Trinity-St. George Convent (Lesnoye). Trinity St. George Monastery Trinity St. George Monastery

There are many holy places in the world around us: some of them have been known since time immemorial, others not so long ago... Sometimes such places are very close to us, and in the bustle of life we ​​simply do not notice them for the time being (this is their property). And it’s good when such places, sooner or later, open up to us - for someone they reveal something new (hitherto unfamiliar and unusual), and for whom they become a source of spiritual strength...

So today I want to introduce you all to one of these places: to which just like that (having nothing to do) you won’t get there, and if you find yourself there, then, believe me, you won’t regret it.

We will talk about the Trinity-St. George Monastery.

Trinity-St. George Convent is one of the four monasteries of the Ekaterinodar diocese and it seems to be located not so far from civilization - 20 kilometers from the city of Adler (Krasnodar region). However, this impression is deceiving. The monastery is located in a most picturesque place, ... deep in the mountains.

The fast mountain river Psakho wraps around it like a greenish ribbon - sometimes humble, and sometimes carrying its waters in a powerful, inexorable stream past the monastery walls, to connect with another river six kilometers later. (Kudepstoy), giving her all his energy.

And there is only one road leading to the monastery, through the pass - from the highway (from Adler towards the village of Krasnaya Polyana) to the mountain village of Lesnoye (next to which it is located). Therefore, you can get here either on foot (6 km from the highway), having previously reached the turn off the highway by shuttle bus, or deliberately by car.

The history of the Trinity-George monastery began at the turn of the last two millennia - on August 10, 1999, when the monastery was founded on the foundations of a small abandoned recreation center of a local reinforced concrete plant with private donations. However, he did not appear just like that, but as the successor to the name and traditions of two church institutions: the abolished Holy Trinity Monastery that in due time (in 1902) was founded in the village of Monastery (9 km northeast of Lesnoy) and closed (for obvious reasons) during Soviet times (in 1924), as well as the parish Church of St. St. George the Victorious .

The entire subsequent fifteen-year history of the monastery is an amazing example of how life can be intertwined (by place and time) various human destinies, about which they later say: “The ways of the Lord are mysterious”...

The monastery owes its development primarily to:

● regular benefactors (patrons), on whose funds the intensive development of the monastery takes place;

● the brightness of the original talent and hard work of the Sochi architect Fyodor Ivanovich Afuksinidi, according to whose designs temple buildings were erected and are being built here (by the way, he is also the author of the project for the Temple of the Image of Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands, which was discussed in the essay about);

● the obsession of inspiration and tireless energy of the abbess of the monastery – Abbess Anastasia(Michalko), possessing not only high organizational qualities, but also, apparently, a broad soul. Her obsession and energy somehow reminded me of the history of the creation of one of the Ukrainian monasteries () , which I already talked about once.

And of course, the work of the nuns of the monastery - not only because a considerable part of the work on the improvement of the monastery rests on their fragile shoulders, but above all for their tireless and heartfelt prayers, thanks to which they soon started talking about the miraculousness of the monastery and people flocked here ...

The sisters and novices always greet visitors warmly. They willingly talk about the history of the monastery. With one of these nuns - Mother Joanna I met him fleetingly while visiting the monastery. Even in such a short time of meeting with her, she, with her kindness and energy beyond her years, knowledge and ability to unobtrusively and interestingly talk about the Law of God, left a bright mark on my soul...

Monastic life here is not much different from other monasteries (except for multifaceted construction work): in addition to daily prayers and church services, services are held in the monastery churches on weekends and Orthodox holidays.

And yet, an unusual factor, perhaps, is the presence in the monastery of two of its own choirs: everyday and festive, in which performers with opera education serve... This is probably why, in addition to the missionary activities that the monastery carries out, according to the idea of ​​its abbess, since 2012 there has also appeared The Great Pokrovsky Festival is held (it is held at the main artistic venue in Sochi - the Winter Theater, as well as on the territory of the monastery), where church chants, folk and folk songs are performed.

How interesting and significant the monastery is in modern Orthodox life can be judged even by the fact that in 2013, on Christmas Day, the President of Russia visited the monastery (V.V. Putin), who, together with the nuns and parishioners of the monastery, celebrated this holiday here. I can assume that the officials who prepared this kind of event first and carefully studied this issue before proposing it for consideration to the first person of the state...

Well, now, as usual, a few words about architectural ensemble of the monastery .

Work on the construction of the first temple (Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God) started here back in 2000. Almost fifteen years have passed since then, and they are still continuing: in a small territory there is already four temple, and also three (!!!) are in work (at the stage of completion). And what kind of temples - one different from the other, and each with its own history...

At the same time, although all the temples are different, the unity of style is felt in the architectural complex of the monastery, there is a common outline.

Despite the incompleteness of the work on creating the architectural ensemble of the monastery, it already stands out for its unusualness and recognition, which is one of the indispensable conditions for creating an outstanding monument of church architecture, allowing it to be immediately distinguished from many other monasteries.

The architectural ensemble of the Trinity-St. George Convent includes temple, auxiliary and administrative buildings.

1. Temple buildings:

● Temple in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Huar (2000-2004) - the main church of the monastery, which occupies a central place in its ensemble.

The temple is a square building in the style of Moscow church architecture of the 14th-15th centuries. The structure is completed by a tall light drum with a domed roof and a cross, and its sky-blue, upward-pointing outlines look great in any weather.

The dedication to the temple and the history of its creation are interesting.
The temple was dedicated to St. vmcc. Huaru, who lived in the 2nd century and was a Roman military commander of Emperor Maximian. He openly declared his faith and voluntarily went to suffer for the Savior. Prayers are offered to the Holy Martyr Huar for loved ones who died without receiving Holy Baptism, they pray for those who passed away of their own free will, as well as for babies who died without being born or in childbirth. They turn to the saint and pray for the health of young children.

There are only three such churches throughout Russia where you can pray for the forgiveness of suicides and those who died unbaptized: in Moscow, in Ivanovo and here in Lesnoy.

And the very history of the creation of the temple matches its dedication.
One day a grief-stricken mother came here. Her son, who was not baptized, tragically died at the border. The abbess of the monastery advised her to pray to St. vmcc. Uaru, intercessor for her dead son. After this, the loving mother decided to erect a temple in honor of the holy great martyr on the territory of the monastery. She sold all her son’s property - a Moscow apartment, a car, and gave all the money for construction.
On May 14, 2004, the temple was consecrated by Bishop Isidore.

● Church of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God (2000) is the first construction of the monastery.

Its northern facade overlooks the Psakho River, which goes around the monastery, and is a two-story building in which:

On ground floor located Temple in the name of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God(which lost myrrh in 2000) And chapel in the name of Our Lady of Ostrobramskaya With baptismal font. Here is located church shop , where you can buy icons, crosses, spiritual literature and monastery souvenirs;

On second floor housed a three-altar church: the main altar is dedicated Icon of the Mother of God of Peschanskaya , the other two - Seraphim of Sarov And Kiev-Pechersk Reverend Fathers .

The inside of the temple is made of wood and decorated with carved wooden icons. This is where they are stored main shrines of the monastery - particles of the relics of St. Nicholas, eighty-three holy fathers of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and a thread from the belt of the Most Holy Theotokos.

● Church in honor of the Seven Arrows Icon of the Mother of God (2006-2007) is located opposite the main church of the monastery and, together with it and the Church of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, forms a monastery (cathedral) square.

The church uses both classical style and modern elements, and the basis of its architectural structure fully corresponds to the icon to which it is dedicated (also called "Softening Evil Hearts") and is kept here: it has 7 sides of the apse, 7 sides of the walls (first level)- according to the number of arrows pierced into the Mother of God, - turning into eight faces (second level).

An undoubted decoration of the temple is also the magnificent faience iconostasis, made by specialists in the Urals especially for this temple.

This church is very often used as a wedding church and, of course, is one of the decorations of the monastery.

● temple-chapel in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Quench My Sorrows” (2005) , which in its appearance resembles the architecture of Ancient Rus' and is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. This building, according to experts, is one of the best church creations of the architect F.I. Afuksenidi.

The church itself is not high, but it amazes with its lightness and upward aspiration. This feeling arises because it consists of three tiers, each of which seems to push the next one up. And at the top, like a crown, is an elegant onion with a cross. Inside the temple, light falls through incredibly beautiful stained glass windows. The church's special pride is its frescoes and carved iconostasis made of linden.

According to the nuns, people who are grieving and seeking consolation most often come here, and it is located behind the Church of St. vmcc. Huara.

In addition, on the territory of the monastery, as I already said, three more new churches are currently under construction:

● churches dedicated to Icon of the Mother of God Abbess of Mount Athos, a list of which was made in the icon-painting workshop of Athos and donated to the monastery by one of the elders of the Holy Mountain. The temple is located next to the Church of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God and with its northern arches also adjoins the Psakho River;

● brownie temple, adjacent to the monastic cells, which will be dedicated Icon of the Iveron Mother of God Gateway(the list from which was also brought from Athos).
Both temples will be finished with quartz and stone mosaics;

● temple dedicated, if I'm not mistaken, St. vmcc. Panteleimon, the construction of which is being carried out a little further from other churches, in the eastern part of the monastery.

2. Auxiliary and administrative buildings:

● canopy(alcove)over a well with a holy spring , the decor of which is dedicated to the meeting of the Savior with the Samaritan woman.

The water of the well is identical to the waters of Matsesta, saturated with hydrogen sulfide, so it is planned to supply water from another spring, containing a lot of silver, into the well.
If you wish, you can get holy water for yourself here (it’s just advisable to take a container for it with you ahead of time).

This canopy is also a monastery canopy belfry .
Right there, under its canopy, in your free moment you can sit down and rest on the equipped benches.

And near the canopy-gazebo there is, what is called for the soul, a small artificial pond with water lilies;

● monastic cells - a four-story building, of rather elegant architecture, where the nuns of the monastery and their abbess live.

In addition, as I understand it, in the coming years it is planned to build on the territory of the monastery hospice (hotel), where guests and pilgrims of the monastery can stay for several days;

● outbuilding , located in the western part of the monastery (along the fence);

● church shop(at present, the finishing work in it, in my opinion, has not been completed) and next to her - bread shop , where you can buy monastic pastries.

And this despite the fact that the monastery doesn’t really have its own farm yet (except for a few small greenhouses and a small “chicken community”).

● guard house , where not only the monastery guards are stationed, but also the clergyman on duty, to whom you can, if necessary, turn to urgent spiritual matters...

The first grave monastery churchyard. Judging by the inscription on the monument - “Nun Seraphima (Svetlana Georgievna Mikhalko)”– it belongs to the deceased mother abbess of the monastery...

So far the monastery is surrounded by the most ordinary, ingenuous fence , but over time, if you believe the design plan of the monastery, it will be replaced with a real, skillfully made

monastery wall , with galleries located in it (on the second level)…

Of course, much more work remains to be done at the Trinity-St. George Monastery. Not only in terms of construction of structures, but also in the interests of landscape improvement of its territory.

But even the unfinished nature of all this work is not particularly noticeable. When you descend from the pass, and from afar the amazing silhouettes of temples and the tops of their domes begin to be seen in the valley - everything else, somehow involuntarily, fades into the background. And becoming more and more immersed in the history of the creation of this monastery - so far short, but full of human participation, by and large, not so rich (no match for the current nouveau riche Abramovich, Prokhorov, Poroshenko), but people who are generous in soul, who have invested here not only the money accumulated by their labor, but also all their creative energy, spiritual kindness, then you sincerely experience a feeling unknown in ordinary (everyday) life, which is called: some - Grace, some - peace of mind...

P.S. I believe that for objective reasons, not many of you will still be able to visit the Trinity-St. George Convent, so I suggest you take a look (if desired) a short exclusive video about this monastery...

IN Trinity-St. George Convent (Sochi) we went on our own, although we were offered an excursion trip there (like many other church “institutions” there are excursions there almost every day).

Honestly, Trinity-St. George Convent was not the purpose of our car journey that day. We went to see other sights - and the Trout Farm. But on the way we came across a sign to the monastery, and we decided to look at it for company.

We parked the car on the site in front of the monastery. It turned out that at the same time there was an excursion here, so we joined it to listen to the history of the creation of the monastery.

Trinity-St. George Diocesan Convent for Women is an Orthodox missionary convent in the village of Lesnoy, Adler District, Sochi, Krasnodar Territory, Russia. Opened August 10 1999 . Is the successor to the name and traditions abolished by Soviet powerHoly Trinity Monastery.

Here are my photos:

But there was no holy water:

There are 4 churches on the territory of the monastery:

• Temple in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Huar.
• Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God “Quiet my sorrows” with a carved linden iconostasis;
• Cathedral of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God.
• Temple in honor of the Seven Arrows Icon of the Mother of God.

....

Well, what else can be said about the Trinity-St. George Convent (Sochi) before I tell you how to get to it?

It is, of course, very beautiful here. The territory, although small, is well-groomed. Temples generally look magnificent in the sun, sparkling with golden domes. I don’t know about you, but I immediately remembered a piece of text from “The Tale of Bygone Years” about how they chose a religion for the then pagan Rus':

But we'll come back to the Trinity-St. George Convent (Sochi, Adler): how to get there

The monastery is located in the village of Lesnoy (Adler-Sochi)

I already said at the beginning that you can get to the monastery on a guided tour.

Another option is your own car. This is where the map comes in handy:

Moving from Adler (Sochi) along the highway to Krasnaya Polyana, you need to turn towards Galitsyno, and along this road get to the village of Lesnoye, where the monastery is located.

Churches in Rus' from the moment of its baptism, almost everywhere where possible, were built with stone (so that the enemy would not destroy it, and the fire would not destroy it). Of course, where the forest grows around and there is no stone, wooden churches were erected, which, for the most part, stood for 200-400 years and were destroyed by Mother Nature. Well, if you are not going to build a church, then when choosing a material for structures, along with stone, brick and wood, think about metal. Light metal structures - one of the best options for hangars, warehouses, garages, utility blocks and pavilions that need to be built quickly and with a minimum of labor and financial costs. If necessary, non-flammable insulation (so as not to reduce) and beautiful interior decoration should be “added” to metal structures. But even then, the construction of your building will only take a few weeks, not months or years.

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“What else can you see in Sochi?” - friends and sometimes strangers ask me. Among the attractions of the city of Sochi there is a place that you want to visit again and again. This is the Trinity-St. George Convent. Located in a picturesque corner in the mountains, it produces a surprisingly peaceful impression: an amazing place where the beauty of nature is in tune with the beauty of man-made things.

Construction of the Trinity-St. George Monastery began in 1999, mainly with donations from parishioners. The first year of construction turned out to be very difficult: there were not enough workers, building materials, and food. And at this time in a temporary temple the icons were filled with myrrh and streamed myrrh for three whole months! Hundreds of believers flocked to the temple. They carried whatever they could. This is how the first patrons of the arts appeared at the monastery. The providence of God saved the monastery.

Currently, there are eight churches on the territory of the monastery.

Temple in honor of the icons of the Mother of God of Peschanskaya and
Vladimirskaya

The very first temple was erected on the territory of the monastery in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir (2000). An extension over this temple - a temple in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God of Peschanskaya - was built later.

In the Church of the Peschanskaya Icon of the Mother of God there is a shrine with particles of the relics of eighty-three saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, particles of the holy relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, Matrona of Moscow, Diveyevo saints, Peter and Fevronia of Murom, Luke Voino-Yasenetsky.

The iconostasis of the church is made of wood and has carved patterns:

Lamps in the shape of a ship look very nice:

The press likes to mention that on Christmas night in 2013 V.V. prayed here. Putin. By the way, there is nothing surprising in this. The President of Russia has already celebrated Christmas in the Transfiguration Cathedral of St. Petersburg, in the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin in the village of Turginovo, in the Alexander Antoninovsky Church in Selishche, in the Sretenskaya Church in Petrozavodsk and even in one of the churches in Yakutsk. At the same time, he does not like to bring issues of faith “for public discussion.”

Temples in honor of the martyr Huar appeared in Russia quite recently. The Holy Martyr Uar has the special grace to intercede before the Lord for the souls of those who have departed without repentance. Before the revolution in Rus', the traditions of Orthodoxy were sacredly revered. Later, already in the Soviet Union, millions of people were excommunicated from the church. Until now, many of them live and die without receiving Baptism. In churches in honor of the martyr Huar, they pray, asking for relief from the fate of souls who died in unbelief and did not accept Holy Baptism. And also about the health of infants and young children.

The temple to the holy martyr Huar, on the territory of the Trinity-St. George Convent, was erected at the expense of a mother who lost her son.

The Seven-Arrow Icon of the Mother of God is considered one of the most miraculous icons in Rus'. The iconography of the icon is similar to the icon of the Mother of God Softening Evil Hearts. The icon depicts the Most Holy Theotokos, pierced by seven arrows of “sadness and heart disease.”

In front of the icon they ask for the intercession of the Mother of God against hardness of heart and resolution of conflicts between loved ones. The Most Holy Theotokos is revered as the guardian of the hearth.

The iconostasis of the temple is made of faience, in the Urals, and makes a very joyful impression. No wonder people love to get married here.

The temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God Soothes My Sorrows was built in 2005. The author of this project, like all the churches on the territory of the Trinity-St. George Convent, is our fellow countryman, architect Fyodor Ivanovich Afuksenidi.

Prayer in front of the icon “Assuage My Sorrows” helps to heal from despair, mental and physical sorrows.

There is a holy spring next to the temple. The canopy above the well also serves as a belfry. This corner is complemented by the mosaic canvas “Conversation of Jesus Christ with the Samaritan Woman.”

Water lilies bloom in a small pond.

The Icon of the Mother of God Abbess of St. Mount Athos is a new icon in content and origin. Written at the beginning of the twentieth century.

House church in honor of the Burning Bush Icon of the Mother of God

In the House Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God the Burning Bush, the monastery's servants pray. The temple was built at the expense of one of the trustees of the monastery. The highlight of this temple was the iconostasis made of pressed Himalayan salt. When the backlight is turned on, the iconostasis glows pink, and the Himalayan salt disinfects the air.

A hotel is being built nearby for pilgrims traveling through southern Russia. The construction is carried out so carefully that it will in no way disturb your elevated mood.

Another construction project on the territory of the temple is the construction of the Church of St. Panteleimon the Healer.

How to get to Trinity-Georgievsky on your own
convent?

From any district of Sochi you can get to the airport. There, change to bus No. 131 and get off at the final stop “Selo Golitsino”. Leaving the store and school on the left, follow the road until the sign. Then everything is clear, but not very quickly: the journey takes 20-30 minutes. If you ask, they will definitely give you a ride: mutual assistance is welcome here.

On the territory of the monastery you can immediately relax in the shade, drink herbal tea with monastery pastries.

Very friendly employees will answer all your questions. If you're lucky, you can join the excursion.

I hope that I answered the question of what you can see in Sochi on your own.

Read more articles on the topic “What you can see in Sochi on your own.”

There are a huge number of interesting places around us, the history of some of them goes back to ancient times, while others have a modest biography that can be placed on one sheet of paper. Sometimes you have to walk in close proximity to such interesting places, but due to time restrictions you cannot look there. And if you do find time for them, then believe me, you will never regret it. After all, there is so much original and beautiful stuff around, you just have to look around. The Trinity-St. George Monastery, which is located no more than 20 km from Adler, in the Krasnodar Territory, is one of these places.

The holy monastery is hidden among the mountains, in very picturesque places - where the mountain river Psakho flows, a tributary of the larger Kudepsta river. It is possible to get to the monastery along only one route, from the Adler-Krasnya Polyana highway to a small village in the mountains called Lesnoye (yes, the paradoxes begin from here), the distance from the highway is no more than 5 km, so if you wish, you can easily walk on foot, in advance Having reached the necessary fork by bus.
The history of this monastery begins at the end of the 20th century, in 1999. At that time, the foundation of the future monastery was laid with funds from charity, but it arose as the legal successor of two churches that existed here before the revolution, the fate of which was very sad. But let's not talk about sad things. The monastery is being revived thanks to the constant work of Mother Superior Anastasia, who puts maximum effort into her work. Life in this monastery does not have any special features, except that it is distinguished by significant volumes of construction work that are carried out everywhere. The only slight difference can be considered the presence of two choirs in the monastery - professional and daily. In the first of them, performers with musical education take part and they sing during significant Orthodox holidays, the second is present during regular services, but sometimes they combine.
The architectural ensemble of the monastery consists of the following buildings:
● the Church of St. Huar plays a key role in the architectural composition of the monastery; it was built in 2004 in the likeness of 15th century architecture. The temple has a rather interesting history of creation; it is named after Saint Huar, a Roman warrior who suffered for Jesus Christ and openly declared his views. People turn to him when praying for those who have voluntarily passed away and when praying for the health of children.
● Church of the Vladimir Mother of God, one of the first buildings that were erected here. The northern façade of the church faces the Psakho River and houses a baptismal font. On the second floor there is a three-altar church. It contains the main shrines of the monastery: the relics of St. Nicholas, the fathers of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and part of the belt of the Virgin Mary.
● the temple in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Quench My Sorrow” was built in a style similar to the ancient architecture of Kievan Rus and therefore close to any Orthodox person. The church is oriented upward, thanks to its three-tier structure. Inside the church there is an iconostasis made of linden and very beautiful stained glass windows. Many visitors come here to pray and receive comfort.
● the temple in honor of the icon of the Virgin Mary, was built in 2007, it is located near the main temple of the monastery and fits very harmoniously into the classical style of the holy monastery; the pride of this church is the faience iconostasis. It is also a favorite place for weddings and weddings, as the elegant appearance and decoration contribute to the triumph of the souls of the young.

Work on the territory of the monastery is still underway, but even now it is distinguished by its consistency, as it is carried out in a holistic architectural style, which unites temple and domestic buildings. Intensive construction of three more temples is underway. On the monastery grounds there is also a healing hydrogen sulfide spring with holy water, and there you can easily replenish its reserves; there is a gazebo around the stream, which is very helpful in the summer heat. At the same time, the monks are trying to develop their own farm, there is a bakery, there are several greenhouses for growing vegetables, chickens and other animals are kept.
Unfortunately, the monastery has not yet acquired a full-fledged fence, there is only a temporary metal one, but the construction plans include full-fledged walls with passages, arches, turrets and other decorative elements. Also at the entrance to the monastery there is a place for a clergyman on duty, which can help in case of urgent consultation on spiritual or moral issues.

Today I will tell you about another interesting place that is definitely worth a visit - the Trinity-St. George Convent. It is located in the village of Lesnoye, Adler district.

Getting to it is not easy; you need to take bus 131 to the village of Galitsino, from which you have to walk. The journey from the final stop will take you no more than an hour.

Back in 1872, 59 Circassian families hiding in the mountains settled in these places. They were allowed to settle in the upper reaches of the Psakho River in exchange for surrendering their weapons and accepting Russian citizenship.
A few years later, the Circassians were resettled to Greater Kichmay, and in their place were settled by Greeks who fled from the Ottoman Empire. Initially the village was called Kura-Menze.
Currently, about 500 local residents live in the village of Lesnoye. The places here are quiet and peaceful, and also full of attractions; the Trinity-George Convent is one of them.

The Trinity-St. George Convent was opened in 1999. Previously, there was a tourist center on this site, which was soon abandoned. There are many temples on the territory of the monastery, each of them is a work of art. All of them are colorfully painted and look like fairy-tale towers.

The very first church to appear here was the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

The nuns keep various animals, mostly chickens and ducks, but there are even squirrels in cages.

On the territory there is a well with holy water, next to it there is a small canopy and benches. Here you can relax after a long journey.

In the village of Lesnoye, in addition to the Trinity-George Convent, there is the St. George Church. It was built from 1892 to 1913, and the tree growing nearby served as a belfry. In 1937, during the repressions, the temple was destroyed, all religious shrines were taken to the river bank and set on fire. In the 90s the temple was restored.