Our Village Monastery in Russia – The St. Nicholas Monastery…

The St. Nicholas Monastery boundaries shown above in red subsection located within the village called Sunrise (Dawn) of Freedom in the Sarajevo district of the Ryazan Region (white outline,) was founded in the late 19th century. Before the revolution, it was a female monastery. In 1918, was closed, and gradually over the years of Soviet occupancy it was destroyed…

Reopened in 2007 as a monastery once again and is currently being restored…

I have done the best I could and translated most of what has been written. This was written by a Orthodox priest and it was very hard to decipher at times for me…

In Russia (Soviet Union), a lot of monuments of pre-revolutionary architecture, which for many decades of neglect had led to a very deteriorated condition. In fact they are in a dilapidated condition. It is the duty of present and future generations to return these buildings back to life. Restored churches and monasteries, and renewed in their worship, it can become important tourist attractions and centers of Orthodox Culture in Russia and the places where they are located. This is a special class of monuments, with a special destiny in history and the future…

The Nicholas-Bavykinsky convent in our village also suffered a tragic fate as others in the Soviet times. Several buildings long gone, the remaining buildings, including the tower, are in a dilapidated condition. One of the photos we can see through the eyes of the territory of the modern artist Nicholas Bavykinskogo nunnery in its original form…

Today some experts say that the remaining dilapidated buildings could be saved by conducting restoration work and even these works have been started: make the roof and windows of the altar. This is certainly a drop in the ocean, but still a beginning that can be appreciated. Ryazan Eparchy of Russian Orthodox Church took under his wing the monastery (which is now in the process of transferring ownership of its buildings), and hopes that someday there will be a fully operate the Monastery back in the same spot as the original…

Moreover, the prayer room temporarily resides in a rehabilitated house of village called Dawn of Freedom. Vicar of St. Nicholas Monastery Abbot Bavykinskogo Guri, now resident in this home and conducts daily worship. The brethren of the monastery: monk Clement (Acting Rector of the church in a. Panic), Fr Paul (Acting Rector of the church in a. Sysoev), Fr Peter (the rector of the church with. Fighter, part-time cleric Nicholas Bavykinskogo Monastery) help him not only to conduct religious services, but also on other issues. With the help of a novice monk, Galina, does household care – cleaning, laundry, cooking, and it is directly involved in the acts of worship…

Father Gury said that Galina is a good novice, and she has kept almost everything in the church by a lot of female labor…

Restoration of the monastery – it’s not one year but many years, and it will require a huge expenditure. Unfortunately, there is no money in the monastery treasure. For the money and all assets have been stolen over the years. People, for the preservation of the Orthodox radeyuschih antiquity we have many, and a lot of sacrifice, but sacrifice a lot of money to churches – one. Benefactors may exist for Nicholas Bavykinskogo monastery, but not sure when it will be…

A road to the temple needs a bridge over the river now, so people can at any time get here by normal transport. Road signs have already been acquired for the monastery. Today, people have to make a long detour through the village Borets, a settlement for the fish ponds. For this reason, not many parishioners here it is. Although they come to the monastery, even from other districts, to venerate the icon of the main temple – an icon of St. Nicholas, revered by people of St. George icon, an image which, according to the abbot, was miraculously appear. When the icon was transferred to the monastery, it was all black, and that it is generally an icon, knew her former guardian so reminded…

When was the bridge was over the river, then the people came to worship more, and donations did increase. Diocese allocates funds to a house of worship, helping the Foundation of St. Sergius of Radonezh, but these funds, no matter how hard you try, is not enough. Indeed, even such a small temple still needs great in everything. Yes, and to continue to work at least to restore the roof, the monastery should be clear from the old collapsed debris, so that you can install the new wood. But this, as you know, needs money, as they are needed for the manufacture and design estimates…

To tell the truth, there is no room for eating in the rebuilt home for monks. Father Gury mentioned that supposedly promised to donate the local trailer for this purpose, but they do not hurry to do it. (Trailer has been delivered this summer!)

Abbot, according to Galina novices and local resident Nina Ivanovna Frolova, doing everything to ensure that services were held here, as it should, so that more people come here to pray to God. His soul is going through worries – when it moves forward.
– I’d love to see in life, as here everything will change for the better, as there will flow the monastic life, – said the priest.

People are different in the world they live: and bad and good. And all the way to the temple of his own. In some it is shorter than in others – longer. But from the standpoint of the spiritual, moral. We hope that the world is still more good people who are capable of real good things. There are people here in Russia, there is. They were always, always do good works. Is it not a good thing – the restoration of St. Nicholas Monastery in Bavykinskogo Sarajevo area and construction of a bridge across the river? The most that on is good and the good work. We hope that such people exist, and they will respond and help in the reconstruction of this brilliant monument of the Orthodox culture in saraevschine. New bells are needed also for the tower!

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

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