Pskov-Caves Monastery! 3️⃣

Founded in 15th century when the first hermits settled in the natural caves of the Kamenets ravine. According to legend, the site was revealed by divine providence to a local hunter, and later, in 1473, the cave church of the Dormition of the Mother of God was consecrated here by the priest Jonah, who is considered the founder of the monastery. He fled here from Dorpat (modern Tartu) to escape the growing Lutheran influence, bringing with him his family.

The monastery flourished during 16th century under the abbot Saint Cornelius. He expanded the monastery, built stone walls and towers for defense, and founded a rich library. However, his life ended tragically: he was beheaded by Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who suspected him of treason. Saint Cornelius is now venerated as a martyr, and his relics are kept in the monastery 🤔

The most notable part of the sanctuary is the "God-created caves", which is a complex of underground tunnels that serve as a monastic necropolis. For over five centuries, the bodies of monks and pious laypeople have been buried here without signs of decay. This phenomenon is considered by believers to be a sign of God's grace resting on the monastery.

And unlike other monasteries in Russia, this one has never been closed! Largely thanks to the support of local residents and its location near the border, which made it a "showcase" for foreigners. During World War 2, the monastery was occupied by German troops but continued its services, and after the war, it became one of the main spiritual centers of the USSR 🥰

#yapping

3️⃣Book recommendation! №14

"Everyday Saints and Other Stories" by Archimandrite Tikhon

Georgy (Tikhon) Shevkunov was a graduate of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in USSR, part of the creative elite, which greatly influenced the artistic depth and vividness of his future work. He joined the Church in the late 1970s and became a spiritual son of the renowned elder, Father John (Krestiankin), he was tonsured a monk at the Pskov-Caves Monastery - the place that would later become the heart and main character of his writings. Today, he is the Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov!

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"Everyday Saints" is a collection of stories and tales from life within the Pskov-Caves Monastery, and encounters with the most diverse people. Through them, the author reveals a central idea: sainthood is not the lot of a chosen few but the goal to which every Christian is called, each walking their own path, often full of falls and mistakes.
1 Peter 1:15

As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct

The heroes of the sketches are not canonized saints but living people: monks, laypeople, intellectuals, soldiers, and simple workers. Some amaze with their humility and wisdom, like Elder John (Krestiankin), whose image becomes the spiritual core of the book. Others bring a smile with their human weaknesses. But in each of them, we see a reflection of the image of God, sometimes through the most unexpected and even comical circumstances.

The book also honestly shows the inner life of the Church during the complex Soviet period. It is a valuable testimony to how faith was preserved and strengthened in spite of persecution, not thanks to comfortable conditions 🥰
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Noww, this book is a bestseller from 2011, and as I mentioned - it centers around the Pskov-Caves Monastery, the place I wrote about yesterday 3️⃣

Furthermore, the new cathedral in Sretensky Monastery was build mainly on the funds from selling this book! I wrote about that place too, a while ago🍷

READ THE BOOK, IT'S GREAT ! ! !