How to visit the Diveyevo monastery. What you must do in Diveevo

Diveevo is a famous village in the Nizhny Novgorod region with an absolutely amazing atmosphere. Pilgrims from all over the world come here to stay here for at least one day and touch the shrines with the intention of healing their soul and body. This settlement is visited primarily by believers, but even those who are far from religion will be interested in immersing themselves in the history of Diveevo, seeing the stunning architecture and enjoying the beauty of Russian nature.

Diveevo is famous primarily for its numerous temples and cathedrals. One of the most favorite places Seraphim-Diveevo Convent became a tourist destination. It is known as the 4th Earthly Lot Holy Mother of God" The founder of the monastery is considered to be Seraphim of Sarov, a revered saint in Russian Orthodoxy. Diveyevo Monastery is the oldest architectural monument Nizhny Novgorod region. It was founded in the 18th century, and to this day, on the territory of this attraction you can find buildings of that time, for example, the Church of the Kazan Mother of God.

Arriving at the Diveyevo Monastery, you can’t help but look into its main cathedral– Holy Trinity, which was built with the participation of the famous architect A.I. Rezanova. Together with other churches of the monastery, this cathedral forms a stunningly beautiful architectural ensemble.

When visiting this attraction Special attention are given to the relics of Seraphim of Sarov, the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Tenderness” and the Holy Canal of the Queen of Heaven. Last place especially significant for pilgrimage. It represents the path along which, according to legend, the Most Holy Theotokos herself walked. Everyone who visits Diveevo strives to get to the Holy Kanavka and pass through it. It is believed that in this way a person receives a blessing, good luck will accompany him in business, and illnesses will recede.

Another significant object of the village is the Transfiguration Cathedral, which is also located on the territory of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery. This is one of the most beautiful churches in Diveevo, located at the beginning of the Holy Kanavka. It was built according to the design of architect A.E. Antonov in 1917 and completely reconstructed in 1998. The cathedral was built in the neo-Russian style, has 5 golden-domed domes, and the walls of the temple were painted by the sisters of the Diveyevo monastery.

Diveyevo springs

Diveyevo Monastery is by no means the only reason never-ending flow of tourists. Many people also want to look at the famous Diveyevo springs. It is believed that the water in these springs has special healing properties, therefore, it is customary to take special care of the place where the source appeared. The area around it is being improved, chapels are being erected nearby, and baths are being built.

In the village of Diveevo you can visit the following holy springs:

source St. Seraphim Sarovsky. This is one of the most famous and popular springs of the monastery village. As you know, it was previously located in the city of Sarov, which is not far from Diveevo. However, due to the fact that Sarov became a military facility, it was closed, and pilgrimage to these places stopped. However, according to legend, the saint himself appeared to people to indicate a new place he liked, where the source broke through. Today, in this place there is a lake of spring water, on which baths have been built;
The Kazan spring (Holy spring in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God) is the oldest of the Diveyevo springs. Next to it, in 1991, the Kazan Church was erected, as well as a bathhouse, in which everyone can plunge into the Epiphany holiday. Every year on this holiday it is celebrated here procession, during which the spring is consecrated. The source is located in the village of Severny, which is part of Diveevo;
St. Panteleimon's spring. It is located very close to Kazansky and is known for helping with joint pain. The key got its name in honor of the great martyr Panteleimon, who lived in the 4th century and was famous for his amazing healing abilities;
a spring in the name of the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness”, also located not far from the Kazan Diveyevo spring. He made his way to the part of the village that separates Diveevo and the village of Severny. Those who want to get rid of problems with cardiovascular and nervous system. On the site of the source, a building was erected, which includes 3 baths;
Iversky spring. It is famous for helping to cure children from a variety of diseases. Next to the holy spring there is a small chapel, which was built in the 19th century. A bathhouse was also built here.

When visiting the Diveyevo springs, you should follow certain rules. For example, women can swim in spring waters only in underwear and a shirt. It is prohibited to make noise, smoke or drink alcoholic beverages at the source.

Where to stop on the way to Diveevo?

If you are going to see the sights of Diveevo, pay attention to 2 more settlements that are located near the village. The first of them is the city of Sarov, which is located only 12 km from Diveevo, the second is the city of Arzamas, 65 km from Diveevo.

Today, the city of Sarov is a closed facility: it houses the Nuclear Center of the Russian Federation and the State Research Institute experimental physics. But you can still get into the city: from time to time, tours are organized there for pilgrims and those who want to visit the Museum nuclear weapons and other attractions available to tourists.

For believers, this city is valuable primarily because it was here that he lived and was a member of the church service Seraphim of Sarov, who later became known as the founder of the Diveyevo Monastery. He began his journey in the Holy Dormition Monastery (also called the Sarov Hermitage). This monastery was erected at the beginning of the 17th century and has a very rich history. In 1927 the building was closed, and only in beginning of XXI century, it was decided to resume the functioning of the monastery.

Sarov has always been known as an ecclesiastical city: it had a square on which temples and cathedrals were located, but with the advent of Bolshevik power, they were all destroyed. In modern Sarov, work is constantly underway to restore these architectural monuments, and there are already first results: in May 2012 it was consecrated again open temple in the name of Saints Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky.

The city of Sarov is also famous for its numerous healing springs, which opened on the banks of the Satis River, which flows next to the settlement. The territory of the springs is landscaped, has baths and is classified as a specially protected site.

It will be very interesting and informative to visit the Nuclear Weapons Museum in Sarov. This is a unique place where you can plunge into the history of nuclear achievements of Russian scientists and see unique exhibits: models of scientific inventions, experimental installations, weapons, computer technology and much more. Over 10 thousand people come here every year, including not only city residents, but also its guests - participants in various conferences, students of schools and institutes, as well as ordinary tourists interested in the history of the country.

What to see in the city of Arzamas?

The city of Arzamas is a large industrial and cultural center of the Nizhny Novgorod region. It is known as a church city: at the beginning of the 20th century there were 4 monasteries and 36 churches. Now the number of Orthodox attractions has decreased, but even today there is something to see there.

The city preserves buildings dating back to the 18th-19th centuries, which amaze with their architecture. These are real monuments of Russian architecture, majestic and beautiful. Among them:

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, built according to the plan of the brilliant architect Mikhail of Corinth, is one of the most notable cultural objects of Arzamas. It is a monumental building with rich frescoes and large columns around the perimeter;
Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. She is enrolled in State Register monuments of all-Russian significance, and tourists not only from Russia, but also from all over the world strive to visit it. It is here that you can see the original work of the Spanish artist Bartolomeo Esteban Murillo;
Nikolsky Convent. Located in the central part of the city, on Cathedral Square. This is one of the oldest cultural sites in Arzamas - it was founded at the end of the 16th century. In the 19th century, the nuns of the monastery began to engage in needlework, and the things they made were worn with pleasure by the townspeople. In Arzamas you can still buy knitted souvenirs;
The Church of the Nativity of Christ, built in the mid-19th century, is a snow-white temple in the best traditions of Russian architecture. This one is small, but beautiful building especially loved by the locals.

The interesting sights of Arzamas do not end there. Those who have already visited the glorious Russian city are advised to visit museums dedicated to the life and work of two famous Russian writers - Arkady Gaidar and Maxim Gorky. In the warm season, you can take a walk through the arboretum, which is located in the vicinity of Arzamas.

Diveevo is an amazingly beautiful village with rare monuments of Russian culture. You can come there at any time of the year and even more than once, but it will still open up for you only from the best side.

This route tells how to visit the village of Diveevo and spend a day in one of the most famous Russian monasteries - the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent and its surroundings.

Diveevo is located 180 kilometers from Nizhny Novgorod and approximately 480 kilometers from Moscow. Therefore, if you live in one of these cities, you will need at least a couple of days for the entire trip.
The Seraphim-Diveevo monastery is active, so do not forget that when visiting it you will need to follow some rules. Women must wear skirts and have their hair tucked under a headscarf. Men, on the contrary, should not cover their heads with anything. Clothes need to be decent: they should not reveal too much of the body, arms or legs. Also, smoking, swearing and noise are prohibited on the territory of the monastery.
Especially if you are traveling in your own car, take food with you. Although there are many cafes in Diveevo, the quality of food and assortment leaves much to be desired.

How to get to the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery

If you do not have a car, then the most convenient way to go to the monastery is by bus from the city of Arzamas. Therefore, first you will need to get to this city (it doesn’t matter to the Arzamas-1 or Arzamas-2 station), and then take public transport to the bus station, located in the very center. Buses run approximately once an hour. the journey will take about one and a half hours.

By car from Moscow you need to go through Balashikha and head towards Vladimir, but before this city turn onto Murom, then go through Ardatov to the village of Diveevo.

What to see in the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery

Tourists, in order to have time to do everything, better be at the monastery in the morning.

If you are traveling to the monastery as a pilgrim, it would be better to time your arrival in the evening in order to catch the evening service. You need to immediately go to the pilgrimage center, which is located in a yellow two-story building opposite the western gate, near the Kazan Cathedral. There they will help you with accommodation for the night and give you coupons that will allow you to dine at the refectory for free.

While visiting the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery, you can visit Trinity, Preobrazhensky And Kazan Cathedrals, Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which are open from 8-00 to 16-00 (in summer - until 17-00) with a break for cleaning the temple from 12-00 to 13-00. The most difficult thing to get into is the Trinity Cathedral, because at the entrance there is usually a queue of people who want to venerate the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov. There are especially many people in the morning, so it is better to visit this temple last.

Excursion around Diveyevo

Then you can go through the Holy Kanavka. The Monk Seraphim of Sarov said that the Mother of God herself walks every day along the path marked by the Kanavka, so pilgrims follow the outlined irregular circle once or three times, reading prayers. The ditch is located behind the main square of the monastery, behind the Transfiguration Cathedral. There is a sign at the beginning of the groove, and there are many shops nearby, so it is not difficult to find.

If you go even further, then behind Kanavka on Pervomaiskaya Street you can visit the house of Blessed Paraskeva Ivanovna (the holy fool Pasha of Sarov). The exposition of this small house-museum tells about the blessed Diveyevo, about the life of the monastery and about Seraphim of Sarov. Among the exhibits you will see authentic belongings of the nuns and a recreated fragment of the monk’s cell.

If you get hungry, we recommend returning to the monastery. On the territory of the monastery there are several cafes where you can buy tea, coffee, monastic pastries and hot lunches. The tea house, pancake house and cafe with hot lunches are open from 9-00 to 17-00, the cafe in the Pilgrim House - from 9-00 to 20-00.

There are cafes on the streets of the village, but on weekends many of them are often closed for special services for tourist groups. In addition, the choice of dishes in such establishments is very poor, and the quality of food is not always satisfactory.

What to see in the vicinity of the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery

After getting acquainted with the monastery, it is worth exploring its surroundings. There are five springs in total in the village of Diveevo, all of them are within walking distance from the monastery. Let's go to the furthest ones first.

Pilgrim's House, which you have already seen, is located on Oktyabrskaya Street. If you stand with your back to the monastery and follow this street to the right, then after 50 meters you will find yourself at the intersection with Truda Street. Next, walk along Truda Street, and after about 800 meters it will lead you to the springs. If you are by car, you can get to this place, and there is parking next to the keys.

A little to the right you will see, and to the left next to it - St. Panteleimon's spring, and even further to the right - icon source Mother of God"Tenderness"(you won't get confused or lost because there are signs everywhere). The water temperature in all these springs is about 3-5 degrees. There are baths near the springs where you can take a dip. It is customary to do this three times, immersing yourself headlong and overshadowing yourself sign of the cross. Women usually wear baptismal shirts. You can collect holy water from these springs. If you forgot to take a bottle with you, no problem: empty containers are sold in shops located nearby.

IN holidays At the springs there may be a line of people wanting to plunge into the holy water, because only 5-10 people can be in the bathhouse at a time.

Return along Truda Street to the monastery, but do not turn towards it, and when this street ends at Oktyabrskaya, continue walking along it. After about 400 meters, turn right into Golikov Lane, and after another 100 meters you will find yourself at. One small font (for 4-6 people) is built on this spring, so men and women have to dive into the water alternately.

About two hundred meters from this source there is another one -. To reach it, you need to follow the Wichkinsa River and soon you will see its font.

If you are traveling by car, then it will not be difficult for you to visit another key - the most revered one in the village of Tsyganovka, about 12 km from Diveevo. This locality is located near Sarov. From Diveevo you need to go along Oktyabrskaya Street in the direction of Sarov, pass Yakovlevka, Khvoshchevo, but then do not turn towards Sarov, and the next village on the way will be Tsyganovka. You need to continue driving along the same road through this settlement, without turning anywhere, and soon it will lead you to the bank of the Satis River and, after another couple of hundred meters, to the source. There is a parking lot at the source where you can leave your car. You will have to cross the stylized wooden bridge to the other side of the river. There, in a picturesque place, several baths and houses were built where you can change clothes.

Water from the Seraphim of Sarov spring flows into a small artificial lake. Pilgrims can plunge into the water either in the fonts, or directly into this body of water - for this purpose, convenient gangways have been built there.

At this source we will finish our acquaintance with Diveevo.

Where to stay overnight in Diveyevo

If you do not have time to return home, then you have several options for overnight accommodation. Firstly, you can contact the pilgrimage service: the monastery has pilgrimage houses where it is very affordable or even free, but in rather spartan conditions you can spend the night in the same room with several strangers.

Also throughout Diveyevo and surrounding villages you will find many mini-hotels and guest houses. The conditions there are generally simple, the service is unpretentious, but the prices are usually low, although Lately The owners' appetite is whetted and they ask for everything more money for an overnight stay.

You can agree to rent a room or bed in the private sector - there are plenty of offers.

And if you stayed in Diveevo overnight, the next day you can spend a few hours exploring Sarov.

The Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent is one of the main shrines Orthodox world. She, along with Athos, Iveria and Kiev, is considered one of the four earthly inheritances of the Mother of God.

Here is the Holy Canal, dug on the site of the path that the Mother of God herself walked around the holy monastery she had chosen. Also here rest the relics of the famous holy wonderworker - St. Seraphim of Sarov and the relics of the holy founders of the women's monastery he cared for.

Many Orthodox Christians dream of visiting this place, touching its shrines, walking through the Holy Canal with prayer and washing in the local holy springs. Where are these holy places located? How to get here? What exactly is worth seeing here and what is the most convenient way to do it in order to be on time everywhere?

How to worship shrines correctly? Where is the best place to stay in Diveevo and how to arrange this in advance? Where can you eat in the monastery? What shrines and important attractions located near Diveevo would also be worth visiting? Our small guide is designed to answer all these questions of the pious pilgrim.

Diveevo: a little local history and geography

The Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent is located in the very center of the village of Diveevo, founded in 1559 and located in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The village is located 180 kilometers southwest of Nizhny Novgorod and 60 kilometers southwest of Arzamas. On this moment The regional center of Diveevo is home to about 6,500 people. In addition to the monastery, there is another significant institution in the village - the Diveyevo poultry farm, which also employs many local residents.

The monastery itself was founded much later than the village by Agafya Semyonovna Melgunova (in monasticism Alexandra), a noblewoman by birth, who received a revelation from God about the need to build a temple and organize a maiden community in the place indicated to her. This place turned out to be Diveevo, near which the Monk Seraphim of Sarov labored, who later became the spiritual mentor of the sisters of the monastery. The monastery began to be built with the construction of the Kazan Church, which was founded in 1767.

Now the Seraphim-Diveevo monastery is one of the largest and most significant convents in Russia. There is a prediction by St. Seraphim that one day it will become the world's first women's monastic monastery.

Before coming to Diveevo, you should definitely read the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov and, preferably, at least short chronicle Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery. A lot of interesting information about the history of these places and information useful for pilgrims can be found on the “Wonderful Diveevo” portal.

You can get to the Diveyevo monastery by several routes

The easiest way is to take the train to Arzamas. In the city itself, take bus No. 1 to Cathedral Square, go down 50 meters from it to the Arzamas bus station, and from there go to the village by regular bus. The Arzamas-Diveevo bus runs all day until late evening at intervals of one hour and costs about 150 rubles per person.

You can also fly by plane or take a train to Nizhny Novgorod, and from there get to Arzamas by train or bus and then follow the above route.

There is a third option for the main route. If you book a hotel, apartment or house in Diveevo in advance, you can often agree with the owners to pick you up from the Arzamas station by car.

In addition to the route through Arzamas, there is also a route from Moscow. There you can take a bus to Sarov, which stops in Diveevo while passing through. In this case, you will have to spend at least nine and a half hours on the road. An intercity bus will cost about 1000 rubles.

Where to stay in Diveevo, how much, and how to arrange it in advance?

Most The best way, tested on personal experience– stay with friends you’ve stayed with before. However, suppose you are making a pilgrimage to this Holy place for the first time.

Then it is best to use the Booking.com service, where you can not only pre-book your accommodation for the dates you need without any prepayments or penalties, but also find offers for different tastes and incomes - and rooms in guest houses (hotels), both apartments and private houses. For one person or for several. You can find a good apartment on the website for about 600-700 rubles per day per person.

You can also book accommodation in one of the many thematic groups on VKontakte or on the Divnoe Diveevo portal. But this option is less convenient than the first. You can rent a house or apartment, or a room in one of the many guest houses in the village. Guest houses offer a variety of additional services and meals, but rooms there cost approximately twice as much (1000-1200 rubles per day) than average housing in the city (500-600 rubles per day).

Finally, you can go to the monastery’s pilgrimage center. In advance or upon arrival at the monastery. Here you will find shelter only in group rooms of four people or more. And it will cost you only a little less than in the village (500-600 rubles per day). At the same time, you will be strictly tied to the routine of the monastery, and no one will vouch for the safety of your belongings. But you can all pray together and find new friends...

Where and what can you eat here?

So: you have reached the holy monastery and found accommodation for the night in a village or in the monastery fence... But before considering the shrines themselves, let’s touch on another important issue - the issue of nutrition.

If you stay in a guest house, then you will have two options: include meals in the room rate or buy yourself something in the store. You can do the same if you rent a house or apartment.

If you stay in a monastery hotel, then most likely you will go to eat at the refectory for pilgrims - paid or free (however, you can use these options even if you live in the village).

There are two pieces of advice here. First: under no circumstances dine in a paid refectory! Expensive and tasteless. Second: be sure to eat at least once in the free refectory of the monastery. The food there is not particularly fancy, but surprisingly, simply incredibly tasty. Apparently because they cook it with holy water and with prayer... In general, you should definitely go there!

The free refectory is located in the Alexander Nevsky Church of the monastery. If you don’t want to eat there just like that, you can work off your porridge and ask for some kind of obedience required by the monastery.

If you plan to go to a free refectory for dinner or lunch, it is better to come there immediately after the service. After the liturgy - from 11.00 to 13.00, after the all-night vigil - from 19.00 to 20.00.

What shrines can you visit in the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery

First of all, this is the Holy Groove. The 777-meter-long ditch goes around the Annunciation Cathedral of the monastery and the monastery hospital. A shaft with railings and a tiled path was erected above the Kanavka. St. Seraphim advised walking along the Canal, which the Queen of Heaven herself had outlined with her steps, reading the prayer “O Mother of God, Virgin, Rejoice...” 150 times.

“The Mother of God herself measured this groove with her belt... Here the feet of the Mother of God passed... Whoever walks through the groove with prayer and reads one and a half hundred “Theotokos”, Athos, Jerusalem, and Kyiv are all here,” the saint used to say.

If you go from the main gate deep into the monastery, then first on your right there will be the Kazan Cathedral, in the lower tier of which there is the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and on the right - the monastery hotel and the pilgrimage center of the monastery. Then you will pass under the multi-tiered bell tower of the monastery, and in front of you, right in the center of the monastery, will be a green temple with silver domes - the cathedral in the name of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity.

To the right of the Trinity Cathedral you can see the yellow building of the refectory church in the name of Alexander Nevsky, and on the rear side you will see the largest cathedral of the monastery - the Transfiguration Cathedral.

The snow-white Transfiguration Cathedral is crowned with five gilded domes. Between the Trinity and Transfiguration Cathedrals, a small area is reserved for the monastery cemetery, where the most significant people for the history of the monastery are buried: Hieromonk Vladimir (Shikin), Abbess Maria (Ushakova), temple creator Fyodor Dolgintsev, assistant to St. Seraphim Nikolai Motovilov and others.

The last cathedral of the women's monastery, Annunciation, is located on the left behind the cathedral in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord. It, as mentioned above, is almost completely surrounded by the Holy Kanavka, immediately beyond which the territory of the monastery ends.

In the lower church of the Kazan Cathedral, consecrated in honor of the Nativity of the Mother of God, the relics of the holy founding mothers of the monastery are exhibited for the veneration of pilgrims: nun Alexandra (Melgunova), schema-nun Martha (Milyukova) and nun Elena (Manturova). In the Kazan Church itself rest the relics of four more Diveyevo holy wives: the venerable confessor Matrona (Vlasova) and the blessed Paraskeva (Pasha) of Sarov, Pelageya and Maria. And in the Trinity Cathedral of the monastery you can venerate the relics of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov himself.

Liturgy at the monastery is most often served in the Transfiguration Cathedral. At the end of the ceremony, pilgrims are given small portions of blessed butter and crackers prepared in Father Seraphim’s cauldron. The all-night vigil is also most often celebrated in the cathedral in the name of the Holy Trinity.

After graduation evening service(at about 19.00) life in the monastery gradually comes to a standstill and everything closes. So it is better to come to the shrines before this time. If you don’t plan to go to bed early, it is recommended to devote the next evening to a trip to one or several holy springs in order to pray nearby, swim in healing waters and take some holy water with you. Many locals and pilgrims do this every evening while they live in Diveevo and cook all their food in holy water.

There are five holy springs in Diveevo itself. The Iveron spring and the spring of Mother Aleksanra are located not far from the main entrance to the monastery (for more details, see the diagram near the main gate). If you go from it to the bus station - to the left and down from the main road. The area of the springs is equipped with closed baths, wells for collecting water, funnels and benches. A small stream flows nearby, where you can feed beautiful ducks in spring.

Three more springs are also located near the main entrance to the monastery and are marked on its diagram. To get to them, you will have to turn in the direction opposite to the bus station and, after walking along main road, also turn left and pass the bridge. The sources are dedicated to Saint Panteleimon and two icons of the Mother of God - “Kazan” and “Tenderness”.

How to properly worship shrines

As mentioned above, before coming to the shrine or the relics of a saint, it is worth reading what has been written about her or him. In addition, you don’t need to take many different devices with you on your pilgrimage, often go online and call someone, or watch TV in the evenings. All business and entertainment should stay at home... You need to get away from the bustle.

Another important aspect of the pilgrimage is the liturgical life. In Diveevo it is worth attending services and receiving communion more often. Don't treat this place as a tourist attraction - soak up its holiness throughout your life here. Drink holy water, venerate the relics of saints and miraculous icons, walk prayerfully along the groove.

The time spent in Diveevo is worth dedicating to contemplation. Contemplating the beauty of the world created by God, contemplating the depths of your soul. Bring repentance for the sins you have committed, think about how to improve your life.

Finally, prayer for loved ones. Don’t forget that your family and friends would also like to visit Diveevo. Be sure to send notes for them, light candles, and buy them small memorable gifts. The Lord will definitely bless you for your care!

Nearby shrines that are also worth seeing

First of all, there are several other holy springs around Diveevo that you can go to. All of them are located relatively close to the monastery and you can visit them with other believers on the buses of the monastery pilgrimage center or by making arrangements with private owners. It all depends on the route. One source can be visited for about 200-400 rubles per person.

Near the village of Tsyganovka there is a source of St. Seraphim. According to legend, it was formed in the 20th century after the appearance of the monk himself here, when the Diveyevo springs were inaccessible due to the policies of the Bolshevik authorities. Many people note that this key is very cold, but at the same time very healing.

A kilometer from the village of Kremenki there is the “Manifested” source of the Mother of God, which appeared here back in 1670. Near the village of Avtodeevo there is a spring in the name of the Holy Trinity, and near the village of Mayovka - in the name of the Archangel Michael.

Also, several tens of kilometers from the Seraphim-Diveevo monastery there are holy places that can be visited on a tour from the monastery’s pilgrimage center or by agreement with local residents. True, going to them will be noticeably more expensive - 700-1500 rubles per person. These are Sarov, Sanaksarsky Monastery and Murom.

And don't forget about Arzamas! On the Cathedral Square of this wonderful city there is a number of beautiful churches, including the Transfiguration Cathedral - a monument to heroes Patriotic War 1812. And in winter cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring” in the left aisle there is a rare icon of the Mother of God, to which they pray for the gift of children.

In Sarov you can get to the Holy Dormition Sarov Hermitage, where the Monk Seraphim began his feat. IN Soviet years The desert was devastated and closed, but is now being actively restored. Not far from Sarov are the Near and Far hermitages of Father Seraphim. In the Far Hermitage the saint performed the most famous of his feats - praying for a thousand days on a stone. The pilgrims long ago crushed the first stone and took it home like a shrine, but instead they installed a new one, similar, which can be seen there.

Sanaksarsky is hidden in the forests of Mordovia monastery. In this monastery, in a unique wooden reliquary, reminiscent of the hull of a ship and elements of its rigging and spars, rest the relics of the holy righteous Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov, admiral Russian fleet, which brought our country great victories many times. There you can also venerate the relics of the admiral’s uncle, St. Feodor of Sanaksarsky, and the relics of Alexander of Sanaksarsky, one of the abbots of the monastery.

Until recently, Elder Jerome (Verendyakin) labored in Sanaksar, who had many spiritual children throughout Russia. Now he is buried within the walls of the monastery, many pilgrims visit his grave, and books with his instructions are sold throughout the country in huge editions.

The Sanaksar Monastery is located away from the main roads in a very picturesque place on the shore of the lake and will delight the eyes of architecture connoisseurs. The only disadvantage of traveling here is the very poor quality of Mordovian roads...

Finally, from Diveevo you can go to Murom - the homeland of the Venerable Bogatyr Elijah Muromets.

Here pilgrims will find the patron saints of the marriage of Peter and Fevronia of Murom, before whose relics they will be able to pray in the Holy Trinity Convent. And in the Murom Nikolo-Embankment Church, located on the banks of the Oka River, it is worth venerating the relics of another patroness of marriage - St. Juliana of Lazarevskaya.

Opposite the Holy Trinity Monastery is the Annunciation Monastery. It was founded by Ivan the Terrible after the capture of Kazan in 1552, on the burial site of Prince Constantine and his family, canonized for the spread of Christianity on Murom soil.

The architecture of ancient Murom will be of interest to connoisseurs of antiquity. There are many beautiful temples built four, five and even six centuries ago.

Three museums worth visiting when traveling to Diveevo

In Diveevo itself there are two museums related to the history of the monastery, which a pious pilgrim would also be interested in visiting. The first Museum is dedicated to the history of the Seraphim-Diveevskaya monastery in the 20th century, and the second is the house of blessed Paraskeva Diveevskaya (Pasha of Sarov) with an authentic setting. You should try to visit them before 15.00, as they close early.

Another wonderful museum that everyone should visit is located in Arzamas. This is the museum of the patriarchate, the only one in Russia. It is located on Cathedral Square in the three-hundred-year-old building of the Arzamas Town Hall. This museum displays the personal belongings of the patriarchs and has created exhibitions dedicated to them.

Not everyone knows that the fates of at least four of the sixteen patriarchs are connected with the Nizhny Novgorod land. Patriarch Alexy I and Patriarch Kirill have relatives from here, and Patriarchs Nikon and Sergius (Stragorodsky) were themselves born in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Also in the Museum of the Patriarchate there are exhibitions dedicated to the history of Arzamas itself and the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov. From experienced local guides you will definitely learn a lot historical facts, associated with the First Hierarchs of the Russian Church, whom they did not know before. I recommend. The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10.00 to 17.00, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 to 19.00. The ticket price will be 80 rubles.

I hope that the guidebook I compiled will be useful to you when you decide to go to Diveevo to visit St. Seraphim. I wish the soul of each of our readers to complete this pious path at least once. Believe me, you will remember this pilgrimage for the rest of your life!

Andrey Szegeda

The purpose of this guide article to Diveevo is to answer the questions of those who are just planning to go to the Diveevo Monastery: What is Diveevo? What to do here? How to behave? What is Holy Groove? And the most important question is why do they come to Diveevo at all?
You will also find out what important places and attractions there are in Diveevo and its surroundings, where you can stay overnight for those who come here for the night.
My first trip to Diveevo took place on May 11, 2013. The trip was short and quite chaotic. Even taking into account the considerable experience of traveling to monasteries, it is very high level(Optina Pustyn, Valaam Monastery, Trinity-Sergius and Pskov-Pechora Lavra), Diveyevo Monastery seemed completely different to me. And I turned out to be completely unprepared for it.

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In the article:

Diveevo is a place of mass pilgrimage. First of all, people come here to pray and ask the Lord for the most essential things for themselves at the moment. I think different people come - both deeply religious people for the purpose of pilgrimage, and tourists, travelers with cognitive purpose- introduction to national history.
It’s easier for pilgrims - they travel consciously and know why they came, where to go, what to do here. They also know all the special places of the Diveyevo Monastery, such as the Holy Kanavka.

It's more difficult for tourists. Now I am convinced that you need to prepare for your arrival in Diveevo in order to better understand what place you are in and what you see in front of you. Otherwise, everything makes no sense.

I thought for a long time about how to write about. A photo report, a chronological account of what we saw here? Why not. But that's not what will happen first.
I am making the first post about Diveevo for comrades like me - those who want to go here, but don’t know anything about the monastery. I'm correcting my late mistake.

A special place - the history of the Diveyevo Monastery and the Holy Kanavka

So, I’ll tell you briefly about the history of the Diveyevo monastery and its main shrine - Kanavka.
In search of the peculiarity of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery over others, I came across information that this monastery is the fourth inheritance of the Holy Mother of God (the first three are Iveria, Athos and Kyiv), i.e. one of four places on Earth (and the only one in Russia!) that are under its special protection. I think this is where the special appeal of this place lies. Some come here to pray, to be spiritually cleansed, to be healed, while others, considering Diveevo a place of power, come to fulfill their desires, which they say come true here. The main thing is that everyone finds what they are looking for.

On November 25, 1823, the Mother of God appeared to Father Seraphim. The Mother of God showed him the place in Diveevo where he needed to build a monastery, and ordered him to surround it with a ditch and a rampart. It was thanks to this event that the Diveyevo Monastery was created.
It began with the construction of the Mill. By the beginning of 1833, a few days before the death of St. Seraphim, the Kanavka was built. Groove "is a heptagon with a length of 777 meters along the perimeter. During the life of Father Seraphim, six sides were excavated, and on the seventh side, according to the prophecy of the monk, a large cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” should be located.*

“Father Seraphim said many wonderful things about this Canal. That this Canal is the piles of the Mother of God! Here the Queen of Heaven Herself walked around it! This Canal is high to the skies! The Lady Most Pure Mother of God herself took this land as her inheritance! Here, father, I have Athos, and Kyiv, and Jerusalem! And when the Antichrist comes, he will pass everywhere, but he will not jump over this Canal!”"(Father Vasily Sadovsky).*

After the death of Seraphim of Sarov, the Diveyevo monastery faced a difficult time. better times. Maintenance of the ditch was abandoned, the mill was moved, some of the buildings were broken down, and people began to walk through the ditch without properly respecting it. They even traveled along it in carriages. The construction of new buildings of the monastery began to be carried out outside Kanavka.

From the memoirs of a 20th century pilgrim: “Silent figures of nuns slowly moved along the Kanavka, fingering rosaries and quietly whispering prayers. The path ran along a well-compacted embankment, lined with trees. The slopes of the embankment were overgrown with grass and wildflowers, which were protected as a shrine.” At the same time, they read “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” one and a half hundred times, and on every ten - “Our Father” and commemorated the living and the dead.”*

Flowers, grass and soil from the Kanavka were considered medicinal. By the beginning of the 20th century, all of Russia knew about the Queen of Heaven’s Canal. Thousands of people came here, having heard about healings both on Kanavka, and at the Tenderness Icon, and in the Church of the Transfiguration. It’s interesting, but even now, in the 21st century, on Kanavka you will see the same thing that was a hundred or two years ago - a path on a hill, in the shape of a broken, open ring. Believers slowly wander along it, silently or very quietly reading a prayer. A fascinating sight for those who do not pray. People seem to be in a slight or not so slight trance.
What do those praying read? “O Mother of God, Virgin, rejoice. Gracious Mary, the Lord is with You. Blessed are You among women and blessed is the Fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.”

In September 1927, the Diveyevo Monastery was closed, the sisters were sent to camps and settlements. Apartments were built in the monastery buildings and institutions were located.
Holy Groove over the years Soviet power suffered greatly and was even partially destroyed. But even during the years of persecution of the church, believers came to pray at Kanavka.
The revival of the monastery began in the late 80s of the 20th century, when the church was allowed to solemnly celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. In 1989, the Holy Trinity Church was returned to the church. And in the summer of 1991, the relics of Seraphim of Sarov were transferred to the monastery. Then for many years, almost until the end of the 2000s, Kanavka was restored.

And in conclusion, I want to voice the words of the Diveyevo priest, Priest Pavel Pavlikov: “It is known that in childhood a person feels and perceives in a special way the world. Over the years, your worldview changes and the unforgettable pictures of your childhood leave you forever. What was so pleasing and comforting then is no longer pleasing or consoling now. But when you walk along the Canal of the Most Holy Theotokos, childhood impressions return to your heart - not memories, but impressions. It's like you become a child again. The smell of flowers, earth, grass, dew - everything is perceived as childish. And this brings such joy to my soul - quiet, subtle. And I want this feeling to last longer, so that the soul comes to life and is comforted."*

For myself, I answered why people go and go to Diveevo. A person always expects a miracle - happiness, love, protection, healing, prosperity, mental peace and tranquility. If you believe those who come here every year for many years in a row (and there are a lot of such people!), then people find it here.

What to visit in Diveevo? Sights of Diveevo and the surrounding area:

Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery:

Holy Canal of the Queen of Heaven
Trinity Cathedral
Kazan Church
Transfiguration Cathedral
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
Bell tower
Chapel in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov
Mechanical water pump with a chapel
Refectory Church in the name of St. Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky
House of Galaktionovs
Dolgintseva's house

Larch of Tsarevich Alexei

Source in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God Tenderness
Source of St. Panteleimon
Kazan source
Source of St. Alexandra Diveevskaya
Source in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God

Source of Seraphim of Sarov
1. For believers: I have already written above about the prayer that is read on Kanavka 150 times (an icon with this prayer can be bought at the monastery).
2. For motorists, free parking is available on the territory of the monastery. Feel free to drive up to the barrier. They will let you through.
3. For those who take pictures: photography is possible with a blessing, but we also took pictures without it. The main thing when taking photographs is to be invisible, behave modestly and not provocatively, and you will not be noticed. Many people take pictures from the monastery, I saw it myself.
4. Girls and women: take scarves and skirts with you, regardless of age. Without them, you can simply be rudely escorted out of the temple, even if you are a 2-year-old girl.
5. There are several churches, shrines and holy springs in Diveevo. If you want to visit and see everything, then plan a trip for more than one day. For a quick acquaintance with the monastery, 4 hours is enough.
6. Venerate the relics of Seraphim of Sarov in the Trinity Cathedral. How to venerate relics correctly? Two bows, kissed, another bow.
7. Don’t forget to stop by the spring of Seraphim of Sarov (14 km from Diveevo), get some holy water, and take a swim. For swimming, women need to take with them nightgown. If you don’t have it with you, you can buy it inexpensively on the spot.
8. For those looking for cheap private accommodation: look in the group

Dear brothers and sisters!

From the bottom of my heart I share with you my experience as a pilgrim of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery.
I am doing this solely so that you do not repeat the mistakes that I made and that most townspeople unconsciously make when going on a pilgrimage trip to Diveevo for the first time.

Mistake 1. “Chatting on the road is not a sin”

Having boarded the bus, we, as a rule, begin to make noise and talk about everyday topics with a fellow traveler.
Resist this if you can.

The main thing you need on the way is to tune your heart into a meek and benevolent mood, otherwise you are unlikely to be well aware of what you are going for. To make this happen, do 3 important things on the road.

1. PRAY. But pray as much as you can so that you understand the meaning of the prayer. When your consciousness begins to fail you and you feel very tired, close your eyes and try to sleep. There, in Diveyevo, you will have to sleep little and work a lot, so save up your strength on the way.

2. AVOID ROAD CHAT. A pilgrim is not a tourist, hence the difference in behavior. “Sweet road chatter” knocks an unprepared pilgrim out of the right mood of the soul, remember this the whole way. Therefore, you can remain silent - be silent.

3. Before your trip, ask yourself the MAIN QUESTION: “Why, exactly, am I going to Diveevo and what exactly do I want to get there?” Ask for something? Give thanks? Receive a blessing? Get better? It will be better if, to begin with, you set yourself ONLY ONE task, making it the goal of your pilgrimage (otherwise, in Diveyevo you will fuss too much, scattering yourself on other things).

Error 2. “Who is Seraphim, I will find out tomorrow...”

If you are traveling to Diveevo for the first time and have not had time to read books about the life and exploits of St. Seraphim, quietly approach the leader of your group and ask him to tell you about Father Seraphim along the way. Your request will not be denied.

At the moment of the story, set your heart to the positive - the life of Seraphim of Sarov is so pure and amazing that you will quickly feel trust and love for him.

Try to “establish a personal connection” with the saint BEFORE you come to visit him and then, most likely, he will receive you with great attention.

Error 3. “Meat in your bag, cigarettes in your pocket...”

If you were unable to fast this week before your trip to Diveevo, do at least the little that you are able to do now: give up meat, dairy and cigarettes for the duration of the trip. A stomach full of heavy food interferes with spiritual work.

Give preference to light foods, vegetables or fruits. If you have already filled your bag with meat, put it all out BEFORE boarding the bus so that there is no temptation.

During your trip, also give up the habit of drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and wearing lipstick or eye makeup. There, in Diveyevo, no one cares about what you look like, so just bear with this matter until you get home. Your conscious refusal bad habits explain to yourself as “a small feat in the name of St. Seraphim” (who, by the way, also did not smoke, did not eat meat and, of course, did not wear lipstick...).

Mistake 4. “I’m not sure I can…”

Arriving at the holy spring of Seraphim, you can often hear: “Oh, the water is cold, I’m not sure I can plunge 3 times, and even “with my head”.”

Thoughts are material, so you shouldn’t say such words out loud! Then you definitely can.
The source you come to heals even very severe illnesses, which is why people come to it from all over the world. And it’s just a miracle that you have the opportunity to get there!

Here are a few useful tips.

1. Before swimming, ask senior group explain exactly how to bathe, how to fold your hands correctly and what to say.

2. Arrange in advance with someone so that when you get out of the water they will give you a hand - it often happens that after swimming a person comes out without remembering himself.

3. Near the holy spring there is an icon of St. Seraphim: before bathing, go up to it and “whisper” with the priest. Ask him for strength and determination.

Before going down to the water, say: “Lord, help!” (or: “Father Seraphim, help!”) and go down into the water, opening your heart to the miracle of healing, and not to the fear of getting your head wet.

4. When you enter waist-deep water, do not stand in uncertainty - this will only make you colder - gather your courage and quickly take a plunge! The first dive will take your breath away, but this is normal and no one has died from it. Therefore, you will not die either. Let me remind you, let someone give you a hand when you get out of the water.

3 minutes after bathing, you will feel your body filling with heat. And it’s no longer cold, but hot and joyful.

For vain people with a high degree of pride, such bathing is especially useful, I know this from myself.

Mistake 5. “I want everything at once”

The main bustle usually begins when you find yourself on the territory of the crowded Diveyevo Monastery.
The most difficult thing here is not to succumb to this fuss and not to fall into judgment of other people who, perhaps, are not doing something the way you would like. The temptation to condemn is great here - after all, people like us, people who came from big cities, are scurrying around... Here are some good tips.

1. DO NOT join three lines at once (one for the relics of Seraphim, the other for candles, the third for a sightseeing tour), otherwise you will again knock your heart out of the right mood. First, buy candles and give notes, and then get in line to see the relics. Then you won’t have to run back and forth, agreeing in line that “You were standing here.”

2. If you have not prepared memorial notes (“about health”, “about repose”) BEFORE departure, you can do this on the bus, on the way to Diveevo. In this case, you will have more time to remember everyone you would like to remember. If you fill out notes at the Temple, the crowd of people will interfere with your concentration and you will definitely forget to remember someone.

3. It will be very appropriate if, along with your memorial notes, you order a thanksgiving prayer service to St. Seraphim on your behalf - this will be a form of your personal gratitude to the holy elder.

4. It is best to leave the purchase of souvenirs for your family until the day of departure. There, in Diveevo, the Monk Seraphim invisibly helps people do everything that is required.

Error 6. “On the dangers of Stakhanovism”

Many people think that the more things they do in Diveyevo, the more candles they buy and the more they bathe in the springs (there are several of them in Diveyevo), the more “additional” grace of God they will receive.

In Diveevo I saw a boy who, instead of 3 times, plunged into the springs 10 times in a row, and I saw a lady who kissed indiscriminately all the icons in the Murom Church (not noticing among them the picture of the Last Judgment with the evil spirit in the center). The result is that the boy began to sneeze on the way home, and the lady who kissed the icons came home very upset, having learned that she had kissed the evil spirit.

Do not take the number of purchased candles, bows or icons: go to those icons that you know, the prayers of which your heart responds to.

Finally, I will share with you, brothers and sisters, some information that may be useful to you.

About communion and confession in Diveevo

As Moscow clergy told me, communion and confession in Diveyevo are not a mandatory (but desirable) Christian sacrament.

Considering that especially many pilgrims always come to Diveyevo on weekends and that the services there are crowded, you will not commit a sin if you transfer confession and communion to the church where you usually go in your hometown. (Or decide to simply confess in Diveyevo, without communion).

In addition, Diveevo has long had a problem associated with a shortage of clergy. Therefore, on Sundays and holidays, 4-5 clergy are simply not able to accept all those suffering from confession and communion (I note that, despite the huge number of people, the priests always “accept without queue” nuns of the local monastery for confession, so the chances of getting to confession are and your communion service on weekends is clearly small).

If you are determined to go to confession and communion in Diveevo (which means that you fasted, read prayers in the morning and evening, cleansed your soul from sins with the help of repentance, have recently refrained from insults, condemnation, etc.), be prepared for the fact that you will have to serve in front of a VERY large crowd of people, in a stuffy and cramped environment. About 2-3 hours, no less.

This is probably worth thinking about for those who have heart or leg problems. In this case, do not forget to put quick-acting medications in your pocket in advance.

To give all pilgrims the opportunity to confess and not freak out about the waiting time, you should mentally think through everything you want to say in confession in advance while you are standing in line. And, of course, prefer prayer to chatter! When you come to the service, stay as close as possible to the choir or the right wing of the Temple - there is always a priest there, ready to listen to your repentance.

If you are not a very experienced Christian in the matter of confession, do not be angry for the following advice, which I give you, having previously made a lot of mistakes on the same thing...

The confessor should bring to confession not a list of sins, but a sincerely repentant feeling, not a detailed story about his life, but a contrite heart. Knowing your sins does not mean repenting of them. Therefore, do not strive to only list your sins during confession, try to relive them again and repent of them - this is the essence of confession.

Sins are usually remembered starting from the age of 7 (experienced people say that we usually discount them, considering them trifles).

To make this big job easier, you can use a piece of paper on which (even if on the way to Diveevo!) you can write down all your ugly thoughts and actions that you would like to talk about. You should not write general phrases like “pride”; it is worth remembering specific situations in which you showed this very “pride”. You also cannot turn confession into condemnation of your family and friends (such as: “My husband is a drunkard, my son is an atheist...”). When you stand before your confessor, you need to make sure that the confession is without false shame and excuses. When the sin you describe becomes disgusting to you and you feel repentance, the goal of your confession has been achieved. You can also give this piece of paper to a clergyman to read. But remember that only by talking about sin personally, you can approach repentance through shame. Therefore, you should not look for “easy ways” in this case.

If you plan to walk along the Kanavka, also obtain permission from this priest to purchase rosary beads - they will help you keep track of your prayers (see “About the Kanavka” below).

About the holy relics of St. Seraphim

If you are traveling to Diveevo for the weekend, most likely there will be a long line to see the relics of the Saint. Stand in the back and don’t run around the church shops.

Having taken a turn to see the relics of Father Seraphim, DO NOT CHAT in line, but rather read the prayer book, or even better, the Akathist to Seraphim. (Akathist can be bought at any local store.)

Remember that with your idle talk you will interfere with the prayers of others, and you yourself will not be able to tune in to the proper mood.

Take time to think about how best to behave at the relics: whether to ask for something, or simply to thank (which is better, but, alas, is used less often).

And in either case, concentrate your thought - there, at the coffin, you will be given no more than 1 minute!
You can add something especially dear to you to the coffin of St. Seraphim: it is believed that Seraphim blesses everything that you put on it.

About Kanavka

They say that while walking along the Kanavka, everyone should read the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice!” 150 times.

Before you ascend Kanavka, purchase long rosaries (they are sold in local shops) - this will make it easier for you to count your prayers. Just don’t forget to get permission from the clergyman to purchase rosary beads first!

The soil from Kanavka is healing. Therefore, it will be good if you take a handful of healing earth home. Do all this intelligently: stock up on a plastic bag in advance and collect soil at the end of the Ditch, in a specially designated place that you will definitely see there. Do not dig up the Ditch in other places, this is prohibited.

About Murom

On the way back you will pass during the day through Murom - a small Russian town with a rather interesting history and the overly monumental Ilya Muromets by the river.

You will definitely be taken to local temples, which they will tell you about along the way.

I advise you to pay special attention to the relics of Saints Peter and Fevronya - the main patrons of all families. If you have problems in your family, place your main bet on these saints. Their relics rest in Women's Monastery.

I don’t know what you will do, but I personally always break away from a group that wants to embrace the immensity in an hour’s stop, and immediately go “to visit” Peter and Fevronya. In order for the prayer at the relics to be sincere and fervent, to have time to calmly, without nerves, stand in line in order to submit the services (notes), to be able to sit on a bench after all this and calmly read the Akathist to these saints, you must have enough time. So choose for yourself whether to turn a stop in Murom into an excursion race through holy places, or into an application “with feeling, with sense, with arrangement” to the relics of the main patrons of all families.

And lastly

Having been to Diveyevo four times, I realized a thing that was simple to the point of genius: it is impossible to cover EVERYTHING here in one visit. Yes, probably not necessary. Make the trip a joy for your soul. For this I sincerely wish you:

Don't make a fuss on the way
- do not judge your neighbor
- do not indulge in idle talk
- don’t scatter yourself with everything at once
- don't forget about main goal your trip

And may God help you accomplish what you want to do in Diveyevo!

With love to you, Pilgrim Tatiana

The text was approved by the rector of the Church of All Saints, Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov (Moscow)