St. Vvedenskaya Optina Desert
Optina Desert is a revered Orthodox stauropegial monastery for men, located in Kaluga Oblast, in the suburb of Kozelsk. Pilgrims come to the monastery to attach themselves to the relics of the Optina elders, to ask them for help and advice, to reflect on life circumstances spiritually. The Optina elder Joseph wrote: “I believe that everyone who comes to the Optina Desert in his extreme need will find satisfaction by the Grace of God…for the prayers of our great fathers.”
.Optina Desert is a symbol of the spiritual revival that emerged in our country at the end of the 18th century. It is hard to imagine a better place for hermit contemplative life than the monastery grove located at the edge of a virgin pine forest, cut off from the world by the river Gisdra.
Video: Optina Desert
ContentsHistory of Optina Desert
The exact date of the foundation of the Holy Vvedenskaya Optina Desert is unknown, presumably – the second half of the XIV century. There are two legends of the appearance of the monastery. The first of them says that the shrine was founded by a repentant robber Opta (Optius), who in the world was called Makary, so the monastery in past centuries was also called Makaryevskaya. According to the second version, the monastery appeared thanks to the pious prince Vladimir the Brave or his heirs.
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However, historians tend to believe that Optina Desert was founded by unknown hermit monks who chose a remote place among the centuries-old forest for prayers. Probably, earlier the monastery was intended not only for men, but also for women, i.e. it was “optina” (common). The first written evidence mentioning the monastery dates back to the reign of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. Already in the books of the beginning of the XVII century it is mentioned about the monarch’s patronage of the monastery. However, up to the end of the XVIII century Optina Desert was experiencing bad times: there was an acute need for additional funding, as well as an influx of new ministers.
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In the early 19th century a skete appeared here; hermits or, as they were called, hermits – people who devoted themselves to prayers in absolute solitude – began to settle in the monastery. The spiritual aspect of life in the Optina Desert was managed by an elder, and the abbot was the administrative person. At the same time, the monastery became the largest religious center in the country, and charitable contributions began to be transferred for it. These funds were used to build stone buildings, a mill and to buy land for agricultural work nearby. Optina desert began to develop actively, attracting pilgrims and holy people. The special peaceful atmosphere influenced the works of Leo N. Tolstoy, F. M. Dostoevsky, and V. S. Soloviev.
.Sights of Optina Desert
On the southern side of the Optina Desert stands the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. This is the largest structure of the monastery, built in 1811 and restored in 1996. Here are placed the remains of three holy elders – Moses, Anthony and Isaac I. Inside the cathedral is painted with frescoes, which were created according to the secrets of ancient masters. Evening services are held here, as well as prayers on Sundays and holidays.
.On the eastern side is the Church of Our Lady of Vladimir, which was restored from ruins and consecrated in 1998. Here are also placed the relics of seven revered spiritual leaders of the monastery – Leo, Macarius, Hilarion, Anatoly (Zertsalov), Barsonophy, Anatoly (Potapov), and Joseph. The remains lie in special frames and are available for the prayers of pilgrims. The temple regularly organizes water-sanctification services, confessions.
.The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord belongs to the new buildings of the Optina Desert, as it was erected in 2007-2009, but is already considered one of the main temples of the monastery. The holy relics of the Monk Raphael rest here.
The Church of St. John the Baptist is a very special church that was built in 1825. Services here are conducted according to the hermitage statute. These services are held behind closed doors, and the laity are allowed only on church feast days, 4 times a year.
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On the northern side of St. Vvedensky Cathedral is the Church of Mary of Egypt. Until the middle of the XIX century there was a monastery refectory, which was rebuilt into a church. Today the building has been restored and is presented to visitors in its former form.
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The Temple of Leo of Catania is located within the St. John the Baptist Skete and serves as a pilgrimage hotel, providing rooms for temporary accommodation for guests of the shrine.
.Outside the Optina Desert is also the Church of All Saints. A little farther away, closer to vegetable gardens and fields, is the Church of the Mother of God, built at the turn of the XX-XIX centuries.
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At the monastery are constantly functioning apiary, hotel for visitors, hospital, tile and candle factories.
.Visiting the monastery
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How to get there
The address of the shrine is: Kozelsk, Kaluga region, Optina Pustyn monastery.
.You can get here from Moscow by bus flight “Moscow – Kozelsk”, which departs every day from the capital from the metro station “Teply Stan”. Transport going at 12.45 and 15.00, makes a stop at the entrance to the monastery. The rest of the buses of the flight go to Kozelsk. From there it is easy to get to Optina Desert by marshrutka. The last bus to Moscow leaves at 17.40. Possible changes in the schedule check with the information service of the Kozelsk bus station at (48442) 2-25-02.
.Also Moscow pilgrimage organization organizes trips to the monastery on Saturdays, departure from the metro area “Novoyasenevskaya”. Details can be found by calling (495) 422-22-77.
.To get to the Optina Desert can also be done by private vehicle. To do this, travelers leave Moscow on the Kiev highway, passing “Detchino”, turn left to the bridge, and from it move to the sign “Kaluga – Tula”. Then it is necessary to follow the direction to Kozelsk, not reaching 2 km to the city, turn right, focusing on the golden domes of the monastery.
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