The Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery near Zvenigorod is called a valuable pearl in the necklace of Moscow monasteries. It is based on the end of the XIV century with the filing of the local prince Yuri, the son of Dmitry Donskoy. Named after the first abbot of Sava and the Watchman's hill, on which it stands. The cloister is active, is under state protection as a valuable historical and architectural object. It takes the third place in terms of attendance by pilgrims and tourists, yielding to Diveyevo and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
Founders of the Savvino-Storozhevsk monastery
Savva Storozhevsky and Prince Yuri Dmitrievich stood at the origins of the monastery. The latter was the third son of Dmitry Donskoy. His father wrote him Zvenigorod, where he began to reign. Yuri Dmitrievich was distinguished by his piety. His godfather was Sergius of Radonezh. Savva is one of the first disciples of the miracle worker. Subsequently, he became the spiritual mentor of the family of Dmitry Donskoy, including his son.
Not much is known about Savva before his arrival in Zvenigorod: he came from a wealthy, most likely boyar clan, took monastic vows at the Trinity monastery, and after the death of Sergius of Radonezh for six years he ruled over it.
According to chronicle records from 1395, Savva gave a blessing to Prince Yuri for a campaign in the Volga Bulgaria. He returned home with a victory, taking 14 cities, including Kazan. To celebrate, the prince allocated funds for the construction of a temple on the deserted Zvenigorod Hill Storozhe as a token of gratitude. Savva blessed the construction.
The history of the founding of the Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery
In 1398, the prince summoned Savva to Zvenigorod and ordered to found a monastery. The place for it was chosen all on the same hill, above the confluence of two rivers - Moscow and Razvodnya. And this is no coincidence. Zvenigorod, like many towns near Moscow, was founded to protect the Moscow principality. And the Watchman Hill was the highest point, from which a good view of the surroundings opened up. Monasteries in those days were often fortresses, and their inhabitants were called "the army of Christ."
The architectural ensemble of the monastery took shape over the course of the 15th-19th centuries. Many of the surviving buildings date back to the 17th century. The first structures of the monastery were made of wood. First, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin was built. Then cells appeared around him. The monastery was surrounded by a tynom made of oak logs. A kilometer from the monastery Savva dug a cave for himself in one of the ravines. It was like a skete. In the cave, he often retired to read prayer and repentance.
In the first years of its existence, the monastery did not live in poverty; Prince Yuri donated money to it quite generously. In 1405, a stone church appeared on the site of the wooden church of the Nativity of the Virgin. It miraculously survived after the repeated invasion of the Tatars and is now considered one of the oldest white-stone churches in Russia. Its walls were painted by Andrei Rublev himself, who was not yet famous at that time. The temple is the historical dominant of the monastery.
Prince Yuri took great care of the monastery and its monks. He assigned her several villages and villages with land, allocated apiaries, freed all peasants living on the monastery lands from tribute and duties, and allowed Savva to perform his judgment on them.
In 1407 Savva died. His body was buried in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, under the western window. Before his death, he appointed one of his disciples to be his successor. After the death of Sava, the monastery fell into decay. At the same time, he continued to be a special place not only for princes, but also for kings. It was visited by Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Catherine II.
In the 17th century, the monastery found a second life. It was rebuilt according to the new plan of Tsar Alexei the Quiet, to whom Savva appeared on the hunt and saved from death. Its territory has doubled, the Trinity Church, the Tsaritsin's chambers, Fraternal buildings, towers, and the Belfry appeared. The latter became the dominant composition of the entire architectural ensemble. She is to this day.
At that time, the monastery was considered "the sovereign's own pilgrimage" and was under the jurisdiction of the king. Alexei Tishaishy often made a pilgrimage to its walls, and often walked from Moscow to Zvenigorod on foot. And this is 60 km of the way. The monastery did not have a main entrance. There was only a front door, which indicated the special attitude of the king to this place. The monastery was the first in Russia to receive the status of a Lavra.
In 1652, the remains of Savva were first discovered in a solemn atmosphere. The tsar himself, his wife Maria Miloslavskaya and the future patriarch Nikon were present. Then it turned out that the remains of Sawa did not decay during 245 years of being in the damp earth. It was considered a miracle. The relics were placed in an oak shrine, which was placed on the right side of the iconostasis.
At the end of the 18th century, Catherine II, who liked the Zvenigorod surroundings, decided to rebuild the monastery. To do this, she even hired an architect from France. His project involved the demolition of the walls of the monastery, Trinity Church and other buildings. However, then the queen still abandoned this venture.
In 1812, the monastery survived the invasion of the French. According to legend, they decided to spend the night at the monastery. Savva came to one of the military leaders and asked not to plunder the monastery, but in return promised that he would return home alive. The Frenchman got scared, ordered the soldiers to leave the monastery and set up guards to prevent her from being stolen.
Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery in Soviet times
After the Bolsheviks came to power, the monastery was closed, and its property was nationalized. Including the main shrine - the relics of Sava. They were taken with blood. Local residents and monks stood up to protect them. An uprising began, which ended with the murder of two commissars. Subsequently, several monks were exiled to the Urals for forced labor. The Bolsheviks opened the relics of Savva, outraged them, and then handed them over to the museum. The Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery has never seen such blasphemy in all 5, 5 centuries of its existence.
In the Soviet years, a children's camp was organized within its walls. Subsequently, a sanatorium was opened there.
Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery today
In 1995 the monastery was revived. It was handed over to the Church. Three years later, when the monastery celebrated 600 years since its foundation, the relics of Sava were returned to its walls. The solemn ceremony was conducted by Patriarch Alexy II himself.
Since then, restoration work has been carried out on the monastery territory, which continues to this day. The original appearance of many old buildings has been recreated.
In 2007, a monument to the Monk Savva appeared on the territory of the monastery. In the same year, the famous Savvinskaya fair of folk arts and crafts began to work again. Before the revolution it was very crowded. The fair is annual and is held at the walls of the monastery at the end of August.
The tradition of the procession from the monastery to the cave, where Savva retired for prayer, has also been restored. There is a church above it, and next to it there is a skete.
There are shops at the monastery where you can buy various church utensils and candles. Also on the territory they sell kvass, which is prepared by monks. It has already become legendary and a kind of landmark of the Savvino-Storozhevsk monastery. Kvass is infused with raisins, thanks to which it turns out to be so "vigorous".
How to get there
The Savvino-Storozhevskaya monastery is located in Zvenigorod near Moscow, in the Odintsovo district. It is located not in the city itself, but under it: you need to enter Zvenigorod, drive through it along Moskovskaya Street, at the very end of which turn right. After that, it remains to do a couple of kilometers along the Moskva River to the corresponding sign.
The skete is located about a kilometer from the monastery. There is a bathhouse there, which is open daily from 7 am. It closes at 10 pm in summer and spring, and 2 hours earlier in winter and autumn.
The doors of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery are open from 6 am until the end of the evening service. Opening hours may vary during great Church holidays.
