Chekhov Monastery. Ascension David's Hermitage Diocesan Monastery. Greatness and decline

06.11.2019

From a young age, the future Saint David felt the desire to asceticize in monastic life. Daniel, such was the secular name of the saint, came from a well-born Vyazemsky family. A twenty-year-old young man came to the Borovskaya monastery. This monastery was founded by the Monk Paphnutius in 1444. The abbot performed the rite of tonsure on the young man and gave him the name David.

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Ascension David's Hermitage

After the repose of Saint Paphnutius, the leadership of the monastery was taken over by his disciple, the Monk Joseph Volotsky. He became spiritual mentor David. Joseph had the intention to arrange strict rules for monastic life in the skete, but he came across a tough confrontation from the brethren. In 1479, Joseph decided to create a new wilderness in impenetrable thickets. In this he was assisted by seven elders.

History of the Wilderness of David

In the Borovo monastery, Father David served God for forty years. After the departure of Joseph, he lived for some time as a hermit. David decided to follow the example of his spiritual mentor Joseph and find a secluded place where he could build a holy abode. In 1515 the monk left Borovsk and went to the southeast direction on the territory of the present Chekhov region. He is accompanied by four monks. Along the banks of the Lopasnya River, they climb a wooded hill. Having made a prayer before, the travelers get to work.

First of all, they built the Church of the Ascension of the Lord and the Church of St. Nicholas. Subsequently, monastic cells were equipped, and a linden grove was planted. Anticipating his imminent death, Saint Joseph would come to the monastery to strengthen the monks in their good deeds with a dean's conversation. Father David led the hermitage for almost fifteen years. His life is a source of spiritual strength for believers. In 1529 the tutor of the monastery died.

During the five hundred years of the existence of David's Ascension Hermitage has undergone many troubles and troubles. In 1619, the monastery was captured by detachments of Lithuanians and Zaporizhzhya Cossacks, under the command of Peter Sahaidachny. The invaders left ruin and ashes behind. Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich renewed the burnt charter, according to which the monks were granted certain benefits.

However, meager estates brought a small income, which was not enough for the maintenance of monks and the improvement of churches. For this reason, the monastery was attributed to one monastery, then to another. In 1764, with the introduction of the monastic states of David's hermitage, she could only support herself at the expense of her own savings. The following year, two chapels in Moscow were assigned to the monastery, which supported its financial condition.

At the end of the eighteenth century, the desert is introduced sociable charter. Hieromonk Macarius with five brothers come from the Nikolo-Peshnoshsky Monastery and begin the revival of the spiritual and material life of the monastery. Churches and monastic cells were repaired, iconostases and sacristy were updated. Services began to take place constantly and in compliance with all the rules. This leads to an increase in the number of monastic brethren. In the nineteenth century, the monastery was able to generously donate funds to the charitable causes of the diocese.

When in October 1917 the the revolution, the fate of the Ascension Desert takes a sharp turn. The abbot and monks are subjected to repressions, domes are destroyed, crosses are thrown down, icons are burned at the stake. The Davidov Monastery is being turned into an agricultural technical school. Churches will be converted into classrooms, a gym and a village club. Warehouses and a garage were placed in the outbuildings. The monastic cells become student dormitories.

Since 1995, when Hieromonk Herman was appointed abbot of the monastery, a gradual revival of David's Hermitage began. The premises and territory are being put in order, preparations are underway for holding church services. In the summer of 1995, Father Herman was elevated to the rank of abbot of the monastery. The current rector is Abbot Sergius, appointed to this position by the Holy Synod on October 7, 2011.

monastery churches

Davidova Pustyn is a monastery with a peculiar architecture.

Relics of the holy monastery

On the territory of the Ascension Hermitage, more than two hundred shrines are kept, which parishioners and numerous pilgrims.

Spiritual fathers of the monastery

Many abbots of the monastery made a significant contribution to its formation and development.

Interesting and useful information about the Ascension David's Hermitage can be found on the Internet. The male monastery of the Ascension Davidov Hermitage has its own official website, which describes in detail the history of the monastery, and indicates its address. Here are stories about the abbots of the monastery, about the relics that are here, about the history of monastery churches. The site presents the schedule of daily services, as well as the schedule for each day of the current month.

On the page dedicated to works of mercy, there is a hint to whom and how to make donations. On the Internet portal of God's monastery there is an opportunity to order the basic requirements. With the help of the site, pilgrims can draw up a detailed plan for visiting the desert. This monastery is located 24 kilometers from the city of Serpukhov on the outskirts of the village of Novy Byt, Chekhov district, Moscow region.

Known as the founder of the Monastery of David's Hermitage. Visiting Russian monasteries has a beneficial effect on a person's peace of mind. But pilgrimages do not always cure physical ailments, priests constantly remind us of this. Sometimes you need to turn to a qualified specialist for advice and help.
In order to get to the monastery from Talezh, you will have to make a pretty detour - return to the Simferopol highway, cross it in the direction of Chekhov and drive straight at the fork at the sign "New Life". Although, recently, there have also been signs pointing to the monastery. From experience, if you need to find some kind of monastery, and its location is known only approximately, then you should focus on Soviet names like “Youth”, them. Comintern, "Leo Tolstoy" or, as in this case, "New Life".

The road will make a loop, cross the federal highway M3 again, but without an interchange - in this place you can neither go to the Simferopol highway, nor leave it. And only after about 15 km we will reach the monastery, standing on a high hill above Lopasnya.

The monastery was founded by a disciple of the famous Joseph Volotsky, a monk named David. His worldly name was Daniel, and he was from the Vyazemsky princes. David was a monk of the Pafnutiev Borovsky Monastery for 40 years. In 1515, he left his former monastery in order to found his own monastery.

David arranged the monastery in accordance with the ideas of his spiritual mentor Joseph Volotsky, the creator of the doctrine of Josephism or “acquisitiveness”: a severe charter, considerable wealth, and extensive charitable activities. The Joseph-Volotsky Monastery, founded by Joseph himself in 1479, operated on the same principles. Joseph Volotsky substantiated the need for church wealth with the following words: “It is necessary to build churches and church vessels, and books, and feed the brethren. And give and feed to the poor, the orphan, the wretched, passing by.” In a dispute between the Josephites and their opponents - the non-possessors, the former won.
The oldest temples of the monastery, built under David, have not survived to this day. They were consecrated in the name of the Ascension, the Assumption of the Mother of God and St. Nicholas. The oldest building in the monastery is the Ascension Cathedral, built in the 70-80s of the 17th century on the site of an earlier stone church, begun in the time of Ivan the Terrible, but never completed.

The next church of the time of David, rebuilt in stone, was the gate Assumption Church of 1740. The gates as such no longer exist - their arch was bricked up. A narrow passage closed with an iron door, closed with a hefty barn lock, has been preserved.

Now people enter the monastery not from the north, but from the west through the arch of the gate belfry.

The monastery bell tower was built on the site of the former one, dismantled “for dilapidation” in 1843-45. The massive tower, built in the Russian-Byzantine style, is a bit like Ivan the Great. The height of the bell tower is about 70 meters, it is clearly visible even from the M3 highway. Unfortunately, the bells cast in 1848 with a weight of 3.3 tons and in 1892 with a weight of 11.2 tons have not been preserved.

The monastic ensemble is a very picturesque sight due to the diverse architecture and bright colors of the churches.

One of the oldest in David's Hermitage, St. Nicholas Church with a refectory was rebuilt in 1804. An arched passage connects it to the cathedral.

From the west, the Church of the Sign adjoins the complex of the Ascension Cathedral and St. Nicholas Church, which grew out of a chapel built over the grave of St. David. The pink Znamenskaya Church is visible in the center of the photo.

Once there was a monastery cemetery behind the altar of the cathedral. In Soviet times, it shared the fate of the entire monastery. But if the temples, albeit defiled, are still preserved, then nothing remains of the tombstones. More recently, in 2002, it was possible to discover a lost in the 50s. of the last century, the grave of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, General Dokhturov. Dmitry Sergeevich Dokhturov, died in 1816 and was buried in the monastery cemetery.

Since the issue of graves has already been raised, we should mention the businessman buried in the monastery, who was actively involved in charity work and was killed on the orders of competitors, the head of the administration of the Chekhov district, who also died not of his own death and was found dead in his cell by the archimandrite of the monastery, Father German (Khapugin). I did not take pictures of their luxurious tombstones, but conversations about “bandit money”, which allegedly restored the monastery, surfaced in my memory.
It can be seen that considerable funds were invested here. Through the windows of the new refectory, one can see the luxurious decoration of the main hall, crowned with a gilded dome of the Church of All Saints in 1913.

The same splendor and deanery can be seen in the patterned rector's chambers.

and in the neighboring Church of the Most Merciful Savior, built at the turn of the century before last and the last in the Russian-Byzantine style.

Perhaps all this looks somewhat “restored”, but in my opinion the monastery only benefits from this. This is much better than "the abomination of desolation."

The Voznesenskaya Davidova Pustyn has a very “spiritual” atmosphere. There is no fuss, crowds of pilgrims and curious, dressed-up Cossacks at the entrance. This is where people come to God. The monastery is distinguished by silence, tranquility and the complete absence of negativity, which you sometimes feel in the ban on photos, sidelong glances, etc. To the south of Lopasna flows the Serpeika River, which flows into the Nara. Serpeika gave the name to our next target south of Moscow - the city.

Many thanks to Sapozhnik 1, who posted a photo of David's Hermitage in 1987 online.

Ascension David's Hermitage- Monastery of the Moscow Patriarchate; located on the high right bank of the Lopasni River (a tributary of the Oka River) on the territory of the ancient Khatun Volost near the current village of Novy Byt, Chekhov District, Moscow Region.

Story

The monastery was founded on May 31 (June 10), 1515 by the Monk David († September 19 (29), 1529), about which there is an entry in the monastic synodique of 1602 (due to some inconsistencies in the record, the specified foundation date is questionable). The lands on which the hermitage was founded belonged to Prince Vasily Starodubsky, godfather of Vasily III.

The same synodics indicate that David planted a linden grove next to the monastery.

According to the monastic tradition, on August 15 (25), 1515, the Monk Joseph Volotsky visited the brethren and blessed the founding of the monastery.

In troubled times in 1619, the monastery was destroyed by the Lithuanians and Cossacks under the leadership of Hetman Peter Sahaidachny. The activity of the monastery was resumed only on April 1 (10), 1625, when Mikhail Fedorovich issued a letter granting privileges to the monastery.

In 1657 it was assigned by Patriarch Nikon to the New Jerusalem Resurrection Monastery. At that time, the treasurer, two hieromonks, five ordinary elders, four servants, a groom, a baker and a belets (church deacon) lived in the desert. Ten years later, in 1667, by decree of Alexei Mikhailovich Pustyn, he was excluded from the New Jerusalem Monastery. The last third of the 17th century is the most prosperous time in the history of David's hermitage. The monastery had a courtyard in Moscow on Ordynka Street since 1664, and since 1689 a monastery chapel at the Arbat Gates. Monastic possessions were located in the Moscow and Kolomna districts, Serpukhov. For example, in the Moscow district, by 1700, the hermitage owned 95 peasant households.

In the 18th century, prosperity gave way to decline. As a result of Peter's reforms, the income of the monasteries went to the state treasury, and only part of it was returned to the brethren. In 1712 the hermitage was assigned to the Chudov Monastery; from 1721 to 1727 - to Zlatoust. In 1764, after the introduction of the monastic states, the hermitage became supernumerary, that is, it was maintained at its own expense, but already without possessions taken to the treasury. On March 17, 1767, the chapel of Christ the Savior (All-Merciful Savior) at the Moskvoretsky Bridge in Moscow (former house 29 on Moskvoretskaya Street) is attributed to the monastery; the chapel was demolished in 1966 during the completion of the construction of the Rossiya Hotel. In the chapel there was a particularly revered miraculous image of the All-Merciful Savior, therefore the chapel brought considerable income.

In 1792-1796, Metropolitan Platon (Levshin) of Moscow and the rector of the Nikolo-Peshnoshsky Monastery, Hieromonk Macarius (Bryushkov), established a cenobitic charter in the Davidov Hermitage.

On the territory of the monastery were buried: commander General D.S. Dokhturov († 1816), representatives of the princely and noble families of Obolensky, Romodanovsky, Vasilchikov, Golovkin and others.

In 1915, the 400th anniversary of the monastery was celebrated in Moscow and Serpukhov, in commemoration of which David's Hermitage was given the second class.

The monastery was finally closed in October 1929. The brethren of the monastery were partly repressed, partly dispersed.

Currently

In 1992, the inhabitants of the village of Novy Byt formed an Orthodox community, which was given the cathedral in the name of the All-Merciful Savior.

In 1995, on the first Saturday of Great Lent, the first Liturgy was celebrated.

On June 1, 1995, the Holy Synod decided to form a monastic community; the previously appointed rector, hieromonk German (Vyacheslav Nikolaevich Khapugin), was elevated to the rank of abbot.

Relics

More than 200 particles of the relics of God's saints have been collected in the monastery. A piece of the Nail of the Crucifixion of Christ is stored in a specially arranged ark in the monastery. In the cathedral, consecrated in honor of the icon of the All-Merciful Savior, in the reliquaries there are particles of the Chiton of the Savior and a particle of the Robe of the Virgin. Also stored here:

particles of the relics of the apostles and evangelists Mark, Luke and Matthew;
a particle of the holy relics of the Monk Moses Ugrin, the miracle worker of Kiev-Pechersk;
a particle of the head of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky;
a particle of the relics of Herman of Alaska;
a particle of the relics of the Great Martyr Anastasia the Solver;
a particle of the relics of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow;
the relics of Isaiah, Bishop of Rostov;
the relics of St. Demetrius of Rostov;
the relics of the Monk Archimandrite Abraham of Rostov;
the relics of St. Ignatius, Bishop of Rostov;
the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra;
the relics of St. Nikita the Stylite, Pereslavl miracle worker;
the relics of the Monk David of Thessalonica;
relics of the holy Bethlehem babies;
the relics of Hieromartyr Nikolai Lyubomudrov;
the relics of St. Ferapont of Luzhetsky, Mozhaisk miracle worker;
the honest head of one of the venerable martyrs of Kiev-Zverenetsky;
particles of the relics of other holy relics of the saints of God, shining in antiquity and in modern times.

This monastery is located in the village of Novyi Byt - and this is the name you need to look for on the map. Getting to it is easy, but somehow confusing. We read one review in which people tried to get to him through Talezh, but "there is no direct road" and they "had to return to the Simferopol highway." In this regard, I specifically asked the guide in Melikhovo how to get to David's hermitage and she also confirmed - return to the New Simferopol road (M2), drive towards Serpukhov, after about 10 minutes on the right side you will see the Khutorok cafe (? ) and a gas station, turn towards them, go around to the right and there is a road to the monastery.

We found everything - it turned out that there was a completely imperceptible exit from the highway to the road to Novyi Byt (after a detour of the gas station, turn right!) And after a few kilometers we were already at the monastery gates.

The only thing I’ll add is one important subtlety - and you don’t have to go this way :) .... In the village of Vaskovo, at the T-shaped intersection, we saw two signs: to the left - Melikhovo, and to the right - Novyi Byt. And this road leads shortly and directly to the monastery. And we drove up in our own way, as if through a circular detour (why?). Now, if people hadn’t written “you need to go to Simferopolskoye” - we would have trusted our eyes and a clear sign J. There, there really is no direct passage through Talezh, but through Melikhovo (Vaskovo) - there is.

David's Hermitage left a great impression.

This is a very ambiguous place in terms of history (modern), but definitely a good one.

Why do I write so strangely? Because in my thoughts I actively disagree with the mass of responses: “there is no smell of religion and faith”, “not the place where you want to open your soul”, “the tomb of the brothers”.

Yes indeed, currently Ascension David's Hermitage — one of the most well-restored and well-restored cloisters.

Yes, indeed, there is a necropolis on its territory, where our contemporaries found their rest.

And, indeed, they have luxurious monuments. And, perhaps, their professional activity is far from ideal.

Anton Malevsky - was called the aluminum king of Russia and was considered the leader of the Izmailovsky criminal group. Gennady Nedoseka is a former head of the administration of the Chekhov district with an "ambiguous" reputation.

And what is the conclusion from this? Is it just one?

Let's think. Maybe these people had nowhere to spend their "unexplained origin of capital"? They could easily invest them in a network of casinos, islands, yachts, supercars, precious stones and precious metals, cottages and apartments. But for some reason they invested them in a completely collapsed monastery. More precisely, in the ruins and headless remains of churches. So something was driving them? Was there something in your soul to take this particular step in this direction, and not in the opposite direction? So, people still tried to do something not just good, but very good and bright. And they did. And what did they "get out of it"? By the way, in the prime of life - one died with a parachute, the other in a car accident - and now they are here, in the monastery restored by them, only deep.

And the people passing by turn away, twist and spit - fi, this is dirty money, fi, we know, we know what they were doing there for themselves, fi, this is not even worthy of our simple thanks.

And what is so hard to fic something? These people have already answered before God, both for everything bad and for everything good. God alone can judge us. And only God knows what kind of situation you can get into and what you will be capable of in it.

And why does the hooting of these people end right behind this monastery fence? Note that the masses, the masses of Russian oligarchs and businessmen, politicians and officials (after all, there are no bandits in our country for a long time! J) have invested, are investing and will continue to invest their “honestly earned” in casino networks, islands and yachts .... And they don’t care at all and don’t sway at any crumbling monasteries, of which there are a myriad of them all over Russia. Yes, burn it with fire the problems of the monasteries, when a new Buggati model was thrown into the car market and the queue for an ordered fashionable crocodile handbag is approaching.

People are now, somehow, straightforwardly processed. It seems that its own head is capable of issuing only templates embedded from outside by the mass media. Everyone considers a severe censure to be a common civic duty. Forgiveness, understanding, sympathy - this does not apply to “this”, of course. A very comfortable position, by the way. Against the background of the "bad" ones, once again stand out with their honesty, decency and innocence. We are above all this dirt, yes! And fic, it's much more convenient here - just two times. It is possible, of course, to notice a lot of unfair things all over Russia, but there you can fictitize for years from morning to evening, and even get a response, no, this is inconvenient.

It seems to me that this very monastery - the Ascension Davidov Hermitage - is a litmus test for our souls. This is what is hidden inside us, it is actively manifested here.

When we entered through the gate in the high Belfry, we gasped. The Desert of David has an extraordinarily beautiful territory. All churches and buildings are in perfect condition. There is a round pond. And from the entrance to the central constellation of churches there is a long path with golden sunflowers neatly planted in rows. So nice! There are few people, unlike Talezh. We saw a TV group.

But first things first.

All churches and buildings here are multi-colored.

Belfry with Belfry(ser.19v.) - entrance. It has a clock with a fight, every hour reproducing the melody of one of the church hymns. There are 7 bells on the Belfry (donated by parishioners in 1996).

ahead, in the center there are 3 churches. They are attached to each other.

Orange - Church of the Sign- the road leads straight to it - a classic (late 19th century), it has one small dark dome.

Yellow - Nicholas Church- on the left - Empire (beginning of the 19th century), it has a large dark semicircular dome.

White - Ascension Cathedral- on the right - an old Russian one (16-17 centuries), five dark domes, one with stars.

Behind these churches - Necropolis. Here is a monument-bust to the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, General Dmitry Sergeevich Dokhturov

To the left of the bell tower:

Bright yellow long 2-storey building with beautiful white stucco - Igumen Corps.

Pink - Assumption Church- classic (mid-18th century), one large dark onion head and four very small onions.

Bright yellow - Church of All Saints- classic (early 20th century), one dark miniature dome with a golden pattern. Here - Refectory.

To the right of the bell tower:

Round pond- with benches, there are scaffolds, a very quiet place, the backs of the fish are visible. This is the place where everyone takes panoramic pictures of the monastery ensemble, and everyone else takes pictures without exception! — reflection of churches or Belfry in the mirror of the pond.

To the right along the wall from the Bell Tower - red-orange Chapel above the spring.

To the right and behind the central churches are white Fraternal corps.

The monastery was founded in 1515 by the Monk David of Serpukhov.

It is interesting that in the local dialect and in ancient chronicles the name of the monastery sounded like Dav S dova deserts, with a solid Russian "y".

Davyd or David (in the world, Daniel from the princely family of Vyazemsky) is a student of Pafnuty Borovsky. He will stay in the Borovsky Monastery for 40 years. In the same place, he will meet his spiritual friend Joseph Volotsky. And Davyd will be one of the 7 monks who will support Joseph in the heated conflict over the "strictness of the monastic community." It is from here that two aspirations of Russian monasticism will come out of Borovsk: to be physically poor, but spiritually rich (non-possessors) and to be rich in both cases (Josephites).

It is very important to understand that “Josephism” is not a “decomposition of monasticism”, but a strong desire to see the monasteries prosperous or “the support of the king, and at the same time be distinguished by a strict charter and broad charity.” I really remember one phrase that I heard somewhere: “thanks to the Josephites, our Russian monasteries are so solemn and beautiful.” Just don’t immediately think that Joseph Volotsky, the author of the idea “on the right of the church to own real estate,” ate caviar with spoons and wore a sable coat. This is primitive straight line thinking. The strength of a true Russian monk is in the spirit. Joseph himself walked with an unpainted wooden staff, in dark scheming clothes, a thread mantle, and ate very poorly. But his monastery was a feast for the eyes.

Monk Davyd from Borovsk came to this land with the same ideas.

He chose a remarkable strong place - the high bank of the Lopasni River.

Together with four helper monks, he built wooden churches - two churches, cells, a refectory.

The oldest and, accordingly, the very first stone temple in the monastery is white Ascension Cathedral (Ascension of Christ). It is dated - the beginning of the 16th century. It was rebuilt later, but fragments of the ancient masonry still remain. A very beautiful temple, but we didn’t get inside - it was closed (churches here open only during morning and evening services). But from a casually flown conversation of TV people running around with equipment, we realized that they were going to open this church so that they could see miraculous icon of the Mother of God "The Sign".

The monastery was built slowly, even very slowly. In the Time of Troubles, it was completely ruined by the Lithuanians. We consider the monastery to be “Josephian”, which means “rich”, but in the late 18th century. under Catherine II, he was recognized as second-rate or supernumerary, and in the late 19th century. “It fell into such a decline that it was impossible not only to pray in the temples, but it was also dangerous to go inside: the masonry was loosened, ancient frescoes and plaster flew around, the roof was rotten.”

All the temples were closed, but by some miracle we ended up in the central orange Church of the Sign (in honor of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos)- Prep. came here with this icon. Davyd from Borovsk, and then it was in this church that he found rest, and in 1997 his holy relics were found here.

The church was opened for several pilgrims by the approaching priest. And inside the temple he led people, showed them shrines and told them in detail about everything. We also took the opportunity to come in, and at first I was embarrassed to come close and listen, and then I felt that he was telling everyone and these people were not his personal acquaintances, as it seemed at first.

To be honest, I have never seen so many shrines in any Russian church.

To the left of the altar, under a beautiful carved canopy, there is a shrine with the relics of St. David. He came here at about the age of 60, and left for the other world at about 74. And then he began to appear in the dreams of different people, heal, help them, perform miracles - he invited them to visit him in the Hermitage, asking: “Why don’t you visit me?”

On the left at the entrance is the head of the Bethlehem baby (out of 14,000 beaten by Herod). (When I approached, the priest even opened the top glass lid for me).

To the right of the entrance (all I remember) are pieces of the relics of Sergius of Radonezh and his parents, Cyril Belozersky and also with his parents. Batiushka told in great detail what relics and with what request one should venerate.

What a pity that I didn’t remember - I thought, I’ll come, read, look and find out everything. But it turned out - I was wrong. Here's everything we could find:

“A huge number of shrines brought from Greece and the countries of the Middle East attract pilgrims to the monastery.”

“Now in the monastery there is a particle of the relics of St. Moses Ugrin among more than one hundred and fifty particles of the relics of the holy saints of God.

“There are particles of the relics of Saints Nicholas the Pleasant, Eustathius Plakida, Herman of Alaska, Dmitry, Abraham and Isaiah of Rostov, Ferapont Luzhetsky, Moses Ugrin. There is even an ark with the relics of the holy Bethlehem babies, a particle of the genuine Nail of the Crucifixion of the Lord, particles of the Lord's chiton and the robe of the Most Holy Theotokos.

An amazing mystical coincidence: Moses Ugrin (Hungarian) is a boyar who served Prince Boris (son of Vladimir the Red Sun) and witnessed his murder, and the boyar Talets was a participant (repentant) of this atrocity. The relics of one are in the Desert of David, the name of the other is at Talezh.

The desert of David is like the purgatory of souls.

In the mid-30s. the monks were ordered to leave the monastery. “Whoever could, went to relatives and friends in nearby villages, and those who remained were taken away in trucks overnight in an unknown direction. Two weeks later, those who had left were rounded up and also taken away at night.” A red banner fluttered from the bell tower. The temples housed a club, a canteen, a gym, garages and warehouses.

In 1937, Archimandrite Valentin, who had gone to live in the village, was killed by "unknowns".

In the early 1990s Father Herman became the rector of David's Hermitage and came to restore the monastery. He told:

“When we came to the monastery, we faced many problems: seventeen families lived in the monastery, on the territory of the monastery there was an agricultural technical school, a canteen, and the village administration. We were met not very friendly, especially by the staff of the technical school (Chekhov's Mechanics and Technology). The director of the technical school did not want to give away the temples. In winter, the three of us lived in two rooms in a corner tower…”.

“When we began to equip ourselves, decorate the interior of the temple, we ordered two arks for the relics. They fulfilled them, told me the cost, I collected the entire monastery treasury and gave it for these arks, and on the way back I think: “Lord, I gave away all the money for what we will buy bread tomorrow, I don’t know.” It was, I remember, on Friday, and on Saturday we have a service: a pious Orthodox couple prays at the Liturgy, who after the service gives me an envelope: “Father, this is for you to restore the monastery.” On Sunday, another pious couple prays at the Liturgy and after the service also gives me an envelope with a donation. I open these two envelopes, count the donated money - and kopeck for a kopeck comes out the amount that I took for the arks. And I thought: “If I hadn’t grumbled, the Lord would have sent more, but since I grumbled, the Lord, of course, did not leave the monastery without a penny – everything that I spent, the Lord returned…”.

In 1995, Rector Herman was brutally murdered in his cell by "unknown persons who opened the monastery's safe."

In the Desert of David Valentinov spring(in honor of Archimandrite Valentine), which is located "under the monastery, near the bridge over the river."

Here is preserved linden holy grove, planted by Rev. David. According to legend, he planted trees in a miraculous way - upside down to show the power of God - and they were all accepted.

Website of the Monastery of David's Hermitage: http://davidova-pustin.ru/index. php.

We went into the church shop and there the monk behind the counter radiated benevolence and spoke pleasant words to everyone. I already wrote about the priest who opened the church.

I would like to complete the story of David's Hermitage with the words of Chekhov. But I didn't find what I needed.

In such situations, my beloved Gogol always helps me out.

"Our Church must be sanctified in us, and not in our words."

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