Vladimir Putin called the Pskov-Caves Monastery “a stronghold of Orthodoxy”

One of the largest and most famous monasteries in Russia, the Pskov-Pechersk monastery, on August 28, on the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, celebrated its 550th anniversary. On the patronal feast of the monastery, the Divine Liturgy was held there, and thousands of pilgrims took part in the procession around its walls.

Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov, Hieroarchimandrite and hegumen of the Assumption Pskov-Caves Monastery Tikhon (Shevkunov), in his sermon, gave an important place to the glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos, and also, using the example of the comprehension of great mathematical discoveries by people studying this science, recalled that communion gives a person to God. “People who enter the spiritual life discover amazing things about themselves,” he said. For example, according to him, “death, which for the whole world seems to be the end of life,” turns out to be only the beginning. And a person who is able to open “spiritual hearing” can affect the lives of other people. At the end of his speech, the Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov added that “many congratulations” had come in honor of the monastery’s anniversary.

Russian President Vladimir Putin did not personally visit the monastery (he had a meeting with Acting Head of the Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko on his schedule), but sent his congratulations, which were read out by the Governor of the Pskov Region Mikhail Vedernikov. “For many centuries, the monastery has been a stronghold of Orthodoxy and church enlightenment, a true pearl of Russian and world architecture,” Putin said. He “was a witness and participant in important, truly fateful events in our history,” and also “kept the color of faith even in the most difficult years for the monastery,” he summed up.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Kirill noted the Pskov-Caves Monastery as “a place of attraction for thousands of pilgrims” from different parts of the country. Warm memories from the patriarch’s own childhood are connected with this monastery – “about the annual visits made with parents to God-given caves, about lengthy monastic services, about meetings with spirit-bearing elders.” He added that “the example of their personal piety and reverence, love for the Lord and for people” inspired him to choose a life path. “For more than five centuries, prayers have been raised here unceasingly, day and night, for our Fatherland and for every Christian soul who requires God’s mercy and help,” Metropolitan Tikhon voiced the congratulations of Patriarch Kirill.

Political scientist, specialist in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexei Makarkin connects such a high interest of high-ranking secular and clergy in the anniversary of the Pskov-Caves Monastery not only with the importance of the place of the monastery in history, but also with the figure of Tikhon. According to Makarkin, the metropolitan is known for his long acquaintance with the president and “his serious political influence.” Unlike other church leaders, he not only conducts internal church and charitable work, but also actively promotes historical concepts important for patriotic education, organizing exhibitions in a modern multimedia form (historical parks “Russia – My History”), publishing books, etc. ., said Makarkin. All the exhibitions organized by Tikhon – “Rurikovichi”, “Romanovs”, etc. – convey the idea “about the continuity of history, about the need to remember the great traditions of the past, about the role of Orthodoxy in Russian and Russian history, but at the same time we must remember the Great Patriotic War war, the positive aspects of the Soviet Union,” added Makarkin.

The Pskov-Caves Monastery, located on the westernmost border of Russia in the city of Pechory, 50 km west of Pskov, is the only monastery in the country that has never closed, while by the end of the 1920s. all the monasteries in the USSR stopped their work. According to Makarkin, the monastery in Pechory was previously located within the boundaries of Estonia that declared independence, therefore it was not closed. Thus, a continuous spiritual and monastic tradition was preserved there, and from the 50s. eldership became popular. Pilgrims from Russia and other countries came to Archimandrite John (Krestyankin), Archimandrite Adrian (Kirsanov), Archimandrite Seraphim (Rozenberg), etc.

“The Pskov-Pechersk Lavra is a discovery of the 1990s, thanks in large part to the well-known book by Bishop Tikhon [«Несвятые святые» и другие рассказы»]”, – Sergey Gavrilov, a State Duma deputy from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, coordinator of the inter-factional deputy group for the protection of Christian values, told Vedomosti. The leadership of the Pskov Metropolis, represented by Bishop Tikhon, implemented a plan to save the “architectural and cultural pearl.” In addition, according to Gavrilov, after the sanctions imposed on Russian pilgrims in Europe, in particular in Greece, the number of visitors to the Pskov-Caves Monastery has increased dramatically.

For the preparation of objects and restoration work in Pechory and the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery for the anniversary, 2 billion rubles were allocated from budgets of all levels, Vedomosti wrote earlier. Saint Petersburg”. As reported, frescoes, cobblestone pavements, a platform and granite paving stones, a descent to the Assumption Cathedral, facades, and landscaping should have been put in order.