Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

Visiting the monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Kursk is an adventure to remember. What to see in the root desert in Kursk, an enigmatic place that not everyone has been able to visit. Knowing the Icon of the Mother of God Znameniye is ideal for those who seek to know beyond the frequented places.

Approximately half an hour drive from Kursk (30 km), on the banks of the quiet Tuskar River, in the 13th century; The unusual monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary of the root desert in Kursk was built on the site of the famous icon of the Mother of God “Znameniye”.

During a painful time of ruin and devastation of cities and villages; the hunters of the Mongol-Tartar troops of Khan Baty (1295); 30 km from Kursk, they saw an icon near a huge tree adjacent to the Tuskar River.

Only one of them picked it up, from that place a fountain was sprinkled, when he saw that; the man put the icon “The Sign” of the Mother of God in the hole of this tree. The hunter told his unprecedented comrades about it, after consulting; they erected a chapel just above the mentioned place (where the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Virgin was built later); in which they put a wonderful icon. About this incident it is said that a sculptural ensemble was placed at the entrance to the monastery. Created by sculptor Kursk Vyacheslav Klykov.

There, where the icon was found, numerous pilgrims began to come. Then, Vasily Shemyaka, the prince of the Rylsk, ordered it to be transported to the city of Rylsk; but the prince did not honor the miraculous image and soon became blind and it was when he promised to erect a church in Rylsk in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Theotokos; where the miracle icon was later maintained. Surprisingly, having disappeared from the church; the icon returned to the place where their hunters were found. Once he tried to be transported to the city, but each time the icon was back in the place of its appearance.

In 1383, the Mongol Tartars again flew to the land of Kursk and decided to burn the chapel; but, she did not burn. Then, in a fury, the sacred icon was cut in half by the wicked. Elder Bogolyub found the remaining pieces and put them together, and suddenly a miracle came together.

Tsar Feodor Ioannovich, who heard about the miraculous icon, published a decree in 1597 to revive the city of Kursk. The icon for worship was transported to Moscow, where a special cypress board was built; in which the Old Testament prophets were represented; and placed it in a silver and gold frame adorned with pearls and precious stones.

Tsarina Irina and her daughter Princess Theodosius with their own hands embroidered a veil for the salary with gold. The icon “The Signal” of the Mother of God was returned to the root desert; where, under the direction of Father Tsar, they built a monastery and a cathedral in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.

In the 18th century, the root desert was rebuilt with a stone thanks to donations from Field Marshal Boris Petrovich Sheremetyev, who earlier visited the Holy abode.

A church with a living fountain was built above the miraculous fountain, a stone door appeared with images of hell and the Last Judgment.

Many events were experienced by the root desert: destruction; ruin, closure and looting in the Soviet years, the Great Patriotic War, the rebirth. Only in 1989 the desert was again in the diocese of Kursk-Belgorod; and a year later the monastery began a new life. Today, together with Laura de la Trinidad and San Sergio and the convent Nizhny Novgorod Diveevo de Serafín de Sarov; The Korennaya Desert is the third religious center in Russia. The restoration work is carried out here; Divine services are in process, a functioning monastery of man and a small shelter house are located in this place.

To the icon of the church “The Spring that gives life” with its source, where every day a large number of pilgrims come to drink holy water and immerse themselves in the fountain. After all; They say, even the clothes you bathe in, then heals.
A copy of the icon is in the monastery, and the original is in the Russian Orthodox Church in New York (US). She is periodically taken to the monastery so that Russian believers can bow down and touch the sanctuary.

The monastery is of extraordinary beauty! After the restoration of its structure; It was painted in a blue sky color, it is amazing!

Not long ago, in the center of the monastery, a monument to Seraph of Sarov (author – Vyacheslav Klykov), a native of the city of Kursk, was erected. Healed at the age of ten of a serious illness with the help of the miraculous icon “The Signal”; the Reverend later visited the icon repeatedly.

What to see in the root desert in Kursk, in addition to the pilgrimage trips; Sightseeing tours are often organized here. After all, you can not only visit the monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and know the Icon of the Mother of God Znameniye, but also represents our past, the history of Russia.