Goritsky Monastery

Vologodskaya oblast, Russia

The Goritsky Monastery of Resurrection is a Russian Orthodox female monastery in the village of Goritsy. Since the 1970s, the Kirillo-Belozerksy museum-zapovednik of History, Art, and Architecture has operated parts of the Goritsky complex. Parts of Goritsky convent were reopened for religious purposes two decades later, and as of 2011 Goritsky was one of the four acting monasteries in Vologda Oblast, and the only one for religious women.

The Gediminid Knyaginya (duchess) Euphrosinia Staritskaya founded the Goritsky convent in 1544, about a decade after her marriage to one of Tsar Ivan the Great's sons (who died imprisoned after a succession rebellion in his name), and two years after the marriage of her only son, Vladimir of Staritsa. In 1563, as the Livonian war with Lithuania, Poland and Sweden led to the Oprichnina, the aristocratic widow was forced to become a nun and kept under house arrest at Goritsky, together with her daughter-in-law, Yevdokiya Staritskaya. Nonetheless, in 1569, Tsar Ivan the Terrible gave orders to drown the two nuns in the nearby Sheksna River. The policy of removing political opponents to religious foundations, common throughout Europe for decades, continued to use the Goritsky convent. In 1586 Anna Koltovskaya, Ivan the Terrible's fourth wife, might also have taken monastic vows and changed her name to Daria at Goritsky, before being transferred to the Vvedensky convent in Tikhvin. Xenia Godunova, the daughter of Tsar Boris Godunov, became the nun Olga at Goritsky circa 1606, before being transferred to the Knyaginin Convent in Vladimir and later burial with her royal family at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. The convent's most recent famous resident may have been Fool for Christ Asenatha of Goritsky, who died in 1892 (and whom Russian Orthodox faithful continue to remember on April 19).

In the 1920s, the Bolsheviks transformed the convent into an agricultural cooperative where the nuns worked and prayed. In the 1930s it was shut down, and most of the nuns executed. In the 1970s it became part of Kirillo-Belozersky museum-zapovednik of History, Art, and Architecture (based on the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery). Since the 1990s a small community of nuns started to live in the convent.

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Details

Founded: 1544
Category: Religious sites in Russia

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Ольга Б. (12 months ago)
A monastery with a long and rich history. Unfortunately, it is now in a dilapidated state and is in dire need of restoration. Now only 3 nuns live in the monastery, their conditions are very difficult, heating is only wood, but they maintain order as best they can, raise chickens and grow roses. Very dramatic. And it’s a shame that no one is helping to preserve such a place.
Ivan Samoletov (3 years ago)
Quiet place, if in the morning at 11, there are almost no tourists, just an old monastery without museum affairs, dilapidated, chickens, a mongrel, a cat are running around. The river view is good. Much more impressive than the Ferapontovo or Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. Of course, there is no comfort, the toilet is on the street like a toilet, but these are trifles.
Александр Панин (3 years ago)
An ancient monastery located on the banks of the Sheksninsky reservoir, not far from the town of Kirillov. It is worth to visit there, of which there are only one species. In general, you can go there for the whole day, admire Sheksna, climb Mount Maura and admire incredibly beautiful views and nature from there. The monastery is ancient and once famous for the ascetics of piety, many of their graves have survived! Now the monastery is being revived with difficulty!
Юлия Пархоменко (3 years ago)
Of the three ancient monasteries, located so that all three can be visited in one day, this is the only one functioning, the rest are almost entirely museums. The gate is open from 8:00 to 20:00, so it is convenient to schedule a visit either before the others, or after them. Great history of the place. Now it is being gradually put in order, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Near the monastery is a very inexpensive hotel for pilgrims, you can stay there if necessary.
Елена (3 years ago)
Small nunnery, with black domes, partially restored. Cozy working temple. Very beautiful, unusual location on the banks of the river. Friendly nuns.
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