Joasaph of the Pechersky Nizhny Novgorod wonderworker helps with what. Monk Sisoy of the Caves, schema monk. Full life of pre-add-no-go Ila-ri-o-na, schema-nik of Pechersky
Pilgrimages
05 April 11 Lyudmila Belkina
500 steps to the schema monk Joasaph
The Lord led us to the imperishable relics of Schema-monk Joasaph of the Caves at the very end of the pilgrimage "Orthodox Volga-2001". Having visited the Pechersky Ascension Monastery in Nizhny Novgorod, we were about to return to the ship, but then suddenly the guide of our group offered to stop by the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior located not far from the monastery - to the reverend father Schema-monk Ioasaph, very revered by the people of Nizhny Novgorod. There was only a little time left before the departure, the church was probably closed at that time. But we went, hoping for the mercy of God. The temple was indeed closed, but Mother Nina greeted us, as if she was waiting. She said that she had retired and helped in the church: where she would wash the floor, light candles, distribute sand with the blessing of the priest. I was delighted to learn that we are from Samara - mother Nina turned out to be a regular reader of Blagovest. She immediately took him to the lower temple, where the relics of Schema-monk Joasaph are hidden under the bus, told about him, generously endowed the pilgrims, who respectfully kiss the tomb, with holy oil and sand from the relics.
Very little is known about Schema monk Joasaph, it is not even known who his parents are. Maybe he labored in secret or was so humble that there was no information left about him. But the Lord glorified him and made him known to the world after his death.
Shimonakh Joasaph was buried in 1597 on the territory of the former Pechersk Ascension Monastery. 30 years after his burial, the monastery was destroyed by the collapsed mountain, under which he was. Among the ruins, the relics of Schema-monk Joasaph were revealed. The coffin was intact, the clothes and body were incorruptible, only some parts of the face were taken by the earth. The tomb of the saint was placed in the Staropecherskaya Transfiguration Church. In 1794, the stone Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built. In 1860, the cave over the coffin of Schema-monk Joasaph was renewed.
As it is written in the Life, “the grace of the Monk Schema monk Joasaph is attributed to salvation from the destruction of the Church of the Transfiguration in 1853, when the mountain, breaking away from its top fifty meters in length, moved directly to the church. On the way, it tore and destroyed almost half of the church stone fence from parish cemetery, but, having taken an unexpectedly new direction, descended into the Volga at a distance of hundreds of meters. "
The relics will rest for 404 years, and all these years Orthodox people have not stopped going to the holy saint of God, coming not only from the surrounding villages, but also from afar. They go to the source, which is named after the saint. After prayers to the Monk Joasaph, according to their faith, they receive help from him. As Mother Nina said, the sand from the relics is sewn into dense fabric and applied to the sore spot. It relieves pain very well, even heart pains disappear. Parishioners of the church sew belts with sand - they treat sciatica.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 2, 1993, Metropolitan Nicholas of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas glorified the relics of Schema monk Joasaph at a festive divine service. This day is the day of his memory, every year a festive service is held on this day, oil is placed on the tomb and consecrated.
A long staircase of five hundred steps leads to the Transfiguration Church. But the permanent parishioners of the church, many of whom are elderly, do not mind. One 86-year-old woman climbs this ladder every day. Because at the end of the journey, a shrine awaits her.
Prayer to the Monk Father Schemamonk Joasaph of the Caves
O great ascetic of piety, reverend Father Joasaph, a manifestation of the image of obedience, meekness and humility to the world, unhypocritical faith and the true path, hedgehog in the commandments of Christ and imitate the angelic life! O zealous labor of Christ's field, a hundredfold gaining fruit, and the land of Nizhny Novgorod will be enriched in the enlightenment of the Light of Christ's Truth and strengthening the Orthodox faith!
Today, brightly celebrating your memory, God-wise father, and standing in front of the holy father, your incorruptible relics rest in her, we praise and glorify you, before many labors you have acquired from the Lord the great mercy of souls and bodies of the grace-filled healing of all who fall with faith to your holy relics ... For this reason, and now, burdened with spiritual and bodily weaknesses, we pray to thee, Venerable Father, we, sinners and unworthy: having boldness to the Lord, lift up your many powerful prayers for us, so that they ask our land in Orthodox faith for confirmation, as a Christian people in spiritual growth permeation, prosperity in the transcendental life of this life with God's haste and in eternal life of sins forgiveness and salvation of our souls.
Wake us, Father Reverend Joasaph, a good mentor and protector, never ceasing to offer your warm prayers for all who, with faith and hope, ask for your help and prayerful intercession before the Lord, all glory, honor and worship of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and ever and ever. Amen.
in disease. There were especially many mothers with small children here. The authors of the book about Schema monk Joasaph, published in 1899, testify: “Infant children, possessed by various illnesses, when they are brought into the cave and applied to the tomb and its covers, subside from their painful crying and crying, and apparently, especially for the eyes of faith, are strengthened in health. "
Unfortunately, in the Staropecherskaya Church (namely, such a common name was assigned to the Savior-Transfiguration Church for Women), it was not customary to write down testimonies of healings performed through prayers at the grave of Schema-monk Joasaph. Perhaps this explains the fact that he was canonized late, already in our days (in 1993, St. Joasaph of the Caves was ranked among the holy places of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese).
Only one document has survived, which tells about the help of St. Joasaph of the Caves, - "The story of the healing mercy of the Monk Schema-monk Joasaph, and about the phenomenon that was from the icon, like the saints of our Father Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, the Wonderworker, who is also in Nizhny Novgorod, in the Church of the Spa-owl Cathedral under the bells" ( 1702). The rest of the evidence collected in pre-revolutionary books about Elder Joasaph is the oral stories of local residents and, obviously, are guilty of inaccuracy.
Among the most frequently repeated stories about the prayer intercession and help of St. Joasaph follows you-
Above: The Old Pechersky Church, built over the tomb of St. Joasaph.
On right:<Гробница схимонаха Иоасафа в селе Старых Печерах» - брошюра издания 1901 года. На рубеже XIX-XX веков выходило очень много книг о старце Иоасафе. Известны издания 1899, 1900, 1901 годов.
share the story of how the Staropecherskaya church was nearly destroyed by a landslide. “The former Caves Monastery, founded, as it is said, in the first half of the fourteenth century,” says the book about Elder Joasaph, “existed in that place until its destruction from the collapse of the mountain for almost 270 years. Exactly after the same period of time, how terrible, so inexplicable phenomenon in the fate of the local area followed in the spring, only not in June, but in May 1853, precisely at night, the mountain moved again, breaking away from its peak by 30 fathoms in length ,
GROG, II AND CPU
"ТЛРМХ" А МЧЯРПХЪ.
and went straight to the church, destroying the gardens and various common buildings above it. What? Of course, only the prayers and intercession of the Pleasant of God Nicholas the Wonderworker, and together with Shimonakh Ioasaph, who rests here, must be credited with the miraculous deliverance of the local church from the same destruction that the former Pechersk monastery suffered. The collapsed mountain, destroying up to 12 gardens with all the fruitful trees and destroying three common houses and several different buildings that stood above the church, moreover, in the smallest space from it, took in its movement a completely different direction a few fathoms further than the church and also descended again into Volga ".
Tomb of Schema monk Joasaph. Contemporary photo.
AUGUST 1 - FINDING OF THE POWER OF THE ST. SERAPHIM, THE WONDERWORKER OF SAROV (1903). JOY OUR FATHER SERAFIM Pastors on how to acquire love and affectionate attitude towards everyone Today the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the uncovering of the relics of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov. The miracle worker Seraphim greeted everyone with the exclamation "My joy! Christ is risen!" Next to the priest, hearts thawed, faith in the Living God arose, and repentance came. Priests Dimitri Shishkin and Nikolai Bulgakov told the correspondent of Pravoslavie.Ru how to acquire love and affectionate attitude towards everyone. “If we do not have complete love, we will do deeds of love” Priest Dimitri Shishkin Priest Dimitri Shishkin, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village. Post office of the Bakhchisarai region (Simferopol and Crimean diocese): - When we talk about the Christian attitude towards our neighbors, we must remember that affection can easily turn into kindness and man-pleasing. Excessive affection and "indulgence" can in fact ruin a person. This is especially evident in our time, when it is precisely "philanthropy" that justifies the extreme condescension to human passions and vices. The Holy Fathers always distinguished the attitude towards the person himself, no matter how low he fell, from the attitude towards the spirits of darkness, towards the passions that this or that person possesses. We do not have enough of those who, comforting us, would not flatter our pride and selfishness. The affectionate attitude of God's saint, the Monk Seraphim, is a special quality: it stems from the depths of a God-loving heart. And this love of God, suffered and acquired as an invaluable gift, allows you to truly love a person precisely in the awareness of his real vocation. The love and affection of the Monk Seraphim embrace the whole person, contributing not only to his mental and physical tranquility, but most of all - salvation in eternity. How we lack such people who, while comforting and inspiring us to spiritual life, at the same time would not flatter our pride and egoism. And this is exactly what the Monk Seraphim is! His caress, extremely heartfelt warmth and love extended, as a rule, to those whose souls were softened by repentance, or at least an inclination towards it. It is to repentance that true love and spiritual caress motivates even more. But if the monk met a haughty and proud person who was rigid in sins and did not want to change, we see completely different examples - of considerable severity and even accusatory harshness. However, this harshness is actually filled with love and extreme concern for the eternal future of man, for his salvation. We, of course, need to have to each other not only outwardly kind and affectionate treatment, but also, mainly, true and unhypocritical brotherly love. The Lord Himself commanded this to us, the holy apostles spoke about this repeatedly. But brotherly love is not attained immediately. It is given bit by bit by the Lord as we ourselves seek love, learn to acquire it. That is why the Lord says: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matt. 7: 7). He does not say “ask,” but “ask,” that is, in your good desire, in your soulful request, you need to show persistence and patience, extending even to the last moment of earthly life. This is how spiritual life is arranged - nothing can be completely stopped here, nothing can be considered a decided matter. Everything requires extreme sobriety and attention. And in the matter of acquiring love - too. But even if we do not have that very heartfelt and full love, from which a truly spiritual and affectionate treatment of our neighbors flows, we will at least do deeds of love. We will try to please God by our good deeds alone for Christ's sake. And the Lord, seeing our need, our heartfelt request, seeing our constancy in good deeds, will certainly give us spiritual love for Him and our neighbors, and this is the greatest treasure of a Christian! It is in this constancy, in this daily and careful fulfillment of the Commandments of Christ, in contrite and attentive prayer, that is probably the main “recipe” for acquiring love from the Monk Seraphim. *** "Faith makes good attitude to any person" Priest Nikolai Bulgakov Priest Nikolai Bulgakov, rector of the Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Kratovo, Moscow region: - "My joy!" - so kindly met the Monk Seraphim of Sarov all who came to him. Of course, we also need gentleness. We all love to be treated kindly. "Beat everyone with affection and love" - \u200b\u200bthis advice was given to his sisters by the younger contemporary of the Monk Seraphim Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol. But where to get it, this affection? She must be sincere. You can't pretend to be affectionate. If you try to say "My joy!" On purpose, and there is coldness in your words, there will be no sense. The main thing is not what is outside, but what is inside. On the outside, you can't go far. How did the Monk Seraphim do it? How did he manage to speak in a friendly voice with everyone - although, probably, those who did not speak to him favorably also visited him. And those who came to him were sinners! Father Seraphim knew everything about them - more than even they knew about themselves. The Lord opened to him. Why were they a joy to him? How did they please him? And the fact that they are people. That they live in the world. That God created them. That He loves them, provides for them, endures, forgives, cares: He sends them to His saint for advice, and to that He gives a good thought - which will be useful to them. It will become easier for them to live, more joyful ...
June 6th, 2018
I didn't know that in the very center of the city, where there is nowhere to hide for a miracle, there are still such places with HISTORY!
The third day of summer began with a walk for the soul. There are such "strong" places in Nizhny Novgorod, where peace is quiet.
In social networks, I saw a call for a pilgrimage walk in Nizhny Novgorod in the footsteps of Joasaph Pechorsky.
I was tuned in to a simple walk through the beautiful, first of all, and in the second place, historical places of my native city. But Zhenya Pavlov gave us a real excursion (how I adore excursions!) With answers to our questions. Everything went very soulfully, as I love.
(The stories of people are always interesting, how their path leads to God. Zhenya's path began interestingly and, most importantly, it is in its place. It is difficult to find a job so that your heart is loved. Fate brought Zhenya to the Nizhny Novgorod Pechersk Monastery, where he works as a guide.)
The Ascension Pechersky Monastery is a short walk from Sennaya Square.
On the way we are met by the Holy Cross Chapel built in 1687. It was built by the administrator of the monastery in atonement for the deposition of Patriarch Nikon in 1666.
All subsequent abbots of the monastery took the blame for the deposition of Patriarch Nikon, because they were present at that trial.
The Exaltation of the Cross chapel stood until the 30s of the last century. Documents dated 29th year of the last century were found: "I ask you to give me a brick from the ruins of the Exaltation of the Cross chapel for the repair of the Russian stove."
Today it has been rebuilt again and a view of the Pechersky Monastery opens from its mountain. I'll check it next time. 
We go down the road and a panorama of incredible beauty opens up to us. 
The walls with loopholes have never been defensive, the windows are built for beauty. 
The gates were rebuilt again in 2006, before that they had also been demolished during the hard years, when churches were demolished and grain warehouses and libraries were built in them. 
The Romanovs Alley begins near the entrance. It is planned that there will be 17 of them. Not everyone has gathered in the alley today. But in the future they will do)))
As it is sung in Gazmanov's song "Ruriks, Romanovs, Lenin and Stalin - this is my country!" Well, we won't talk about the Stalins and Lenins, but the Rurikovichs will also gather, only this time in their alley.
In general, it is planned to create a third alley with the Russian Patriarchs.
The royal dynasties appeared here for their merits - they "built and collected our country from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, increasing the glory of our Motherland" - according to Father Tikhon.
On the pedestals there are plaques with the name of the ruler and the date. In some cases, the dates of the reign are engraved, in others the dates of life.
In the meantime, I walk along the Romanov Alley. The rulers make way for those walking. 
And I look into their faces, so arrogant and proud. And I love it: watching them real, not powdered with a mask of piety.
These ladies were especially pleased) 
Catherine the Great 
Views. Alley of the Romanovs and the Gates. What a wonderful day turned out to be - yesterday there were incessant rains and tomorrow they also promise, but today there is some kind of grace.
I'm going, Zhen, I'm not lagging behind. 
The over-gate (built above the gate) hipped-roof church with paintings from the history of the monastery, through it we will now go to the territory, its appearance copies the Archangel Michael Cathedral in the Kremlin.
From here you can clearly see the "falling tower" on the left. 
Painting on the walls. Construction. Wooden buildings were subsequently replaced by stone ones. 
Here in the Soviet years the "Kolkhoznik" cinema was located.
There was no second floor; it was completed much later. 
The wall is not yet open for walking. We wait. 
Necropolis. The slabs found on the territory of the monastery after the atrocities in the years of hard times were brought to this place. The crosses are lost as they were scrapped.
Fraternal corps in the background. They had communal apartments. Some people come to
monastery and say they want to walk through the places where they once lived
relatives. And Zhenya adds through his mustache - which took apart churches for
ovens. 
Assumption Church with a refectory. Here Zhenya explains to us that for each iconostasis the icons are arranged in a certain order. 
Church of the Ascension of the Lord with a bell tower. The same "Falling" bell tower is evidence of an unstable land prone to landslide movements. During the construction of the bell tower, it was noticed that the walls were sloping. Therefore, further engineering thought worked already according to the available data - starting from the bell platform and further to the top of the roof, the tower is being built vertically to the Earth. That is, the tower not only tilted, but also bent.)) Well, like that. 
A door painted in gold leads to the home church, where only monks pray. There is no way for ordinary people here. 
It looks like an engraving from a distance, but it's a painting. 
A small dome on the roof informs that the church of Peter and Paul is located here above the arch. 
An archaeological museum operates at the monastery. The exhibits are located on two floors. 
Three saints who did the most for the monastery in their time. 
Saint Macarius Zheltovodsky. 
The founder of this monastery is Dionysius. 
Evfimiy Suzdalsky 
History at every turn. Bust of Alexander II - the one who abolished serfdom in 1861. For this, the people called him the Tsar-Liberator.
Along with personal freedom, the peasants received land and civil rights: freely choose their place of residence, conduct trade, open factories and plants, and engage in crafts. 
We leave the monastery and go down. There are views of the Volga and the Rowing Canal, which I used to call the Gribnoy Canal, from the word "mushroom", although I never saw the mushrooms, how many did not peer. 
I love these paths, down and sideways. Trees are parting, then overhanging a dense ceiling. And the birds screamed as if they were enjoying a sunny day. 
Seven hills were leveled to build this new monastery to replace the old one. I glance at the domes and soon they are already disappearing from view behind the large trees. 
And we go and have leisurely conversations about ancient times and the miracles that are happening to the parishioners today. And suddenly an inconspicuous path, which I would not have noticed in life, because I always look more at the water. 
Prepared for the rise. A resolute sigh and ... Come on. 
I had never thought about the morphology of the word Pechera before, but nevertheless, in Nizhny, this word is in use - Verkhniye Pechora, Sloboda Pechera, Pechersky monastery. It turns out that in Old Slavonic "pechery" means "caves". And the Pechersky Monastery is literally a cave monastery.
The monastery, built in a rock, in a cave in 1330 by Saint Dionysius, was completely destroyed 270 years later by a landslide in 1597.
The landslide did not take a few minutes, but several days. At first there were small shifts in the land. During this time, the ministers were able to take out valuables, icons, papers, residents of the surrounding houses - to go to safe places.
"And the mountain begins to crumble ... and there will be noise and crackling great through the forest, and fear and horror are great when attacking people ..."
The movement of the mountain was so powerful that it even changed the course of the Volga River in this place and threw off coastal ships.
It was a well-maintained monastery, prosperous and supported by the state of that time.
Descent of the mountain to the monastery. 
For what this godly corner did not please, one can only speculate, but after the descent of the earth, nothing remained of the former splendor. And the monks, who returned to the site of the destroyed temple, saw a coffin slightly dusted with earth on the site of the swept-away cemetery. It contained the incorruptible body of Joasaph, who was buried 30 years ago.
From the documents of that time: “having found the relics behind the church, they were little covered with earth, but byashe schemonas; his relics, and the vestments, and the tomb are incorruptible, only to take the earth part from his face, but his hair is intact and harmless, and there is ointment in the tomb. "
Who he is and how he deserved such a reward from God is still unknown.
That is, translating into divine language, we can say that God both punishes severely and distributes mercies. Sorting apart the acquired property, he showed people eternal values \u200b\u200b- holy relics.
According to their faith, people received healing and miracles near the relics.
On the site of the old church, a wooden church was built in the basement of which the tomb with the relics of Joseph of the Caves was placed. A fire in 1780 engulfed the church. Therefore, the newly erected church was made stone by popular and sponsorship efforts. This is how we see it today.
Streets. It must be great to wake up and drink tea overlooking the church. 
Handsome cats 
Yes, I am a dark person in terms of church structure. Zhenya opened my eyes that the iconostasis (the frame in which the icons are kept) is made up of icons according to certain rules.
Usually, the iconostasis has 3 to 5 rows. There are three rows here.
The first row, the icon to the left of the door is always the Mother of God, to the right is Jesus, then there are icons after which the temple is named, in this case - the Transfiguration of the Lord, further the local revered saint - Joasaph of the Caves. At the top of the door, followers of Jesus reading books with their heads bowed.
The Last Supper is always located above the doors.
The second row is a "festive" row, events from the life of Jesus - Christmas, Annunciation, Entry into Jerusalem, Crucifixion, Resurrection and others. Here I could not see what is depicted (from two meters I do not see anything at all), but I know that these are events from the Gospel, according to which films are often made.
The third row is the apostles, followers of Christ.
The top of the iconostasis is crowned with an icon of the Almighty and a cross with a crucifix (it did not fit in the photo).
The fourth row usually contains the prophets who announced the imminent coming of Christ to Earth.
The fifth row is occupied by the forefathers (the first people): Adam, Eve, Abel, Cain and others.
And you already look at the iconostasis with different eyes, studying. It turns out to be interesting! 
Cave entrance. 
About 20 steps. I twice (when I went up and when I went down) hit my head on the vault above the stairs, so I had to bow before entering the cave and before leaving it.
To the right of the stairs you can see a bucket with vials and sand from the tomb. In bottles of oil from lamps. It is believed that oil has a powerful effect if it stood before the relics of the saint. And water passed through the sand becomes healing.
Of course, all of the above works only according to the person's faith. 
This is how everything is arranged inside the cave. 
Behind the glass is the figure of Christ at the moment of resurrection. 
Hidden (that is, in secret) are the relics of St. Joasaph of the Caves.
The tomb is all made of stone, it has one window. The vaults are decorated with paintings from the life of the monastery. 
Icon of the holy venerable schema-monk Joasaph of the Caves. 
Our path goes on. Miracles never stop.
I make my way to the stream on an inconspicuous path,
Where the grass is high, where the thickets are thicker.
Like deer from my knees, I drink your holy
Spring truth ... 
Winding streets, winding to the left, 
then right, lead us to the next place. 
The second landslide happened in the same 270 years as the first after the founding of the cave monastery. In 1853, in May, the rock separated from the mountain again and went straight to the church. But literally a few dozen meters away, the movement went to the right. That this is not a miracle
hard to explain. Of course, everything can be explained, but for believers it is a miracle from God. Because once again, destroying church buildings, houses and gardens, the landslide opened up water sources for us. 
The keys were surrounded by wooden buildings.
In the center is a chapel. 
There was a bathing place at this place: for men 
and women.
With us, women bathed in the spring with prayers and chants. Well, men are more modest. But water is popular with parishioners. 
and two springs were taken away for drinking. 
I also managed to wet my feet in the font. Water is of course like molten ice - very cold. All day afterwards, I felt not that strength or lightness in my legs, but there was some kind of healthy sensation. 
With light jumps (after the healing water), my legs carried me up the hill by themselves, to catch up with my group. Without them, I would never have found a short road to the city.
An inconspicuous path again 
from the temple in a minute walk, leads to the city. 
True, here we need one more leap. 
The intricate staircase shows us two paths. Somewhere here 160 years ago, the earth opened up and went to the Volga. Here it is History! I think I already said this somewhere? Selecting the left staircase. 
Tired and drunk, we return to the familiar world. 
After such a pilgrimage, not only on this day, but also on the next, bright feelings were preserved in my soul that I would like to keep it in myself for a longer time and not spill it out during the day. 
Thanks to Zhenya - I pulled me out of my usual everyday life. And I tick myself that in my plan for the summer one of the items has been completed - hiking and filling the soul with light. How I miss this in everyday life.
V - performed!
Biography
st. Schema Monk Ioasaph of Pechersk Ave.
The village - Starye Pecheri got its name from the Pechersk monastery, which is located nearby. It also bears the name Dalnye Pechery, and this is how it is called, in contrast to the Pechery, which is close to Nizhny Novgorod, that is, the current Pechersk monastery.
The village is called Old Pecheri because the local parish church stands on the site of the former Pechersk monastery, founded here around 1330 and destroyed in 1597.
Since the existence and especially the destruction of this monastery stands in connection with the history of the Pechersk Sloboda, and since the destruction, I must say, served as an impetus for a new situation in this parish Pechersk Sloboda, which later established its parish church here: we consider it not superfluous for the description undertaken. to mention briefly about the foundation and destruction of the former Pechersk monastery.
The Nizhny Novgorod Pechersky Monastery was founded by St. Dionysius, as mentioned above, around 1330, during the possession of Nizhny Novgorod by the appanage Prince of Suzdal, Alexander Vasilyevich. Dionysius, who came to Nizhny Novgorod from the Kiev-Pechersk monastery, three versts from the city, together with others who came with him, the monks dug a cave in a half-mountain on the bank of the Volga, and soon, after the confluence of other monks, he set up a monastery here, in which he was the abbot. Founded in this way in the first half of the fourteenth century, by the end of this century, the monastery began to flourish, although, presumably, along with other monasteries, it suffered from the attack of the Arapshi with the Mongol Tatars in 1377. It is not known in what year, but, nevertheless, it is reliable that around that time, near the monastery on both sides, residents began to settle - the ancestors of the current inhabitants of the Pechersk and Podnovskys, who were later assigned (at the beginning of the 17th century) to the monastery and constituted its closest servants.
Existing in the same place, for about 250 years, and taking advantage of the mercies of the Great Princes, Kings and the favors of others, the Pechersk Monastery by the end of the 16th century reached its most flourishing state and was one of the glorious monasteries of that time in terms of its wealth and structure - external and internal. But the fateful year 1597 came for him: then he was destined to experience a terrible coup. On the 18th of June of that year, at three o'clock after midnight, it was destroyed by the mountain under which it was located.
Not long before this accident, above the monastery, in the mountain, in half of which the monastery stood, a huge cleft was formed for one verst up the Volga to the monastery Sloboda, and down to the caves dug in the mountain. In and around the monastery there were signs of destruction: the earth was shaking under the monastery and even the monastery bridge, on the right side of its wall, began to collapse. In view of the impending danger, and expecting help from God and salvation from threatening death, Archimandrite Tryphon, who was at that time, left the Monastery; at the same time, the following were taken out: the miraculous image of the Pechersk Mother of God with other icons, church utensils, and everything that could be collected and taken in such a short time; much and more were taken out and preserved intact, with the exception of some papers - fortresses and donation records that were lost at that time, even monastery horses and other cattle were taken out.
Soon after this, at the time of the taken precaution, just three days later, the mountain, the top of which was covered with ripe bread and in places forest, began to crumble into that deep and great cleft; why there was a loud noise and a terrible crackling: it was in the early morning. All the people who lived nearby woke up from such a crash, looking for salvation in flight from their homes. God-fearing and pious Archimandrite Tryphon, and with him the brethren, comfortably left their dwelling and, standing in the distance, looked at the monastery they had left, wept and prayed.
Meanwhile, the mountain, breaking away from its summit over the monastery by fifty yards, or even more, with a terrible noise rushed into the crevice and forced out from under the monastery the land into the Volga River also by fifty or more yards, so that the ships that stood under the monastery on waters of the river, thrown far from the former bank, it was twenty or more fathoms, and yet they remained on land, because huge hillocks formed on the Volga from the land pushed out from under the mountain, as a result of which it even changed its course.
From the cliff and the collapse of the mountain, strong springs flowed in many places and the monastery began to collapse: the stone church of the Ascension of the Lord collapsed to the ground, other stone churches, a bell tower with bells, buildings, cells, all monastic services and the fence were partially destroyed, partially damaged. On the shore, the wooden church of St. Nicholas, which stood near the monastery, was moved from its place by two sazhens; in Sloboda Pecherskaya itself, the houses of residents staggered and swayed.
Thus, the mountain, which stood motionless, perhaps for millennia, collapsed in a few minutes over a significant area, age-old temples and buildings were destroyed, and a magnificent, flourishing temple was gone!
The chapel over the source of St. Venerable Joasaph of Pechersky. Drawing of the late 19th century. NGOUNB
Two and a half centuries have passed, and the traces of this destruction are still visible. Along the significant ledge of the mountain, one can still mark the boundaries of the former monastery, and throughout this space there are signs of destruction: you can see piles of stones on the ground and under the ground in huge numbers, the remains and ruins of caves, not far from the eastern side of the monastery, which existed in a dilapidated form before the beginning of the current century. Even recently, according to old-time eyewitnesses, a hryvnia wax candle burned down when curious daredevils walked around these caves. At the former entrance to the caves there is a well with excellent water, called the Holy. This well, kept by the inhabitants clean and with special care, is still visited by many pilgrims, as a kind of ancient shrine.
Only on the third day after this terribly sad adventure did the monks dare to approach their previously peaceful, strong and permanent, but now lying in ruins and irrevocably lost home. Having no refuge, they wandered through the ruins with sadness and grief. But the Wise Providence, punishing and at the same time merciful, in these sad remnants for them prepared no small consolation for them. Having lost, though dear, perishable, they found a priceless and incorruptible treasure, which, having been a great consolation for them, remained and will forever be an eternal monument and an unforgettable commemoration of that holy place.
Among the ruins, the relics of Shimonakh Joasaph, buried in that place three decades before the destruction of the monastery, were discovered. His coffin, slightly covered with earth, remained intact, Shimonakh's clothes and body were also incorruptible. Only a part of his face was taken by the earth. We consider it necessary to cite here the literal legend of the chronicle of this discovery, kept in the Staropecherskaya church. So it says: “Follow that destruction on the third day, having found relics behind the church, little covered with earth, byashe Shimonakh, his relics and his robes and the tomb are incorruptible, only to take the earth part from his face, his hair is intact, and is not harmful in any way, and there is a coffin. At the same time, the ancient monks izvestisha, saying: as there is this Shimonakh, by the name of Joasaph, but to God in his sensuous life he was very mobile and, after his death, he was buried in this place; the same previous thirty years. To this same former, the arrival of the Dudin monastery (where the village of Podyablonnoe of the Gorbatovsky district is now), Abbot Euthymius with the brethren of that Pechersk monastery, Archimandrite Tryphon with the brethren, all together a coffin from that place, known for the sake of testimony, the power of the watchman and with his own hands osyazash And he who buried him in another place, having placed the coffin on a level with the earth, uncovered by the earth, also built a tomb over it. "
The life of Schema monk Joasaph. 1899 NGOUNB
After this testimony of the relics of Schema-monk Joasaph, his coffin was erected in the place where it still stands in the Staropecherskaya Transfiguration Church, in the fence of the former destroyed monastery. In the same year as the monastery collapsed, Archimandrite Tryphon traveled to Moscow to see Tsar Theodore Ioannovich to ask permission to build the monastery again in the same or some other place, not far from the former monastery. The tsar, condescending to his request, gave the order to the Nizhny Novgorod governor Leonty Aksakov and the clerk with stonecutters to inspect that place and inquire whether it would be suitable for building a monastery on it again.
On examination, the place turned out to be weak and dangerous for the construction of stone buildings. As a result, it was ordered to move the monastery to another place on the same bank of the Volga, only higher, at a distance of about a mile from the former place, where there were seven hills. These hills and the mountain itself were ordered to be leveled at state expense, and a wooden church of the Ascension of the Lord with cells for the brethren and other services necessary for the monastery was to be built here in the half-mountain, and the monastery was fenced.
View of the Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Pecherskaya Church. Drawing of the late 19th century. NGOUNB
In the same place, where only the ruins of the monastery remained, the Emperor ordered to build a wooden church to commemorate the dead brothers. This church was soon erected in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord with the boundaries of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, over the tomb of Schema-monk Joasaph erected here. There at that time were transferred from the church of St. Nicholas, which was outside the fence of the monastery, on the very bank of the Volga, some holy icons, including, as legend has it, two miraculous icons of Nicholas the Wonderworker - one carved in the size of two arshins, and the other in 2.25 arshins of ancient icon painting in a silver scaly frame. These icons are still in the Staropecherskaya Church, the first in the limit of St. John the Theologian on the first wall between the windows, and the second in the real Transfiguration Church behind the right kliros, and enjoy special respect and reverence for them by parishioners and itinerant pilgrims.
The tomb of Schema-monk Joasaph was located in that wooden church, within the boundaries of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. So it is said in the chronicle: “This Venerable Joasaph rests even to this day in the Old Churches, in the Church of St. John the Theologian under a bushel, and he gives many healing in faith to those who come to his grave; his coffin is on the left side of the royal gates, behind the kliros. "
St. Venerable Schema monk Joasaph. Icon painter V. Vazhaev
The Pechersk Monastery, founded in 1598 in a new place, gradually began to settle down, and by the middle of the 17th century, no more than 50 years later, enriched by royal favors and supported by contributions from various private benefactors, it began to return to a more than satisfactory state. Wooden temples and buildings were replaced by stone ones. Churches and buildings were erected anew, stone or wood, and in more or less better condition than before. Only the wooden church, built on the site of the old monastery on the tomb of Shimonakh Joasaph, remained in its former state for almost two centuries. On the basis of the royal command, it was at the complete disposal of the monastery, following the example of other churches assigned to it. In these churches, and, consequently, in Staropecherskaya, as in the villages and villages attributed to them, divine services and services were sent by monastic hieromonks and white priests, sent to those places by the abbot of the monastery, as can be seen from the registers of births and various monastic documents. So it was, presumably, until 1764.
After the compilation and approval of the monastic states, when the villages with the peasants assigned to the monasteries were taken away from them and in exchange for this they were given a salary and various lands, then the churches of those villages became independent and became special for the correction of divine services and requirements, already set by the diocesan authorities , ct. Then, in all likelihood, the Staropecherskaya church was turned into a parish church, although there is no clear indication of this change in the documents, with the exception of a few and even incomplete spiritual murals that originate in this church from 1770. In the full form and in the correct order, metric and painted books have been kept since 1782. About this time, according to the stories of old-timers, during the planting of garden vegetables in May, there was a strong fire in Pecherskaya Sloboda, the victim of which, along with the buildings of the inhabitants, also became a wooden parish church.
Transfiguration Church of the Pecher settlement. Drawing of the late 19th century. NGOUNB
Instead of a burnt-out wooden church, by the diligence of parishioners and the diligence of outside benefactors, as indicated in church documents, soon after the fire, a stone church was built at first with one border of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was originally consecrated during the reign of Damascus in 1790. In 1794, the present Transfiguration Church was rebuilt. After a while, the church turned out to be incapable; and therefore, in 1816, her meal on the right side was expanded and the second chapel was built in the name of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
Tomb of st. Joasaph of the Caves in the Transfiguration Church
In 1860, the cold Transfiguration Church, poor in interior decoration, the zeal of parishioners and the diligence of the church elder, was beautifully decorated inside and out. The ancient icons have been repaired and cleaned, the iconostasis and icon cases on the icons are gilded on polyment, the floor is made of stone, clean and durable - and in general the church has been brought to such a state of improvement that it is not inferior to many of the churches of Nizhny Novgorod in its splendor. With this arrangement of the stone church, the cave of Shimonakh Ioasaph was also renewed, which, at the new location of the church, is no longer at the limit, as it was before, but in a real cold church, behind the left kliros, near the northern wall.
Record of the burial of Schema-monk Joasaph in the Pechersk Church in N. Novgorod. RGIA
In the crypt, where the relics of Shimonakh Joasaph are buried, near the pier between the northern side doors and the window, there is a narrow exit of 12 steps, fenced off from above by a small rail. The entire cave is made of stone, 8 arshins long, and 3 arshins wide, with a semicircular vault and a small window below the window of the left kliros. Thanks to the diligence of benefactors, it is decorated quite splendidly. Its walls, upholstered with boards, and the vault are painted; on the front eastern wall there is a small iconostasis in three icon cases next to it, with three silvered lamps in front of the icons - in the middle of the "Venerable Joasaph Tsarevich", on the right - "Theodore's Mother of God", and on the left - "Churches of Triumphant", good icon painting. Above these icons, in a semicircle, there is a pictorial image of the Lord of hosts, with a small icon lamp that is never extinguished. In the middle of the cave, above the very tomb of Shimonakh Ioasaph, of an ordinary size, three arshins long and 1.5 arshins wide, a stone tomb, towering over the floor by more than an arshin; it is adorned with expensive veils donated by the zeal of Christians; an oval hole was made in the top of the tomb, as soon as you put your hand in to take the sand poured on the coffin in significant quantities even during the construction of the church. At the upper end of the tomb, at the feet, there is a picturesque image of the uprising of their tomb of Christ the Savior, 10 vershoks high, and at the opposite end, a blessed cross constantly lies in a case, covered with ancient air for attaching worshipers, with two silvered candlesticks on its sides. Above the tomb itself there is a silvered chandelier with 7 candles. Such is the structure of the cave! In it, every day after the liturgy, a requiem is performed for the repose of the soul here in Bose of the reposed Shimonakh Joasaph.
Under the gloomy vault of this cave, dimly illuminated by the light of an inextinguishable lamp, to the silent but instructive tomb of the spiritual ascetic since the destruction of the former Pechersk monastery, many worshipers still flock, especially in the summer - they flock not only from Nizhny Novgorod and the surrounding villages , but also from distant cities and villages of other provinces.
Often, from early morning until late evening, throughout the summer, at the request of zealous pilgrims, a funeral singing is sung here about the repose of the soul of the deceased, with a request for spiritual and bodily benefit, and everyone, according to their faith, accepts it. Patients with various ailments, especially fever and fever, kissing the saint's coffin with faith, take sand from there, and oil from the lamp, and they soon receive healing. Children-babies, possessed by various diseases, when they are brought into the cave and applied to the tomb and its covers, calm down from their painful crying and screaming, and apparently, especially for the eyes of faith, are strengthened in health.
In the ancient folk legends there are many stories about miraculous healings and phenomena of various kinds from the tomb of St. Joasaph. But these facts, which are dear to Church History in general and to the Church of the Caves in particular - whether because at one time they were not declared to the clergy, or for other reasons, the former clergy of the Old Church of the Caves, to the extreme regret, were not included in the biography of the Monk. We have at our fingertips only a rather ancient and proper - a satisfactory story about a miraculous healing, the city of Balakhna, the girl Evdokia Mikhailova, preserved in a manuscript about the destruction of the Pechersk Monastery, which we are betraying here from word to word.
The story
About the healing mercy of the Monk Schememonk Joasaph, and about the phenomenon that was from the icon, like in the saints of our Father Philip Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, the Wonderworker, and there is in Nizhny Novgorod, in the Church of the Savior Cathedral under the bells
The book about Schema monk Joasaph. 1899 TSAMNE
“In the summer of 7210, and from the birth of Christ 1702, there was an appearance in the town of Balakhna to the girl Evdokia Mikhailova. Appear to her in a dream St. Philip Metropolitan twice: in the month of June against the 4th, and in the month of Noembri on the 8th day in reality, and you command her to go to Nizhny Novgrad to the Cathedral Church to create a prayer song and consecrate water, and in the Old Pecheri from Take the sand of the Monk Joasaph, and drink from it, and from that you will be healthy, then commanding her to tonsure; the same girl promising him tako; he de and about his image informed her, this speech: as if in Nizhny Novgrad there is the Savior Cathedral under the bell tower in the church at the right hand of the country of the royal gates. Whenever she Evdokia was in Nizhniy Novgorod in that holy church, and in the divine Liturgy until she is “worthy to eat” she is lying as if she is dead; Observe the same “worthy to eat” packs de appear to her the Holy (Philip) and commanding statues, she is also upright and from her sorrow was healthy; and in prayer singing and blessing of water, he stood, making prayer, and from that time he was in earnest reason and health. Then the Metropolitan Isaiah of the Spasov Cathedral of Nizhny Novgorod was commanded to the Keeper Priest Andrey to testify about that former miracle; Priest Andrei, having come to Balakhna, (visited) the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is also the Image of Not Made by Hands and St. The Great Martyr Nikita, Priest John Mikhailov informed him that the maiden Evdokia was his spiritual daughter, and she grieved in 7028, and from the Nativity of Christ in July 1700 from the 8th, and she cried from corruption at many times, and many times are insane. The church and another Priest Gregory, the same and the surrounding people, informed the same and the surrounding people: Mikhail Avdeev, son of Osmakov and his wife Agripina, Foka Timofeev, son of Mamaev and his wife Marina and her relatives, - Kozma Alekseev, son of Kosatov, Leonty Savelyev, son Turshenikov and his wife Elena, - these all have informed on the Holy Gospel commandment of Christ - hedgehog to her, you are the same sayings that the priests told. Also inquiring about these girls Evdokia; she is all true, even about the vision, miracles and the phenomenon, the hedgehog was to her, and insult her own, she grieved weakly with her, having also notified many priests and surrounding people. This phenomenon, known for the sake of those miracles of testimony, was written in God-saved Nizhny Novgorod, in glory and praise to Christ God and the Most Pure Mother of God and His Saints. "
In folk tradition, there are many stories about similar healings and phenomena from the tomb of Shimonakh Joasaph, dating back to rather distant times. There is no word that all these miraculous actions are not subject to any doubt: but the fact is that the legends about them in some circumstances are not clear. And with regard to time, persons and areas, they even differ among themselves. Why, without touching on them at the present time, until we collect more accurate and detailed information, we will now only point out some of them, relating to a time very close to us.
The book about Schema monk Ioasaph, published in 1900 by the NGOUNB
Not so long ago, among the pilgrims, a peasant woman of about 50 came to the church of the Pechersk Sloboda to worship at the tomb of Shimonakh Iosaph, her name, patronymic, and surname, unfortunately, were not recorded. She comes from the Kostroma province, Vetluzhsky district. This woman, in the presence of all the local church, clergy and church head, told the following: “She was sick for three years by the weakening of all the members of the body, and by the end of this time her illness had intensified so much that she could not only walk, but also bed. At this time, when her position was completely hopeless, she appears in a dream, for three nights in a row, a monk who called himself Joasaph and commanded her to go to the Pechery to worship at his tomb, which she had never heard of or had even concepts. Refusing on this basis and in view of her morbid state and the complete impossibility of undertaking any journey and fulfilling the command of the schema-monk who appeared to her during the first two appearances, already at the moment of the third appearance the patient, threatened by the fear of death, uttered a vow. The next day after that she felt relief from her illness and soon found herself in the opportunity to hit the road. Arriving here, she zealously prayed over the tomb of the Monk, - now she feels completely healthy, which she owes to the prayers of Shimonakh Joasaph. " The pilgrims who were with her, from the same side, including 10 people, confirmed everything she said.
Soon after that, the wife of the Deacon of the village of N. Vasilievsky district received healing from the grave of Shimonakh Joasaph. She was ill from the time of her marriage, according to her husband, from corruption. In moments of this grave illness, she went to madness, clicked and raged; this was also noticed when she visited the tomb of Shimonakh Joasaph. After worshiping the relics, the patient calmed down, was in her right mind and felt better than before. Soon, pilgrims from the side where the village of N. is located, informed the clergy and the headman of the local church that the deaconess of the village N., being really very unwell from damage, became completely healthy after visiting the tomb of Shimonakh Joasaph.
The book about Schema monk Joasaph in 1901 TsAMNA
In the same years, the Nizhny Novgorod merchant's wife E.N., who, according to her relatives, had fallen ill, several months before, with irritation of the nerve, was brought to the local church by her relatives. Her illness intensified so much that she reached unconsciousness, screamed to the point of fury, clicked and raged. According to the convictions and stories of her relatives and some of her acquaintances who were with her in the church, she was possessed by an evil spirit. In such a painful condition, the patient was brought to the Staropecherskaya church, and during the prayer service in front of the miraculous image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker she fought and screamed. It took a lot of effort only to bring her to the Holy Gospel and the Cross. But when the patient was brought into the cave of Shimonakh Joasaph, with the same frantic cry as before, and attached to his tomb: then she began to noticeably subside and by the end of the requiem she completely calmed down, so that she herself, without any coercion and assistance from her relatives, kissed the coffin ... No more than 20 days later, during which the prayers for the health of the zealous patient were constantly performed in the local church and a panikhida was deliberately sent for her over the grave of Shimonakh Joasaph. E., together with her husband KN came to venerate the relics of the Monk already in perfect health.
Among the miraculous phenomena from the grave of Schema monk Joasaph, one must include the preservation of the Pechersk Church from the again threatening destruction of the mountain, in the middle of which it is located.
The former Pechersk monastery, founded, as it is said, in the first half of the fourteenth century, existed on that place until its destruction from the collapse of the mountain for almost 270 years. Exactly after the same period of time, how terrible, so much and inexplicable phenomenon in the fate of the local area followed in the spring, only not in June, but in May 1853, precisely at night, the mountain moved again, breaking away from its peak by 30 in length, and went straight to the church, destroying higher gardens and various philistine buildings. What? Of course, only the prayers and intercession of the Pleasant of God Nicholas the Wonderworker, and together with Shimonakh Joasaph, who rests here, must be credited with the miraculous deliverance of the local church from the same destruction that the former Pechersk monastery suffered. The collapsed mountain, destroying up to 12 gardens with all the fruitful trees and destroying three common houses and several different buildings that stood above the church, moreover in the smallest space from it, took in its movement a completely different direction a few fathoms further than the church and went down again to Volga.
On her way, she tore off and destroyed almost half of the church stone fence with the parish cemetery, which went down to the Volga by twelve fathoms.
The inhabitants watched with amazement and horror how, according to the wise Providence of God, mountains ascend and descend, trembled for their temple, with the priceless treasures stored in it, they feared together and for their dwellings with property. But this terrible storm passed, and they glorified the Lord God, wondrous in His saints.