Panorama of Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery. Virtual tour of Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery

A.O. Morozova

Valuysky Pristansky Monastery in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Lithography. XIX century.

Valuysky Nikolopristansky Dormition Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries that arose on Belgorod soil. Initially it belonged to the Belgorod diocese, but in 1798 this monastery and 80 other churches of the Belgorod diocese were assigned to the Voronezh diocese. Nowadays the territory where the monastery was located is part of the Belgorod and Stary Oskol diocese.

The history of the Valuysky Nikolopristansky Assumption Monastery is examined in sufficient detail in his works by a Voronezh researcher of the early 20th century. Tikhon Mitrofanovich Oleynikov.

T.M. Oleinikov was born on August 5, 1883 in the village. Nerovnoy, Ostrogozhsky district, Voronezh province, in the family of a priest. He received his education in the family. In St. Petersburg he graduated from the Theological Academy and the Archaeological Institute. In 1908-1910 he began his teaching career at the Novgorod Seminary, and from 1910 he taught Russian literature at the Voronezh Seminary. In 1914-1918 was an inspector at the Voronezh Seminary. From 1918 to 1920 - teacher and chairman of the council of school No. 11 in Voronezh. T.M. Oleinikov was not only a teacher, but also a local historian and journalist. He was active in research, many of his works were published in various Voronezh publications. Since March 1920, he worked as a researcher at the Voronezh provincial archive and curator of the provincial museum, since 1919. taught at the workers' faculty of Voronezh University. November 5, 1930 T.M. Oleynikov was arrested in the “case of local historians.” In June 1931 he was sentenced to five years in the camps. After 1935 T.M. Oleinikov worked in one of the Voronezh rural schools. His further fate is unknown.

From the pen of T.M. Oleinikov published many interesting works of literary and historical-ecclesiastical nature. His research, as well as the documents he collected on the history of the Valuysky Nikolopristansky Assumption Monastery, were published in 1914-1916. in the magazine "Voronezh Antiquity". In the article “Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery” the author covers the following issues: the location and origin of the monastery, spiritual government and brotherhood, churches and buildings, shrines, abbots and brethren of the monastery, its material support.

The main sources of his research T.M. Oleinikov names materials from the archives of the Moscow Ministry of Justice (now the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts) and the monastery. The author also used the monastery chronicle and printed literature of the late 19th - early 20th centuries: “Valuisky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery”; “Valuysky Assumption Monastery” by Dimitry Sambikin, “Uspensky Pristansky Monastery near Valuyki” by I. Tokmakov; “Description of the Voronezh province” by Metropolitan Evgeny Bolkhovitinov. The author also mentions that there were also small publications of the monastery itself, dedicated to the most revered shrines: the chapel, the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas.

During its long existence, the Valuysky monastery bore various names: “Valuysk city of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Wonderworker Nicholas Pristansky Monastery”, “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Pristansky Monastery with. Valuyki", "Pristansky Monastery on Valuyka", etc. T.M. Oleinikov simply calls the monastery Valuysky Uspensky and notes that the name “Pristansky” at the beginning of the 20th century. was used extremely rarely, although, according to the researcher, “it fits very well.” Abbot of the monastery at the end of the 18th century. this is how he explained this name: “Located near the city of Valuyek, the Assumption Monastery was called from ancient times the Pristansky Monastery, because in past times, from the Don Army, in past times, the highly respected gentlemen foremen and colonels with teams were sent annually to Moscow to receive salaries for the army, going back and forth, always to This monastery had a pier, where, staying for several days, they celebrated spiritually.” But, most likely, “the monastery was also called the Pristansky monastery because it was built on the Oskol River, at the mouth of the Valuya River, on the pier.”

The monastery, surrounded by forest and water, was located three miles (more than 3 km) from the district town of Valuiki (to the south). In the 18th century There was a “protected” forest near the monastery.

An indicator of the researcher’s conscientiousness can be his consideration of the question of the time of the establishment of the monastery. He believed that precise data on the time of the establishment of the monastery had not been preserved. Most often, the year of foundation of the monastery is called 1613 and it is indicated that it was founded by decree of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. According to other sources, the monastery was founded under Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, i.e. at the end of the 16th century During the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich, the city of Valuiki and the monastery were attacked by Lithuanians and Ukrainian Cherkasy Cossacks. The monastery was destroyed, the churches were desecrated and destroyed. The builder of the monastery, Kirill, and his brethren asked for help in restoring the monastery with books, vestments, etc. Probably, the monastery was restored under Mikhail Fedorovich after it was ruined by the Lithuanians, but it was founded under Feodor Ivanovich, at the end of the 16th century. Currently known documents allow us to fairly accurately determine the time of foundation of this monastery. The basis for this is a petition submitted to the Discharge Order in 1634 by the rector of the Valuysky Nikolopristansky Assumption Monastery, Kirill. In it he indicated: “... of blessed memory under the Tsar Tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich of All Russia, the city of Valuysk was erected and the monastery of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was built on the Oskol River, the mouth of the Vaguya River, on the pier, and the buildings are local images and Deesis, and books, and vestments , and the bells, and every church building were all blessed in memory of the Tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich of All Russia.” Considering that Fyodor Ivanovich died in 1598, and the construction of the city fortress on Valuika dates back to 1599/1600, by analogy with Belgorod, where the Nikolsky Monastery arose almost simultaneously with the construction of city fortifications, it is logical to correlate the appearance of the monastery in Valuika with the date 1599 or 1600

The founder of the monastery, according to legend, is considered to be “an elderly retired serviceman named Cornelius” with three like-minded people. The existence of the monastery was difficult; more than once it was robbed and ruined by “Lithuanian people”, Tatars, as well as simply “thieves’ people”.

On January 27, 1624, the Valuysky Assumption Monastery was granted an “unconvicted charter.” According to this charter, the monastery was granted the following rights:

1) “the governors and governors and all the clerks of the builder (i.e., the abbot of the monastery) with the brethren and their monastic servants and peasants do not judge in anything, except for murder and robbery and red-handed litigation, but they know and judge those of their monastic people and the peasant builder and his brethren themselves in everything or whoever they order”;

2) in the case of a “mixed” court, i.e. among monastic people with city or volost (rural) people, the builder and the brethren are given participation in the analysis of the case together with the governors and governors;

3) in case of a claim against the builder, brethren or monastery peasants - “they are judged in the Prikaz of the Great Palace by the boyars and clerks or whomever the Sovereign orders to judge,” and, moreover, only “for three periods: on the Nativity of Christ, on Trinity Day, and on Semyon Airman's Day (i.e. September 1)";

1) in spiritual matters, the builder with the brethren and the entire church clergy were subject to judgment not by the local diocesan authorities (then the Belgorod diocese), but by the Moscow Patriarch himself: “the great sovereign is judged by His Holiness Patriarch Filaret Nikitich (Moscow) and All Rus', or to whom he, the great sovereign , will order them to be judged at his sovereign’s patriarchal court”;

2) the monastery peasants were freed from all taxes, monetary extortions and Cossack grain reserves, except for “Yamsk money and Streltsy grain reserves and city and prison affairs.”

About the abbots and monastic brethren T.M. Oleinikov provides interesting, extensive, but, by his own admission, incomplete and sometimes contradictory information.

The status of the person who headed the monastery was different at different times: initially he was called elders, builder, and only in the second half of the 19th century. - rector.

The duties of the abbot were very diverse: he was in charge of both the monastery economy and internal improvement: construction, repair of churches and other monastic buildings, supervision of estates and lands, and he was responsible for caring for the brethren and their behavior. Mentions of the rector's assistants, for example, the housekeeper or the treasurer, in the 17th-18th centuries. almost never occur. This can be explained by the small number of monastic brethren. And only over time, when the number of inhabitants in the monastery increased, housekeepers, treasurers, and sacristans appeared. But the general management of all monastic life always remained in the hands of the abbot.

One of the features of the Valuysky Monastery has always been that clergy and secular persons were sent to it for penance. Supervision was required over them; some were instructed to “exhort and admonish”; all this was also the responsibility of the abbot.

In the 18th century The rector of the Valuysky monastery was very often entrusted with such duties as overseeing the “deanery” in the churches of those parishes that are located near the monastery, laying the foundation and consecration of churches in different parishes.

Builder of the Valuysky Monastery in the 18th century. was an indispensable presence in the spiritual government, which was opened in Valuyki. In 1782, the builder of the monastery, Abbot Orestes, asked the spiritual consistory so that meetings of the spiritual board would be held in the monastery. In Valuyki, wrote Abbot Orest, there was no “specially constructed chamber” for spiritual government, so written matters were sent in the house of the present reign of “Archpriest John Chekanovsky” in the same room where he “has residence with his family”; therefore, for him, Orestes, as a monk, “it is unworthy to visit the house of the archpriest.” In the monastery, opposite the abbot’s cells, “there is a cell with a room, location and structure for presence, and strength for the state of affairs that is very convenient.” The consistory found the request of Abbot Orestes reasonable, so from that time on the spiritual government began to be located in the monastery. Undoubtedly, this gave a certain weight to the Valuysky Monastery.

Information about churches and monastery buildings T.M. Oleinikov is detailed; he provides excerpts from documents, relying, among other sources, on the chronicle of the monastery and materials from the monastery archive.

According to legend, the founder of the monastery, Cornelius, either built a small wooden chapel himself, or settled near the already built chapel at the site of the appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas. Over time, this chapel was turned into a temple, around which monastic cells were built. It is not known what this temple was like, how many chapels it had, but in 1642 there was a church in the monastery in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God with one chapel in the name of St. Nicholas. The temple, most likely, according to the custom of that time, was wooden, covered with planks, and had the necessary utensils for worship, most of which were sent by the government by order of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich.

In 1633 (the author erroneously indicates 1635) “Lithuanian people and Cherkassy” destroyed the monastery “and they desecrated the church and destroyed the throne, and what remained from the destruction in the church were local images, royal doors and deesis.” Everything else - liturgical books, the sacristy, four bells - was looted. After this defeat, the monastery church was reconsecrated with the blessing of Patriarch Joasaph, by whose command an antimension was sent. After the builder of the monastery, Kirill and his brethren, asked the lad Mikhail Fedorovich for help, books, vestments, vessels, and bells were sent to the monastery from Moscow. The furnishings of the Assumption Church in 1642 are described as follows: “... and in the church building there is an image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with a life, a local image of the Most Holy Theotokos Odegetria, royal doors with the Senmi Deesis without holidays and without prophets, an image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with a gilded silver frame in the village.” As you can see, at this time the main shrines of the monastery were the images of the Most Holy Theotokos and St. Nicholas.

In 1733, the builder of the monastery, Abbot Pachomius, built another one instead of the dilapidated church. Two years later, in 1735, the church with one altar was consecrated in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God. In the records of the monastery of the 18th century. it was called the “real church.” The wooden Assumption Church required frequent repairs; leaks often formed in it, sometimes it was even left without domes, which fell either from dilapidation or from strong winds. In 1760, it looked like this: “the real Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with three chapters, on them there are three iron crosses, gilded, covered with planks.”

In 1816, this wooden church was dismantled and replaced with a stone one, consecrated on October 31, 1826. A warm refectory was attached to the western wall of the church, on the right side of which there was a chapel in the name of St. Nicholas.

At the same time, there was another church in the monastery, the time of construction of which is unknown, but the monastery register for 1739 indicates two churches: Assumption and Nikolskaya, and “they have two altars.”

T.M. Oleinikov cites data that in 1760, the abbot of the monastery Korniliy and the Valuysky governor, collegiate assessor Ivan Petrovich Klementyev, submitted a petition to Bishop Joasaph of Belgorod to build a monastery “in place of the dilapidated Nicholas Church on the same place in two apartments below in the name of the Saint Christ Demetrius of Rostov the Wonderworker, and above in the name of St. Nicholas of Christ.” The bishop's permission followed: “for this reason, we bless the churches of God in that monastery (in the name of the indicated saints) to lay down for you an abbot according to the church rites and, after laying them down, order them to build, and after the completion of those churches, to build iconostases in the altar walls.” Apparently, the author erroneously indicated either the date or the name of the bishop, since Bishop Joasaph (Gorlenko) headed the Belgorod and Oboyan diocese from 1748 to 1754.

The wooden St. Nicholas Church was supposed to be dismantled without breaking it, and in its place to build “a church in the name of St. Demetrius of Rostov with a room for the sacristy, and on top of this church to put the old St. Nicholas Church.” In the same 1760, Belgorod residents Dementy Atrochnikov and Alexander Chechin began work. “For all the work, take 90 rubles of money, arzhen bread 25 pounds, wheat 14 pounds, millet 12 pounds, buckwheat 2 pounds, 50 sheep, lard 5 pounds, pork lard 4 pounds, cow butter 3 pounds, hemp 4 pounds buckets."

The icon painter Gavrilo Adamov from the settlement of Okhrimovka, Nezhegolsky district, undertook to make the iconostasis for the new Church of St. Demetrius. For his work he was given “100 rubles.” 50 kopecks, grain 10 quarters, wheat 5 quarters, buckwheat 5 quarters, lard two pounds, salt 3 pounds, cow butter 1 pounds, sheep 6.”

The temple buildings were built in the same year, but there were not enough funds to complete the work, and the Valuysk governor Klementyev, who sympathized with this holy cause, left Valuyki. In the St. Nicholas Church at that time “the iconostasis should be placed and other decorations inside are not finished,” and in the Dimitrievskaya Church “although the iconostasis is built inside, as if there were no vessels, books and other utensils for the service, it is not covered and from the rain along the walls it flows into the church It happens". Moreover, the monastery did not fully pay the craftsmen. In such a situation, the builder of the monastery decided to ask the spiritual consistory to allow him to sell this church to the Valuysk and Polatovsky landowner Ivan Shidlovsky in order to pay off the craftsmen. Instead of the one sold, he proposed to build “a small warm church with one portament in the name of the same wonderworkers Demetrius and Nicholas.” The consistory responded that it was impossible to sell churches without the knowledge of the College of Economy.

Despite great financial difficulties, the arrangement of the church was completed, largely thanks to the monetary donation of the Chernigov landowner, Major Ivan Silich. For many years, services were held in the church in winter and on church holidays; in the lower church, services were performed throughout the winter, and in the upper church from the beginning of Lent to May 9. In 1787, this church was repaired by the peasants of the Valui governorship, after which it operated until 1824, when the spiritual consistory allowed the builder of the monastery Gennady, due to its dilapidation, to dismantle this church and build a new stone church. The iconostasis of the church “with renovation, and in some places with alteration” were moved and placed in the side-altar new stone church.

In addition to the stone church at the monastery, in 1876 another church was built. It was located on the second floor of the refectory stone building and was consecrated in the name of the Mother of God “Three-handed”. In 1880, the rector of the monastery, Archimandrite Ignatius, installed an iconostasis in this church.

A little further away, to the north of these churches, a majestic, “wonderful architecture” cathedral was built - a monument to the 300-year reign of the House of Romanov and the 300-year (as it was then believed) existence of the monastery itself. The foundation of this temple was

completed on May 22, 1906. The construction of this cathedral required a lot of work and money. It was built from bricks, mainly made by the monastery's own factory. The height of the temple with the cross is 78 arshins (more than 55 m), the cross is 6 arshins in height (more than 4 m). The temple has five domes, the outside is decorated with plaster images of the Savior, the Mother of God, angels and some saints, and below, between the windows, 12 images of the Holy Apostles were placed. In addition, the temple was decorated with various texts from the Holy Scriptures. The length of the temple from the eastern wall to the western wall is 53 arshins (approx. 37.5), width - 45 arshins (approx. 32 m). The outside of the temple was covered with brown paint, and “the iron roof was cupped and scaled, covered with aluminum and gilded in places.” The crosses and domes of the temple were also gilded. The walls inside the cathedral were painted with three tones of paint: pink, light blue and light yellow.

The temple had three chapels: the first throne in the name of St. Nicholas and the holy martyr Queen Alexandra; the second throne in the name of the Venerable Michael Malein, the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer and the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov and the Venerable Alexis, the man of God; the third throne in the name of Saints Mitrofan, Tikhon and Demetrius of Rostov. The temple was consecrated in 1913 by Archbishop Tikhon in the presence of numerous pilgrims.

According to Tikhon Oleinikov, a mile (about 1 km) from the monastery across the Oskol River in the chalk mountains there are caves, and in them a church in the name of Ignatius the God-Bearer. It is unknown who started these caves. But since 1897, the monastic brethren began to put them in order and increase them. This work proceeded with great difficulty; once it was even interrupted by an order from the authorities. In 1910, the caves were cleared and inspected by an architect, who declared that “the soil of the earth was strong and the caves themselves were safe.” The caves were located over 300 fathoms (about 640 m), at an altitude of approximately 50 fathoms (106 m) above the water level in the river. The width of the dug caves is 5 quarters (about 89 cm), and the height is 4 arshins (about 3 m). A temple was built in these caves, which is 11 arshins in length (about 8 m), 9 arshins in width (about 6.5 m) and 8 arshins in height (about 5.5 m).

The underground temple was consecrated on May 4, 1914 in the name of Ignatius the God-Bearer, a saint who suffered martyrdom for his faith in the 1st century. AD At the entrance to the caves a chapel was built, and at the top of the mountain in 1916 a temple was built in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which remained unfinished. Where they began to dig caves, a monastery was built, where up to 10 brethren visited in the summer, and somewhat less in the winter. The caves, together with the temple and chapels, represented one of the decorations of the monastery. “This place resembles Mount Tabor,” writes T.M. Oleinikov, “why did the pious soul call this whole place the “Favorsky Bogonosche-Ignatievsky cave monastery.”

T.M. Oleinikov notes that the main shrine of the Valuysky Nicholas Monastery was the especially revered, miraculous, revealed icon of St. Nicholas. The author points out that he found the first printed news about the glory of this holy icon from Metropolitan Evgeny Bolkhovitinov in his “Description of the Voronezh Diocese” (published in 1800), where it is indicated that the Valuysky Monastery is most famous for the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and that in The monastery chronicle states that this icon was found shortly after the founding of the monastery by a Valuy resident during haymaking near the pier at the confluence of the Valuy and Oskol rivers. The icon, according to legend, was transferred twice to the city church of Valuyek, but then again ended up in the meadow in its original place. At the site of the appearance of the miraculous icon, a chapel named after St. Nicholas was built, which apparently became the beginning of the monastery.

The icon, originally placed in the chapel, was then transferred to the monastery church, and a copy of it remained in the chapel. The chapel was called “Pristan Nikola”, and the monastery also began to be called.

The image of St. Nicholas, also called “Pristansky,” is written on a board 7 vershoks long (approx. 31 cm) and 6 vershoks wide (approx. 27 cm). The saint is depicted without a miter, stern, holding a closed Gospel in his left hand and blessing with his right. On both sides of St. Nicholas are images of the Savior and the Mother of God.

From the second half of the 19th century. The rector of the monastery, Archimandrite Ignatius (Alekseevsky), began to keep a special record of miracles performed through prayers before the image of St. Nicholas. T.M. Oleinikov writes that the sick, having prayed in front of the image of St. Nicholas, were cured of seizures, diseases of the head, heart, eyes, rheumatism and other ailments. The presentation of this episode shows the author as a deeply religious and church-going person, which undoubtedly affected both his selection of topics for research and his assessment of the events described. This can be confirmed by the author’s presentation of a number of monastic legends without a critical assessment of their reliability. So, according to him, in the Valuysky monastery there was another icon of St. Nicholas, donated in 1848 by one “Turkish girl” who took the name Maria in Orthodoxy, who led the life of a wanderer. She received the icon from her father, who revered St. Nicholas and bequeathed to his daughter to transfer, after his death, the icon he revered to some Nicholas monastery. She especially liked the Valuysky Nikolaevsky Monastery, where she herself stayed for a while and left forever the image of St. Nicholas. According to the donor, this icon was brought to Moscow by her father from the Italian city of Baria, where the relics of St. Nicholas rest. Her father always went to war with this icon and believed that it protected him in battle. In the icon, on the right side of the face of St. Nicholas, there was a vessel in which part of the relics of St. Nicholas was kept; a record of this, according to the words of the donor, was made by the builder of the monastery, Victor. The icon was placed in the Assumption Church, on the left side of the iconostasis.

Every year the main shrine of the monastery, the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, was transferred from the Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery to the city of Valuyki and back. The beginning of such religious processions probably dates back to the time of the discovery of the miraculous image. This custom was approved and permitted by the highest spiritual authorities on April 6, 1744. The miraculous icon was then taken from the monastery not only to the city of Valuiki, but to other villages of Valuysky and Biryuchensky districts. In 1846, 1850, 1856 and 1859, the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas was also transferred to the city of Biryuch, by special order of the diocesan authorities, where it remained for one month. In addition, at various times, the icon was taken to the settlements: Novo-Alexandrovka, Novo-Troitskaya, Krasnaya, Urazova and other villages of the Valuysky district, and to the Livenka settlement of the Biryuchensky district - at the repeated request of the residents of those villages for holding prayers both in their homes and and in the fields about rain during drought in lean years.

As T. M. Oleynikov notes, in former times the miraculous icon was transferred from the monastery to the city of Valuiki on the Week of the Holy Fathers for eight days, until the Day of the Holy Spirit. But at the request of the city residents, submitted in 1870, a decree of the Holy Synod of November 14, 1871 followed, which allowed the release of the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas from the monastery in Valuiki for three weeks. Since 1872, the transfer of the icon to Valuiki took place on the sixth week after Easter. The day before, a solemn all-night vigil was held in the monastery with an akathist to St. Nicholas. On the day of the religious procession, after mass, the icon of St. Nicholas was installed in a special marching case “made of copper and silver.” The icon case was built by the builder of the monastery, Archimandrite Ignatius, in 1861 “with the help of God and the zeal of good Christians.” A prayer service to St. Nicholas began, and the religious procession began. The Valuysk clergy met him on the outskirts of the city, after which the procession headed to the Valuysk Vladimir Cathedral, where the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas was brought. The liturgy was celebrated here, and at the end of the liturgy and prayer singing to the saint, the icon, accompanied by many people, was transferred to the chapel, located at the end of the city. A prayer service was held in the chapel with the blessing of water. During the three-week stay of the icon in the city, it was transferred from the cathedral church in turn to all the parish churches, where it remained for several days to perform prayer services in the homes of parishioners. At the end of the three-week stay of the icon in Valuyki, on the week of All Saints (on the day of the fast of Peter the Great), the miraculous icon was transferred to and from the cathedral church, but at the end of the liturgy, back from the city to the monastery, and accompanied by another Valuysk shrine - the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. The latter, according to legend, was sent to the Valuysky Vladimir Cathedral from Moscow by Tsar Peter I in 1695, shortly after he visited the city of Valuyki. On the outskirts of the monastery, the icon was met by the monastery clergy with a procession of the cross from the monastery and transferred to the chapel built on the site of the appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas, where the consecration of water was performed with a prayer service to St. Nicholas. From here the procession of the cross was directed to the monastery itself, the icon was carried around the monastery churches, sprinkled with holy water and overshadowed by the icon. Then the late liturgy and prayer service to St. Nicholas were performed. The miraculous icon of the Vladimir Mother of God remained in the monastery for three days and then solemnly returned to Valuiki, where it was solemnly greeted by the clergy of the city.

In addition to the icons of St. Nicholas, there was another shrine in the Valuysky St. Nicholas Monastery - the locally revered icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, called the “Three-Handed One”. This icon was painted in Moscow in 1849 and placed in a silver frame. The author notes that after the Valui merchant Anton Pershin received healing from a serious illness through prayers in front of this icon, this icon began to be revered by many as miraculous.

From other shrines of the Valuysky Monastery T.M. Oleinikov names three crosses with particles of holy relics and the tree of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

T.M. Oleinikov also examines the economic activities of the monastery in some detail. He calls estates, forests and other lands one of the main sources of material support for the Valuysky Monastery. Estates, i.e. The monastery had four lands with peasants living on them: Yablonovo, Orekhovo, Kazinka and Kaznacheevka. In addition to the estates, the monastery owned mills, fisheries and an apiary. The mills were located on the river. Oskol, on the river Valuy (according to legend, this mill was donated to the monastery by Peter I) and on a tributary of the Stingy Lake. The monastery paid quitrent money for them. The monastery sometimes had the opportunity to sell surplus grain, livestock, wax, etc.

An equally important source of material support for T.M. Oleinikov calls “exclusively voluntary donations that flow into the monastery from admirers of St. Nicholas.” Sometimes donations “flowed into the monastery in a wide wave,” for example, in 1819, when a stone church was built. Large amount - 10125 rubles. She entered the monastery with bank notes in 1854. This money was donated by the Empress’s maid of honor A.A. Orlova, Life Guards staff captain and cavalier

N.P. Vyrubov and other noble and rich people."

An interesting fact is that in 1913, the Valuysky Monastery, on the occasion of its three hundredth anniversary, received the status of a third-class monastery.

In conclusion, T.M. Oleynikov draws conclusions about the significance of the monastery in the history of the Valuy region. He notes the important role of the monastery in the process of colonization of the Valui lands and writes that “the government itself recognized the cultural significance of the Valui monastery,” citing as evidence the fact that it was granted an “unconvicted charter.” And although “there were never any schools” at the monastery, as they wrote in documents of the 18th century, nevertheless, thanks to its shrines, it was an important missionary center. In 1915, a brotherhood in the name of St. Nicholas was opened at the monastery, which organized religious processions, missionary courses, published leaflets with religious and moral content, etc. There was also a library and archive at the monastery.

Thus, the local history and journalistic hobbies of T.M. Oleinikov give us the opportunity to learn more deeply the history of the Valuysky Nikolopristansky Assumption Monastery. For the article by T.M. Oleinikov, as in general for publications of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, are characterized by the following features: an uncritical attitude towards the source, since everything that is set out in “ancient” documents was perceived as truth of great value, and hence the resulting desire to be as accurate as possible state the source, which is undoubtedly a positive feature of this study. Of particular value is the presentation of those materials that have not survived to the present day. Moreover, verification of T.M.’s statements. Oleinikov, based on the use of archival documents, shows his integrity. The description of the monastery shrines is also important, because they were lost in the 20th century. The presentation of traditions and legends is no less important, because they characterize the worldview of the people of the time when they were created and existed.

Dear friends!

We invite you to visit

one of the most beautiful museums in the Belgorod region -

Valuysk Historical and Art Museum,

located at: Valuyki, st. Stepana Razin, 16.

The municipal government cultural institution “Valuisky Historical and Art Museum” was founded in 1964 by the People’s Artist of the Kyrgyz SSR, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Arts, laureate of the Kirghiz SSR Prize. Toktogul, a native of the city of Valuyki - Alexander Illarionovich Ignatiev. The museum building is an architectural monument of regional significance. It was built in 1913 by the Valuysk zemstvo for the Higher Primary School according to the design of the architect of the Valuysk zemstvo, Alexei Stepanovich Kunichev.

The permanent exhibition of the museum consists of two sections: “Soviet fine art” and “History of the Valuy region from ancient times to the mid-twentieth century.”

The basis of the historical and local history exhibition is made up of museum objects that give an idea of ​​the stages of development of the Valuysk region, documents and photographs, objects of archaeology, everyday life, ethnography, church utensils, numismatics XVIII - XX centuries, as well as personal belongings of wonderful fellow countrymen. The art department will allow you to get acquainted with the work of the museum’s founder A.I. Ignatiev, people's artists of the USSR (Boris Shcherbakov, Dmitry Nalbandyan, Yuri Pimenov, Semyon Chuikov, Efrem Zverkov), Soviet sculptors (Lev Kerbel, Viktor Tsigal, Georgy Motovilov).

In addition to excursion services in the museum, we are pleased to offer you field trips around the city and region (using your transport), during which you will not only see our sights, but also learn a lot of interesting things from the history of the region.

One of the oldest institutions of the Belgorod diocese - Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery. It is located three kilometers from the city of Valuyki, at the confluence of the Oskol and Valuy rivers. The first information about the monastery dates back to the Time of Troubles, and officially the time of its foundation is considered1613, when the existence of the monastery was approved by the Decree of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. In 1906, the St. Nicholas Church was founded on the territory of the monastery, which was consecrated on September 1, 1913, in memory of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the monastery and the reigning Romanov dynasty. On September 4, 2011, the grand opening of the temple took place after repair and restoration work, consecration for the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod, wonderworker.

Temple complex of the monastery of the Resurrection of Christ “New Jerusalem”

(village Sukharevo)

The construction of the temple complex of the monastery of the Resurrection of Christ has been carried out since 2001 as an analogue of the holy city of Jerusalem. The oak cross of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Stone of Anointing, the Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher reminds the Orthodox of Holy Jerusalem. On the territory of the monastery there is a chapel of the “Sovereign” icon of the Mother of God, the Church of St. John the Baptist with a bell tower. The entrance to the temple complex is through the holy Entrance Gate. The construction of the temple complex began with the Votive Cross placed on the local Mount Golgotha. Jacob's Spring has been constructed.

Temple in the name of the Holy Martyr

Ignatius the God-Bearer

(Valuiki)

Simultaneously with the start of work on the restoration of the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery (June 2005), the clearing of caves began, which was carried out by the youth association “Poisk”. On the site of the former Transfiguration Church was built Church of the Holy Martyr Ignatius the God-Bearer . Currently, a significant part of the caves has been cleared and restored.

The consecration of the temple and the opening of the caves were carried out by Archbishop John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol on September 22, 2007.

Municipal cultural institution

“House-Museum of Army General N.F. Vatutina"

(Vatutino village)

Museum of Army General N.F. Vatutin was created by decision of the collective farm board in 1950. Nikolai Fedorovich’s relatives collected the commander’s personal belongings, rural household items, and family photographs. This is how the first exhibition appeared, which reflected childhood and adolescence, family life, as well as the military activities of the general. The museum was located in a family house built in 1849. In 1985, by decision of the city committee of the CPSU of Valuyki, the board of the collective farm. Vatutin, and in connection with the 40th anniversary of the Victory, it was decided to open the House-Museum of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Nikolai Fedorovich Vatutin.

Municipal cultural institution “House-Museum of Army General N.F. Vatutina" has two buildings: the house in which the general was born, and the mother's house, built by soldiers of the first Ukrainian Front in 1944-1945.

For questions about organizing excursion services, please contact the Valuysk Historical and Art Museum by phone: (8-47-236) 3-13-89, 3-22-11; e- mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You must have JavaScript enabled to view it. "> val60931096@ yandex. ru

Waiting for you!!!

Please accept Active participation in completing the museum's collection. If you have

• authentic things of our fellow countrymen
• photos and documents of the history of the development of the Valuysky region
• objects of archeology and ethnography
• everyday life and numismatics

then let them take their rightful place in the museum’s exhibition halls and storerooms!

December 19 is the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas became famous as a great saint of God. Temples and cathedrals in many Christian countries are illuminated in his name. He is especially loved by the Orthodox, and especially by the Russian people. In various everyday disasters and in the dangers of the journey, he is an ambulance. Nikolaevsky was a monastery in our city.

Old-timers and contemporaries, all residents of Valuyki know that the domes over the monastery forest are a monastery. But not everyone realizes that the “monastery”, which quite recently after restoration appeared before us as a majestic Cathedral, has its own history dating back more than 400 years. And that most of the buildings of the former children's labor colony also belong to the monastery buildings. Let's take a closer look at the history of the Valuysky Monastery.

The Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery at different times had the following names: the Valuysky city of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Pristansky Monastery, the Valuysky Pristansky Monastery in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Pristansky Monastery, the Pristansky Monastery on Valuyka, the Valuysky Assumption Monastery.

The name “Uspensky” is associated with the main church of the monastery, and “Nikolaevsky” with the famous miraculous icon. Historians associate the name “Pristansky” with the fact that there was a pier near the monastery at the confluence of the Oskol and Valuy rivers.

The “Description of the Voronezh Province”, collected by the Bolkhovitinovs and published in Voronezh in 1800, says: “... The foundation of this monastery, as it appears from the monastery notes, was laid by the Sovereign Grand Duke Mikhail Feodorovich in 1613, during his departure against the Crimean Tatars. But before that time, on the site of the current monastery there was a chapel with an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. At this chapel lived the monk Cornelius, who came from retired servicemen, and with him there were three more monks. During the Sovereign's campaign, this monk was already more than 100 years old. This monastery is best known in Ukraine for the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, about which in the monastery notes it is stated that soon after the establishment of the monastery it was accidentally found by a Valuya resident while he was mowing grass near the Oskol and Valuya rivers at the very confluence.

This icon was taken to the city church, but later it was found again in its original place in the meadow. The same thing happened the second time she was brought to the city. After which it was placed in the Valuysky Assumption Monastery with a promise from the citizens that it would be carried annually with a ceremony to the city of Valuyki. Since then, many miracles that occurred from this icon have been recorded in the monastery.”

Story

At the beginning of the 17th century, during troubled times, the Valuika fortress was destroyed, the church in the fortress was desecrated, and the buildings located on the site of the current monastery were completely destroyed. The first surviving written mention of the monastery is the decree on the beginning of its restoration, issued by Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, dated 1613. The loss of the royal charters, as historical primary sources, led to the fact that the opinion about the founding of the monastery in 1613 was subsequently established.

The Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery for a long time was a “fortress” (a guard post, a fortified place) on the border with a “wild field”. At the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries. The Valuy region was a dangerous area. The city and the monastery were at that time subject to constant raids by the Crimean and Nogai Tatars.

In 1624, by royal decree, the monastery received land for arable land and other needs. The main income of the monastery came from donations from pilgrims, who were attracted to the monastery by the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas. Gradually, the border of Russian possessions moved further to the south, and the area surrounding the monastery gradually turned from wild and deserted into a peaceful land. The monastery is developing its territory and developing its economy. Water and windmills, fulling mills, a brick factory, and a malt house were built.

In 1766, after the reforms of Catherine II, the monastery loses all its lands and almost all property, becomes supernumerary, only a few people remain for the brethren, its replenishment comes mainly from guilty monks transferred to the monastery from other monasteries. The Valuysky Monastery will again be saved from closure by the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, which has become famous for numerous healings and signs.

Archbishop of the Saratov Diocese Sergius (Spassky)
Orthodox teaching on the veneration of icons

Healing from the icon of St. Nicholas in the Valuysky Monastery

Valuysky district, Voronezh province, Fedorovka settlement of the peasant Savva Kulikov and his wife Martha, the daughter of the maiden Matrona, 17 years old, according to her parents, was in poor health throughout Lent 1885 and the Easter holiday; on the Sunday day of Fomina’s week, Matrona, according to the world’s destructive custom, left the house in the evening, returned home late at night, complaining of a severe headache and by the morning she suffered such a serious illness that she tore her clothes and screamed in a strange voice - which continued in for seven weeks, the patient did not take any food and had no sleep, and if they gave her water, it came back through her nose and mouth; With the patient, her parents turned to zemstvo doctors, from whom she did not receive any relief. Then her parents wished to bring her to the Valuysky Monastery to serve a prayer service to the Miracle-Working Icon of St. Nicholas. On the way to the monastery, the patient also screamed and was restless; when they brought her into the church and served a prayer service before the icon of the Saint, the patient at the same time felt better, which was on May 19, 1885. On the way back that same day, the patient fell asleep and upon arriving home asked her parents for food; then her health began to improve more and more; in July and August, during field work, she helped her parents; in the month of October, the mother and Matrona came to the monastery on foot to serve a thanksgiving prayer service and with tears of joy talked about receiving healing from the icon of St. Nicholas. The truth that the maiden Matrona was seriously and long ill, and upon returning from the monastery, her health gradually recovered, is confirmed by the local priest of the Fedorovka settlement, Stefan Koshelev, as well as the residents of that settlement.

(“Sunday Reading” 1886 No. 15)

Since the end of the 18th century, with the help of donations and with the assistance of the city authorities, the monastery has been renovated and equipped. Since 1794, a refectory church has been built, and the Assumption Church in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which gave the monastery one of its names, is being reconstructed. In 1808, the construction of the abbot's cells was completed. In 1810-1820, the first stone structure in the monastery was erected - the two-story Assumption Cathedral. In 1839, the bell tower was illuminated, and construction began on the temple in the name of the “Three-Handed” Icon of the Mother of God. At the beginning of the 19th century, a stone fence was erected around the monastery. In 1906, the foundation of St. Nicholas Cathedral was laid in memory of the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of the monastery and the reigning Romanov dynasty, the discovery of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The opening of the Cathedral took place in 1913; it was consecrated by Archbishop Tikhon of Voronezh and Zadonsk in the presence of Governor S.I. Golikov.

The majestic Cathedral was built in pseudo-Byzantine style from bricks from the monastery factory. A brochure published at that time describes the details of the construction of this grandiose building. “The temple has five domes, the outside is decorated with plaster decorations of the Savior, the Mother of God, and Angels: below, between the windows, there are 12 images of the Holy Apostles. The outside of the temple is covered with adhesive brown paint, and the roof is iron... The crosses and domes under them are also gilded. Capacity 3000 (three) thousand people, faience iconostasis, Moscow manufacturer Kuznetsov... Icons of good Moscow art painting

The final cost was over 200 thousand rubles, more than 50 thousand pilgrims were present at the consecration of the cathedral on September 1, 1913, a table was set for 3 thousand people on the banks of Oskol, a festive fireworks display was even organized in the evening” (“Voronezh Antiquity” 1914, no. 13)

By 1916, the monastery operated the St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Assumption and Transfiguration churches, a refectory church, a shoemaker's, tailor's, carpentry, blacksmith's, locksmith's workshop, a steam mill, a painting workshop, and a candle factory. Near the monastery there are two gardens, there are vegetable gardens and its own apiary. There were about 100 inhabitants. The Valuysky Assumption Monastery attracted not only the urban population from Valuyki, but also many pilgrims from other districts with its wonderful services and holy icons. It was a religious center and a holy place, preserving the high moral traditions of Christianity in our region. The Valuysky Assumption Monastery was in such a prosperous state until the revolution of 1917.

During the First World War, when many men from the villages surrounding the monastery went to the front, the monastery took over the provision of their families. The monastery regularly supplied them with clothes, shoes, food and money throughout the war, and these families received God's blessing, moral support and material assistance from the monastery. When, after the first battles, wounded soldiers filled the hospitals, the monastery offered to accept them after providing the necessary medical care in the hospital, placing them in the monastery hotels and providing them with free meals.

After the February and October revolutions, persecution began against the monastery and brethren. In 1917, under the Provisional Government, searches were carried out in the Valuysky Monastery and the abbot was arrested. In 1918, on the basis of the mandate of the Valuysk executive committee, the monastery transferred all available funds to the authorities. In 1926, by decree of the Soviet government, the monastery was closed. Since 1935, the territory of the monastery has been occupied by a children's educational colony of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. A foundry was organized in St. Nicholas Cathedral. The miraculous icon of St. Nicholas is considered lost, its whereabouts are unknown.

Restoration of the Cathedral

On September 4, 2011, a truly significant event took place in the Orthodox life of the city of Valuyki - the consecration and grand opening after the reconstruction of the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the former Assumption St. Nicholas Monastery took place. After many years of oblivion, the shrine found its rebirth and truly became one of the iconic places for all residents of the Valui land and holy Belogorye. And this gives rise to great hope for the revival of Russian spirituality, for the spiritual revival of our Motherland - Russia.

Legends

The foundation of the monastery dates back to the end of the 16th century. According to legend, an icon of St. Nicholas was found on the banks of the Valuy River, which they tried to bring twice to the church in Valuyki, but miraculously each time it ended up in the same place. At the site where the icon was found, a hermitage was built, which was later converted into a monastery.

Story

The miraculous icon of St. Nicholas is currently considered lost, its whereabouts are unknown.

Cave hermitage

Legends

According to legend, there were Slavic settlements on the territory of the city of Valuyki. During the raids of the Cumans and Pechenegs, the Slavs hid in caves that were dug with the blessing of St. Andrew the First-Called. It is believed that it was in these caves that the monastery was created. However, speleological studies conducted at the end of the 20th century showed that the caves in the Belgorod region are of natural origin.

History of construction

see also

Notes

1. Denisov L. I. Orthodox monasteries of the Russian Empire. - Moscow: edition of Stupin A.D., 1908. - P. 176-177.
2. Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery (Russian) // Our Newspaper. - 2006. - No. 21.

About the attraction Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery.

In the most beautiful place of the Valuysk land, at the confluence of the Oskol and Valuy rivers, there is one of the most ancient monasteries of the Belgorod region - the Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery and chalk caves with an underground temple in the name of St. Ignatius the God-Bearer.
One of the first mysteries associated with the monastery is the time of its foundation. The exact date, due to the difficult political and social situation of that time, has not been preserved.

The monastery was founded at the end of the 16th century, under Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich. According to legend, the founder of the monastery is considered to be “an elderly retired serviceman named Cornelius” with three like-minded people.
Legend says that Cornelius, after military service in old age, in search of peace of mind, retired to a secluded peninsula at the confluence of the Oskol and Valuy rivers, where he erected a small chapel. He was joined by three more monks from among his associates in military affairs. Cornelius, with his venerable old age and pious life, acquired universal respect from the inhabitants of the fortress and, probably, many visited him as a man who knew and experienced a lot in his life.

During the Time of Troubles, the Valuika fortress and the monastery were devastated, the churches were desecrated and destroyed. In 1613, by decree of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the Valuysky Monastery was restored.
The loss of royal charters as historical primary sources led to the fact that the legend about the founding of the monastery in 1613 was later established.
The names of the monastery changed throughout its long history: “Valuysk city of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Pristansky Monastery”, “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Pristansky Monastery in Valuyki”, etc.

XIX century this name was not used. The name “Uspensky” is associated with the main temple, and “Nikolaevsky” with the famous miraculous icon, allegedly discovered in the spring, located nearby. Several times city residents tried to bring the icon to the city church. However, the Miracle Worker miraculously returned to the place of discovery all the time.

The Valuysky Assumption Nikolaevsky Monastery for a long time was a “fortress” (a guard post, a fortified place). At the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries. The Valuy region was a wild, dangerous area. The city and the monastery were at that time subject to constant raids by the Crimean and Nogai Tatars.

However, gradually the border of Russian possessions moved further to the south, and the area surrounding the monastery from wild and desert gradually turned into a peaceful land. The monastery is developing its territory and developing the economy in its estates. Water and windmills, fulling mills, a brick factory, and a malt house were built.
A special page in the history of the Valuysky Assumption Monastery was made up of the activities of Archimandrite Ignatius (Alekseevsky), who was rector from 1857 to 1899.
When Ignatius took over the management of the monastery, all buildings, except for the Assumption Church, were in a dilapidated state and the monastery had a debt of 4 thousand rubles.

First of all, the monastic debt was paid, and then a number of capital buildings were carried out, temples and other buildings were repaired. Around the monastery there was a huge garden and a beautiful apiary, which was occupied by the monks. At the monastery there was an icon shop and a warehouse of books, which had more than a thousand liturgical, church-historical and other books of religious and moral content. During the years of Ignatius's abbotship, the monastery was landscaped, a publishing business was established, a nursery and an infirmary were opened in Urazovo.

The main act of Ignatius Alekseevsky was the construction of the three-altar St. Nicholas Cathedral for the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty. The temple in pseudo-Byzantine style was built from bricks from the monastery factory.
A brochure published at that time describes the details of the construction of this grandiose building.
“The temple has five domes, the outside is decorated with plaster decorations of the Savior, the Mother of God, and Angels: below, between the windows, there are 12 images of the Holy Apostles. The outside of the temple is covered with adhesive brown paint, and the roof is iron... The crosses and domes under them are also gilded. Capacity 3000 (three) thousand people, faience iconostasis, Moscow manufacturer Kuznetsov... Icons of good Moscow art painting. The final cost was over 200 thousand rubles, more than 50 thousand pilgrims were present at the consecration of the cathedral on September 1, 1913, a table was set for 3 thousand people on the banks of Oskol, a festive fireworks display was even organized in the evening” (“Voronezh Antiquity”, 1914 issue 13 )
The Valuysky Assumption Monastery attracted not only the city population, but also many pilgrims from other districts with its wonderful services and holy icons. It was a religious center and a holy place, preserving the high moral traditions of Christianity in our region.
The Valuysky Assumption Monastery was in such a prosperous state until the revolution of 1917. Then the monastery fell into decay, the monks were repressed (many were subjected to terrible torture and executions). The fate of the last rector, Archimandrite Ignatius Biryukov, is still unknown. According to some sources, the abbot was drowned by the Bolsheviks, according to other sources, he was exiled to Siberia.
In 1926, the monastery was officially closed.
Since 1935, the territory of the monastery has been occupied by a children's educational colony of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The decision to carry out restoration work was made in 2002, and the active phase of reconstruction began in 2009 and in 2011 the cathedral was completely reconstructed.