Sviyazhsk Monastery
High place
A space along the eastern wall of the altar, opposite the altar table. In some churches, a raised throne for the bishop is placed here, with benches or seats for the priests on either side, slightly lower. During services, the bishop seated on the High Place symbolizes Christ, and the priests around him symbolize the apostles. At all other times, this space also signifies the mysterious presence of God and is especially revered. If the High Place in a church is not decorated with a raised throne for the bishop, a lamp or tall candlestick is always placed here. An altarpiece, usually depicting the Risen Savior, is placed on the wall above the High Place.
The Shroud of the Virgin Mary
A rectangular shroud with an image of the Deceased Virgin Mary. Traditionally, it is placed in the center of the church during the festal matins of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Shrouds can be embroidered (made on thick, dense fabric, most often velvet). Painted shrouds are also common (they are essentially icons of the deceased Mother of God). Another common option is a fabric shroud with a handwritten or printed image sewn onto it. In the center of the shroud is an image of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, resting on her deathbed. The image is bordered by an inscription—the text of the troparion for the Feast of the Dormition in Church Slavonic—as well as ornamentation. A shroud with an image of the Mother of God symbolizes the Most Pure Virgin Mary herself. Believers treat it with great reverence, giving the image the honor that belongs to the Prototype.
A brick refectory was added to the western wall of the Dormition Cathedral of the Sviyazhsk Monastery in the 17th century. This was done because the growing monastic community needed new space.
Throne
Typically a square table on four legs, about a meter high. 2 It is made of wood or stone and is dressed in two garments: a lower one of linen (symbolically representing the burial shroud of Jesus Christ) wrapped in rope, and an upper one of brocade (as a reminder of the Lord's ceremonial attire as the King of Glory).The altar contains the antimension, the Gospel, the altar cross (usually two), the tabernacle, and the lampada. In cathedrals and large churches, a ciborium (a canopy in the form of a dome with a cross) is installed above the altar.Only clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) have the right to touch the altar.
Eve
This is a rectangular candlestick with multiple sockets for candles, usually in the form of a table, with a small crucifix on it, on which candles for the repose of the soul are placed, and offerings for the remembrance of the departed (kutia, food).It is usually placed against one of the walls of the church, near the Golgotha (the large church crucifix) and the table adapted for placing memorial offerings. On Radonitsa, on Parents' Saturdays, during large memorial services and other days of special remembrance, the kanun stands in the center of the church, in front of the central lectern.Memorial tables can have various shapes and designs (from a simple pedestal to an elegant table). They can be made of wood or metal. But they all have in common a rectangular surface with openings for candles (sometimes candles are placed in a bowl of sand). Usually the eve is crowned with a small crucifix with the attendants.
Assumption Cathedral
This white-stone cathedral, built on a basement between 1556 and 1560 by Pskov craftsmen, is a four-pillar, three-apse, single-domed church, originally with an octagonal roof.In the 17th century, a brick refectory was added to the cathedral's western wall. In the first half of the 18th century, its facades partially acquired the architectural forms of Russian Baroque.The interior of the cathedral retains unique frescoes from the second half of the 16th century, occupying over 1,000 square meters. The dome of the cathedral contains the composition "Fatherland," the altar contains "The Dormition of the Mother of God," and the only crowned image of Ivan the Terrible in Russia.In 2017, the Dormition Cathedral was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Gate Church of the Ascension of the Lord
The church was built in the late 17th and early 18th centuries on the site of the former wooden Borisoglebsk Church, erected over the Holy Gates of the monastery fence. At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, it was dismantled and replaced with a stone church dedicated to the Ascension of Christ. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord was built on the second floor.In the 1930s, the church was destroyed. Only the lower tier with the gates and fragments of the exterior wall paintings remained.In 2014–2015, the church was restored, and its re-consecration took place on July 18, 2015.
The bell tower of the St. Nicholas Refectory Church
A four-tiered structure, 43 meters high, it towers over the eastern façade of the church, built in 1556.The bell tower was added to the church in the early 17th century, and at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, it was significantly expanded, at which time the building's decor was altered in the Naryshkin style.In the early 1920s, the bell tower was closed, its dome broken, but it was reconsecrated in the 1990s. 5Legends say that an underground passage led from the lower tier of the bell tower to Lake Shchuchye.
Stasidia (from the Greek "stasidia" - bench)
In the Greek Orthodox tradition, a church chair with a folding seat that creates a small standing area.They are common in churches in Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia.Traditional stasidia are high-backed chairs with folding seats and double armrests (for sitting and standing). They can be made in a row, with the stasidia separated by armrests.A stasidia can be used for sitting or leaning against (semi-sitting), depending on the time of the service.In Russia, stasidia are very rare in parish churches; their role is instead taken by wall pews or benches. Sometimes they are installed in monastery churches, for example, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
Lectern
A tall, rectangular table with a sloping top.The central lectern stands in the center of the church in front of the iconostasis. It holds either a festal icon, an icon corresponding to the dedication of the chapel, or a calendar of saints (an icon case with alternating inserts of icons of all the saints and permanent feasts).
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
The oldest building on the grounds of the Holy Dormition Sviyazhsk Monastery. The white-stone, two-story church with a refectory was built in 1555–1556 by Pskov craftsmen. It is a rare type of bell-tower church with a massive tower on a monolithic foundation. Next to the church, a three-tiered bell tower, 43 meters high, was erected—this is the tallest building in Sviyazhsk. The church still contains the ancient cell of St. Herman, which still housed his belongings as late as the early 20th century.
Lectern
A tall, rectangular table with a sloping top.The central lectern stands in the center of the church in front of the iconostasis. It holds either a festal icon, an icon corresponding to the dedication of the chapel, or a calendar of saints (a reliquary with alternating inserts of icons of all the saints and permanent feasts).
High place
A space along the eastern wall of the altar, opposite the altar table. In some churches, a raised throne for the bishop is placed here, with benches or seats for the priests on either side, slightly lower. During services, the bishop seated on the High Place symbolizes Christ, and the priests around him symbolize the apostles. At all other times, this space also signifies the mysterious presence of God and is especially revered. If the High Place in a church is not decorated with a raised throne for the bishop, a lamp or tall candlestick is always placed here. An altarpiece, usually depicting the Risen Savior, is placed above the High Place on the wall.
MONASTERY EXCURSIONS
Welcome to Sviyazhsk! The pilgrimage service of the Sviyazhsk Dormition Monastery invites you to visit our holy cloister.
Altar
A table in the altar on which the proskomedia is performed—the sacrifice for the Eucharist, bread and wine, is prepared. It is a table the same height as the altar table, but usually smaller. A crucifix invariably stands on the altar, with a lamp burning before it. In many churches, liturgical vessels are stored on the altar outside of liturgical times. Currently, the altar is placed against the north wall of the altar to the left of the high place, and sometimes in a specially separated part of the altar (also on the left side), called the diaconicon. This is a sacred place in the church; like the altar table, only the clergy may touch it.
Brotherhood refectory
Our monastery has a refectory for pilgrims and tourists. It is located on the first floor of the Archimandrite's Building.
Eve
This is a rectangular candlestick with multiple sockets for candles, usually in the form of a table, with a small crucifix on it, on which candles for the repose of the soul are placed, and offerings for the remembrance of the departed (kutia, food).It is usually placed against one of the walls of the church, near the Golgotha (the large church crucifix) and the table adapted for placing memorial offerings. On Radonitsa, on Parents' Saturdays, during large memorial services and other days of special remembrance, the kanun stands in the center of the church, in front of the central lectern.Memorial tables can have various shapes and designs (from a simple pedestal to an elegant table). They can be made of wood or metal. But they all have in common a rectangular surface with openings for candles (sometimes candles are placed in a bowl of sand). The eve is usually crowned with a small crucifixion with the attendants.
Brotherhood Corps
Three two-story buildings are attached to each other. The Church of Saints Herman of Kazan and Mitrofan of Voronezh adjoins it on the eastern side.The building is the largest structure in the urban development of Sviyazhsk and the ensemble of the Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God.Over the course of its history, the building has undergone seven reconstructions, significantly altering its original appearance. In the 1930s, the building was adapted for use as a Gulag prison, and from the 1940s to the 1990s, it served as a psychiatric hospital. In 1993, the psychiatric hospital closed, and in 1997, the Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God was reopened. In 2010, the fraternal building was restored by KAMAZ OJSC as part of a program run by the Republican Foundation for the Revival of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Republic of Tatarstan. The two- and three-story sections of the building received a roof, and the walls, ceilings, and floors of all interior spaces were restored. In 2021, the building was equipped with a gas boiler house, which will provide heat, and plumbing, electrical, and telephone lines were installed.
Saint Herman's Spring
According to legend, Saint Herman himself discovered the aquifer and dug a well. The well was one of the most famous springs in the Kazan Diocese, and there were stories of healings from its water. In 1913, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna visited the Sviyazhsk Monastery and also drank holy water from the well. In the 1950s, the water at the holy site began to dry up due to changes in the groundwater level. Over time, the monastery buildings, which had been improperly used during the Soviet era, were connected to the water supply system, and the spring, which had dried up by then, was covered with earth. In May 2023, the spring was re-equipped at the site chosen in the 16th century by Saint Herman, with the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan and with the support of the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
The throne is consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord.
Consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord. It is usually a square table on four legs, about a meter high. 2 It is made of wood or stone and is dressed in two garments: a lower one made of linen (symbolically representing the burial shroud of Jesus Christ), wrapped in rope, and an upper one made of brocade (as a reminder of the ceremonial attire of the Lord as the King of Glory).The altar contains: the antimension, the Gospel, the altar cross (usually two), the tabernacle, and the lampada. In cathedrals and large churches, a ciborium (a canopy in the form of a dome with a cross) is installed above the altar.Only clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) have the right to touch the altar.
The Golgotha Cross
It is installed in virtually every Russian Orthodox church. Typically, the Golgotha cross is a composition: the cross itself, mounted on a symbolic pedestal in the shape of a truncated cone. This pedestal represents Mount Golgotha, where Christ was crucified. A human skull is depicted on it—the head of the forefather Adam. The composition is often complemented by figures of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Apostle John the Theologian, standing before the Crucifixion. A kanun (funeral candlestick) is traditionally placed before the Golgotha cross. Gazing at the crucified Christ, believers pray for the departed.
Throne
Consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It is usually a square table on four legs, about a meter high. 2 It is made of wood or stone and is dressed in two garments: a lower one made of linen (symbolically representing the burial shroud of Jesus Christ), wrapped in rope, and an upper one made of brocade (as a reminder of the Lord's ceremonial attire as the King of Glory).The altar contains: the antimension, the Gospel, the altar cross (usually two), the tabernacle, and the lampada. In cathedrals and large churches, a ciborium (a canopy in the form of a dome with a cross) is installed above the altar.Only clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) have the right to touch the altar.
Cell of Saint Herman
It is located in the lower part of the Church of St. Nicholas in the Sviyazhsk Dormition Monastery.In 2023, the cell was renovated to recreate an atmosphere appropriate to the era and the prayerful spirit. A simple trestle bed, a special torch-shaped lamp, and an lectern similar to the one before which the saint prayed were created. The furnishings include copies of old books and clay pottery, which is housed in a recessed stone niche. An icon with a lamp can be seen in the upper corner.It is believed that St. Herman's cell icon was the icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness." It has been preserved and is housed in the Kazan Museum of Fine Arts. An exact copy has been made of it, both in terms of painting and size.The cell of Saint Herman was the main pilgrimage site in Sviyazhsk, and miracles of healing often occurred there.
Museum of the History of the Sviyazhsk Dormition Monastery
Located on the first floor of St. Nicholas Church in the stone chambers built by Pskov craftsmen under the direction of Postnik Yakovlev in 1556. 1The exhibition consists of three sections:"Spiritual Foundations of Christianity. History of the Church." "History of Christianity in the Volga Region. History of the Sviyazhsk Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God." "Frescoes of the Dormition Cathedral."
HIGH PLACE
A space along the eastern wall of the altar, opposite the altar table. In some churches, a raised throne for the bishop is placed here, with benches or seats for the priests on either side, slightly lower. During services, the bishop seated on the High Place symbolizes Christ, and the priests around him symbolize the apostles. At all other times, this space also signifies the mysterious presence of God and is especially revered. If the High Place in a church is not decorated with a raised throne for the bishop, a lamp or tall candlestick is always placed here. An altarpiece, usually depicting the Risen Savior, is placed on the wall above the High Place.
Eve
A rectangular candlestick with multiple candle sockets, usually in the form of a table, with a small crucifix on it, on which candles for the repose of the soul are placed and offerings for the repose of the soul (kutia, food).It is usually placed against one of the church walls, near the Golgotha (the large church crucifix) and the table adapted for placing memorial offerings. On Radonitsa, on Parents' Saturdays, during large memorial services and other days of special remembrance, the kanun stands in the center of the church, in front of the central lectern.Memorial tables can have various shapes and designs (from a simple pedestal to an elegant table). They can be made of wood or metal. But they all have in common a rectangular surface with openings for candles (sometimes candles are placed in a bowl of sand). Usually the eve is crowned with a small crucifix with the attendants.
The relics of Saint Herman, Archbishop of Kazan and Sviyazhsk
Initially, they were buried in Moscow at the Church of St. Nicholas the Wet.In 1592, at the request of the residents of Sviyazhsk, the relics were transferred to the Assumption Monastery in Sviyazhsk. In 1714, they were moved from the altar to the center of the church, where they remained until the closure of the Sviyazhsk Monastery in 1918.After this, the relics of St. Herman disappeared, but particles survived. In 2000, a particle of the relics of St. Herman was discovered under the altar of the Kazan Cemetery Church of the Yaroslavl Miracle Workers.This particle is now divided into two parts: one is in the Kazan St. John the Baptist Monastery, and the other is in the Assumption Cathedral of the Sviyazhsk Monastery.Also, a particle of the relics of Saint Herman is in the Resurrection-Herman Church in Ulyanovsk..
Stasidia (from the Greek "stasidia" - bench)
In the Greek Orthodox tradition, a church chair with a folding seat that creates a small standing area.They are common in churches in Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia.Traditional stasidia are high-backed chairs with folding seats and double armrests (for sitting and standing). They can be made in a row, with the stasidia separated by armrests.A stasidia can be used for sitting or leaning against (semi-sitting), depending on the time of the service.In Russia, stasidia are very rare in parish churches; their role is instead taken by wall pews or benches. Sometimes they are installed in monastery churches, for example, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
Altar
A table in the altar on which the proskomedia is performed—the sacrifice for the Eucharist, bread and wine, is prepared. It is a table the same height as the altar table, but usually smaller. A crucifix invariably stands on the altar, with a lamp burning before it. In many churches, liturgical vessels are stored on the altar outside of liturgical times. Currently, the altar is placed against the north wall of the altar to the left of the high place, and sometimes in a specially separated part of the altar (also on the left side), called the diaconicon. This is a sacred place in the church; like the altar table, only the clergy may touch it.
Church of Saints Herman of Kazan and Mitrofan of Voronezh
A single-altar, three-apse brick church, topped with a domed vault and cupola. It was added to the east side of the two-story cell block in 1799 as a house church for the bishop. It was built in the late 18th century as part of the monastic building of the Dormition Monastery. It was consecrated in December 1799 in the name of Saints Herman of Kazan and Mitrofan of Voronezh. During the 19th century, the church was rebuilt twice. In the mid-19th century, it was painted, and a new three-tiered iconostasis was installed, funded by Mrs. Savrasova. In the early 20th century, it was again renovated through the efforts of the same monastery benefactor.
Lectern
A tall, rectangular table with a sloping top.The central lectern stands in the center of the church in front of the iconostasis. It holds either a festal icon, an icon corresponding to the dedication of the chapel, or a calendar of saints (a reliquary with alternating inserts of icons of all the saints and permanent feasts).
THRONE
Consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.It is usually a square table on four legs, about a meter high. 2 It is made of wood or stone and is dressed in two garments: a lower one made of linen (symbolically representing the burial shroud of Jesus Christ), wrapped in rope, and an upper one made of brocade (as a reminder of the ceremonial attire of the Lord as the King of Glory).On the throne are: the antimension, the Gospel, the altar cross (usually two), the tabernacle, and the lampada. In cathedrals and large churches, a ciborium (a canopy in the form of a dome with a cross) is installed above the throne.Only clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) have the right to touch the throne.
The Golgotha Cross
It's called a Golgotha cross. It's installed in virtually every Russian Orthodox church. Typically, a Golgotha cross is a composition: the cross itself, mounted on a symbolic pedestal in the shape of a truncated cone. This pedestal represents Mount Golgotha, where Christ was crucified. A human skull—the head of our forefather Adam—is depicted on it. The composition is often complemented by figures of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Apostle John the Theologian, standing before the Crucifixion. A kanun (funeral candlestick) is traditionally placed in front of the Golgotha cross. Gazing at the crucified Christ, believers pray for the departed.
Mass grave
There are several burial sites on the grounds of the Sviyazhsk Dormition Monastery: a mass grave of 95 people. In 1995, one of the prisoner burial sites was discovered on Tatarikha Island. Some of the remains (95 people) were reburied on the monastery grounds. That same year, a memorial was erected at the mass grave—a concrete stele with the inscription: "The remains of 95 people killed during the years of repression are buried here." A mass grave near the outer western wall of the Dormition Monastery. In September 2010, while laying utility lines, another mass grave, presumably dating to the 1940s, was discovered. The Sviyazhsk administration decided not to exhume the remains, but to relocate the 1995 reburial site and establish a memorial area on the site. The ceremony for the transfer of the remains took place in September 2011, with a prayer service. On October 30, 2011, a new monument was unveiled at the reburial site—a two-meter-tall white marble stele incorporating prison bars and a hand releasing a dove. Also located behind the Assumption Cathedral, in an open space, is a small monastery cemetery containing burials from various periods.
Stasidia (from the Greek "stasidia" - bench)
In the Greek Orthodox tradition, a church chair with a folding seat that creates a small standing area.They are common in churches in Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia.Traditional stasidia are high-backed chairs with folding seats and double armrests (for sitting and standing). They can be made in a row, with the stasidia separated by armrests.A stasidia can be used for sitting or leaning against (semi-sitting), depending on the time of the service.In Russia, stasidia are very rare in parish churches; their role is often replaced by wall benches or small benches. They are sometimes installed in monastery churches, for example, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
Altar
A table in the altar on which the proskomedia is performed—the sacrifice for the Eucharist, bread and wine, is prepared. It is a table the same height as the altar table, but usually smaller. A crucifix invariably stands on the altar, with a lamp burning before it. In many churches, liturgical vessels are stored on the altar outside of liturgical times. Currently, the altar is placed against the north wall of the altar to the left of the high place, and sometimes in a specially separated part of the altar (also on the left side), called the diaconicon. This is a sacred place in the church; like the altar table, only the clergy may touch it.
Altar
A table in the altar on which the proskomedia is performed—the sacrifice for the Eucharist, bread and wine, is prepared. It is a table the same height as the altar table, but usually smaller. A crucifix invariably stands on the altar, with a lamp burning before it. In many churches, liturgical vessels are stored on the altar outside of liturgical times. Currently, the altar is placed against the north wall of the altar to the left of the high place, and sometimes in a specially separated part of the altar (also on the left side), called the diaconicon. This is a sacred place in the church; like the altar table, only the clergy may touch it.
