Tikhvin Bogorodsky Orthodox Convent. Tsivilsky Tikhvin monastery. History is the foundation

The beginning of the history of the Tsivilsky Tikhvin monastery is associated with the peasant war of 1667-1671 under the leadership of the "covetous man" Stenka Razin, who did not bypass the Tsivilsky lands. On October 1, 1671, the "thieves' Cossacks" approached the walls of the city and began an assault. As you know, Tsivilsk was originally built in 1589 as a fortress, had fortress walls made of oak ridges with a deep ditch and was guarded by an armed force loyal to the king, consisting of 250 archers, about 5 gunners and about a dozen landsknecht mercenaries. And it was not so easy to take such a city. For a long time the Cossacks tried to take the city, but they could not, and it was decided to take the fortress by hunger, surrounding it. When the inhabitants lost hope of defending their city and wanted to make their way through the ring of Cossacks in order to flee to neighboring Cheboksary, they were stopped by the fact that in a dream Iuliana Vasilyeva, a simple citizen of Tsivilsk, dreamed of an icon Holy Mother of God, and she heard the holy word: "So that the people sitting in the city sit firmly: the Cossacks will not take the city, and when the city receives salvation, the inhabitants would build a monastery behind the city between the rivers of the Big and Small Civil and between the swamps and Streletsky meadows." ...

the city of Tsivilsk, where the monastery is located

Indeed, the civilians defended their city, and four years later, at the place indicated by the Mother of God herself, a church in the name of the Ascension of the Lord with a chapel in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos of Tikhvin shone with domes. This church, built on a vow by the civilian archer Stefan Ivanovich Ryazanov, will soon become the temple of the newly established Ascension Monastery. Cells and outbuildings were rebuilt for the monastics.
The iconostasis of the temple was painted by the famous icon painter at that time - the son of the priest of the Sviyazhsk Church of the Annunciation - Efim Vasiliev. The temple itself was later rebuilt twice and in 1744 was consecrated in the name of the Tikhvin icon Mother of God.

As mentioned above, the monastery was for men. He became female on January 18, 1871 by the decision of the Kazan Consistory, and the reasons for such a transformation were as follows:
Despite the fact that the Tsivilsky Tikhvin Monastery bazaars and fairs (of which there were two - Tikhvinskaya from June 20 to 26 and Ilyinskaya from July 20) brought considerable income from the trade in wax candles, icons, crosses, and even wallet and lace donations were solidly replenished the monastic treasury, the monastic economy came to disorder and decline. And all because of the annual floods of Tsivilen, which destroyed almost all the buildings of the monastery, both stone and wooden. By the end of the 60s of the XIX century, almost all of them fell into disrepair. Also in last years the existence of a male monastery, there were very few monastics. So, according to the list for 1867, the monastery consists of: 1 builder, 2 hieromonk, 1 hierodeacon, 8 novices and not a single monk. In addition, in addition to external economic problems and a small number of monastics, the reason for the impoverishment of the monastery was its internal state - the brothers began to lead an undisciplined and drunk lifestyle. Evidence of this is the surviving statements against the guilty parties.

Such a miserable state of the monastery and the behavior of the monastics naturally led to the idea of its abolition, and Archbishop Anthony, visiting Tsivilsk in 1869, made a proposal to the Consistory to close the Tsivilsky monastery. But the citizens of the city of Tsivilsk, who treasured the monastery and the miraculous icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God, asked His Grace in the written judgment of September 25, 1869 to preserve the monastery. In response to the verdict, the Archpastor made a proposal to the citizens through the Consistory to transform the male monastery into a female monastery, arguing that the female monasteries in the Kazan Diocese are distinguished by better amenities in comparison with the male ones and that convent more than male.
So, on December 30, 1870, by decree No. 2852 of the Holy Synod, the monastery was transformed into a female monastery, and on January 18 of the same year the Kazan Consistory confirmed this decision by its decree.

So, by the end of the 60s of the XIX century, almost all the buildings of the monastery were dilapidated: in the cells of the lower floor, all the floors were rotten and torn, the stoves were collapsed, there were significant cracks in the walls of the buildings, the plaster in the church collapsed in many places - all buildings required an indispensable overhaul. Accordingly, the new owner of the monastery - the abbess - had to be a good business manager, politician, skillful and demanding leader, capable of influencing other sisters by her example. The nun Cherubim, a native of the Kursk province from the family of a clergyman, who was appointed abbess, fully met these necessary qualities. She was transferred to the Tsivilsky monastery from the Kazan women's monastery. Notable is one interesting fact: As soon as the new abbess entered the monastery (March 1871), a few days later the Tsivil River began to flood, and during the liturgy, the icy muddy water poured into the church itself, and the service had to end while standing on the benches. And this situation happened almost every spring, water, flooding the entire territory of the monastery, left a lot of rubbish, silt and dirt in the buildings, destroyed plaster. Therefore, the monastery urgently needed a lot of money to strengthen the coast and repair buildings. The monastery did not have such funds, and donations from the citizens of the city were negligible for work of this scale.

The Kazan merchant of the 1st guild Vasily Nikitich Nikitin and his wife Maria Ivanovna became the benefactors of the renovation of the monastery. Origin Vasily Nikitich was a peasant, from the Vladimir province. Trained to read and write from a young age, he started working as a cab driver early. He had an uncle - a wealthy merchant Kondyrin, who lived in Kazan. After his death, all of his considerable property was inherited by Vasily. Honesty, serviceability and mandatory accuracy made his name the loudest and most honorable both between Moscow and Kazan and Trans-Ural merchants. Its trade turnover was in the millions of rubles. In addition, he owned a huge inn, two large steamers and dozens of barges.

On his first trip to Tsivilsk, V.N.Nikitin bought up all the bricks prepared in the city for the monastery. Then in the spring he acquired huge rafts of timber, which were delivered along the river to the very walls of the Tsivilsky monastery. And in the summer a large detachment of builders arrived at the Civil Monastery. Immediately, new spacious cells were rebuilt, the monastery was surrounded by a high stone fence, chapels were built, high beautiful gates to enter the territory of the monastery. In addition, there are deep ditches and a high earthen rampart on all sides, eliminating the risk of flooding. The temple was overhauled: the basement was replaced, the windows were raised and widened, two beautiful stoves were folded, behind the altar a third iron was placed; the walls of the temple were plastered and painted, all the frames in the windows were replaced with new ones, the outside of the temple was whitewashed, and the roof was painted with copper. A lot of new utensils were delivered to the monastery: robes, candlesticks, lamps ...
When Archbishop Anthony of Kazan again visited the monastery, he was amazed at such a rapid revival of the monastery. He was greeted by the priest of the monastery with the holy cross and the abbess of the monastery with all the sisters while singing "It is worthy to eat." On the same day, at the Divine Liturgy, the abbess of the monastery, the nun Cherubim, was elevated to the rank of abbess.

VN Nikitin's participation in the fate of the monastery was not limited to these benefits. At his expense, a new main temple was founded, which fundamentally differed in its architecture from the churches of that time, the building of which has survived to this day. During the construction of this temple, a wooden church was erected, donated by the Cheboksary merchant Efremov, which was consecrated in the name of the holy martyr Kharlampy. By the way, a warm wooden church, recently built on the territory of the monastery, was consecrated on February 23, 2001 in honor of St. Harlampy:

Unfortunately, Vasily Nikitich never happened to see the main decoration of the monastery and his main business - the new church: he died suddenly on October 1, 1880. His wife did not live long after him. They were buried near the new temple, on the right side. And the construction of this temple was carried on for another 6 years after the death of Nikitin. He donated to the monastery in total about 37,000 rubles. In addition to him, the civilian philistine Ivan Nagasov donated 100 rubles for the construction, the Civilian merchant Pyotr Fedorovich Zarubin - 100 rubles, the Moscow merchant Vasily Matveyevich Maltsev - 750 rubles, the Nizhny Novgorod merchant Stepan Ivanovich Zyablov - 2,550 rubles, unknown people contributed 800 rubles to the treasury of the monastery ... A certain Praskovya Andreevna Nazhivina contributed 2,100 rubles for the construction of the temple. All in all, 43,900 rubles 30 kopecks were spent on its construction.

And the temple turned out to be great - high, wide, light. There were three thrones - in a row, the main one in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, on the right side in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, and on the left - in honor of all the saints. The temple was built very successfully from the point of view of architecture: inside, before the gaze of every praying person, everything that was happening in the temple is open. Traditionally over entrance doors choirs for singers were located in the west. Above the middle of the temple towered a vast domed drum with a whole row of windows, between which were depicted nine angels, and at the very top - the image of the Lord God of hosts with blessing hands. There were three altars and iconostases, as well as thrones. All the walls and arches of the temple were in frescoes, which depicted large figures of saints.

Speaking of the monastery, it is impossible to mention its household. Monasteries have always been large landowners. The Tsivilsky Tikhvin Monastery owned rather large arable and hay fields, more than 30 dessiatines of pasture land allotted to the monastery in 1797 by the decree of Paul I. Since 1838, 144 dessiatines of the forest were in the possession of the monastery. There were 3 fishing "Chuvash wasteland", "Opolzino" and in the Chekursky backwater and river crossings, which the monastery rented out for about 400 rubles a year to various businessmen. The monastery owned a flour mill on the Sulitsa river of the Sviyazhsky district, which, however, fell into disrepair in 1892 due to a change in the river bed in the spring, before that the mill was rented out for 30 rubles a year. On January 1, 1692, the monastery received two land clauses for allotment use: Sundyrskaya - 17 dessiatines 1900 sq. fathoms and Ki-bechinskaya in 17 acres of 1500 sq. fathoms; they were located about 30 versts from the monastery. To quote an archival document: "The following lands belong to the monastery:
a) arable and hay land,
b) fishing with an artisanal forest growing along the banks of the Volga,
c) a flour-grinding water mill,
d) two forest dachas consisting of 150 dessiatines.

The arable and hayfields consist of several plots located in different places, for which the monastery has five special plans with boundary books. Arable land, listed in two plans - in the first
- thirty dessiatines 1112 sq. fathoms, and in the second - eight acres 2004 sq. fathoms are cultivated by the monastery itself. Eighteen dessiatines 1941 sq. fathoms of hay land, called "Bumps", are also cultivated by the monastery. Twenty-four tithes 1181 sq. fathoms of hay land called "Prorva", including two tithes of 230 sq. fathoms of arable land are cultivated by the monastery. In addition, the monastery owns another eighteen dessiatines of 1070 sq. fathoms of hay mowing located at the monastery itself. All of the above lands, arable and hayfields, were donated to the monastery, but when and by whom is unknown. They lie in the Tsivilsky district, in a close distance from the monastery.

Fishing with bushes growing along the shore is located in Cheboksary district, in places called "Chuvash wasteland", "Opolzino". In a special low-water plan, calculated in 1795, on December 5, inside the property, separated from all adjacent possessions by one circumferential border, eleven acres of wood is shown, 1981 sq. fathom ...
Two forest dachas allotted to the monastery in 1876 as a result of the petition of the Mother Superior Cherubim, at the request of His Eminence, His Eminence Anthony, Archbishop of Kazan, by the Ministry of State Property, are located in two sections: in the Koshko-Kulikchevskaya dacha
- thirty acres and 1343 sq. fathoms and in the northern part of the Tugaevskaya dacha -119 dessiatines 127 sq. fathoms.
These dachas were separated by the Provincial Technician Schmidt with the participation of the district forester Solovyov and the deputy from the spiritual side, the Dean of the Civil Archpriest Lazar Belyaev. The plan for both Dachas, drawn up by the aforementioned surveyor Schmidt, is kept in the monastery with other documents ... "(Bulletin about the Tsivilsky Tikhvin monastery for 1883. National Archives of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, fund 4, inventory 114, file 6).

The monastery also had a lot of real estate: in Kazan there were two large stone houses representing the monastery. There were also houses in Tsivilsk.
Behind the monastery wall on the east side, since 1871, a cattle yard was built: spacious stables, a cattle shed, hayloft, two large cellars and two wooden houses for the residence of assistants at the court. The monastery had its own bathhouse and a large garden. There was also a small hospital with six beds and a school. There was always a flower garden of roses near the central entrance to the territory of the monastery in summer.
In addition to numerous household chores, the sisters were engaged in needlework: knitting stockings, socks, quilting blankets, embroidering with beads, not in the last place was painting.
If we talk about the financial well-being of the monastery, it should be noted that the main income and sources of funds for the Tikhvin monastery were appropriations from the state treasury, where there was a special article about monasteries. Also, the inflow of money was from interest of various kinds of securities and income from the arable lands belonging to the monastery, forest plots, fishing, ferries and a water mill, leased out. Some income was also brought by candle, purse-and-lace, prayer, prosphora and other collections and alms. There was a constant sale of icons, paintings on biblical subjects and views of their monastery, rosary, crosses, rings.
The annual money turnover of the monastery per year was equal to approximately 100,000 rubles,

All those living in the monastery were subdivided into nuns, cassock novices and novices-belits. The reason for this division is the existence of a system of spiritual growth and improvement in monasteries. At first, having made the decision to leave worldly life and dedicate it to God, while living in the monastery, she wore worldly clothes, worked and looked closely at life in the monastery. With exemplary behavior at a certain time, she became worthy to wear a cassock, became a cassock (Greek - "cassock bearer"). Further, upon the expiration of a certain period and observance of the monastery charter, the ceremony of tonsure was performed over the cassock novice - the abbess cut off the cross in her hair on the crown of the novice's head. Moreover, the tradition was observed: the novice had to give scissors to the abbess three times, and only the third time did she agree to take the tonsure. This meant that obediently nitsa makes three vows: chastity, non-acquisitiveness - giving up any property and a vow of obedience. The shorn received a new robe of black color from coarse wool, and, as reborn, received a new name.

So, for example, in 1897 in the Tikhvin nunnery there were 1 abbess, 1 schema nun (unlike nuns, she had stricter vows and led a hermitic lifestyle), 26 nuns, cassock novices - 34,153 novices and 11 residents. A total of 226 people.
The abbess of the monastery, as mentioned above, was the Cherubim. She stayed in this dignity until her death (December 7, 1896). She died instantly and without pain from a heart defect, having devoted all 70 years of her life to monasticism, and 25 of them to the service in the Tsivilsky Monastery of the Tikhvin Mother of God.
The second abbess of the monastery was Antonia, approved by the decree of the Holy Synod of March 3, 1897 No. 1015. The third and last abbess (until 1925) was Abbess Asenefa, who was approved on April 8, 1909.
In the monastery right hand The abbess was a cellarer — the head of a considerable monastic household. Next in importance was the treasurer, whose duties were to oversee the supplies and the general welfare of the monastery.

The services in the temple were carried out by the nuns themselves, and only the priest and deacon in the monasteries were always men. The first priest in the convent was the dean of the village of the Resurrection Shigals of the Tsivilsky district, Captain Podobedov, who served in the priestly rank. The salary of a priest was then 300 rubles a year, a priest's assistant received 250 rubles. In 1878, Alexander Biletov, who had previously served in the middle department of the Theological Seminary, took over as Priest, he was also a member of the district department of the Diocesan School Council and held the position of a law teacher at the monastery school.

All life in the monastery was regulated by a special charter, in which three principles were obligatory: equality of sisters, obedience to the abbess and a clear distribution of responsibilities. The day at the monastery began very early. As soon as the sun showed, the alarm clock went to the doors of the abbess's cells, bowed and loudly pronounced "Bless and pray for me ...". Waking up, the abbess answered, "God will save you." Then the alarm clock gave the order to ring the bell, walked through the cells and woke up the nuns with the words "Bless the saints." Soon the bells were ringing calling everyone to prayer in the temple, and the nuns gathered outside the church. First the priest and his assistant deacon. In the temple, everyone was also lined up according to rank, on the right in front of the abbess, on the left the cellare; a priest with a deacon in front of the altar. The morning service (vigil) lasted about five hours. After the service, a meal usually followed, before which everyone also said a prayer, and they entered the refectory only with the third bell. V common days there were two meals - lunch and dinner, for which they served brew (soup) and sochivo (porridge), and when preparing food, certain obligatory rituals were observed (for example, they lit a fire in the kitchen only from a torch lit by a priest from a lamp in a temple). During the meal, no one spoke, and one of the nuns read instructive religious writings. At the end of the meal, the nuns, singing psalms, went to the church, performed prayer in front of its walls and dispersed to the cells, where they read theological books, prayed, or did housework or did handicrafts. During fasting, the nuns had only one meal a day and spent more time in prayer.

In 1872, at the Tsivilsky Tikhvin monastery, the missionary organization "Brotherhood of St. Guria" opened a school for girls, teaching the law of God and letters. It was remarkable that in this school, unlike others, teaching took place both in Russian and in the Chuvash languages, since many children knew only their native language. In October 1897, the school of St. Guria was renamed into a parish school. In 1911 it was closed as not included in the school network. The school usually enrolled about 40 girls, one third of whom were from families somehow involved in churches and religion, about 50 percent from ordinary Chuvash families, the rest from Russians.
The October Revolution of 1917 radically changed the status and life of Orthodox monasteries literally from the first days after the coup. On October 26, 1917, the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets adopted the Decree on Land, which abolished private ownership of land and made it a national property. Thus, the entire land of Russian monasteries, including the Tsivilsky Tikhvin monastery, was confiscated, or rather, lawfully stolen without any reason or effect. In addition to the lands of the Tsivilsky monastery, fishing and forest dachas were also taken away, which were immediately uncontrollably plundered, destroyed and burned, the forest was instantly cut down by local residents. Only small plots of land were left for monasteries and churches for food.

Also a strong blow to the monasteries of Russia was a very cunning "knight's move" of the Soviet government - the nationalization of private banks, where the clergy and monasteries had significant deposits. Combined with state banks, they formed the United People's Bank of the Russian Republic. Thus, the Soviet government received incredible capital under its control and disposal.
Further more. On January 23, 1918, the decree "On the separation of church from state and school from church" was promulgated, according to which all property and property of monasteries and churches passed to Soviet power and the state no longer supported the church, took away all benefits and declared the church clean public organization... Acts of civil status (birth, marriage, death) were removed from the jurisdiction of church bodies and were transferred to the state. Teaching "The Law of God" in schools was prohibited, students were exempted from compulsory attendance at the temple and religious rites. It was decided to perform church rituals only with the permission of the district Department of Administration, and each religious community was to provide the Soviet Government with a charter, a list of members of society and executive body in triplicate upon annual registration.

In connection with the seizure of all structures and property from the Tikhvin monastery, the decision was made by the Tsivilsky Uyezd Department of the Office to draw up an inventory of church property, but the abbess of Asenefa filed a request to postpone the inventory for at least two weeks, and her request was granted. In addition to compiling an inventory on December 16, 1918, it was decided to hold a general meeting with the participation of citizens of the city of Tsivilsk and the clergy, chaired by the monastery priest Alexander Biletov. The meeting considered the issue of the decision of the local Council of December 10, No. 309 "On the transfer of all monastery property to the Council of Workers' and Red Army Deputies." It was decided to keep the property and buildings for the monastery, as the property was supposedly not profitable and useless. Surprisingly, the decision of the meeting was considered by the local Council and even satisfied. So the monastery, albeit not for long, was preserved. By this time, there were 240 nuns and novices in the monastery, but, unlike previous years, all the nuns were of advanced age, the youngest of them Agnia and Milentina were 56 years old. Abbess Milanova Asenefa Pavlovna was 70 years old.

In the 1920s and 1930s, there was a sharp reduction in the number of existing churches and monasteries, they began to be overhauled to become municipal houses and clubs. Bell towers and some temples were barbarously destroyed. It was believed that in the new state there is no place for religion, which only distracts people from building a bright future - communism.
And in July 1925, a resolution of the expanded Plenum of the Ues-Regiment was issued on the transfer of some buildings of the monastery to the county office. public education under a cultural and educational institution and the eviction of nuns. In the same month, the cleaning of the stone church began, the iconostasis was dismantled, an inventory was drawn up for valuable items. The Tsivilsky District Executive Committee received a statement from the city's believers with a request to transfer the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God and some property to the Cathedral of the Kazan Mother of God, their request was granted. A copy of the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God, the icon of the Great Martyr Barbara, the local icon of the Mother of God with a kivot and others were transferred to the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
The last service of the monastery was held on the tenth of July 1925, and in the fall of the same year the last church in the monastery was liquidated. In one of the buildings of the monastery, a club was opened and a radio installation was installed.

After the closure of the monastery, its premises were occupied by an incomplete secondary school, a children's town (orphanage), during the war - military unit, a pedagogical school, a boarding school, a seven-year school, a vocational school ... Each heir has altered in his own way, disposed of the economy of the monastery. As a result, the cathedral and other buildings were changed beyond recognition. The main cathedral lost all five domes and vaults, the third floor was completed, standard windows were cut through, and ceilings between floors were made. The bell tower and the wooden church were demolished. Fragments of the stone wall and towers remained. The Tsivil River destroyed buildings every year during a flood.

And now the 90s. Years of reassessment of the spiritual foundations and foundations of culture, revision of the mentality of a real Russian person. Years of doubts about the correctness of the path we are on to this day. The years when, after all, we came to the revival of the inseparable integral Russian life.
With the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Tikhvin Mother of God Monastery was opened in the city of Tsivilsk, and monastic life was revived in it. This decision was made at a meeting of the Holy Synod on February 26, 1998 under No. 797. Naturally, the question arose about appointing a mentor. Moreover, the situation is similar to the situation in 1870, since the state of the monastery in 1998 is comparable to the picture of 130 years ago. May 14, 1998 On November 1 of the same year, Mother Agnia leaves the post of Abbess of the Novodevichy Monastery and accepts this post in the Tsivilsky Monastery.

There is an orphanage at the monastery where orphans studying in Tsivilskaya high school# 1. The main occupations in the free time of the monastics, as before, are housework, caring for the livestock (the monastery has several cows and horses, chickens). Also, the monastery owns 10.5 hectares of land, 3 hectares of which are occupied by the monastery complex of buildings.
On the territory of the monastery, the abbess's house, three wooden buildings, the Kharlampievskaya church, a guest house, and a cell building were restored.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTOS:
Team Wandering.
http://gov.cap.ru/
http://sobory.ru/
Braslavsky L. Yu. Operating churches, chapels, monasteries of the Cheboksary and Chuvash dioceses: - Cheboksary: Chuvash book publishing house, 2010.
http://foto.cheb.ru/
photo by Vladimir Mikhailov.

The Tsivilsky monastery in Chuvashia is a secluded place located in a small provincial town. The city itself stands at the confluence of the Greater and Lesser Civilizations. The population is small. The total number is 13, 2 thousand people. A railway line runs six kilometers from the city. Tsivilsk was founded in 1589. It was a military stronghold in Moscow.

In its place was once the ancient Chuvash settlement of Syurbeyevo. It was here that the centennial prince lived. The first structures were built of wood. The wooden Kremlin was surrounded by a prison. The first inhabitants were archers, builders, clergy. In 1781, the status of a county town was received. In the 17th century, its military significance was lost. Now it is the largest commercial and industrial center.

How to get there

The Family Suitcase company organizes pilgrimage trips.

It is easy to get to the monastery, its exact address is the Chuvash Republic, Tsivilsk, st. Proletarskaya, 1. It is more convenient to use a bus or a private car. Also in 5-7 km from the city there is a railway line Kanash - Cheboksary (station Mikhailovka).

People often come here for several days, mostly pilgrims. You can stop for the night at the Saval or Savanas hotels. The number of rooms is small, but the living conditions are comfortable. You can have a snack in the cafe "Anastasia", "Brown", "Svoi lyudi". An inexpensive dining room is located on the street. Tereshkova, 5b, they cook quite tasty here.

History is the foundation

The construction of a monastery on the territory of the local lands is closely connected with the beginning of the peasant war. It was 1670-1671. The battle was carried out under the leadership of Stepan Razin. Tsivilsk during this period suffered greatly from robberies. In 1671, the Cossacks came close to the walls. The seizure of the settlement began. The fortress walls were strong. They were made from oak. There was a deep moat around. The guards consisted of 250 archers and five gunners. The defense was powerful, so it was not so easy to defeat the city. Therefore, the enemies decided to take to surround the fortress and wait for the inhabitants to run out of strength.

Once a resident of the fortress, the widow Juliania Vasilyeva, saw the appearance of the image of the Mother of God of Tikhvin. She said that the rebels would not be able to take the city. The soldiers fought for freedom for two weeks. Moreover, the victory happened due to civil strife between the Cossacks. They themselves began to exterminate each other.

Ultimately, the city was saved. In tribute to the memory of this event, it was decided to build a monastery. It was placed between the rivers Big and Small Tsivil. There were swamps and many different meadows around.

The townspeople were inspired by what happened. Seeing what was happening, they left the city and began to drive away the ill-wishers. The construction of the temple was completed four years later. Lighting was carried out in honor of the Ascension of the Lord with a chapel in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos of Tikhvin. It was 1675. The wooden cloister was surrounded by a fence. It was made from the same material. We installed cells for the monks. It was during the reign of the Metropolitan of Kazan and Bulgarian Joasaph. This is how the Tsivilsky monastery appeared in Chuvashia. This is exactly how it existed until 1723.

Crucial moment

Later, Peter I began to reform the states. The counting of monasteries was carried out. The ruler wanted to get exact information about the income of each spiritual institution. Therefore, many monasteries actively began to strengthen their state. Mostly this boiled down to an increase in the number of inhabitants. For this reason, about 15 servants of God were transferred from the Tsivilsky Monastery of the Tikhvin Mother of God to the Cheboksary Transfiguration Gerontiev Hermitage, and then another 5 people left. Thus, the entire monastery staff was practically lost.

By 1724 the monastery was no longer active. After a while, she acquired the status of a woman. The reasons for this event are still poorly understood. Only one thing is clear, that in the documents of 1734 the shrine no longer had a male status. This information confirms the version of the disbandment. Unknown student of the Kazan Spiritual Academy within his scientific work confirms the information that the nunnery has existed here for several years. But it is not known when the Ascension Tikhvin Convent appeared. It was probably part of the Trinity Cathedral of Tsivilsk. The young researcher refers to information in the book of Metropolitan Sylvester of Kazan. It mentions that in 1729 Sylvester Metropolitan of Kazan and Sviyazhsky gave his blessing for the election of nun Pelageya as abbess.

It is difficult to guess exactly for what reason it was decided to make the monastery a female one. After all, there are sharp grounds for this decision did not have. But, as you can see, the monastery did not last long with this status. In 1737 it again became a male ecclesiastical institution. Abbot Joseph was appointed in the role of abbot.

Re-shaping

The second half of the 19th century was a period of decline for the monastery complex. Archpastor Anthony visited the local lands in 1869. Having examined everything, he made the assumption about the abolition of the Tsivilsky Tikhvin monastery. The icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God was kept in the shrine. Citizens treasured it very much and systematically came to bow to it. She helped them in solving many issues. It is a memorial of deliverance from sins and a symbol of healings. Residents still remembered Stepan Razin's attacks and the miraculous victory for which everyone prayed so hard. Therefore, the townspeople asked the Eminence to leave the monastery to the settlement.

In 1869, a verdict was drawn up by the inhabitants of the city, in which it was announced that they did not want the monastery to be closed. In response to this, the Archpastor made a counter offer to the people - to reorganize the monastery into a girl's. The fact is that the Eminence noticed such a pattern - women's spiritual centers in cities can boast of a high level of amenities, and there are much more people who want to enter here.

Thus, it is likely that this circumstance was the true reason for the change in status. The citizens decided to start work on strengthening the coastal zone. After all, it was on it that the shrine was located. That is, we heard the residents' request to preserve the memorial place. Soon, a decree came from the Holy Synod on December 30, 1870. It contained information that the monastery was now clothed in a female.

The Cherubim was appointed abbess. She came to the local lands in 1871. For further improvement of the territory, funds were required. The Kazan merchant of the first guild Vasily Nikitich Nikitin became the benefactor. His wife also actively participated in material assistance. The funds received were used to build a new beautiful temple in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. It was 1886. The monastery complex was almost completely rebuilt at the expense of the merchant. The surrounding space has noticeably changed.

The monastery was subsequently organized primary school... The girls of the brotherhood of St. Guria were admitted here. After some time, a parish school appeared. Then a hospital building was built. So the monastery existed until 1927.

There are many opinions about what happened next. The last heiresses were simply expelled from there. All Vladimir lands were at the disposal of the state. And the shrine itself has undergone dramatic changes. So, the bell tower, which was erected back in 1775, was destroyed so that it was then impossible to restore it. Outbuildings and other buildings were mainly used for personal purposes. And the central temple was so changed that it was difficult to recognize it. Crosses and domes were demolished, stone carvings were cut down. The building itself was divided into three tiers.

In the period from 1925 to 1945, there was an orphanage, then a boarding school, then a college. During the hostilities, a camp and a hospital were organized. It was from here that the recruits went to the front. Moreover, even a fire department worked here. Of course, all these circumstances are not the best way affected the condition of the temple. It is badly dilapidated.

Revival

On February 26, 1988, it was decided that it was required to revive the monastery and return it to Orthodoxy. The decision was approved. In the role of the abbess, the abbess of the Alatyr Kiev-Nikolaev Novodevichy Convent, Mother Agniya, was appointed. In 2001, a turning point occurred in the life of the holy lands. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II himself came here. The townspeople prepared thoroughly for the arrival. First of all, they took up the improvement of the church. Flowers were planted around, a new temple was erected in the name of the holy martyr Charalampius.

A large number of people had gathered by the date of arrival. There was not a single patriarch, he was together with Metropolitan Varnava, President of Chuvashia N.V. Fedorov. Some monks also attended as guests. Moreover, there were many others. famous personalities from the government.

Monastery shrines

Today the monastery is still flourishing and developing. In the role of its main shrine, the miraculous Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God pours out. There are also many other revered images in the monastery.

For example, here are kept the myrrh-streaming image of the Archangel of God Michael, a particle of the blessed Matrona of Moscow. The place itself is also unusual. People here constantly see phenomena in the form of holy images, in 2007 the image of Nicholas of Mirliki exuded the world. And in 2008, two more images were pacified - the images of the Mother of God and John the Baptist. They are located in the refectory at the complex.

October 31 is the date of the organization of the annual religious procession in the city. The event is held in tribute to the memory of the liberation of the village of the robber Stepan Razin. That period was the most difficult for the townspeople. But the fortress survived thanks to a miracle that happened. In addition, the Bogodic procession of the cross around the monastery is organized annually. It is held at nightfall. They carry the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God, prayers are heard.

There is also a shelter of mercy at the monastery. Elderly women live here. Today the building is somewhat dilapidated, a complex of restoration work is underway.

The territory is compact. There are two active churches - in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and the Holy Martyr Kharlampy of Magnesia. Services are held regularly. But it is better to check their schedule in advance. As a rule, Divine Liturgy is organized at 7 am on weekdays, on weekends half an hour later. The time of the evening service is 16 hours. There is also a prayer service before the icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice". It is possible to visit it every Friday. You can check the schedule of other services by calling.

Diligence is appreciated here. Residing monks are engaged in creativity, gardening, horticulture. The area is well maintained. Sisters and brothers are obedient throughout the day. Has its own bakery. Local pastries are incredibly tasty and aromatic. Pilgrims are welcomed with joy. There is an atmosphere of peace and tranquility around. The temple, decorated with wooden lace, is extraordinarily beautiful. Flower beds, benches, paved paths complete the overall picture.

If you have time, take a walk around Tsivilsk. The county town is distinguished by its originality and special atmosphere. There are few streets, but they are all well refined. There are many unusual monuments. A monument to the Empress is erected in the city park, there is a bronze construction dedicated to the postman Pechkin himself, Sharik and Matroskin were also involved. Such figures of your favorite characters cheer you up. Moreover, it was here that the first reinforced concrete bridge of Chuvashia was erected. There is an unexplored object that still causes a lot of controversy - the Pugachev Tower.

Video

Morning 6 o'clock. We will have breakfast in the refectory. We must leave. I am sorry that I could not examine the territory of the monastery in more detail. We are going to the arched exit of the monastery with things. I AM last time go with a camera to take pictures.

Here is the Rotunda at the burial site of Abraham Abraham. And so we go to the pier.

On the shore we are met by a herd of cows. Animals are not at all afraid, and they have to be dispersed. While waiting on the shore, we come close to the water. The waters of the Volga River flow here. The water is clear and the sandy bottom is clearly visible. Our ferry sailed, and we sit down with our things. Let's swim back. Our fabulous peninsula recedes into the distance.

Further our way is by bus to Tsivilsk. Let's go to Tikhvin Bogoroditsky nunnery, which is located on the banks of the old bed of the Bolshoi Tsivil river. The name of the monastery was given in honor of the Miraculous Icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God, which, according to legend, saved the city in 1670 from the defeat of the Razin detachment. The most monumental structure of the monastery complex is the stone cathedral of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Next to it is a wooden church, which is like a fabulous tower, made of carved wood. (Photo from the Internet).

First we go to a small church, look at the ancient icons, among them there are myrrh-streaming ones. The main shrine is the miraculous image of the Tikhvin Mother of God.

By lunchtime, a meal was held and after it our group again had obedience. Some of the pilgrims remained in the refectory, a few men got men's work, and the rest had to make a procession with the cross around the monastery. I went to the procession. The weather was still very hot. And so we leave the main gate, and walk along the narrow sidewalk to the left. The pilgrims walking ahead read prayers. Every pilgrim will read. Therefore, prayers are passed from hand to hand on sheets of paper. I look around the neighborhood. Fields stretch to the right. And on the left I see the monastery gardens, where our women pilgrims work. We go further and turn left again. Now, to the right of us, a high-water river flows, and to the left there is a temple.

I mentally read prayers and admire the beauty the surrounding nature... Soon we turned left again. The turn of reading prayers came to me as well. I read aloud, and with excitement I stumble, in places, reading the words incorrectly. A boy of 10-12 years old is walking next to me. He also reads in turn. Finally, our procession enters the gates of the monastery, returning to the temple. Now we have a short break, and we are allowed to stay in the temple, write notes, light candles. Next, we are again offered to help in weeding the strawberries. The heat is terrible. Working in the sun is hard. We are already tired, and we do not want to do this, but obedience is above all. Beautiful flower beds have been planted on the territory of the monastery, and I admire their beauty.

There is a grave in the center of the patio. The abbess of the Agnia monastery is buried here. She was loved very much during her lifetime, and sincere lines of poetry were printed on the monument.

Here are the poems that I have left in memory of this trip.

An unfamiliar star is shining
Again we hit the road.
And villages, cities flicker,
Again we strive towards God.
And get away from the hustle and bustle of the world
Our service "From Vyatka" helps,
And in our souls we will find peace
Despite the strict rules.
We must learn to love everyone
And to be cleansed of all filth.
To be kind and healthy
People need to smile more often.

Tikhvin Mother of God Monastery in Tsivilsk (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

Last Minute Tours in Russia

The history of the Chuvash region is closely related to the history of the Orthodox Church. On these lands, in the course of the missionary activities of Orthodox ascetics, a huge number of churches, monasteries and other shrines arose. Many wonderful temples and monasteries appeared here at a later time. For example, such is the history of the Tikhvin Monastery of the Mother of God in the city of Tsivilsk. Its origin is associated with the dramatic and exciting events of Russian history: the monastery has repeatedly found itself in a state of half-oblivion and prosperity, but today this monastery is known far beyond the borders of Chuvashia.

A paragraph of history

The Tikhvin Mother of God Tsivilsky Monastery has a very old and interesting story... According to legend, in the place where the monastery is now located, a wooden Tikhvin church originally appeared (according to other sources, Voznesenskaya, but with a Tikhvin chapel). This temple appeared for a reason, but in honor of the miraculous deliverance of the city from the rebel troops who besieged it under the command of Stepan Razin. In 1671, troops, so to speak, under the command of Stenka, approached the city of Tsivilsk and took it under siege. Since Tsivilsk, towering on the banks of the river of the same name, was a rather powerful fortification, it was not possible to take it on the move. Therefore, the rioters decided to starve out, which they practically succeeded. Until one of the residents of the city, Juliania Vasilyeva, was awarded a vision from the Image of the Mother of God of Tikhvin. According to legend, the Mother of God said to the woman: "So that the people sitting in the city sit firmly: the Cossacks will not take the city, and when the city receives salvation, the inhabitants would build a monastery outside the city near Streletsky meadow, between the Bolshoi and Maly Tsivil rivers ...". The Cossacks really could not take the city, and the archer Stefan Ryazanov, one of the defenders of Tsivilsk, built a wooden temple and cells for the monks on that place.

By the way, the story outlined above is fully consistent with historical information. It is known that government troops under the command of Prince Baryatinsky and Kravkov drove Razin's associates from under the walls of Tsivilsk.

After a while, the monastery, thanks to the miraculous icon, was called the Ascension Tikhvin monastery. In 1723, its inhabitants were transferred to the Gerontiev Hermitage, and in its place a female monastery arose. Which, however, becomes masculine again in less than 10 years. The monastery grew and was large enough for its time. However, in 1860 it fell into decay, and even ideas about its closure arise. But thanks to the local residents, the monastery was defended, and from 1870 it again became a female one.

The history of the Mother of God Convent in the city of Tsivilsk is old and interesting, because the monastery itself is old, very famous in the Cheboksary diocese. At one time, almost completely ruined, now the monastery is carefully restored by the sisters headed by Abbess Nina.

History

There is a legend about the founding of the Tikhvin women's monastery, dating back to the time of the siege of Tsivilsk by the troops of Razin in 1671. The "robbers" could not take the city by storm. The troops stood under the walls, waiting for the supplies to run out and the townspeople to surrender themselves. Many civilians of Tsivilsk, not hoping to escape from the Razin troops, were going to flee to Cheboksary.

Popular unrest was calmed down by one pious city dweller, Juliania Vasilyeva. She had a vision of the Mother of God of Tikhvin. The Heavenly Queen told her slave that the Cossacks would not take the city. Residents should "sit firmly in the city." And after the siege, you need to build a monastery outside the city to the glory of the Mother of God. Soon, government troops under the command of voivode D. Baryatinsky approached the city, and Tsivilsk was saved.

Construction of the Ascension Church and the creation of the monastery

Between the rivers Small and Big Tsivil, the first wooden church was built in 1675. The temple was called Voznesensky. It had a single chapel in honor of the patroness of Tsivilsk, the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Cells soon appeared near the temple. According to legend, the church was built on a vow and at his own expense by the archer Stepan Ryazanov.

An icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God was painted for the new monastery, a copy of the miraculous image, which was then in Tsivilsk, in the Trinity Cathedral. She also showed miraculous qualities, and was often worn in the villages and cities of the Kazan and surrounding provinces. The monastery was named after this icon in the 18th century. was renamed to Tikhvinsky.

Ascension Tikhvin Monastery

At first, the monastery was male. But in 1723, the monasteries were united with small estates, and the inhabitants moved to Gerontiyeva Pustyn. For some time (about 10 years) the Tikhvin Monastery was a female monastery, but already in the 40s of the 18th century. male monks reappear in him. In those days, the Ascension Church was already made of stone. In addition to her, on the territory of the monastery there were: five cells, a bakery, cellars and barns. Also, the farm consisted of 9 dess. arable land and 150 dess. haymaking. The inn and the candle trade also provided additional income for the community.

By the end of the century, the monastery was significantly upset. Stone cells, a two-storey house of the abbot, and chapels appeared. The economy also grew: fishing increased, transportation across the Volga and various lands. But a century later, the monastery fell into disrepair. Then, at the suggestion of the Kazan Archbishop Anthony, the monks and property were again transferred: this time to the Kozmodemyansky Monastery. At the insistence of the townspeople, a women's monastery was founded in the place of prayer.

Tikhvin Mother of God Convent

The convent was arranged at the expense of benefactors: merchants Nikitin from Kazan, Maltsev from Moscow and Efremov from Cheboksary. First, the Ascension Church was put in order, a house for the abbess and a cell for the sisters were built. Then they rebuilt an orphanage and a school for girls, a refectory, a hospital and outbuildings. Finally, in 1880 it was brought from the village. Abashev's disassembled church of St. Kharlampy, now a lost monument of wooden architecture.

The main shrine of the Mother of God Convent is the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God. Its celebration takes place every year on July 9th. In addition, the Tolgskaya and Vladimirskaya icons of the Mother of God, the Archangel Michael and the Holy Martyr Kharlampy are revered. In the monastery there are parts of the relics of Matrona of Moscow, St. Tikhon, Hilarion.

In 1886, the Ascension Church was dismantled, and the Tikhvin Church on three thrones was built in its place. By the beginning of the XX century. the monastery in Tsivilsk became prosperous again. He had various lands, tenement houses (inherited by the parishioners), a mill, a gold sewing workshop, a hermitage in the wasteland in Opolzino.

After the revolution, the monastery property was mostly nationalized. Within the walls of the monastery, apartments for employees, a baby house, a farm for pedigree cattle breeding were organized. The sisters were registered by the authorities as a religious monastic group in 1923. Two years after this, the services ceased.

The bell tower of the Tikhvin Cathedral was dismantled, and the church itself was rebuilt. It was located in different years sewing school, orphanage, hospital.

The revival of the monastery began in 1997, after the corresponding decree of the Synod. Monastic life began to revive in 1998. Abbess Agnia, who led the monastery community at that time, played an important role in the restoration of the Tikhvin Monastery. In a short time, all buildings and the temple itself were rebuilt. The winter wooden church of the shmch Kharlampia was rebuilt. The main shrine, the image of the Tikhvin Mother of God, was returned and took its rightful place.

Convent buildings

Cathedral of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God

The stone church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was designed by the architect Anikin in 1886. The cube-shaped temple of a cross-domed structure has three high apses. This is a monumental five-domed building belonging to the Russian-Byzantine architectural style. This is evidenced by the breakdown of walls into spinners, octagonal drums and other elements. The elongated semicircular three-part windows of the temple are influenced by the architectural traditions of classicism.

The appearance of the cathedral is quite eclectic, which was inherent in the Russian church architecture late XIX v. The church has three thrones: All Saints, the Ascension of the Lord and the central wonderworking icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God.

Church of the Martyr Harlampius

One-altar wooden church of St. Kharlampia was built in 2001 for the arrival of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tsivilsk. The project was carried out according to the preserved drawings of an old building that was on this site. The church is a rectangular building with an apse and a four-tiered bell tower under a hipped roof.

Chapel

On the territory of the monastery, at the entrance to the left of the gate, there is a chapel under a small carved dome. When and in the name of what saint it was consecrated is unknown. Together with the wall and the gate, it forms an integral architectural ensemble.

Abbot building

The abbess's house on the territory of the monastery is a remarkable monument of the Russian (Moscow) Baroque. It is a stone house with a mezzanine on the basement, richly decorated with cut bricks. It is made in the spirit of the old Russian chambers. There are belts along the upper part of the facade: curbs in three rows and townships in one. In the corners there are decorative blades.

Holy gates

The monastery is surrounded by a brick wall with massive round towers at the corners. The holy gates with brick ornamentation and an elegant dome lead directly to the western facade - the majestic portal of the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, decorated with an elegant projection.

Schedule of services

Divine Liturgy on weekdays at 7.30. On holidays and Saturdays - at 8.00.
Vespers at 16:00.
On Thursdays after the Liturgy, a water-blessing prayer service is held in front of the image of the Mother of God "The Inexhaustible Chalice."
On Fridays after the Liturgy - Paraclisis of the Mother of God and a prayer service with akathist from the schmch Charalampius.
On Fridays after Vespers - a prayer service for increasing love and eradicating hatred and anger.
On Sundays - Akathist to Jesus the Sweetest.
On Sundays after the Liturgy - Panikhida.
Every day at 12.00 - religious procession around the monastery walls.

How to get to the Tikhvin women's monastery

You can get from Kanash or Cheboksary by regular bus. You can also get by train to the station. Tsivilsk. From the city bus station to the monastery about half an hour walk.

Contact details

Address: 429900, Chuvashia, Tsivilsk, Proletarskaya st., 1,
Tel .: +7 835 452-22-54.