One of the spiritual centers of Russia
On these very days of the end of April, only two years ago we went on a short trip to the city of Vologda. It is not very far, 350 kilometers to the northeast. By the way, the road that leads to Kostroma from Moscow and further, through Vologda to Arkhangelsk, is called Kholmogory. By the name of the village from which the famous Russian scientist Mikhailo Lomonosov came to Russian science.
Mikhailo came to Moscow on foot to study. That was a powerful craving for knowledge. Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov was an outstanding scientist, despite the fact that he came from a family of simple fishermen-Pomors.
Many different objects were named after him. For example, the Lomonosov University in Moscow. And the road, the M-8 “Kholmogory” highway, too, turns out in honor of him.
But I was distracted. We are talking about Vologda.
I have been to this city several times already. It is a beautiful and interesting city with a long history. In Vologda, there was every chance for the title of capital and if history had turned a little differently, Tsar Ivan the Terrible could very well have founded his residence in Vologda.
But, as legend has it, a piece of plaster from the canvas of the Vologda Sophia Cathedral, which fell on the head of the tsar, changed everything in Russian history.
But the cathedral remained and now stands majestically on the banks of the Vologda river. The cathedral is large and impressive.
I already wrote about the Vologda Kremlin and St. Sophia Cathedral. These places are worth visiting only because of these objects of culture, architecture and history, but on Vologda land there are no less interesting things to see.
Including Spaso-Prilutsky Dmitriev Monastery.
Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery - one of the largest monasteries of the North, a magnificent architectural ensemble of Ancient Russia. It is located in the north-east of the city of Vologda, on the road to Beloozero, on the left bank of the Vologda river. The monastery got its name from the main Spasskaya church and the river bend, on which it is located.
The monastery was founded at the end of the XIV century by the Rev. Dmitry Prilutsky, one of the students of St. Sergius of Radonezh. With the support of Moscow Prince Dmitry Donskoy, the monastery began to be built and grow as a fortress. The importance of this object was great due to the influence of Moscow on the Russian north, where the interests of Veliky Novgorod clashed.
In addition, it was a vanishing point for all trade routes from north to south. Indeed, even today the road to the north, to the Arkhangelsk lands, leads through Vologda and the Spaso-Prilutsky monastery.
The importance of the monastery in the life of the country is difficult to overestimate. Being far from Moscow, he remained a place where it was possible to preserve both people and values that should not have been left to the enemy.
So it was in 1812, when the French attacked Russia under the command of Napoleon, so it was in other times.
The heads of the monastery were influential figures in Russian politics.
During the years of Soviet rule, the monastery was closed, but in 1991 the spiritual life began again in the monastery.
Today, monastery life is being reborn. A full circle of worship is performed daily, several farmsteads, a boarding school are spiritually nourished. The monastery has a staged unit of the Vologda Orthodox Theological School, preparing future clergy of the Vologda diocese, as well as several workshops: candle, carpentry, icon-restoration. Every year, the Demetrius educational readings are held in the walls of the monastery.
We walked around the monastery, breathed fresh air and admired the beautiful views of the buildings inside the monastery walls. Spring, the end of April, is still cool, but it is already visible that life goes on and everything will be fine.
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