The Holy Dormition Princess Convent is one of the historical pearls of Russia. It is located in Vladimir and has more than 800 years of history. Many events swept over the country. But the temple and the memory of generations of nuns, townspeople, miracles that took place in the monastery have been preserved, and interest in them only increases over the years.

Founders of the monastery

In 1200, there were two balanced principalities in Rus': Kiev and Vladimir. Both are equally powerful. Grand Duke Vsevolod reigned in Vladimir, and his wife was Princess Maria. Both were deeply and sincerely religious people. With their thoughts, aspirations and deeds, the Assumption Monastery was founded near the Lybid River. The initiator of the construction of the women's monastery was the princess. History and chronicles report that the spouses lived in harmony with each other. They loved the people very much. 12 children were born into the prince’s family: 8 boys and 4 girls. With the birth of her last son, John, Mary became very ill and endured the hardships steadfastly and resignedly for seven years.

During her illness, the princess decided to found a monastery. And she made this request to her husband. He supported the initiative. To build the monastery, the princess bought land for the future monastery with her own money. The first stone for the foundation of the monastery walls was laid by Prince Vladimir Vsevolod himself in 1200. The disease did not let the woman go. Her thoughts were to become a nun of the newly built monastery, to which she made a vow to the Lord. She served as a mother and ruler with zeal, but her soul wanted a strict monastic life. Only in 1206 was Mary able to fulfill her vow.

Miraculous icon

Also within the Assumption Cathedral of the Princess Monastery is the oldest miraculous work. It was written according to the vision of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1157. It has been established in the monastery since 1992, when it was returned to the temple from the museum. The Assumption Princess Monastery became her new home. A description of the origin of the icon can be found in chronicles and heard from guides when visiting the monastery. She repeatedly saved the people of Vladimir from epidemics and droughts, blessed them with her protection during the war years, and protected them from hunger and despair. The icon is revered by the people and glorified by many miracles. There are numerous chronicle confirmations of this, as well as testimonies of parishioners about healings that have occurred in our time.

Architectural value

Spiritual traditions and material heritage are part of the culture and history of the country as a whole. The Assumption Princess Monastery in Vladimir also made a significant contribution to it. A description of the temple in a poetic, enthusiastic form was given by His Beatitude Anastasius, Archbishop of Albania: “A wonderful temple! It is white and clean, with its light forms directed towards the sky, and when you go inside there are frescoes, icons, lamps in the twilight, the altar of God the Byshnyago: this is how the soul of a person should be - from the outside directed towards the sky, and in the depths hide the altar and God Himself "

If we look at the temple, even today the building amazes with its power and beauty. The Assumption Church is the decoration of the entire monastery. Rising upward with white walls, it is crowned with three tiers of keel-shaped kokoshniks. Above them is a magnificent, powerful light drum with a traditional onion roof. Numerous archaeological excavations carried out at different times on the territory of the monastery each time revealed new facets of the history of the monastery. Thus, it was found out that in the first years after the construction of the temple, it was surrounded by a narrow covered gallery, lined with expensive majolica tiles. And these are not all the secrets that the Princess Monastery keeps. Study work continues.

Monastic life

In the revived monastery, church services are held daily and an intense spiritual life is conducted. Ancient crafts are being revived. The sisters sew vestments with their own hands for the clergy and for other needs of the temple. They actively participate in restoration and construction work. An icon-painting workshop has been opened in the monastery. The art of church embroidery, for which it has been famous since 1606, is being revived here.

Through the efforts of the abbess of the monastery, a parochial school for children was opened. There is also a Diocesan Women's School at the monastery. Sunday school teachers, psalmists, and church choir directors are trained here. The Holy Dormition Princess Convent is a pearl of the spiritual life of Russia. Everyone should visit the monastery in order to personally experience the miracle and feel the connection between times and generations.

One of the main cities of the Golden Ring, Vladimir was once the mighty capital of North-Eastern Rus'. Several historical buildings have survived to this day, remembering the reign of the Grand Dukes, the founders of the Vladimir Principality. The best preserved are temples, monasteries and other religious buildings. One of the oldest sights of Vladimir is the Princess Monastery, founded presumably in 1200.

Its emergence is associated with the names of Grand Duke Vsevolod the Big Nest and his wife Maria Shvarovna. Their family was very prolific; twelve children were born in the marriage, for which the prince received the nickname “Big Nest.” Maria Shvarovna was particularly pious, therefore, when after her last birth she became very ill, she asked her husband to found a monastery, which was named Knyaginin in her honor. Sensing imminent death, the princess took monastic vows in the newly created monastery and soon died.

As many chroniclers write, all residents of the Vladimir principality bitterly mourned the death of their beloved princess. And the Princess Monastery has since become the family tomb of the Grand Duchesses. The sister and daughter of Maria Shvarovna, both wives and the daughter of Prince Alexander Nevsky, who was the grandson of the pious founder of the Assumption Princess Monastery, were buried here.

Since this monastery was very rich, it suffered more than once from raids and devastation during the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Then, unwanted princesses were more than once exiled to the Princess Monastery. So, one of the wives of Tsarevich Ivan, the son of Ivan the Terrible, lived here for some time, who was sent here for childlessness, and later Princess Ksenia, the daughter of Tsar Boris Godunov, found shelter in the same monastery.

From the time of Peter the Great, the decline of monastic life began, and after the Bolsheviks came to power, the ancient Princess Monastery was closed altogether and given a new name - the village of Vorovskogo.

Only in 1992 did monastic life resume. The monastery was returned to its main shrine - the icon of the Bogolyubskaya Mother of God, which is considered the first icon painted by Russian masters. Before this, all icons were brought from Byzantium. It is believed that it was written at the behest of Andrei Bogolyubsky, and, therefore, it is approximately 850 years old. They placed it in the Assumption Cathedral.

In addition, another important relic is kept here - a particle of the relics of St. Abraham of Bulgaria. This saint initially professed Islam, but then converted to Orthodoxy. Not succumbing to numerous persuasion to renounce the Christian faith, he was executed. Later, Prince Yuri of Vladimir, the son of Vsevolod the Big Nest, transferred the relics of the saint to the Princess Monastery. They say that miraculous healings from mental and eye diseases occurred from them.

The Assumption Cathedral, which can now be seen in the monastery, was built in the 16th century on the foundation of an earlier church. Fragments of ancient walls have been preserved behind the brickwork. In the middle of the 12th century, the interior of the church was decorated with wonderful frescoes made by Moscow masters. Fortunately, they have generally been preserved.

The restoration of the Princess Monastery, which preserves the history of the great princes of the Vladimir land, continues. We can only hope that nothing will interfere with the former prosperity of this holy place.

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Assumption Cathedral of the Assumption Princess Monastery in Vladimir.

Shrines of the monastery:

Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God.

On the northern porch of the Assumption Cathedral, where the Annunciation chapel is now located, the founder of the monastery, Grand Duchess Maria Shvarnovna, in the schema of Martha, was buried. On Sundays, a prayer is read at her tomb, the troparion, kontakion and magnification are sung. Many people revere the holy princess, pray to her and receive help from her.

Grand Duchess Maria was glorified at the Cathedral of Vladimir Saints - June 23 / July 6. The monastery still celebrates the day of her death on March 19/April 1. The lithium is served, the troparion and kontakion are sung.

Icon of the great martyr and healer Panteleimon.

With the blessing of Archbishop Eulogius and the petition of Abbess Anthony, in 1999 an icon of the great martyr and healer Panteleimon was painted on Holy Mount Athos, in the monastery of Righteous Anna. Through the diligence of the rector of the Athos metochion in Moscow, abbot Nikon (Smirnov), the icon was delivered to Vladimir. Here, at the walls of the Princess's monastery, she was greeted with a religious procession.

Icon of the great martyr and healer Panteleimon in his life. The end of the 20th century. Located in the Assumption Cathedral of the monastery.

In the autumn of the same year, with the blessing of Bishop Eulogius, the icon of the Great Martyr Panteleimon was carried in a religious procession throughout the diocese. And immediately miracles began to flow from her - healings, the flow of myrrh, the consolation of the grieving and the relief of everyday hardships. Upon returning to the monastery, the icon was decorated with hagiographic stamps, a silver reliquary with a particle of the relics of St. Panteleimon was inserted into it, and a carved wooden icon case was arranged.

In 2005, with the blessing of Bishop Eulogius, the icon was again carried in a religious procession throughout the diocese. And healing, consolation and gracious help flowed from her again. The icon began to stream myrrh again, and the stream of myrrh continues to this day.

Final word.

On the tenth of April 1993, on Lazarus Saturday, His Eminence Archbishop Eulogius consecrated the Assumption Cathedral of the Princess Monastery. 14 years have passed since then, over the years the appearance and internal life of the monastery have changed a lot. Four nursing buildings, an orphanage and a regency school were rebuilt, and the monastery church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was restored. In 2008 we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the resumption of monastic life at the monastery. Currently, 29 nuns live and work in the monastery: 11 nuns, 11 nuns, 4 novices and 3 laborers who are passing the test to enter the monastery. The oldest who reposed in the Lord in 2007, nun Christina, was 97 years old, the youngest sister was 22 years old. The monastic life of the monastery proceeds according to the charter approved by the ruling Archbishop Eulogius. Labor obediences are closely connected with prayer.

In recent years, we have celebrated three important dates associated with the glorious history of the monastery. In 2000 - the 800th anniversary of the opening of the monastery, in 2003 - the 10th anniversary of the newly opened monastery, in 2006 - the 800th anniversary of the death of its founder - Grand Duchess Maria Shvarnovna.

In 2007, the Vladimir diocese hosted celebrations associated with the 850th anniversary of the painting of the Bogolyubsk Icon of the Mother of God. This day is especially dear to the sisters, since the opening of the monastery began from the day when the greatest shrine of the Russian land, the Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God, was transferred to these walls.

We are grateful to everyone who helped us during the difficult years of the formation of the monastery, and we will be glad to welcome everyone who wants to visit our holy monastery.

Using materials from the book “Holy Dormition Princess Convent in Vladimir.”

Holy Dormition Princess Monastery

History of the Kniginin Monastery

The Holy Dormition Monastery has suffered a lot. Over its 800-year history, it was burned and ravaged more than once. The Polish-Lithuanian invasion of the 17th century left a deep mark. The consequences of the reforms of 1770, which were issued by Catherine II, became even more severe. But the monastery suffered the most severe destruction from a fire that happened in the 19th century, which took away with it many evidence of bygone times. But despite past difficulties, by the beginning of the 20th century the women's monastery flourished again! In Soviet times, like many other religious institutions, the Holy Dormition Monastery was closed. Its premises were used for granaries. And after that, as a museum of atheism.

Renaissance

The Princess Monastery has found new life these days. In 1993, the dust of oblivion was shaken off. The monastery was restored, and nuns again settled within its walls. Of the ancient buildings of the monastery, the most interesting that have come down to us are: the Assumption Cathedral of the Kniginin Monastery - built in 1500 and the Kazan Church, built in 1789. In addition, along the entire perimeter of the monastic property there are monastic cells built in the second part of the 19th century.

Architectural monuments of the monastery

Assumption Cathedral

Assumption Cathedral of the Princess Monastery in Vladimir

The Assumption Cathedral was built on the foundations of its predecessor, which has stood here since 1200. It was probably destroyed under the Mongol-Tatars, and the current temple dates back to 1500. The external decoration of the Assumption Cathedral is not as poetic as its internal appearance. It is concise and geometrically precise. The main advantages of the cathedral are hidden from prying eyes inside the temple. Fragments of ancient paintings from the mid-17th century have been preserved there; their beauty can delight every traveler! Here the very valuable and revered Bogolyubov Icon of the Mother of God found its new home.

Frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral of the Princess Monastery

Kazan Church

Kazan Church of the Princess Monastery in Vladimir

Tourists will also be interested in visiting the Kazan Church; previously, in its place stood the Church of St. John Chrysostom (its first mention dates back to 1665). Today, it is the northern limit of the temple. The southern limit was completed in the 19th century and named after Abraham of Bulgaria. In 2007, the church was revived and re-consecrated.

Mosaic “Rejoice, zealous Intercessor of the Christian race” on the apse of the Kazan Cathedral of the Princess Monastery

For tourists

Today, the monastery houses an orphanage and a regency school. The monastery itself is active; almost three dozen nuns live on its territory. Tourists should take this into account when visiting the monastery walls. The most interesting thing is inside the Assumption Cathedral. Parishioners are inspired and impressed by the frescoes from the mid-seventeenth century. The artistic composition “The Last Judgment” is distinguished by its special, extraordinary beauty.

The atmosphere of the monastery, located in a quiet, cozy place in Vladimir, is filled with peace and ancient wisdom, it is harmonious and allows those who come to realize themselves. Even for this reason alone, the Holy Dormition Monastery of Books is worthy of your attention!