Venerable Sisoi of Pechersk, schemamonk. From the life of one Nizhny Novgorod woman About the healing mercy of the Venerable Schemamonk Joasaph, and about the appearance from the icon of our Holy Father Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, the Wonderworker, who is in Nizhny Novgorod

June 6th, 2018

I didn’t know that in the very center of the city, where there is nowhere for a miracle to hide, 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 there is peace and silence.

On social networks I saw a call for a pilgrimage walk around Nizhny Novgorod in the footsteps of Joasaph of Pechora.
I was in the mood for a simple walk through the primarily beautiful and secondarily historical places of my hometown. But Zhenya Pavlov gave us a real tour (how I adore tours!) with answers to our questions. Everything was very emotional, just the way I like it.

(The stories of people are always interesting, how their path leads to God. For Zhenya, this path began interestingly and, most importantly, he is in the right place. It’s difficult to find a job that will be loved by your heart. Fate brought Zhenya to the Nizhny Novgorod Pechersk Monastery, where he works as a tour guide.)

The Ascension Pechersky Monastery is located a few minutes walk from Sennaya Square.

On the way we are greeted by the Holy Cross Chapel, built in 1687. It was built by the manager of the monastery to atone for the guilt 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 Holy Cross Chapel stood until the 30s of the last century. Documents dated 29 of the last century were found: “I ask you to give me a brick from the ruins of the Holy Cross Chapel to repair a Russian stove.”
Today it has been rebuilt again and from its mountain there is a view of the Pechersky Monastery. Next time I'll check.

We go down the road and an incredibly beautiful panorama opens up to us.

Walls with loophole windows never had a defensive function; the windows were built for beauty.

The gate was rebuilt again in 2006; before that, it was also demolished during the hard times, when churches were demolished and grain warehouses and libraries were installed in them.

Romanov Alley begins near the entrance. It is planned that there will be 17 of them. Not everyone gathered in the alley today. But in the future they will fit)))
As it is sung in Gazmanov’s song, “Ruriks, Romanovs, Lenin and Stalin are my country!” Well, we won’t talk about the Stalins and Lenins, but the Rurikovichs will also gather, only this time in their own alley.
In general, it is planned to create a third alley with Russian Patriarchs.

Royal dynasties appeared here for their merits - they “created and united our country from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, increasing the glory of our Motherland” - in the words of Father Tikhon.

On the pedestals there are plaques with the name of the ruler and the date. In some cases, dates of reign are engraved, in others dates of life.

In the meantime, I’m walking along Romanov Alley. The rulers make way for those walking.

And I look at their faces, so arrogant and proud. And I like it: to watch them for real, and not powdered with a mask of piety.
These ladies were especially pleasing)

Catherine the Great

Kinds. Romanov Alley and Gate. What a beautiful day it turned out to be - yesterday there were incessant rains and they are also promising for tomorrow, but today there is some kind of grace.
I'm walking, walking, Zhen, I'm not far behind.

The gateway (built above the gate) tented church with paintings from the history of the monastery, through which we will now go to the territory, its appearance copies the St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in the Kremlin.
From here you can clearly see the "leaning tower" on the left.

Painting on the walls. Construction. The wooden buildings were subsequently gradually replaced by stone ones.

During the Soviet years, the Kolkhoznik cinema was located here.
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 during the hard years were brought to this place. The crosses were lost because they were scrapped.
In the background are the fraternal buildings. They had communal apartments. Some people come today
monastery and say that they want to walk through the places where they once lived
relatives. And Zhenya adds through his mustache - who dismantled the temples for
ovens

Assumption Church with a refectory. Here Zhenya explains to us that each iconostasis has icons arranged in a certain order.

Church of the Ascension of the Lord with a bell tower. That same “Falling” bell tower is evidence of unstable earth, prone to landslide movements. During the construction of the bell tower, it was noticed that the walls were tilted. Therefore, further engineering thought worked according to the available data - starting from the bell platform and further to the top of the roof, the tower is built vertically to the Earth. That is, the tower not only tilted, but also bent.)) Well, that’s it.

A door painted in gold leads to the house church, where only monks pray. There is no way for ordinary people to come here.

From a distance it looks like an engraving, but it is a painting.

A small dome on the roof indicates that the Church of Peter and Paul was located here above the arch.

There is an archaeological museum at the monastery. The exhibits are located on two floors.

Three saints who did the most for the monastery in their time.

Saint Macarius of Zheltovodsk.

The founder of this monastery is Dionysius.

Evfimy of Suzdal

History at every turn. Bust of Alexander II - the same one who abolished serfdom in 1861. For this, the people called him the Tsar Liberator.
Along with personal freedom, peasants received land and civil rights: freely to 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 Grebnoy Canal, which I used to call the Gribnoy Canal, from the word “mushroom,” although I’ve never seen mushrooms, no matter how hard I looked.

I love these paths, down and sideways. The trees either part or hang like a dense ceiling. And the birds began to shout, 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 hidden from view behind large trees.

And we go and have leisurely conversations about ancient times and about the miracles that happen to parishioners today. And suddenly an inconspicuous path that I would never have noticed in real life, because I always look more at the water.

We got ready to climb. A decisive sigh and... Let's go.

I have never thought about the morphology of the word Pechery before, and yet in Nizhny this word is in use - Upper Pechery, Sloboda Pechery, 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 as a result of a landslide in 1597.
The landslide did not occur in a matter of minutes, but in several days. At first there were slight movements of the earth. During this time, the ministers were able to remove valuables, icons, papers, and the residents of the surrounding houses were able to go to safe places.
“and the mountain began to crumble... and there was a great noise and crackling throughout the forest, and great fear and horror attacked the people...”
The movement of the mountain was so powerful that it even changed the course of the Volga River in this place and threw back coastal ships.
It was a well-maintained monastery, prosperous and supported by the state of that time.
Mountain descent to the monastery.

Why this godly corner was not pleased, one can only speculate, but after the earth fell, nothing remained of its former splendor. And the monks who returned to the site of the destroyed temple saw how in the place of the swept away cemetery lay a coffin slightly dusted with earth. It contained the incorruptible body of Joasaph, buried 30 years ago.
From documents of that time: “the relics were found behind the church, little covered with earth, but the schemamonk; His relics, and vestments, and the coffin are incorruptible, only the earth will receive a portion from his face, but his hair is intact and unharmed by anything, and there is myrrh in the coffin.”
Who he is and what he did to deserve such a reward from God is still unknown.

That is, translating into divine language, we can say that God both punishes strictly and distributes mercy. Having sorted out his acquired property piece by piece, he showed people eternal values ​​- holy relics.
According to their faith, people received healings and miracles near the relics.
On the site of the old temple, a wooden church was built in the basement of which a tomb with the relics of Joseph of Pechersk was placed. A fire in 1780 also engulfed the church. Therefore, the newly erected church was made of stone through popular and sponsorship efforts. This is how we see her today.

Streets. It must be great to wake up and drink tea with a view of 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 held) is composed of icons according to certain rules.
Usually the iconostasis has from 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 come the icons after which the temple is named, in this case the Transfiguration of the Lord, then the local revered saint - Joasaph of the Pechersk. Above the door are followers of Jesus reading books with their heads bowed.
The Last Supper is always located above the doors.
The second row is the “festive” row, events from the life of Jesus - Christmas, Annunciation, Entry into Jerusalem, Crucifixion, Resurrection and others. Here I couldn’t see what was depicted (I can’t see anything at all from two meters), but I know that these are events from the Gospel, on 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 (not included in the photo).

On the fourth row there are usually 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. It turns out it's interesting!

Entrance to the cave.

About 20 steps. I hit my head on the arch above the stairs twice (when I was going up and when I was going down), which means I had to bow before entering the cave and before leaving it.
To the right of the stairs you can see a bucket with bottles and sand from the tomb. In bottles of oil from lamps. The oil is believed to have a powerful effect if it was placed in front of the relics of a saint. And water passed through sand becomes healing.
Of course, all of the above applies only to a person’s faith.

This is how everything works inside the cave.

Behind the glass is the figure of Christ at the moment of resurrection.

Under cover (that is, in secret) lie the relics of Saint Joasaph of Pechersk.
The tomb is all stone and has one window. The vaults are decorated with paintings from the life of the monastery.

Icon of the holy venerable schemamonk Joasaph of Pechersk.

Our path continues. Miracles don't stop.
I make my way along an inconspicuous path to the stream,
Where the grass is tall, where the thickets are thicker.
Like deer from their knees, I drink your holy
Spring truth...

Winding streets, twisting to the left,

then to the right, they lead us to the next place.

The second landslide occurred the same 270 years as the first after the founding of the cave monastery. In May 1853, the rock separated from the mountain again and went straight towards the church. But literally a few tens of meters away the traffic went to the right. What is this if not a miracle?
difficult to explain. Of course, everything can be explained, but for believers, this is a miracle from God. Because again, having destroyed church buildings, houses and gardens, the landslide opened up water sources for us.

The keys were surrounded by wooden buildings.

In the center there is a chapel.

Baths were set up at this place: for men

and women.
In our presence, women bathed in the spring with prayers and chants. Well, men are more modest. But water is popular among parishioners.

and two springs were set aside for drinking.

I also managed to wet my feet in the bathtub. The water is of course like molten ice - very cold. The whole day after, my legs felt not so much strength or lightness, but there was some kind of healthy sensation.

With light jumps (after the healing water), my legs themselves carried me up the hill to catch up with my group. Without them, I would never have found the shortcut to the city.
Again an inconspicuous path,

It's a minute's walk from the temple and leads into the city.

It’s true that we need one more push here.

The intricacies of the stairs show us two paths. Somewhere here, 160 years ago, the earth opened up and went to the Volga. Here it is History! I think I've already said this somewhere? Select the left staircase.

Tired and drunk, we return to the familiar world.

After such a pilgrimage, not only on that day, but also on the next, bright feelings remained in my soul that I would like to keep it in myself for a longer time and not spill it during the day.

Thanks to Zhenya - I pulled you out of your usual everyday life. And I tick myself that one of the points in my plan for the summer has been fulfilled - hiking and filling my soul with light. How I miss this in everyday life.

V- done!

The Most Rev. Ila-ri-on, schema-nik Pe-cher-sky, a strict as-ket, was a promoter and a scholar of the Pre-do-be -go Fe-o-do-siya († 1074; commemorated May 3). Following his teaching, the Most Reverend Ila-ri-on days and nights with tears prayed to God, with- observing a strict fast. Contemporaries knew him as a book-go-pi-sa-te-la, who worked day and night on the re-pi-sy-va- There are no books in the cell of the Pre-do-do-no-go Fe-o-do-siya. At this time, the mentor sang psalms and spun wool. Pre-precious Ila-ri-he-vis-hall in the 11th century. Precious in the distant caves. It was also commemorated on August 28th and in the 2nd Week of the Great Year.

The complete life of the pre-excellent Ila-ri-o-na, schema-ni-ka of Pechersk

In the life of the great father of ours, Fe-o-do-siya, abbot of the Pe-cher-sko-go-mo-ty-rya, oh the pre-presence of Ila-ri-one said: “The devil La-ri-on all the days and nights write books in the cell-liya pre-po- good-for-the-father of ours Fe-o-do-siya, it is the Psalm-Tir on my lips that is quiet, my hands spinning the hair- well, or something else." In “Sk-za-ni-yah about the lives of the saints, in the cave-re-pre-po-do-no-go Fe-o-do-siya in-chi-va-yu-yu-shchih” "Describe the most honorable Ila-ri-on like this: “The Most Excellent Ila-ri-on is the schema-nickname of that voz-der-zha -niya was, like once a week he only ate a little, roar-well-you-chee pre-excellent Fe-o-do-this, bo and co-zhi -his body was, but there were many prayers and supplications, day and night, with a lot of prayers and after-my creations , pleased the Lord God.” In the life of the Pre-po-do-no-go Fe-o-do-siya, it is also known that the mentioned Ila-ri-he opened - to the most kindly Nestor, how the demons searched him and how the most kindly Fe-o-do-this often am- He was forced to endure these trials and his prayers to get him out of them. Pre-precious Ila-ri-he-vis-hall in the 11th century. The name of the pre-do-do-no-go Ila-ri-o-na, as the teacher of the pre-do-do-no-go Fe-o-do-siya, refers to in the general service of the pre-doubted Far Caves (4th song of ka-no-na). His powers are located in the Fe-o-do-si-e-vykh (Dal-nih) caves, which is why he is remembered from the very beginning there is a joint place with the pre-additional mention of the caves on August 28th. And on October 21st he was commemorated, most likely, for the sake of his name. mu Ila-ri-o-nu Ve-li--ko-mu († 372).

Pilgrimages

05 April 11 Lyudmila Belkina

500 steps to schemamonk Joasaph

The Lord led us to the incorruptible relics of schema-monk Joasaph of Pechersk at the very end of the Orthodox Volga-2001 pilgrimage. Having visited the Pechersky Ascension Monastery of Nizhny Novgrod, we were about to return to the ship, but then suddenly the guide of our group suggested stopping at the Transfiguration Church, located not far from the monastery - to the reverend father schemamonk Joasaph, who is very revered by the people of Nizhny Novgorod. There was little time left before 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 for us. She said that she retired and helps in the church: where she washes the floor, puts candles, and distributes sand with the blessing of the priest. I was delighted to learn that we were from Samara - Mother Nina turned out to be a regular reader of Blagovest. She immediately led her to the lower temple, where the relics of schemamonk Joasaph are hidden, told about him, and generously provided the pilgrims, who reverently applied to the tomb, with holy oil and sand from the relics.

Very little is known about schemamonk Joasaph; it is not even known who his parents are. Perhaps 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.

Schemamonk 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 collapse of the mountain under which it was located. Among the ruins, the relics of schemamonk Joasaph were discovered. The coffin was intact, the clothes and body were incorruptible, only some parts of the face were taken away by the earth. The saint's coffin was placed in the Staropechersk Transfiguration Church. In 1794, the stone Church of the Transfiguration was built. In 1860, the cave over the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph was restored.

As it is written in the life, “the grace of the reverend schema-monk Joasaph is credited with saving us from the destruction of the Church of the Transfiguration in 1853, when the mountain, having detached itself from its top by about fifty meters in length, moved straight towards the church. Along the way, it tore off and destroyed almost half of the church stone fence with parish cemetery, but, taking an unexpectedly new direction, descended into the Volga to the side at a distance of hundreds of meters."

The relics rested for 404 years, and all these years the Orthodox people did not stop 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 thick fabric and applied to the sore spot. It relieves pain very well, even heart pain goes away. Church parishioners sew belts with sand to treat radiculitis.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 2, 1993, Metropolitan Nicholas of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas glorified the relics of schemamonk Joasaph at a festive service. This day is the day of his memory, every year on this day a festive service is held, oil is placed on the tomb and blessed.

A long staircase of five hundred steps leads to the Church of the Transfiguration. But this does not bother the regular parishioners of the temple, many of whom are elderly. One 86-year-old woman climbs this ladder every day. Because at the end of the path a shrine awaits her.

Prayer to the Venerable Father Schemamonk Joasaph of Pechersk

O great ascetic of piety, Reverend Father Joasapha, showing to the world the image of obedience, meekness and humility, unfeigned faith and the true path, to walk in the commandments of Christ and imitate the angelic life! O diligent worker of Christ’s field, the fruit has been acquired a hundredfold, with which the land of Nizhny Novgorod has been enriched in the enlightenment of the Light of Christ’s Truth and the strengthening of the Orthodox faith!

Today, brightly celebrating your memory, God-wise Father, and standing before the holy race, in which your incorruptible relics rest, we praise and glorify you, for through your many labors you have acquired from the Lord the great mercy of the souls and bodies of the grace-filled healing of all who fall with faith to your holy relics . For this reason, even now, burdened with spiritual and physical infirmities, we pray to you, Reverend Father, we, sinners and unworthy: having boldness towards the Lord, offer up your powerful prayers for us, and with them ask for our land to be affirmed in the Orthodox faith, for Christian people to grow spiritually prosperity, in this present life, prosperity with God's haste, and in eternal life, the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of our souls.

Be to us, Father Reverend Joasapha, a good mentor and protector, unceasingly offering up your warm prayers for everyone who, with faith and hope, asks for your help and prayerful intercession before the Lord; to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and ever. Amen.

The village of Starye Pechery received its name from the Pechersky Monastery, near which it is located. It also bears the name of the Far Pechers, and this is what it is called, in contrast to the Pechers closest to Nizhny Novgorod, i.e. the current Pechersky Monastery, because the local parish church stands on the site of the former Pechersky Monastery, founded around 1330 and destroyed by a landslide in 1597. Since the existence and especially the destruction of this monastery is connected with the history of the Pecherskaya Sloboda, and since the destruction, it must be said, served as an impetus for a new situation in this parish Pecherskaya Sloboda, which subsequently built its own parish church here, we consider it useful to briefly mention about the founding and destruction of the former Pechersk Monastery.

Pechersky Monastery. Engraving

The Nizhny Novgorod Pechersky Monastery was founded by Saint Dionysius during the ownership of Nizhny Novgorod by the appanage prince of Suzdal, Alexander Vasilyevich. Dionysius, having come to Nizhny Novgorod from the Kiev-Pechersk monastery, three miles from the city, together with other monks who were with him, dug a cave in a semi-mountain on the bank of the Volga, and soon, after the brethren came to him, he built a monastery, in which he became abbot . Thus founded in the first half of the 14th century, by the end of the same century the monastery began to flourish, although, presumably, it, along with other monasteries, suffered from the attack of Arapsha with the Mongol Tatars in 1377. It is not known in what year, but, nevertheless, it is certain that around that time, peasants began to settle near the monastery on both sides, the ancestors of the current inhabitants of Pechersk and Podnovsk, who were later assigned (by the beginning of the 17th century) to the monastery and who formed its closest servants .

Existing in the same place for about 250 years and enjoying the favors of the great princes, kings and the goodwill of other persons, by the end of the 16th century the Pechersky Monastery reached the 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 landslide. On June 18 of this year, at three o'clock in the morning, it was destroyed by the mountain under which it was located.

Shortly before this accident, a huge cleft appeared in the mountain a little higher than the monastery, one mile up the Volga to the monastery settlement, and down to the caves dug in the mountain. Signs of destruction were discovered in and around the monastery: earth shaking was felt, and even the monastery bridge, on the right side of its wall, began to collapse. In view of the impending danger and in anticipation of God's help and salvation from the impending death, Archimandrite Tryphon, who was at that time, left the monastery; at the same time, 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 were brought out; much more was taken out and kept intact, with the exception of some papers, fortresses and deeds of gift, which were lost at this time, even the monastery horses and other livestock were taken out.

Soon after this precaution taken at the time, precisely three days later, the mountain, the top of which was covered with ripe bread and in places with forest, began to crumble into that deep and great crevice, which caused a loud noise and a terrible crash. It was early in the morning. All the people living nearby woke up from such a crash and sought salvation by fleeing from their homes. The God-fearing and pious Archimandrite Tryphon, and with him the brethren, left their home unharmed and, standing in the distance, looked at the monastery they had abandoned, wept and prayed.

The mountain, meanwhile, having come off its top above the monastery by fifty fathoms, and where even more, with a terrible noise rushed into the crevice and displaced the land from under the monastery into the Volga River by fifty fathoms or more, so that the ships standing under the monastery on waters of the river, they were thrown far from the previous bank, exactly twenty fathoms or more, but still they remained on land, because on the Volga huge mounds formed from the earth displaced from under the mountain, as a result of which it changed its course.

From the cliff and 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, cell buildings, all monastery services and the fence were partially destroyed and partially damaged. The wooden church of St. Nicholas, which stood on the shore near the monastery, was moved two fathoms from its place; in the Pechersk settlement itself, the houses of the inhabitants staggered and swayed.

Thus, the mountain, remaining motionless, perhaps for thousands of years, moved a considerable distance in a few minutes; centuries-old temples and buildings collapsed, and the magnificent, flourishing temple was gone!

Archimandrite Trifon, rector of the Pechersk Monastery
saves the property of the monastery shortly before destruction

Two and a half centuries passed, and traces of this destruction were still visible. Along a significant ledge of the mountain, one can still mark the boundaries of the former monastery, and throughout this entire space there are signs of destruction: one could see piles of stones on the ground and underground in huge quantities, the remains and ruins of caves that existed in a dilapidated state not far from the eastern side of the monastery the beginning of this century. Even recently, according to old-timer eyewitnesses, a large wax candle burned out 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 clean and with special care by the residents, is still visited by many pilgrims, like some 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 home, but now lying in ruins and irretrievably lost. Having no shelter, they wandered through the ruins with sadness and sorrow. But the All-Wise Providence, punishing and at the same time merciful, prepared for them considerable consolation in these sad remnants. Having lost, although dear, but perishable, they found a priceless and incorruptible treasure, which was 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 schemamonk Joasaph, buried in that place three decades before the destruction of the monastery, were discovered. His coffin, barely covered with earth, remained intact, the clothes and body of the schema-monk were also incorruptible. Only some part of his face was covered with earth. We consider it necessary to cite here the literal legend of the chronicle about this discovery, kept in the Staropechersk Church. This is what it says: “After that destruction, on the third day, the relics were found behind the church, little covered with earth, but the schemamonk, his relics and vestments and coffin were incorruptible, only the earth received a part from his face, but his hair was intact and unharmed by anything. , and there is ointment in the tomb. At the same time, the monks of ancient times heard a message saying: for this schemamonk, named Joasaph, was very active towards God in sensual life, and after his repose he was buried in this place; same previous three ten years. At this time I came to the Dudin Monastery [where now the village of Podyablonnoe, Gorbatovsky district - approx. author], hegumen Euthymius and his brethren, and of that Pechersk monastery, Archimandrite Trifon and his brethren, - all together they picked up the coffin from that place, known for the sake of testimony, looked at the relics and touched it with their own hands, and buried it in another place, placing the coffin level with the ground , not covered with earth, and also built a tomb over him.”

Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Pechersk Church. Photo from the 1960s.

After this testimony of the relics of schemamonk Joasaph, his coffin was placed in the place where it still stands in the Staropechersk Transfiguration Church, in the fence of the former destroyed monastery.

In the same year as the monastery collapsed, Archimandrite Tryphon went to Moscow to Tsar Theodore Ioannovich to ask permission to build the monastery again in the same place, or in another place, not far from the previous monastery. The Tsar, condescending to his request, gave orders to the Nizhny Novgorod governor Leonty Aksakov and the clerk and stonemasons to inspect that place and find out whether it would be suitable for building a monastery on it again.

Upon inspection, 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 previous place, where there were seven hills. These hills and the mountain itself were ordered to be leveled at public expense and a wooden church of the Ascension of the Lord with cells for the brethren and other services necessary for the monastery to be built here in the half-mountain and the monastery to be surrounded by a fence. In the same place, where only the ruins of the monastery remained, the sovereign ordered the construction of a wooden church to commemorate the dead brethren. This church was soon built in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord with the chapels of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, over the tomb of the schema-monk Joasaph erected here. At the same time, some icons were transferred there from the Church of St. Nicholas, which was outside the monastery fence, on the very bank of the Volga, including, as can be seen from the legend, two miraculous icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - one carved, two arshins in size, and the other - 2.25 arshin, ancient icon painting in a silver scale frame. These icons are still in the Staropechersk Church; the first is in the chapel of St. John the Theologian on the first wall between the windows, and the second is in the real Transfiguration Church behind the right choir, and they enjoy special respect and reverence from parishioners and wandering pilgrims. The tomb of schemamonk Joasaph was located in that wooden church, in the chapel of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian. This is what it says in the chronicle: “This Saint Joasaph rests even to this day in the Old Caves, in the Church of St. John the Theologian, under a bushel, giving many healings with faith to those who come to his tomb; his tomb is on the left side of the royal doors behind the choir.”

The Pechersk Monastery, founded in 1598 in a new location, little by little 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 began to be replaced by stone ones. Churches and buildings, stone and wooden, were re-erected, and in more or less better shape than before. Only the wooden church, built on the site of the old monastery on the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph, remained in its original state for almost two centuries. Based on 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, divine services and services were performed by monastery hieromonks and white priests sent to those places by the abbot of the monastery, as can be seen from metric books and various monastic documents. This was, presumably, until 1764.

After the formation and approval of the monastic states, when the villages and peasants assigned to the monasteries were taken away from them, and in return they were given a salary and various lands, then the churches of those villages became independent and a special clergyman, appointed by the diocesan authorities, began to serve in them . Then, in all likelihood, the Staropecherskaya Church was converted into a parish church, although there is no clear indication of this change in the documents, with the exception of several, and then incomplete, ecclesiastical paintings dating back to 1770 in this church. Registries of birth and confession have been kept in full form and in the correct order since 1782. Around this time, according to the stories of old-timers, during the planting of garden vegetables in the month of May, there was a strong fire in the Pecherskaya Sloboda, the victim of which, along with the building of the inhabitants, was the wooden parish church.

Instead of the burnt wooden church, thanks to the diligence of parishioners and the diligence of outside benefactors, as stated in church documents, a stone church was built soon after the fire; first with one chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was consecrated under the Reverend Damascene in 1790. In 1794, the real Transfiguration Church was rebuilt. After some time, the church turned out to be too large; and therefore, in 1816, its refectory on the right side was expanded and a second chapel was built in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.

In 1860, the cold Transfiguration Church, poor in interior decoration, was splendidly decorated inside and out through the diligence of the parishioners and the diligence of the church warden. The ancient icons were corrected and cleaned, the iconostasis and icon cases were gilded on polyment, the floor was made of stone, clean and durable - and in general, the church was brought into such a comfortable state that in its splendor it is not inferior to other churches in Nizhny Novgorod. With this arrangement of the stone church, the cave of schemamonk Joasaph was also restored, which, with the new location of the church, was no longer in the chapel, as it was before, but in a real cold church, behind the left choir, near the northern wall.

In the crypt, where the relics of schemamonk Joasaph rest in secret, near the wall between the northern side doors and the window, a narrow descent of 12 steps was built, fenced at the top with small railings. The cave is all stone, 8 arshins long and 3 arshins wide, with a semicircular vault and a small window, below the window of the left choir. Thanks to the diligence of benefactors, it was decorated quite splendidly. Its walls, covered with boards, and its vault are painted; on the front eastern wall there is a small iconostasis of three icon cases side by side, with three silvered lamps in front of the icons - in the middle there is the Monk Joasaph the Tsarevich, on the right - the Mother of God of Theodore, and on the left - the Church of the Triumphant, of good iconographic work. Above these icons in a semicircle is a picturesque image of the Lord of Hosts, with a small lamp that is never extinguished. In the middle of the cave, above the coffin of schema-monk Joasaph, a stone tomb of the usual size, three arshins long and 1.5 arshins wide, rises above the floor; it is decorated with expensive coverings donated by the zeal of Christians; In the tomb, an oval hole was made at the top, just to stick a hand through to take sand, which was poured onto the coffin in significant quantities even when the church was built. At the upper end of the tomb, at the feet, there is a picturesque image of the rise from the tomb of Christ the Savior, 10 inches high, and at the opposite end there is always a blessed cross in a case, covered with ancient air for worshipers to apply, with two silver-plated candlesticks. A silver-plated chandelier with 7 candles was suspended above the tomb itself. This is the structure of the cave. In it, every day after the liturgy, a memorial service is celebrated for the repose of the soul of the late schema-monk Joasaph here in Bose. Under the gloomy arch of this cave, faintly illuminated by the light of an unquenchable lamp, many pilgrims still flock to the silent but instructive tomb of the spiritual ascetic since the destruction of the former Pechersk Monastery, especially in the summer. And not only from Nizhny Novgorod, but also from distant cities and villages of other provinces.

Very often, from early morning until late evening, throughout the summer, at the request of zealous pilgrims, a funeral chant is sung here for the repose of the soul of the deceased, asking for spiritual and physical benefit, and everyone, according to their faith, accepts it. Those sick with various ailments, especially fever and fever, venerate with faith the saint’s tomb, take sand from there, and oil from the lamp, and soon receive healing. Children-babies, possessed by various diseases, when 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, become stronger in health.

The tomb of schemamonk Joasaph in the Transfiguration Pechersk Church.
Photo beginning XX century

In folk tradition there are many stories about similar healings and apparitions from the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph, dating back to quite 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 regarding time, persons and places they even differ from each other. 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 dating back to a time very close to us.

One day, among the pilgrims, a peasant woman of about 50 years old came to the church of Pecherskaya Sloboda to worship at the tomb of Schemamonk Joseph; neither her first name, nor patronymic, nor last name, unfortunately, were recorded. She comes from the Kostroma province, Vetluzhsky district. This woman, in the presence of the entire local church, the clergy and the church warden, said the following: she was sick for three years with relaxation of all members of the body, and by the end of this time her illness became so intensified that she could not only walk, but also get out of bed . At this time, when her situation was completely hopeless, a monk appeared to her in a dream, for three nights in a row, calling himself Joasaph and commanding her to go to Pechery to worship at his tomb, about which she had never heard from anyone and had no idea. even concepts. Refusing on this basis and in view of her painful condition and the complete impossibility of undertaking any kind of journey and fulfilling the command of the schema-monk who appeared to her during the first two apparitions, already at the minute of the third apparition the sick woman, threatened by the fear of death, pronounced a vow. The very next day after that, she felt relief from her illness and soon found herself able to hit the road. Having arrived here, she prayed with zeal over the saint’s tomb and now feels completely healthy, which she owes to the prayers of schemamonk Joasaph. The pilgrims who were with her, from the same side, about 10 people in number, confirmed everything she said.

Soon after, the wife of a deacon in the village of N. Vasilyevsky district received healing from the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph. She had been sick since her marriage, according to her husband, from damage. In moments of this serious illness, she reached the point of madness, screamed and raged; this was also noticed when she visited the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph. After venerating the relics, the patient calmed down, was of sound mind and felt better than before. Soon, pilgrims from the side where the village of N. is located informed the clergy and the elder 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 schemamonk Joasaph.

During these same years, the Nizhny Novgorod merchant wife E.N., who, according to relatives, had fallen ill several months before with nerve irritation, was brought to the local church by her relatives. Her illness intensified to such an extent that she reached the point of unconsciousness, screamed furiously, called out and went berserk. According to the conviction and stories of her relatives and some of her acquaintances who were with her in church, she was possessed by an evil spirit. In such a painful state, the patient was brought to the Staropechersk Church, and during the prayer singing before the miraculous image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, she fought and screamed. It only took a lot of effort to bring her to the Holy Gospel and the Cross. But when the sick woman was brought to the cave of schema-monk Joasaph, with the same frantic cry as before, and applied to his tomb, then she noticeably began to calm down and by the end of the requiem, she completely calmed down, so that she herself, without any coercion or assistance from her relatives, kissed the tomb . No more than 20 days later, during which prayers were constantly being performed in the local church for the health of the zealous patient and a memorial service was deliberately celebrated for her over the tomb of schema-monk Joasaph, E.N., together with her husband K.N., came to venerate the relics of the reverend already in perfect health.

Tomb of schemamonk Joasaph. Photo 2007

Among the miraculous phenomena from the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph, one must include the preservation of the Pechersk Church from the destruction again threatened by the mountain in the middle of which it is located.

The former Pechersk monastery, founded, as said, in the first half of the fourteenth century, existed on that site for almost 270 years before its destruction from a mountain collapse. After exactly the same period of time, a terrible 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 fathoms in length , and went straight to the church, crushing its gardens and various philistine buildings above. What? Of course, the miraculous deliverance of the local church from the same destruction as the former Pechersk Monastery suffered must be attributed to the prayers and intercession of the saint of God Nicholas the Wonderworker alone, and together with the schema-monk Joasaph who rests here. The collapsed mountain, having destroyed up to 12 gardens with all the fruitful trees and destroyed three philistine houses and several different buildings that stood higher than the church, moreover, in the smallest space from it, took in its movement a completely different direction several fathoms further than the church and also descended again into Volga.

On its way, it tore off and destroyed almost half of the church stone fence with the parish cemetery, which went down to the Volga about twelve fathoms.

The inhabitants watched with surprise and horror how, according to the wise Providence of God, the mountains ascended and descended, they trembled for their temple, with the priceless treasures stored in it, and they feared for their homes and property. But this terrible storm passed, and they glorified the Lord God, marvelous in His saints.

in illness. There were especially many mothers with small children here. The authors of a book about schema-monk Joasaph, published in 1899, testify: “Infants, overcome by various diseases, when brought into the cave and applied to the tomb and its covers, quiet down from their painful crying and screaming, and apparently, especially for the eyes of faith, improve their health."

Unfortunately, in the Staropechersk Church (namely, this is the everyday name that was assigned to the Transfiguration of the Women’s Church) there was no custom of recording testimonies of healings performed through prayers at the tomb of schemamonk Joasaph. Perhaps this is precisely what explains the fact that he was canonized late, already in our days (in 1993, St. Joasaph of the Pechersk was canonized as a saint of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese).

Only one document has survived, which talks about the help of St. Joasaph of Pechersk, - “The Tale of the healing mercy of the Venerable Schemamonk Joasaph, and of the appearance from the icon of our holy father Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, the Wonderworker, which is in Nizhny Novgorod, in the Church of the Savior Cathedral under the bells” ( 1702). The rest of the evidence collected in pre-revolutionary books about Elder Joasaph are oral stories from local residents and, obviously, suffer from inaccuracy.

Among the most frequently repeated stories about the prayerful intercession and help of St. Joasaph should be

Above: Staropechersky Church, built over the tomb of St. Joasapha.

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 almost destroyed by a landslide. “The former Pechersk monastery, founded, as it is said, in the first half of the fourteenth century,” the book about Elder Joasaph reports, “existed in that place before its destruction from the collapse of the mountain for almost 270 years. After exactly the same period of time, a terrible 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 fathoms in length ,

GROG, II AND CPU

"TLRMH"A MCHYARPHY.

and went straight to the church, destroying gardens and various philistine buildings above it. What? Of course, the miraculous deliverance of the local church from the same destruction that the former Pechersk Monastery suffered must be attributed to the prayers and intercession of the Pleasant of God Nicholas the Wonderworker, and together of Schemamonk Joasaph, who rests here. The collapsed mountain, having destroyed up to 12 gardens with all the fruitful trees and destroyed three philistine houses and several different buildings that stood higher than the church, moreover, in the smallest space from it, took in its movement a completely different direction several fathoms further than the church and also descended again into Volga".

Tomb of schemamonk Joasaph. Modern photo.