ekaterina Alekseevna, the daughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, fulfilled her and her father’s vow after the miracle revealed to her family by the holy great martyr. When the Tsar’s first wife, Maria Miloslavskaya, was expecting the birth of a new child, and the Tsar was hunting near Moscow, without going far from home, Saint Catherine appeared to him in a dream and announced the birth of his daughter. The newborn was named Catherine, the sovereign appointed the Kremlin Catherine Church at the Terem Palace for the wedding of princesses, and his daughter later erected a temple in the name of her heavenly guardian in the Ascension Monastery.

By the beginning of the 19th century, the church had become so dilapidated that they decided to demolish it. The famous architect I. Egotov drew up a design for the new temple. However, in 1808, Emperor Alexander I personally ordered that the new Catherine Church be built by the Italian architect Carl Rossi, who worked a lot in St. Petersburg. What caused this decision of the emperor, who did not like this architect? The talent and authority of this master were so great that it was to him that the sovereign entrusted the construction of the temple, consecrated in the name of the heavenly patroness of his beloved sister, Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna. The Tsar's wish was fulfilled: Karl Rossi drew up a project for the Catherine Church in a Gothic style unusual for Moscow. The temple was consecrated only in 1817, and decorated with donations from the emperor.

All Russian sovereigns did not forget the Ascension Monastery and presented gifts to it - after all, their mothers, wives, sisters, daughters rested within its walls...

Eternal peace

The Ascension Monastery was a burial place for women of the royal family. According to legend, Princess Evdokia herself wanted it to be so. Previously, the spouses and daughters of the great princes were buried in the Cathedral of the Savior on Bor. There is another version: at first no one thought of turning the monastery into a tomb, but first Evdokia herself was laid to rest in the Ascension Cathedral, then her daughter-in-law Sofya Vitovtovna, and then the idea arose to bury crowned women here, because the cramped Spassky Cathedral was much less suitable for this than Ascension Monastery.

The women's tomb was in many ways similar to the sovereign's in the Archangel Cathedral. Firstly, the status of the buried: in both tombs they buried not only rulers, but also appanage princes and princesses related to them, many of whom ended their lives in disgrace. Secondly, there were similarities in the order of the tombs. In the temple-tomb, the most honorable place of burial was the altar. It was followed by the southern side, facing the Holy Land. The northern side was considered the least honorable part of the tomb. They were buried in one or another part of the cathedral depending on the status of the deceased. In the Archangel Cathedral, the most honorable place in the altar was given to the tombs of Ivan the Terrible and his sons.

And since there could not be women’s tombs in the altar part, the southern wall became the most honorable place in the tomb of the Ascension Monastery. Here the relics of St. Evdokia rested in a silver shrine. Buried next to her was the wife of the deposed Tsar Vasily Shuisky, Maria (monastically Elena), who ended her life in the Ivanovo Monastery on Kulishki. This mysterious burial remained unexplained for a long time, until scientists came to the conclusion that the Shuisky family descended from Evdokia’s father, Prince Dmitry of Suzdal. That is why the former queen was given the most honorable place after the founder of the monastery.

Also buried near the southern wall were Anastasia Romanova, the first and beloved wife of Ivan the Terrible, his mother Elena Glinskaya, Evdokia Streshneva - the second wife of Mikhail Fedorovich, the wives of Alexei Mikhailovich - Maria Miloslavskaya and Natalia Naryshkina, the mother of Peter I, who before her death asked for her son to be released from prison prisoners and forgive government debts to debtors. The Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologus, the second wife of Grand Duke Ivan III, was also buried here. And Fyodor Ioannovich’s wife, Tsarina Irina, turned out to be the only one of the Godunov family whose burial remained inside the Kremlin walls. Her brother, as is known, was carried out with blasphemy from the Archangel Cathedral by order of False Dmitry I and buried in the Moscow Varsonofevsky Monastery, where only the poor and rootless were buried. Only Vasily Shuisky ordered him to be buried in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

The disgraced princesses were buried near the northern wall of the Ascension Cathedral. One of them, Elena Voloshanka, the wife of Ivan the Young, the eldest son of Ivan III from his first wife: she incurred the wrath of her father-in-law by being convicted of adherence to heresy. Euphrosyne Staritskaya and Princess Evdokia, the mother and wife of Prince Vladimir Andreevich, who was Ivan the Terrible’s cousin, are also buried here. Let us remember that this was a boyar candidate-candidate for the Moscow throne, and Grozny did not tolerate such rivalry and hated the elder rulers. Their graves were located on a walkway, without gravestones, so that they could be trampled underfoot. The tsar subjected the burial of Vladimir Staritsky himself in the Archangel Cathedral to a similar fate: having buried him in the least honorable part of the cathedral, Grozny forbade writing an epitaph on his tomb.

Boyar Ulyana, the mother of Anastasia Romanova, the first wife of Ivan the Terrible, was also buried near the northern wall of the Ascension Cathedral. After the death of the first Russian queen, she took monastic vows in this monastery with the name Anastasia in memory of her beloved daughter, whom she outlived by 17 years. Grozny's mother-in-law belonged to a boyar family and therefore rested in a less honorable part of the tomb. The last to be buried here was Praskovya Ivanovna, the sister of Empress Anna Ioannovna, who died in 1731.

Before military campaigns or pilgrimage trips, sovereigns went not only to the Archangel Cathedral, but also to the Ascension Monastery to venerate the ashes of their mothers. Emperors also came here during Lent, and on Easter they laid red eggs on the tombs - a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ.

Royal monastery

The remarkable history of the ancient monastery was closely connected with the life of the Kremlin and with the fate of Moscow and Russia. Almost a hundred years after its founding, the monastery was visited by a great miracle, which was included in the chronicles and legends of Russian history. In 1521, the Crimean Khan Mehmet Giray marched towards Moscow. The city began to prepare for a siege, and Muscovites sent out prayers for salvation. Rostov Archbishop John shut himself up in the Assumption Cathedral to pray, and near the cathedral at its gates the Holy Fool Basil the Blessed also prayed. Suddenly he heard a great noise and saw the doors of the temple open, and a voice came from the Vladimir icon: “For the sins of the people, by the command of my Son, I will leave this city with the Russian wonderworkers.” And the saint saw how the Vladimir icon immediately left its place, and the temple was filled with fire. And the revelation was given to the saint that the Lord would have mercy on Moscow only through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother.

At the same time, another revelation was revealed to one blind nun of the Ascension Monastery. During the cathedral prayer, she miraculously saw how the Moscow saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah and Leonty of Rostov came out of the Spassky Gate to the ringing of bells and carried with them the miraculous Vladimir image of the Mother of God. And St. Sergius of Radonezh and Varlaam of Khutyn come to meet them from Ilyinka and ask them not to leave the city. Together they said a prayer in front of the Vladimir Icon and returned with it to the Kremlin. At that very hour the enemy retreated from Moscow. After the vision, the nun received her sight and, having lived in her cell for another two years, went to the Lord. And the Spassky Gate, according to legend, began to be revered as saints from then on.

The Ascension Monastery was under the patronage of Russian rulers and was considered royal: its abbess could enter the grand duchesses and queens without reporting. Many of his nuns themselves belonged to the royal family. It was here that the nun Martha spent the rest of her life - in the world Maria Nagaya, the last wife of Ivan the Terrible and the mother of the faithful Tsarevich Dimitri. False Dmitry I brought her here from Uglich so that in front of all the people she would “recognize” him as her own son, and settled her in the monastery with royal honors. The nun recognized the impostor as her son, then publicly renounced him and repented. As a former queen, she was nevertheless laid to rest in the Kremlin tomb. In the Ascension Monastery, False Dmitry also imprisoned the daughter of Boris Godunov, Princess Ksenia.

After the victory over the Time of Troubles in 1613, another nun, Martha, the mother of the first Romanov, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, settled in the Ascension Monastery. A Russian coat of arms was erected above her cell, meaning that the mother of the ruling sovereign lived here. She spent 18 years here in retirement, embroidering temple shrouds, veils and vestments for priests. Evdokia Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter the Great, also lived here for several years. After her grandson Peter II ascended the Russian throne in 1727, the disgraced queen was transferred with royal honors to the Ascension Monastery from the Shlisselburg fortress. However, three years later Peter II died of smallpox. There were rumors that the throne was offered to Evdokia, but she refused it and ended her days in the Novodevichy Convent, where she was laid to rest.

According to ancient tradition, the sovereign's betrothed brides stayed in the Ascension Monastery until their wedding. The daughter of the Moldavian ruler Stefan, Elena Voloshanka, lived here before her wedding. But most memorable of all was Marina Mnishek, the bride of False Dmitry I, who amazed Muscovites from the first minutes of her appearance in the Kremlin. People crowded around the Kremlin walls, wanting to see their future ruler. When the carriage of the sovereign's bride stopped at the gates of the Ascension Monastery, Polish musicians from her retinue struck out a national song, horrifying the eyewitnesses. In front of all the people, Maria Nagaya came out to meet her and gave her future “daughter-in-law” part of her personal chambers. Everyone thought that Mniszech would prepare to accept the Orthodox faith before the wedding. However, the proud Polish woman did not like her stay in the monastery, and she announced this to her groom. A Polish cook immediately appeared at the monastery, followed by dancers and musicians who did their best to entertain the “royal bride,” and then, as a sign of special tenderness, a casket with jewelry from the treasury was sent. Muscovites hated Marina Mnishek precisely from those first days of her stay in the Russian capital.

At the beginning of the 17th century, nun Irina Mstislavskaya settled in the Ascension Monastery. Her ambitious brother Fyodor Mstislavsky, the future head of the Seven Boyars, set out to divorce Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich from Irina Godunova and entice him with his sister. Then many close boyars were attracted by the idea of ​​persuading Fyodor Ioannovich, who did not have a son-heir, to follow the example of his ancestor Vasily III: send his “barren” wife to a monastery, and marry a second time himself, and they offered him Irina Mstislavskaya as his bride. The Tsar flatly refused to cheat on his wife, and the Mstislavskys incurred the indescribable wrath of Godunov. Irina was tonsured a nun at the Ascension Monastery, where she died in 1639. With the death of the nun, the Mstislavsky family ended, for her brother Fyodor never had children.

The Ascension Monastery remained a monastery of the highest status. It was richer than all the women’s monasteries, rivaled only by Novodevichy, where the royal wives and daughters also monasticated. Novodevichy, consecrated in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, was so nicknamed to distinguish it from the old Kremlin monastery for august nuns. Sometimes legends call the Alekseevsky or Conception Monasteries “Starodevichy”, but this is not so: their nuns did not have such origins.

On the patronal feast day, the patriarch always served in the Ascension monastery, and from the palace, according to custom, the nuns were sent festive pies, fish and honey. The nuns sewed clothes for members of the royal house, did needlework for palace use, embroidered napkins or towels, wove lace, and even prepared their favorite dishes for queens and princesses. There was also a school here for noble girls, where they were taught literacy, etiquette, handicrafts and church singing. Particularly famous in Moscow was the “decorated willow” made by the nuns of the Ascension Convent. These were willow bouquets, decorated with decorative flower garlands, fruits and figures made of wax. Muscovites celebrated Palm Sunday with such bouquets, and a trip to the Ascension Monastery to buy willow was a real holiday for children. The wax willow tradition lasted for a century and survived the invasion of Napoleon.

The Ascension Monastery survived the French invasion, and the abbess managed to take the sacristy to Vologda. French soldiers broke into the monastery and completely plundered everything that was left in it. In the cathedral they dumped straw for the horses and placed barrels of wine, and a bakery was set up in the Catherine Church. There was little destruction when compared with other temples. The priest of the Ascension Monastery, Ivan Yakovlev, even managed to hide the relics of Saint Tsarevich Demetrius in the monastery cathedral. He found them lying next to the shrine in the desecrated Archangel Cathedral and, wrapping them in a shroud, secretly brought them to the Ascension Monastery.

And the legend says that the relics of the noble prince were stolen from the Archangel Cathedral by schismatics, taking advantage of the opportunity when the Kremlin and its churches were occupied by the enemy and no one cared about the fate of the shrines. And along the way, the schismatic woman, who was secretly carrying out the relics, met a priest from the Ascension Monastery. He took the precious burden from her, although he was severely beaten, and hid it in the Ascension Cathedral behind the iconostasis. They said that he died from beatings, but before his death he managed to tell another priest where he hid the holy relics of the prince. And after the victory they were again laid to rest in the Archangel Cathedral.

In 1907, the Ascension Monastery celebrated the 500th anniversary of the repose of its reverend founder. After the festive service, a procession of the cross departed from the monastery to Red Square, in which Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fedorovna, the founder of the Moscow Marfo-Mariinsky Convent, also walked. She presented a golden lamp and flower garlands to the tomb of the Monk Euphrosyne. This was one of the last celebrations in the life of the Ascension Monastery.

Last hour

The Ascension Monastery suffered greatly during the November battles for the Kremlin: shells destroyed the walls and domes of its churches. Bishop Nestor of Kamchatka, who visited the Kremlin the day after its shelling, saw a killed cadet on the floor of the Catherine Church and served a litany near his body. In March 1918, the Bolshevik government moved to Moscow and was located in the Kremlin. Soon the nuns were ordered to leave the monastery: the last of its nuns, together with the abbess, found temporary shelter at the hospital in Lefortovo. They managed to secretly, under robes, remove the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, utensils and jewelry from the monastery and hide them in the Lavra courtyard, but the Bolsheviks carried out a search there and sent the confiscated valuables to the Armory. And in the Gothic church in the name of St. Catherine they even built a gymnasium.

The final hour of the Ascension Monastery struck in 1929. He died along with the Miracle Monastery when the territory was cleared for the construction of the Military School named after. All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The director of the Lenin Library, V.I., unsuccessfully stood up for the ancient monastery. Nevsky, later shot by the Bolsheviks. Scientists managed to achieve the transfer of white stone coffins from the tomb to the basement of the Archangel Cathedral, where they remain today. According to legend, when the sarcophagus of St. Evdokia was raised, it split. And when they opened the coffin of Marfa Sobakina, the third wife of Ivan the Terrible, to everyone’s amazement they saw a completely preserved body, as if the queen was sleeping. Scientists were struck by the idea that she had been poisoned, and the poison contributed to such good preservation of the remains, but as soon as the air touched the body, it instantly crumbled into dust, so it was not possible to study it.

Also in 1929, the Ascension Monastery was blown up. Experts say that it was then that dynamite was used for the first time to destroy temples. All his churches perished, including Catherine’s, which remained the only surviving creation of Karl Rossi in Moscow. On the site of the monastery, the architect I. Rerberg built a bulky building, awkwardly stylized as Kremlin classicism, so that it would harmonize with the neighboring Senate and Arsenal. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR later worked in this building.

In the 1990s, work began on studying the tombs of the Grand Duchesses and Queens. Now scientists have reliably established that Anastasia Romanova and Elena Glinskaya were indeed poisoned, as popular rumor claimed: a large amount of mercury was found in their remains. It was possible to reconstruct a sculptural portrait of Sophia Paleologus from the skull, which refuted another legend - about the illegitimacy of Ivan the Terrible, since his father Vasily III, the son of Sophia Paleologus, was allegedly infertile. The legend was so widespread that even some scientists adhered to this version. When comparing the portraits of the grandmother and grandson, not only similar features were revealed, but also a special Mediterranean anthropological type was revealed, which was also the case with the Greek Sophia Paleologa and Ivan the Terrible. The king could only inherit this type from his grandmother.

And most importantly, we managed to find the relics of the Venerable Euphrosyne of Moscow (Grand Duchess Evdokia). On July 7/20, 2000, on the day of her memory, the Divine Liturgy was served in the Archangel Cathedral, and then for the first time the relics of the saint were brought into the cathedral for public veneration. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, litias are now celebrated at the tombs of the Grand Duchesses.

Resurrection Cathedral

The main part of the monastery is the Resurrection Cathedral, consisting of the Church of the Resurrection, a chapel with the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of Constantine and Helena, which goes 6 m underground. The central part of the temple has a four-pillar structure connected by a dome at the top. The vault of the dome depicts Jesus Christ ascending to heaven.

On the western side of the cathedral there is a huge rotunda, covered with a large dome that goes into the sky. In its center there is a cuvuklia or chapel with the tomb of Jesus Christ, decorated with divine tiles of the holy elders. In the very center of the dome, at its arch, the Lord God is depicted with Jesus Christ on the right side and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, surrounded by angels.

History of the creation of the temple

The cathedral is also commonly called the New Jerusalem. Patriarch Nikon decided to recreate Palestinian shrines in the Moscow region, so that this, in turn, would allow the Russian people to see the sacred places of Christ’s Resurrection.

In 1685, the construction of the Church of Constantine and Helen, as well as the Resurrection Cathedral, was completed, but the creation of the gate temple of the Entrance of the Most High and the fortress wall were completed in 1697, but already under Peter I.

However, at this stage the construction work was not completed, since, not having stood for 30 years, the stone tent of the Church of the Resurrection collapsed. Work on its restoration lasted right up to 1761, during the end of the reign of Empress Elizabeth.

Refectory with the Church of the Nativity

After Tsarina Tatyana Mikhailovna asked Fyodor Alekseevich to continue the construction of the monastery, immediately in 1686 the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was completed and the construction of the Church of the Nativity of Christ began along with the refectory chambers.

It was built on 2 floors in the Baroque style (a single-domed quadrangle with a high tower): below there is a small temple for worship, at the top there is a bright room with windows in two tiers. In the 18th century The Church of the Nativity has undergone reconstruction.

At the bottom of the church there were four chapels with biblical names: “Visit of the Magi”, “Joseph’s Flight into Egypt”, “Execution of the Innocents” and “Circumcision of the Lord”.

In the 19th century two more chapels were added to it, dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh and the martyr Tatiana. During the Great Patriotic War, the church was destroyed, but already in the 1950s. she was restored. In 1990 it was finally repaired and consecrated.

History of the Cathedral

The construction process lasted for 14 years. The work was divided into two stages. The first period falls on 1656-1666. Originally the walls were made of wood. During this period, they began to arrange the Nikon monastery. Today it is called the Waste Desert. Then the Chapel of Olives was built.

Work was interrupted for a certain period. They were restored in 1679 by order of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich. Moreover, the new decree contained information about the construction of two dozen more shrines. Ultimately, the total share of buildings was about 1630. The result was a huge, rich possession of Russia.

Nikon completely succeeded in realizing his plan. The complex maximally reflected the essence of the Holy Land. The whole area was divided into certain parts - Galilee, Bethlehem, Olivet. The founder of the monastery died in 1681. Subsequently, the construction process was continued by Archimandrite Nikanor.

In 1941, the building was completely destroyed by Germany. The largest share of the impact fell on the bell tower, tent, and rotunda. In 1985, the lost chapter returned to its original location. The tent was restored only at the end of the 20th century. But now its basis was a high-quality metal structure.

Since 1995, the monastery has become an integral part of the Russian Orthodox Church. Now, from this moment on, two buildings coexist on the site - the stauropegic monastery and the New Jerusalem Museum. It has modern technical equipment.

Gate Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem Monastery in the Moscow region has a gate church, which was built from 1694 to 1697. It looks like an octagon on a quadrangle and stands on a gate with three spans. Each of the spans has its own name: the span in the center is the Red Gate, the left one is the Church of the Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the span on the right is the Entrance Gate.

Above the Red Gate on the facade of the 2nd tier there is an image of Christ. The arches are supported by columns and decorated with crenellated designs. In 1941, German troops destroyed the Temple of Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem and, starting in the 1970s, it had to be restored. Gradually the walls of the temple and the interior were restored.

Since 2008, the gilded carved iconostasis in the church has been restored. It contained icons depicting the risen Lazarus and Jesus with his disciples in his house. These circumstances prepared the way for Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

How to get to the New Jerusalem Monastery

By train

Option 1.

From Rizhsky railway station or from the stations “Tushino” (metro station “Tushinskaya”), “Leningradskaya” (metro station “Voikovskaya”), “Dmitrovskaya” (metro station “Dmitrovskaya”), trains depart to
the station “ Novoierusalimskaya”
. Trains are approaching, whose terminal stations are Novoierusalimskaya, Rumyantsevo, Volokolamsk, Shakhovskaya.

At the Novoierusalimskaya station, go along the underground passage towards the station building. There is an underground passage nearby to the other side of Panfilov Street. After crossing, go further along Panfilov Street, without turning anywhere. The Jerusalem shopping center can serve as a reference point. Crossing the Istra (Jordan) river over the bridge, you can admire the view of the monastery. Travel time is 20 minutes.

Option 2.

Take the train to the Novoierusalimskaya station or the Istra station and take a minibus to the Monastyr stop or ask the driver to stop closer to the monastery gate.

By bus

From the Tushinskaya metro station, take bus No. 372 to the Pochta stop in the city of Istra. Then transfer to a bus or minibus to the Monastyr stop.

Underground Church of Constantine and Helena

The Church of Constantine and Helena conveys the place where the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord was found. According to legend, the cross on which Jesus was crucified was thrown into a crevice near Golgotha. The Roman Queen Helen made an attempt to find a Christian shrine and one of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Judas (Cyriacus), showed her the place with the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

After excavating the hill, three crosses were found and when one was touched, sick people were healed. So in 326, it was decided to erect the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on this site. The underground church is a prototype of the place where the Life-giving Cross of the Lord was found.

Its construction in the monastery began in 1680, and the moat for the foundation was made under Patriarch Nikon. The church has a large hammered iconostasis. On the left is Jesus, and on the right is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Above is the Calvary Cross with Constantine and Helen praying at the edges.

To the south is the chapel of the martyr Kyriakos, who suffered and was executed for his faith. There, near the altar, is the “seat” of Queen Helena, when she oversaw the excavations of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. In a small tent built in the 18th century, there is a wooden cross similar to Golgotha.

Suvorov's wife, Varvara Ivanovna, and their son Arkady Alexandrovich, who died at the age of 15, are buried in the church on the north side. They were honored to be buried in the church due to generous donations for the needs of the monastery.

The Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery is the pearl of the city of Istra near Moscow.

Pilgrims or simply tourists come to Istra who want to see the beautiful monastery after restoration.

The places in Istra are beautiful, because it was not for nothing that in the 17th century Patriarch Nikon noticed that the picturesque surroundings of these places were somewhat similar to distant Palestine and the idea arose to build a temple here similar to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to the patriarch’s idea, many Russian people who did not have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Palestine captured by the Turks could very well worship the feat of Christ here in the New Jerusalem.

It is especially beautiful in the monastery in autumn.

Enceinte

The fortress wall, like the gate church, was rebuilt from wood to stone in 1690-1694. Under Nikon, the temple was surrounded by a wooden fence on which 8 hipped towers rose. 4 pointed to the cardinal directions and 4 were simply located in the corners.

The main entrance, as today, was on the east side.

At the entrance there was a hotel house for visitors and pilgrims. The reconstruction of the fortress fence and the church was carried out by the architect Ya. Bukhvostov. For the defense of the temple, the walls were converted into three-tiered ones with a military passage. The eight towers were built in the Baroque style (cone-shaped, ending with a tent) and received biblical names.

On the western gate is the Elizabeth Tower, on the eastern side above the main gate is the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The length of the fortress fence is 920 m, the height of the walls is 9 m, and the thickness is 3 m.

Abbots, governors

• Stephen (1656 - 1658)
• Gerasim (1658 - October 1665)
• Akakiy (December 25, 1666 - 1670)
• Theodosius (mentioned 1671)
• Philotheus (1672 - January 1680)
• Barsanuphius (February - October 25, 1680)
• Hermann I (1681 - 1682)
• Nikephoros (January 1683 - 1685)
• Nicanor (1685 - 1698)
• Herman II (October 13, 1698 - June 26, 1699)
• Arseny (July 30, 1699 - 1703)
• Ignatius (1703 - 1709)
• Anthony (1709 - 1722)
• Lavrenty (Gorka) (April 29, 1722 - September 8, 1723)
• Cyprian (Skripitsyn) (August 1723 - September 27, 1727)
• Melchizedek (Borshchov) (June 1727 - April 1736?)
• Karion (Golubovsky) (July 19, 1737 - 1742)
• Peter (Smelich) (September 6, 1742 - November 27, 1744)
• St. Hilarion (Grigorovich) (December 17, 1744 - May 22, 1748)
• Ambrose (Zertis-Kamensky) (May 10, 1748 - August 2, 1765)
• Nikon (Zertis-Kamensky) (August 2, 1765 - September 29, 1771)
• Sylvester (Stragorodsky) (1771 - October 3, 1785)
• Pavel (Ponomarev) (October 13, 1785 - January 14, 1786)
• Apollos (Baibakov) (1786 - 1788)
• Platon (Lyubarsky) (June 21, 1788 - March 31, 1792)
• Nektary (Chernyavsky) (March 31, 1792 - April 2, 1792) was appointed, but died
• Varlaam (Golovin) (April 13, 1792 - January 17, 1799)
• Jerome (Poniatsky) (January 17, 1799 - June 4, 1802)
• Gideon (Ilyin-Zamatsky) (July 19, 1802 - August 20, 1805)
• Melchizedek (Minervin) (September 25, 1805 - June 29, 1813)
• Jonah (Pavinsky) (December 31, 1813 - July 22, 1817)
• Filaret (Amphitheaters) (July 28, 1817 - June 1, 1819)
• Afanasy (Telyatev) (October 30, 1819 - March 10, 1821)
• Apollos (Alekseevsky) (February 9, 1821 - February 19, 1837)
• Arseny (Nagibin) (February 19, 1837 - 1838?)
• Agapit (Voznesensky) (June 10, 1841 - March 2, 1850)
• Melchizedek (Sokolnikov) (March 26, 1851 - 1852)
• Kliment (Mozharov) (1852 - 1856)
• Amfilohiy (Sergievsky-Kazantsev) (July 28, 1858 - 1860)
• Dionysius (Dolgopolov) (May 25, 1860 - January 1862)
• Anthony (Radonezh) (March 17, 1862 - May 11, 1866)
• Peter (Ekaterinovsky) (October 13, 1867 - April 4, 1869)
• Leonid (Kavelin) (1869 - 1877)
• Christopher (Smirnov) (December 13, 1890 - 1892)
• Andrey (Sadovsky) (April 26, 1893 - March 14, 1898)
• Vladimir (Philanthropov) (1898 - 1904)
• Seraphim (Chichagov) (1904 - 1905)
• Justin (Okhotin) (March 29, 1905 - May 25, 1907)
• sschmch. Tikhon (Nikanorov) (1907 - 1911)
• sschmch. Jonah (Lazarev) (March 22, 1911 - 1918)
• Trifon (Turkestanov) (June 2, 1916 - April 1, 1918) manager, bishop. b. Dmitrovsky

Since July 18, 1994, the monastery has been under the canonical control of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (stauropegia).

Viceroys

• Nikita (Latushko) (July 18, 1994 - June 23, 2008)
• Feofilakt (Bezukladnikov) (from (May 6) June 23, 2008)

Necropolis

The necropolis is the burial place of people who made a significant contribution to the construction and development of the monastery. It is located inside it next to the Church of Constantine and St. Helena. In the Jerusalem Temple, Adam and the high priest Melchizedek occupied a place of honor in the chapel of John the Baptist. The ashes of Patriarch Nikon were also located in this chapel of the Cathedral of the Resurrection.

Among the first burials are those of P. Zaborsky and Deacon N. Nikitin, and to the south is the burial place of Ivan Shusherin, who wrote a biography of Nikon. Also in the necropolis you can find the graves of relatives of the writer-playwright A. Sukhovo-Kobylin and the commander A. Suvorov.

Shrines of the monastery

First of all, these are copies of Jerusalem shrines. Pilgrims come to venerate the Stone of Anointing, visit Calvary, and reverently worship the Holy Sepulcher. Among the relics is a model of the Resurrection Jerusalem Church, which was used by the builders of Russian Jerusalem, part of the omophorion of Patriarch Nikon, and an antimension signed by him.

New Jerusalem Monastery. Entrance to Edicule

Epiphany Skete

The New Jerusalem Monastery in the Moscow region has the Epiphany Skete, which was the residence of Patriarch Nikon. It was built in 1657 as a 2-story building, to which the Epiphany Church was attached. Soon Nikon remade the desert and made it into a “stone pillar” with four parts.

The lower floor was occupied by utility rooms, the second by the entrance hall and rooms for serving monks, the third by the refectory with the Church of the Epiphany, the reception room and Nikon's cell, the fourth floor by rooms with a spiral staircase.

The building, solemn on the outside, looks cramped on the inside. This is due to the fact that inside it is divided into small rooms for just a few people.

Modesty and simplicity show the life that Patriarch Nikon lived. He slept only 3 hours a day, and devoted the remaining time to prayers, worship and theology.

Where is the New Jerusalem Monastery located?

This is the city of Istra near Moscow. The address of the monastery is Sovetskaya Street, which has not changed its name since the Soviet era. There is no need to specifically look for the address “Sovetskaya, 2”: the monastery is visible from almost anywhere in the city.

Moscow region. City of Istra.

The city of Istra in the Moscow region: a short information

Now it is a small city with a population of just over 30,000 people, there are only 15 streets. The name “Istra” (after the river flowing here) appeared only in 1930 , before that Istra was known first as the village of Safatovo (from the end of the 16th century), then as Voskresensk, named so, of course, after it was built from the end of the 17th century. monastery.

Voskresensk city, Dvoryanskaya street. Today: Istra, Volokolamsk highway

How to get there

From Moscow to Istra it is about 40 km. There is enough transport here. This:

• buses No. 372, 580; they depart from two points: these are the Tushino and Myakinino metro stations; they depart every half hour, the trip itself takes about 50 minutes;
• It takes a little longer to travel by electric train; trains to Istra go from Rizhsky station; you can use trains going to Volokolamsk, Rumyantsevo, and get off at the Novo-Ierusalimskaya stop; There is also a train, the destination of which is Istra itself.

New Jerusalem Monastery. How to get there. Map

Many residents of the capital also get to the monastery along the Novorizhskoye or Volokolamsk highway.

Parking

It is free and located in front of the entrance. There is not much space here, and when there are a large number of people coming (for example, on a holiday), motorists experience some difficulties.

Opening hours

The monastery opens its doors from 8 a.m. and closes after 6 p.m. The exception is weekends:

• on Saturdays, entry closes at 20:00 (after the all-night vigil);
• on Sundays the monastery is open from 6.30 a.m., but closes at 6 p.m.

Mount of Olives

If people went to the monastery along the road from Moscow, they ended up on the Hill of Olives. From it the New Jerusalem Monastery was clearly visible, and the stone cross on top of the hill personified the place of the Ascension of the Savior. One side of the cross showed the crucified Jesus Christ, the Lord God and the Holy Spirit.

On the other side there was an inscription stating that Emperor Alexei Mikhailovich, having entered the Mount of Olives, gave the name to the future monastery “New Jerusalem”. In the 17th century a chapel was built here, which was destroyed in the 1930s. In 2005, the foundation stone was laid for the new Chapel of the Ascension of the Lord to replace the church destroyed by the fascist invaders in 1941.

New Jerusalem Monastery: schedule of services, address and how to get there

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The Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery is one of the most revered and popular communities located in the central part of the Russian state, and its distinctive feature is that the Resurrection Church located here was built in the likeness and image of the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulcher on Calvary (Jerusalem). However, in appearance, these two communities are completely different from each other. But you can find out how to get to the monastery, the schedule of services, what shrines there are and much more from this article.

Museum and park

The New Jerusalem Monastery in the Moscow region has a local history museum, which was opened in 1920. It collected artistic, archaeological, historical and religious exhibits related to the construction of the monastery and its history. Their number today exceeds 180 thousand artifacts.

The exhibits in the museum tell visitors about the stages of construction of the monastery and its founder, Patriarch Nikon. Here are collected reproductions and objects from the time of the founding of the holy monastery and during the Great Patriotic War, when it was destroyed. Among the objects telling about Nikon’s life, the carriage in which he traveled and objects of his activities have been preserved.

Next to the museum is the Garden of Gethsemane and a park in which there is an equestrian school and the Museum of Wooden Architecture. This is a good place for active recreation, where you can ride horses and have a picnic in the summer. In the Museum of Wooden Architecture you can get acquainted with the life and life of peasants using the example of a nearby village hut with its utensils and a windmill.

Concept

The main attraction of the complex is the Resurrection Cathedral. It was the first to be built in the seventeenth century. Patriarch Nikon wanted this temple, and the entire New Jerusalem monastery in the Moscow region, to become a copy of its prototype in Palestine. Therefore, even the hills, mountains and rivers around were renamed. The hill on which the monastery stood was artificially raised higher and called Mount Zion. The course of the river was changed, and in this place it itself was called Jordan, and its tributary - Kidron. And the surrounding lands began to be called by biblical names - Mount Tabor, the Garden of Gethsemane, Bethany... The Patriarch's idea of ​​​​recreating Palestinian Christian shrines in the Moscow region took root and brought fame and income to the monastery.

Shrines

The monastery contains many icons and holy objects, but the main shrines are:

• Icon "Lord Pantocrator with the falling Philip and Nikon"(It was created on the occasion of the transportation of the relics of St. Philip to Moscow in 1657. Their transportation took place under the supervision of Nikon himself. Currently, the icon is in the exhibition hall of the New Jerusalem Museum.);

• a fragment of Nikon’s omophorion (it was made in 1597 from satin fabric embroidered with gold, silver and silk threads. The omophorion serves as a robe for a bishop during divine services. It depicted Jesus Christ, blessing believers for good deeds and surrounded by angels.);
• collapsible model of the Jerusalem Temple (It was brought to Moscow in 1649 from Jerusalem by Patriarch Paisius. It was made of ivory, cypress with hand carving and turning and was used by Nikon as a model in the construction of the New Jerusalem Monastery.);

• antimension of the 17th century . (This shrine looks like a small linen cloth with a piece of relics sewn into it, on which the burial of Christ is depicted. It was signed and consecrated by Nikon himself to perform the sacrament of the Divine Liturgy.);
• tabernacle of St. Mary Magdalene (It was made from gilded silver according to Kazakov’s sketches at the end of the 18th century. It looks like a holy vessel with the blood and body of Jesus. In Orthodoxy it is called an ark and is located in the altar.)

Architecture and decoration

According to the plan, the Resurrection Cathedral should be an exact copy of the Holy Sepulcher. Thus, the complex should consist of three parts. The design reflects the main Christian shrines. The entire range of construction activities was implemented in several stages. So, before 1666, work on the roof and bell tower was completed.

The cathedral, both outside and inside, is incredibly beautiful. Its decoration is made with ceramic belts, the decor is exquisite - portals, platbands, and beautiful iconostases are used. 15 bells were prepared for the bell tower. Today the weight of the largest is 100 pounds. In 1679, the chapter and the tent were installed. In 1690 the object was illuminated.

The modern cathedral is inferior in size to its majestic prototype. However, all theological content was conveyed with the greatest degree of accuracy. Old Russian motifs are especially noticeable in the eastern zone of the temple. The composition of many chapters is shaped like a pyramid. All elements were built independently of each other. The result was a whole, indivisible structure.

Chambers of the "New Jerusalem"

In the western part of the territory the ensemble includes chambers. They are represented by Refectory, Hospital and Archimandrite. It was originally intended that these buildings would be located as separate buildings. But by the end of the 18th century, it became clear that the most harmonious picture would be obtained if a single holistic model was created. Old stone services were used as the foundation for the refectory. They were founded back in 1666. On the western side you can see three chambers, they are located not far from the Church of the Nativity. The chambers have a ceremonial design; they are decorated with snow-white trim. Huge semicircular windows emphasize the status of the building.

The hospital wards are located near the Church of the Three Saints. They are characterized by compactness and more discreet decor. To the north are the original chambers. Despite the simplicity of the design, the object does not get lost among the others. It emphasizes the advantageous aspects of other nearby buildings. At the hospital wards, the lighting of the church took place in 1698.

When the fire occurred, the building was completely burned down. It was decided not to carry out a set of restoration measures. The room was equipped in the basement. The staircase leading to the Royal Apartments deserves special attention. Its decoration is made using an elegant arcade. This decorative element perfectly complements the design of the eastern part of the facade.

Skete of Patriarch Nikon

The most important monument of Russian Palestine is the monastery of Patriarch Nikon. It was used for private prayers. The construction process took place in 1657-1662. The facility, built on the banks of the Istra River, boasts a striking design. This monastery is the only monument that could survive behind the wall. The lower floors were used as service and utility premises. The third tier is given over to the reception room. The Church of the Epiphany is also located here. The monastery has a flat roof. Many significant structures are mounted on it - a belfry, a cell.

Fortress wall and Holy Gates

Sights protected the territory of the monastery complex for a long time. Construction of the facility lasted for four years (1690-1694). Architecture includes the basic rules of fortress architecture. The fence turned out to be large-scale. Its height was 9 meters and its thickness was 3 meters. At the same time, the total length of the wall was within 920 meters. Interestingly, the corners and kinks are filled with seven identical towers.

Previously, there was another tower - the eighth, but it did not survive to our time. The structure was high and located on the west side of the gate. The tiered towers did not serve a defensive function. They were primarily used as artistic decoration. It is noteworthy that the designs repeated the style of the rotunda and tent of the Resurrection Cathedral.

The Holy Gate consists of a three-span arch. They are followed by the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The vertical structure harmonizes effectively against the background of the overall structure. If you walk around the courtyard, you can also see the Viceroy and Guard Chambers. They are mounted next to the fence and gates.

Gethsemane Garden and Park

The territory of the monastery was beautifully landscaped. An example of this is the Garden of Gethsemane and the park, which was once located outside the Elizabethan Gate. In ancient times, there were many different channels in this area. They led to the formation of the island. Today its remains are practically invisible. Nikon lived on the island when he conducted services at the monastery.

Today, an architectural and ethnographic museum has been organized on the territory of the garden. The exhibits feature ancient wooden buildings. A mill, a peasant estate, and a chapel stand out noticeably against the general background. Until the 21st century, there was another beautiful building here - the Church of the Epiphany. But the shrine burned down. A short circuit has occurred. If you walk through peasant estates, you can see museum exhibitions. An excursion here will seem quite educational. You will get a chance to get to know the art and life of the Russian people better.

Refectory and Church of the Nativity

According to the plan, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was installed on the ground floor. The architect was Grigory Bartenev. Funds for construction were given by Catherine II herself. Moreover, each limit also had its own contributors. Nearby were built the boundaries of the Adoration of the Magi, Martyrs, etc. Processions of the cross were regularly held at the Holy Nativity Scene.

Unfortunately, the interior decoration of the extreme shrines has not survived to this day. In 1941, the building of the refectory was also quite damaged. But in the northern chamber only the entrance was destroyed. Restoration measures were implemented that helped restore the lost architectural appearance. The facades embody the style decisions of the 17th - 19th centuries.

Gate Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

The gate temple has a ceremonial design. It connects to the fortress wall. The illumination dates back to 1697. The base is made in the shape of a cross. The lower tier has the shape of a square. At the western gate there is the Church of the Nativity of Christ. Today the premises of the monastery are given over to the Historical, Architectural and Art Museum “New Jerusalem”.

Underground Church of Constantine and Helena

On the eastern part of the ensemble is the Underground Church of Constantine and Helena. Construction of the structure began under Nikon. The result was a rectangular building characterized by simplicity of design. The roof is flat and surrounded by balusters. The walls are high - 1.5 meters from the ground. There is one chapter. Tiles act as decorations.

Necropolis

In order to get to the necropolis, you need to go inside the cathedral. In 1999-2003 A series of studies have been carried out. They helped identify large parts of tombstones. About 100 intact elements were also discovered. Many three-dimensional architectural forms have been found. The necropolis suffered damage in 1920-1930. During this period there was a strong explosion of the cathedral. During the implementation of construction activities, the location of the most important burial sites in the past was taken into account. There are many burials of people who contributed to the construction of the shrine.

Shrines of the monastery

Believers come to Istra from various regions to visit the holy lands. The main shrines of the monastery are the icon “Lord Pantocrator with the reclining Saint Philip and His Holiness Patriarch Nikon”, a collapsible model of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a tabernacle from the chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene, a fragment of the omophorion of Patriarch Nikon. Services are held regularly. It is recommended to check their schedule in advance.

If you wish, you can have a snack in the refectory. It is located on the left side of the cathedral. Baked goods and drinks are available for sale. The food is delicious, prices are affordable. There is a church shop where you can order services. The collection of holy water is carried out at the Spring of Siloam in the Garden of Gethsemane. There is also a swimming pool on the Istra-Jordan River. If you wish, you can plunge into it. The water temperature is within 16 degrees. Descent is provided by a comfortable wooden staircase. The only thing is that there are no changing rooms.

Divine services

In the monastery you can order the Sacrament of Baptism and Marriage, confession, funeral service, as well as the consecration of crosses and icons. In the monastery, liturgies are held every morning at 8.00, and vespers at 17.00.

On the monastery website you can find out the exact schedule of services on a specific day.

Schedule of services

Services are held in the men's monastery according to the following schedule:

Monday. Fifth Week of Great Abstinence. St. Benedict of Nursia:

- How did you go? - 10 points! Via Yandex.Traffic.

When this answer became a common phrase, I realized it was time to change something. You can’t get around the whole world on foot, but finding parking for a helicopter would be problematic. Then the imagination helpfully drew endless rails, like dreams of travel, converging beyond the horizon, a cozy carriage with flashing landscapes outside the window and the opportunity to leave traffic jams in the past.

To New Jerusalem by train
In addition, a successful offer came up from the “Central PPK” to go on a tour by train to visit the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery, the museum complex “New Jerusalem” and listen to the concert of the “Moscow Virtuosi”.

To New Jerusalem by train

Excursions

The temple regularly conducts excursions in three directions:

1. Inspection of the Cathedral of the Resurrection and the Church of Constantine and St. Helena. For a group of less than 10 visitors, a fee of RUB 2,500 will be charged. from the whole group. In a group of more than 10 visitors, adults pay 250 rubles. per visitor, children (under 16 years old) - 100 rubles. from the visitor.
2. Tour with a visit to the Cathedral of the Resurrection and the Malt Chambers. A group of less than 10 visitors pays 3,000 rubles. In a group with more than 10 visitors, adults pay 300 rubles. per visitor, children - 120 rubles. from the visitor.
3. Inspection for children with a visit to the Cathedral of the Resurrection of the Lord. An excursion with less than 10 visitors will cost 2,500 rubles. per group. In a group of more than 10 visitors, adults pay 250 rubles. per visitor, children - 100 rubles. from the visitor.

There are excursions that are held at a certain time (usually at 13.00) for individual visitors. Payment for adults - 300 rubles, for children - 120 rubles. from the visitor. Regular individual visits of less than 10 people will cost from 1,500 rubles. up to 3000 rub. from the whole group. After restoration work, a new refectory was opened, where you can dine for 480-600 rubles. for one person.

Any person relies in life on the principles laid down in the Holy Scriptures. The postulates of faith and spiritual development are inherent in a person from birth and are only supported and developed throughout his life.

The New Jerusalem Monastery in the Moscow region, like other shrines in Rus', is a stronghold and abode for the strengthening and spread of holiness and piety in our land.

Article design: Oleg Lozinsky

Why is it called that?

The monastery bears this name because topographically, and in many ways architecturally, it repeats the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ . Here is a copy of the Edicule - the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher, and other shrines.

A copy of the Edicule is the main shrine of the New Jerusalem Monastery. View from above

This is not the first New Jerusalem in the long history of Orthodoxy . Among the many similar projects were, for example:

• Constantinople, which, like Jerusalem, had the Golden Gates, the same ones through which, according to legend, Jesus Christ - and will enter again at the Second Coming; in real Jerusalem, the gates were walled up by Muslims - but, as Christians said, by that time they had already been built in the capital of Byzantium;
• Kiev during the time of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (1st half of the 11th century); he simultaneously copied Jerusalem (the Golden Gate was also here) and Constantinople as an image of Jerusalem - for example, the main temple was the Hagia Sophia of the Wisdom of God, as in Constantinople.

Interesting fact

However, the monastery is unique among all other “Jerusalems”: the temples and urban spaces created before it only symbolized the Holy City and its shrines. New Jerusalem is an exact copy of what the pilgrim sees in the Holy Land.