Diveevo - the pearl of Russian Orthodoxy, the Fourth Lot of the Virgin. The name of Seraphim of Sarov, one of the most revered Orthodox saints, is associated with this place. Thousands of pilgrims visit Diveevo every year in the hope of bodily and spiritual healing.
The history of the monastery
The Nizhny Novgorod region is famous for its holy places. One of them is the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky Convent. The history of the monastery dates back to the end of 1770. Many mistakenly believe that the founder of the monastery is the Monk Seraphim of Sarov. Yes, his relics are now in the Trinity Cathedral on the territory of the monastery. But the beginning of monastic life here was laid by the mother of Alexander, in the world - Agafya Semyonovna Melgunova. After the death of her beloved husband, Agafya came to Kiev from Ryazan to be tonsured with the name of Alexander. At first, she asceticised in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, until a wonderful vision happened to her. She dreamed of the Mother of God, who ordered her to find and found a new abode - the Fourth Lot of the Mother of God on earth.
Mother Alexander, having received the blessing of the elders of the Lavra, went to the Nizhny Novgorod region to the Sarov monastery. The monastery was founded by monks and was distinguished by the severity of the charter. But mother Alexandra did not manage to get there. Having settled down to rest in the village of Diveyevo, she again saw the Mother of God, who pointed out to her the place where a new monastery was to be created. And in 1773-1780 the first stone church was built - in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The monastery began to grow, novices appeared, land was donated to the monastery. After Alexander's mother fell ill, the question arose of who would take the monastery under his wing. The monks from Sarov chose the young hierodeacon Seraphim as their headman. Seraphim was in the monastery only once - on the day of the funeral of Alexandra's mother. After that, he began to lead his spiritual exploit in the Sarov forests. But he did not forget about the monastery, and he was given a vision of the founding of a special girls' community in Diveyevo. Thus, through the prayers of the great companion, the monastery grew. The Monk Seraphim of Sarov will arrive at the monastery for the second time on July 29, 1991, when his relics will be transported there from the Kazan Cathedral of St. Petersburg. So the monastery was built by the nuns, of course, through the prayers of the great elder. But he himself never served there, and began his monastic path in the Sarov monastery. Alas, now you can get to Sarov only with special passes. But the shrines associated with the name of the monk have been preserved.
Diveevo today
But this will be in the new history of the monastery. In the meantime, the monastery was waiting for the test. Abbess are replaced, the number of nuns is growing, the monastery itself is expanding. Moreover, in different periods of history, the monastery either flourishes or falls out of favor with the reigning persons. The most difficult time for the monastery comes after the revolution during the atheist period. The Diveyevo monastery was closed, some of the sisters were arrested and sent to labor camps. The monastery is desecrated and it falls into decay: the churches are partially destroyed, the groove of the Virgin is leveled by a bulldozer. Only in 1988 were believers allowed to build a church over the Kazan spring. And the return of the entire monastery to the church took place in 1991.
The Diveyevo Monastery today is a huge center of spiritual life. Diveyevo is perhaps the most visited place by pilgrims in Russia. And the merit in this, of course, belongs to the nuns, who made every effort for the flourishing of the monastery, and the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, whose life became an example of true companionship. During his lifetime, the monk predicted a revival and a special place in the spiritual life of Russia for the Diveyevo monastery.
Walk through the monastery
The monastic complex includes several objects: the Kazan Church, the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Bell Tower, the Trinity Cathedral, the Transfiguration Cathedral. The territory of the monastery is impressive - in addition to the temples, there are monastic buildings, a refectory, which encircles the monastery of the Kanavka of the Virgin in a semicircle.
The main shrine of the monastery is the Trinity Cathedral. It is there that the relics of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov are located. The saint died in the Sarov monastery in January 1833 and was buried at the altar of the Assumption Cathedral. After the defeat of the monastery in 1927, the relics seemed to have been irretrievably lost. Imagine the joy of all the Orthodox when in 1991 they were found in St. Petersburg and were devoted with honors to the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery. Now everyone can bow to the relics of the monk. There is also an icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness", in front of which Seraphim of Sarov prayed. The shrines are available to all parishioners during the opening hours of the monastery. It should be noted that the monastery is almost always open, except at night. But the early liturgy takes place already at 5 am, which means that the territory and the cathedral are open. The evening service takes place at 16-17 o'clock (depending on the time of year), after the service the sisters go around the Canal of the Virgin with a procession of the cross, to which everyone can join. You can walk along the Groove yourself. According to the rules, it is necessary to read the prayer "Virgin Mary, rejoice …" on the rosary. Thus, the spiritual life in the monastery does not stop for a minute.
Travel Tips
But the Diveyevo Reserve is not only the territory of the monastery, but also its sources. The first is located next to the monastery - the source of the Monk Alexandra. There is a small chapel where you can draw water or dive into the font. The most famous source is in the village of Tsyganovka. It bears the name of the Monk Seraphim. This is a whole complex of several wooden baths and a chapel. The source is a small lake with crystal clear water. It is located in a specially protected conservation area. Many pilgrims celebrate the miracles that happened to them after being immersed in the font. Traditionally, the source of the Monk Seraphim helps in childbearing and getting rid of serious ailments.
The tourist flow to Diveyevo does not dry out all year round. You can come here both independently and with a pilgrimage group. Moreover, there are short-term trips, when a group is brought to the evening service to pray and venerate the relics, and then leave. On weekends, buses arrive one after another. So, if you are looking for solitude in prayer, it is better to visit Diveyevo on weekdays. A trip with one overnight stay will suffice. There are quite a few hotels and guest houses in the village. The cheapest option is to rent a room from local residents. Usually, delivery announcements are posted directly on the houses. There are several tourist centers designed for families. On the territory of the monastery there is a refectory where you can dine, and, moreover, for free. To do this, you need to take a ticket at the pilgrim center. But lunch will, of course, be lean and modest. In other cases, there are several cafes around the monastery, you can also visit the restaurant of the Diveevskaya Sloboda complex.
You can independently get to Diveevo in several ways. By train, you need to get to the Arzamas-1 station (train to Nizhny Novgorod), and from there take a bus for about one hour. From Nizhniy Novgorod it takes longer - 4 hours.
The most convenient way to get to Diveevo is by car. This is not to say that it is faster due to the endless repairs of the Nizhny Novgorod highway, but more practical. It is easier by car to get to the springs that are scattered around the area, and you can visit the city of Arzamas, where several churches and temples are located on the cathedral square.
