The Assumption Princess Monastery in Vladimir is an Orthodox convent founded at the beginning of the 13th century and is still active today convent Vladimir and Suzdal diocese. The white-stone Assumption Cathedral of the monastery is an architectural monument included in the list of objects of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.
Princess's monastery
XII century... The time of rapid prosperity of Vladimir, a city that at that time was not only the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, but also the main city of all north-eastern Rus'. The prosperity of the capital of the principality is associated with the name of Prince Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest, who headed the Vladimir principality in 1176. Thanks to Prince Vsevolod, the capital of the principality was decorated with many architectural monuments that have survived to this day - the Assumption and Demetrius Cathedrals, the Mother of God Nativity Monastery.
But a special place in this list is occupied by the Dormition Princess Monastery, founded by the first wife of Vsevolod the Big Nest, Maria Shvarnovna (daughter of the Czech Prince Shvarn). According to the chronicles, in 1197, after the birth of her youngest son Ivan (in the future, the appanage prince of Starodub), the pious and wise princess became very ill, so she vowed to found a maiden monastery in Vladimir. Yielding to the urgent requests of his wife, Vsevolod Yuryevich allocated an undeveloped area in the northwestern part of the city, and in 1200 a new monastery was founded and dedicated to the Feast of the Assumption Holy Mother of God. And soon after its founding, the monastery received a second name - Princess, which it retained many centuries later.
The princess was under the care of the nunnery, so in the same year, 1200, the construction of the majestic Assumption Cathedral, the main monastery church, was begun in the new monastery, completed in 1202. In addition to the cathedral, the monastery received cells for the abbess and nuns, and outbuildings. And three years after the consecration of the cathedral church, Princess Maria Shvarnovna, feeling her death was imminent, took monastic vows with the name Martha and retired to the Assumption monastery she founded, where after her death she was buried in the Annunciation chapel, built on the northern porch. Since then, the Assumption Princess Monastery has become the family tomb of the princesses, sisters and daughters of the princely Vladimir family, and the most famous burials were the graves of Princess Anna’s sister, both wives of Prince Alexander Nevsky (Alexandra and Vassa), who was Maria Shvarnovna’s grandson, and his daughter Evdokia.
In 1230, in memory of his mother, Prince Yuri (George) Vsevolodovich of Vladimir brought the relics of the holy martyr Abraham of Bulgaria to the Assumption Monastery from the Bulgarian campaign and installed them in the Annunciation chapel. The relics rested there until 1711, when they were solemnly transferred to the main chapel of the cathedral and placed in a new richly decorated reliquary.
Soon after its founding, the Princess Monastery became the richest and most famous women's monastery in Rus', and its nuns became a model of piety and obedience. Life in the well-maintained and well-decorated Princess Nunnery monastery flowed slowly and measuredly, but the thick walls of the monastery could not protect the nuns from the storms of life. In February 1238, after an eight-day siege, Batu’s Tatar army broke into the city and the monastery located near the Golden Gate was plundered and almost completely burned, but was soon completely restored.
More than once the Assumption Monastery was completely destroyed, but each time, like the mythical Phoenix bird, it was reborn from the ashes. But after the largest-scale defeat perpetrated by the horde of the Tatar prince Talych in 1411, life in the Princess’s monastery froze for a whole century. The monastery was revived only at the beginning of the 16th century, when a new brick church was built on the foundation of the destroyed Assumption Cathedral, following its example. The cathedral, built in the style of early Moscow architecture, became the decoration of the monastery. An unknown architect surrounded the facades of its massive quadrangle with three high apses with a gallery, completed it with zakomaras, framed the base of the light drum with tiers of kokoshniks and crowned it with a powerful helmet-shaped head with a cross on an apple. No information has been preserved about the interior decoration of the cathedral from those years, but it can be assumed that it was quite luxuriously decorated with icons and church utensils.
Documents from the 16th century contain written references to another monastery warm church, consecrated in the name of John Chrysostom, but nothing more is known about its further fate until the 19th century.
In the middle of the 16th century, a tradition arose of presenting letters of grant to the maiden monastery. For example, Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible not only granted land to the Princess's monastery, but also personally took care of the improvement of the monastery, and during the years of his reign, the queen's mansion was equipped in the monastery, for the maintenance of which the Vladimir governor was personally responsible. Royal guests periodically appeared in the mansions - the daughter-in-law of John IV Vasilyevich (wife of Tsarevich Ivan), Theodosia (in some sources - Pelageya) Mikhailovna and Ksenia (daughter of Tsar Boris Godunov).
In the 1540-1550s, when Patriarch Joseph of Moscow and All Rus' was the head of the Church, the nunnery began to be improved. Thanks to the personal donations of Patriarch Joseph, a new iconostasis was built in the Assumption Cathedral of the monastery, icons were painted, priestly vestments and church vessels were purchased for divine services, and the sacristy was replenished with rich utensils. The patriarch also donated for the repair of monastery buildings - the roofs of all the churches were covered, the walls were decorated with paintings, a bell tower was built, for which two evangelistic bells were purchased especially, and the entire complex of monastery buildings was surrounded by a fence. Apparently, at the same time a school of gold embroidery was created in the monastery, which existed until the abolition of the monastery at the beginning of the last century.
About the fate of the monastery in the 17th-19th centuries
With the death of Ivan the Terrible, the era of Rurik rule ended and the Russian kingdom was swallowed up by the Troubles - a cruel and bloody time that brought many troubles and suffering. Lithuanian and Polish invaders, scouring the vast Russian expanses in search of easy money, could not ignore the nunnery - the Princess's monastery was plundered and life in it died out for many decades.
But already the first Romanov sovereigns, Mikhail Fedorovich and Alexei Mikhailovich, not only began the gradual revival of the nunnery, but also continued the tradition of gifting the monastery with letters of grant. The new kings made rich contributions to the monastery sacristy and donated large sums to maintain churches and buildings in proper condition. So, in 1647-1648, the Assumption Cathedral was decorated - a team of craftsmen under the leadership of the famous Moscow isographer Mark Matveev painted all the walls and vaults with fresco paintings of Gospel scenes, and in 1665 the Nativity chapel was added to the cathedral.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the Dormition Princess Monastery was one of the most comfortable convents for women, its nuns did not need anything - the vast lands and patrimonial villages provided a good income, and generous donors helped maintain the buildings of the monastery ensemble in order.
Information for visitors
- The Assumption Princess Monastery is open to pilgrims and tourists every day from 8.00 to 20.00. Every day, on Sundays and holidays, divine services are held in the monastery’s churches and church services are performed.
- For everyone, daily from 11.00 to 17.00 the monastery conducts excursions, which can be ordered by calling the number listed on the official website of the monastery.
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 foundation 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 in honor of 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. Special, extraordinary beauty The artistic composition “The Last Judgment” is different.
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!
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 great princes, 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. Feeling 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 since then the Princess Monastery has 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 revere the holy princess, pray to her and receive help from her.
Grand Duchess Maria was glorified in 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 on Holy Mount Athos, in the monastery righteous Anna, the icon of the great martyr and healer Panteleimon was painted. 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. Now 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."
