Pokrovsky Nunnery in Moscow
Pokrovsky Stavropigial Monastery is an Orthodox women’s monastery in Moscow near Pokrovskaya Zastava and is the site of the relics of one of the Russian Church’s most revered saints, the blessed old woman Matrona of Moscow.
.Among pilgrims, the monastery has an unofficial status of “secular”, as it is visited daily by about 3 thousand people, while on holidays this figure can reach 50 thousand. The monastery temples are never empty, and long lines at Matrona’s reliquary are a common phenomenon here. The Pokrovsky Monastery owes its popularity among the faithful to the sacred image of the “Recovery of the dead”, which is located within its walls.
- The history of the Pokrovsky monastery: the long way from a miserable house to a nunnery
- Temples, buildings, the holy spring and necropolis
- Visiting the monastery: Tips for tourists
- A few facts about the Pokrovsky Monastery and its inhabitants
- How to get there
The history of the Pokrovsky Monastery: the long way from the Miserable House to a nunnery
The Pokrovsky Monastery was founded in 1635 and was originally a male monastery. At first, the inhabitants of Moscow called the monastery Bozhedomskaya, as it was erected on the site of the so-called Ubogogo Dom – a place where the corpses of vagrants and homeless townspeople were taken for burial.
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Temples, buildings, holy spring and necropolis
Today on the territory of the Pokrovsky Monastery in Moscow there are two churches (the Resurrection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary) and a bell tower. In addition to the churches, there are a sisterhood and abbot’s building, a hotel for pilgrims and nuns, and a monastery fence decorated with towers. Later the monastery was assigned the so-called subvillages in Strogino and in the village of Markovo, which were restored. Markovo, which were restored with the participation of the Moscow Diocese.
The relics of the blessed old woman rest in the Church of the Intercession, so the main flow of visitors falls on this place. In the Church of the Resurrection of the Evangelist, as a rule, services are celebrated, and it is customary to bring memorial notes here.
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In the Pokrovsky Monastery all visitors can absolutely freely draw water from the consecrated spring, which is located in a small pavilion. Water containers can be bought right here, although it is not forbidden to take your own containers. At the same time, despite the daily flow of pilgrims, there are usually no queues at the spring.
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Once the most peaceful place of the Pokrovsky Monastery was its necropolis. The ancient cemetery, the first burials in which were made back in the XVI century, occupied the western part of the monastery, and its area exceeded 5 hectares. It was the Pokrovsky necropolis that became the final resting place for many Moscow merchant dynasties, clergy, as well as representatives of the Georgian aristocracy.
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By the early 20th century, the monastery cemetery had about one and a half thousand tombstones. All members of the Botkin family were buried here, among them the brother of the famous professor – writer and art historian V. P. Botkin. The necropolis also became the last shelter for famous noble families, such as Obolensky and Lobkov. Two famous merchant families rest here: Garelin and Gubonin. During the years of Soviet power the cemetery lost most of its lands, and with them – and unique ancient tombstones. Today, one of the oldest necropolis of the capital is reminded only by a cross, installed in the part of the monastery, where burials used to be made.
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Visiting the monastery: tips for tourists
Due to the popularity of the Pokrovsky Monastery among Orthodox pilgrims, you can get here only after standing in line for several hours. However, tedious waiting can be avoided by working “for the good of the monastery”. Because of the large influx of people here workers sometimes can not cope with all the duties, so any willing visitor can give them as much help as possible, for example, sweep the area or help in sorting flowers. As a reward for their labor, the helpers receive unscheduled access to any of the monastery temples.
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For visitors who are not familiar with the life of the blessed old woman, in the courtyard of the Pokrovsky Monastery there are information stands. Here you can also lay your hands on the wonderworking icon of Matrona of Moscow, fixed directly on the outer part of the wall of the Church of the Intercession.
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Usually everyone who goes to Matrona with a request carries flowers with them. If you also want to ask the saint for something, take into account that it is customary to come to her “as to the living”, that is, the number of flowers in your bouquet should be odd. Traditionally, on the way out of the temple each pilgrim receives a box with flower petals “from Matrona”, which are considered medicinal.
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After visiting tourist places it is customary to take away with you a small souvenir as a keepsake. Do not deviate from tradition and in the Pokrovsky Monastery in Moscow, especially since making a purchase here, you thus make a small donation. Turn right from the entrance to the monastery, and you will find yourself in a wonderful realm of church fabrics, Easter and wedding sets, as well as gift souvenirs with Orthodox symbols. Just like the Pokrovsky Monastery, the shop is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
.On the territory of the monastery is forbidden to use video and photographic equipment, although some particularly curious tourists and manage to take pictures “from under the floor”. It is extremely undesirable to violate the ban, besides, it is important to remember the specifics of the place visited and the feelings of believers, which may be offended by the “scope” of your camera.
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A few facts about the Pokrovsky Monastery and its inhabitants
- There is an Orthodox orphanage for girls at the Pokrovsky monastery.
- Since 1998 and to this day the abbess of the monastery is Mother Theophany – holder of the Order of St. Mark, and St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, and a person of interesting fate.
- To submit a memorial note, it is not necessary to visit the monastery in person. Requests for libations can be left on the official website of the Intercession Monastery, and the donation can be sent by mail or bank transfer.
How to get there
To get to the Pokrovsky Monastery, take the Moscow metro to the station “Marksistskaya”. Go up the escalator, turning first left, then right to the stairs that lead to Taganskaya Street. From the metro stop you can get to the Pokrovsky Monastery by trolleybus (#16, 26, 63) or bus (#51, 74, 106). If you want, you can also walk on foot: just 15 minutes along the street – and here ahead you can already see the red brick walls of the monastery.
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You can make your task a little more difficult by taking the subway to the stations “Krestyanskaya Zastava” or “Proletarskaya”. Once out of the subway, turn in the direction of Krestyanskaya Zastava Square. Then go to Abelmanovskaya Street, which will lead you to the Pokrovsky Monastery.
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