Before the October Revolution, it was a second-class stauropegial non-communal monastery. He was called Spassky “behind the rows of icons.”
It was known as the “teacher’s” due to the creation within its walls of an educational school, which was then reorganized into the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, which became the basis of the Moscow Theological Academy.
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On the site of the current monastery, the “Spassky Monastery on St. Nicholas Cross, on Peski, on the Old Place” has been known since the 14th century - the so-called. Monastery of St. Nicholas the Old.
It is believed that the Zaikonospassky Monastery, Spassky behind the row of icons, was founded by Boris Godunov in 1600, although its first mention in historical documents, in the books of the Patriarchal Prikaz, dates back to 1635. Its existence before 1610 is confirmed by the image on the “Sigismund Plan of Moscow”. It got its name from its location - behind the shops where icons were sold: I. E. Zabelin pointed to a document according to which on March 12, 1678, “the patriarch was in the Spasov Monastery, behind the icon row”; in the charter of 1706 it was indicated that in 1661 “on the 14th day of June of the Spassky Monastery, which is behind the icon row<…>Saint Archimandrite Dionysius and his brethren beat the great sovereign with their foreheads...”
Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in 1660, a two-story stone cathedral was founded: on the lower floor - in the name of the icon of the Savior, the Image Not Made by Hands, on the upper floor - in the name of the icon of the Mother of God, the Joy of All Who Sorrow. Funds for the construction of the Spassky Cathedral were given by the governor, Prince F. F. Volkonsky. On November 20, 1661, construction was completed.
In 1665, instead of the deceased Archimandrite Dionysius, the monastery began to be managed by Simeon of Polotsk, under whom a school was established to train clerks for the Order of Secret Affairs. Since the establishment of the school, the term “teacher’s” began to be added to the name of the monastery.
Among the students of the school was Sylvester Medvedev, who, having replaced Simeon of Polotsk in the management of the monastery in 1680, presented the draft Charter of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy for approval by Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich. Due to the death of the king, the project was not carried out.
In 1687, a school founded in 1685 by the brothers Ioannikiy and Sophrony Likhud, called Greek (“Hellino-Greek”) or Spassky schools, moved here from the Epiphany Monastery - the first higher educational institution in Muscovy, modeled after the Kiev-Mohyla Academy. Merged with the typographic school, it later became known as the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy.
The abbots of the monastery, starting with Palladius Rogovsky, and the archimandrites were the rectors of the Academy, and the churches of the monastery served its needs - they were both a house church and a department where students practiced church eloquence.
The monastery and cathedral were rebuilt due to fires in 1701 and 1737. The reconstruction of monastery churches and buildings was carried out according to the designs of architects I. P. Zarudny, who worked in the Baroque style, I. F. Michurin, M. T. Preobrazhensky, Z. I. Ivanov.
In 1814, the Academy was transferred to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, receiving the name of the Moscow Theological Academy, and the Zaikonospassky Theological School was located in the buildings of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy.
In 1825, the architect S.P. Obitaev designed the Assumption Cathedral for the monastery.
In 1922, the cathedral of the monastery (by that time closed) became the center of the renovationist Union of Church Revival, headed by one of the most colorful leaders - “Metropolitan” Antonin Granovsky; closed in 1929.
Currently
Divine services in the Cathedral Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands resumed in 1992. It received the status of the Patriarchal Metochion. At a meeting of the Holy Synod on March 5, 2010, it was decided: “To bless the opening of the Zaikonospassky stauropegial monastery in Moscow, separating it from the Patriarchal metochion of the former Zaikonospassky and Nikolsky monasteries in Kitai-gorod, Moscow.” Abbot Peter (Afanasyev) was appointed abbot of the monastery.
Many monastery premises are occupied by non-church organizations: premises with a total area of 4.4 thousand square meters. meters are occupied by the Historical and Archival Institute of the Russian State Humanitarian University (RGGU), the Godunov restaurant, the post office and a number of other tenants.
The monastery is in conflict with the administration of the Russian State University for the Humanities in connection with the process of transferring property.
The full name of the monastery: “Zaikonospassky Monastery of the All-Merciful Savior on the St. Nicholas Cross, behind the Icon Row.” The monastery owes this name to its location behind the rows of icons on the street where icons were “exchanged.” Behind this was hidden an everyday trick: you cannot sell a holy image, but you can exchange it for money.
To this day, the Spassky Cathedral has been preserved in the Zaikonospassky Monastery. It was built in 1660 and rebuilt in 1701 according to the design of Ivan Zarudny. The chambers of the 17th century (the so-called “Teachers’ Building”) have also been preserved.
In 1664, Alexey Mikhailovich decided to create a system of full-fledged university education.
At his invitation, the enlightener Simeon of Polotsk came to Moscow from Belarus. He settled on the territory of the Zaikonospassky Monastery and opened a Latin school there for clerks of the Secret Order.
Princess Sophia, who ascended the throne, was also a student of Simeon of Polotsk. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 1687 she allowed the opening of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy.
This first university was exclusively religious. The brothers Ioannikis and Saphronius, who arrived from Greece, became teachers of the academy. They began teaching 30 students at the Zaikonospassky Monastery the art of typography (books had just begun to be printed in Rus'), dialectics, grammar, rhetoric, logic, literature, Latin and Greek writing, and physics. The educational institution itself was called the Greco-Latin school or, based on its location, “Spassky schools.”
The Likhud brothers taught here until their last day. They were even buried in the Zaikonospassky Monastery. Likhudov was replaced by Russian teachers Polikarpov-Orlov and Semenov, trained by them.
By the time Peter I gave the school the status of an academy, more than 200 students were already studying there. The rector at that time was Hieromonk Palladius. He invited graduates of religious institutions from Lvov and Kyiv who were familiar with the Western European education system, and teaching was transferred to Latin. The Academy became Slavic-Latin, and education was divided into two levels - primary and higher. At the initial stage they studied ancient languages, Christian dogmatics, arithmetic, geography, and history. At the final stage, they studied literature, rhetoric, philosophy, and theology. The training lasted 12-15 years. Those incapable of science, but having a good disposition and good behavior, were not expelled from the academy. They were kept in the hope that the students would discover their ability to learn.
The Academy's exams attracted many spectators, as they took the form of debates between several students on some subject. And in terms of the level of education, the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy in the Zaikonospassky Monastery corresponded to the best Western European universities. Among its graduates were the creator of the textbook “Arithmetic” Leonty Magnitsky, writer, poet and translator Vasily Trediakovsky, architect Vasily Bazhenov.
Graduates of the Academy also participated in the creation of a university at the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. And the founder of Moscow University, Mikhailo Lomonosov, came to these “classes” on Nikolskaya with a fish train in 1731. Receiving a stipend of 3 kopecks a day, the future scientist studied science here for five years.
In 1812, the Zaikonospassky Monastery suffered greatly from Napoleon's invasion.
Mini-guide to China TownA stable was set up in the Spassky Cathedral, alcohol was sold in bookstores, and uniforms were sewn in the treasury cell. Everything valuable was destroyed and stolen. Monks and students of the Academy were turned into servants. Since a full-fledged university was already operating in Moscow, the Slavic-Greco-Latin Academy was not restored, but was transformed into a theological academy. In 1814 she was transferred to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. There she united with the seminary.
After this, the Zaikonospassky Monastery experienced difficult years. Only his proximity to him saved him. For example, during coronations, when festive and elegant processions walked along Nikolskaya, the monks rented out their cells to willing onlookers.
In 1884, a theological school for children of the Moscow clergy was opened on the territory of the monastery. But this did not help the monastery improve matters.
In 1929, the Spassky Cathedral was closed, the bell tower was broken, and a window was broken in the place of the gate icon. Government institutions were located in the cathedral building. A television studio “Radio broadcast” was opened in house No. 7: it broadcast the first television programs. And in 1991, the radio station “Echo of Moscow” opened here. In 1992 the monastery was returned to the church.
Now the Zaikonospassky Monastery is operational, but many of its areas are occupied by non-church organizations (Historical and Archival Institute of the Russian State University for the Humanities, restaurant "Godunov",).
They say that......the rector of the Academy had good reasons to accept Mikhailo Lomonosov. It would seem that he was an over-aged native of the peasants of the Arkhangelsk province, who tried to hide his origin, but rumors said that he was the illegitimate son of Peter the Great. And the alleged father was in the right place at the right time.
Zaikonospassky Monastery in photographs from different years:
What do you know about the Zaikonospassky Monastery and the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy?The monastery was founded in 1600 by Tsar Boris Godunov. The first mention in historical documents dates back to 1635. The name "Zaikonospassky" is explained by its location behind the icon row, located along Nikolsky Street. Since 1665, a school was established in the monastery, headed by Simeon of Polotsk. The school trained officials for government agencies. In 1685, the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy was opened in the premises of the monastery, headed by the brothers Ioannikis and Sophronius Likhud, famous in Russian history. Many Church leaders, scientists, and writers came out of the academy. In 1814, the academy was transformed into the Theological Academy and transferred to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and the Theological School remained in the monastery.
The main temple of the monastery - Spassky Cathedral - was built in 1660 by order of Emperor Alexei Mikhailovich Prince. F.F. Volkonsky. Consecrated in 1661, November 20. The current cathedral arose on the basis of this building. The exact date of its construction is unknown (presumably dates back to 1711-1720; the bypass gallery on columns dates back to the second quarter of the 18th century). Belongs to the monuments of the circle of I.P. Zarudny (in details there is a similarity with such structures as the Menshikov Tower and the Church of St. John the Warrior on Yakimanka). This is a tiered, cross-shaped temple of the octagon-on-quadrangle type, in the decoration of which the main role is given to elements of the classical pilaster order. In 1737, the temple was severely damaged by fire, but was restored under Elizabeth Petrovna and consecrated in 1742.
In 1812, the entire monastery complex was badly damaged during the invasion and atrocities of the French army. The temple was renovated in 1851. At the top there was a side-chapel in honor of the icon of the Mother of God, Joy of All Who Sorrow. This church is the same as the main one. Its walls are richly painted inside with images of the events of the Old and New Testaments, behind the left choir is a church pulpit in the form of a “pillar”, the icons are richly decorated. The entrance to the lower cathedral church in honor of the All-Merciful Savior comes from the monastery courtyard. The first impression upon entering the temple is its extraordinary darkness, the almost complete absence of daylight due to the fact that this low temple is surrounded on three sides by high two-story and three-story monastery buildings. The temple is supported by four stone pillars.
In 1920 The temple became the center of the renovationist "Union of Church Revival", and in 1929 it was closed. The temple building housed various government institutions. In the 1960s the building of the closed cathedral was restored. The upper tier was rebuilt - lucarnes were made in the roof, decorative fencing was installed on the 3rd and 4th tiers, etc. Instead of a cross, a gilded pin was erected.
The temple was returned to the Church in 1992. Divine services resumed in July 1992. The temple has the status of a patriarchal metochion. Bell towers b. are assigned to the temple. Zaikonospassky and b. St. Nicholas-Greek Monastery (1902, architect G.A. Kaiser). On March 5, 2010, the Holy Synod decided to open the Zaikonospassky stavropegic monastery in the city of Moscow, separating it from the Patriarchal metochion of the former Zaikonospassky and Nikolsky monasteries in Kitai-gorod, Moscow.
http://drevo-info.ru/articles/515.html
Zaikonospassky Monastery was founded in 1600 under Tsar Boris Godunov. It was usually called “The Savior in the Old Place”, “The Old Savior on the Sands” or “The Spassky Monastery, which is behind the row of icons”.
According to information from 1610, 1626 and 1629, the monastery had two churches, a stone one and a wooden one. Around 1660, the monastery was damaged by fire, and on the promise of Prince F.F. Volkonsky, a two-story temple was built, consecrated on November 20, 1661.
Around 1701, Abbot Palladius (Rogovsky) built a covered gallery on the second floor. During the fire of 1737, the upper church was greatly damaged. The restoration was accompanied by some alteration, as a result of which the appearance of the church lost its 17th-century character. The consecration took place on July 15, 1742, and, at the request of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the upper throne was renamed in honor of All Who Sorrow Joy. The lower temple is called the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The last significant renovation, mainly internally, dates back to 1851.
The current bell tower on the site of the previous one built in 1743 was built in the 20th century. designed by architect Z.I. Ivanova; it represents some imitation of the bell tower of the Assumption Church of 1696 on Pokrovka. The monastery is called stauropegial, which means direct dependence on the Holy Synod, the same as the Simonov, Novospassky and Donskoy monasteries.
Historically, the Zaikonospassky Monastery is important because since 1686 it has housed the Academy, which merged all the former higher schools: Chudovskoe, Andreevskoe, Epiphany and Typographical. This academy was Hellenic-Slavic until 1700, Slavic-Latin until 1775, and Slavic-Greek-Latin until 1814. Since 1814 there has been no higher theological educational institution in Moscow. The memory of the sermons delivered by the mentors and students of the Academy was preserved in the Sorrow Church in the form of a special pulpit at the left choir, shaped like a gilded pillar.
"Index of churches and chapels in Kitay-Gorod." Moscow, “Russian Printing House”, Bolshaya Sadovaya, No. 14, 1916
The Zaikonospassky Moscow Monastery is not only active today, it has been granted the status of the Patriarchal Metochion. It is located in Kitai-Gorod on Nikolskaya Street and dates back more than four centuries. Almost all of the monastery buildings that existed at the beginning of the last century have been preserved and today are recognized as historical and architectural monuments.
Cradle of Russian education
The monastery, which was initially called the Monastery of the Most Merciful Savior on the St. Nicholas Cross behind the Icon Row, was founded by Tsar Boris Godunov himself. And although the monastery was first mentioned in documents only in 1635, the date of its foundation is considered to be 1600. And the notorious clarification about the location of the monastery behind the rows in which they sold folding objects and icons served to transform the name of the church institution into the Zaikonospassky Monastery.
In the mid-60s of the 17th century, Simeon of Polotsk established a school for clerks of the Order of Secret Affairs in the monastery, and already in 1687 the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy settled here. It is considered the first higher educational institution in Great Russia. The academy's graduates included the great Russian scientist M. Lomonosov, Kamchatka explorer S. Krasheninnikov, architect V. Bazhenov, poet V. Trediakovsky, and founder of the Russian theater F. Volkov.
With the opening of Moscow University, the Academy was transformed exclusively into a theological educational institution that trained clergy. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was renamed, became known as the Moscow Theological Academy and was relocated to the walls of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and a theological school was opened in the Zaikonospassky Monastery.
Architectural masterpieces of the monastery
The architectural ensemble of the Zaikonospasskaya monastery consists of several remarkable monuments: the Spassky Cathedral, the Brotherhood or Teachers' Building, and the building of the Theological School.
Back in the reign of Alexei the Quiet in 1660, a stone church was founded in the monastery. It was built with funds donated by the governor, Prince F. Volkonsky. The structure had two altars: the first main altar was consecrated in the name of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, the second in the name of the icon of the Mother of God. In the first half of the 18th century, the monastery and cathedral were twice subjected to the destructive fire of fires, after which they were rebuilt.
The temple was especially damaged in the raging fire of 1737. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, having arrived at the Mother See for the coronation, personally ordered the restoration of the temple. This work was excellently performed by the architect I. Michurin, who managed to revive the temple without significant changes in its architectural appearance. The monastery was also severely devastated by the invasion of Napoleonic troops.
Stables were built in the temple, and tailors were located in the cells to repair officer uniforms.
In 1851, during regular renovations, the dome of the cathedral was decorated with an exquisite rotunda with an onion dome. In the middle of the last century, restoration of the cathedral facades was carried out.
Directly opposite the gate is the old fraternal building. This two-story building was built in 1686. Almost 200 years later, under the leadership of the architect V. Sher, a third floor was built over it and the general design of the facade was completed. Somewhat to the left of it is a two-story building, which was built in 1720 by the architect Zarudny.
The building of the religious school was erected according to the design of the architect Beauvais in 1822.
There is a memorial plaque on it with the name of M. Lomonosov, who mastered various sciences at the Academy, engraved.
In 1929, the monastery was closed, and even earlier the gate bell tower was dismantled. For decades, various organizations and institutions were located on the territory of the monastery. Despite the fact that in 2010 it was decided to reopen the monastery, many of the premises are still occupied by non-church organizations.
On November 13, the Center for Historical and Cultural Local History and Moscow Studies (CHKKM) of the Heritage Institute, together with the Zaikonospassky Monastery for Men and the Moscow Society of Local Lore (MKO) held a seminar “Zaikonospassky Monastery in the history and culture of Moscow: past and present day”, dedicated to the 307th anniversary from the birthday of M.V. Lomonosov (one of the most outstanding graduates of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, which existed at the monastery in the late 17th - early 19th centuries).
For the MKO and the Zaikonospassky Monastery, this is already the third joint event within the framework of the topic of the role of the monastery in the history of Russian education, the history of educational institutions that existed at different times at the Zaikonospassky Monastery and, first of all, the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, and in connection with the name one of the greatest graduates of the Academy, M.V. Lomonosov (1711–1765). On December 20, 2011, at the Historical and Archival Institute of the Russian State University for the Humanities, the monastery, the MKO and the Department of Local History and Historical and Cultural Tourism of the Institute held a ceremonial meeting dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of M.V. Lomonosov (based on its results, a collection of materials was published), On November 20, 2016, the Zaikonospassky Monastery, the MKO and the Union of Local Loreists of Russia organized a scientific and educational evening dedicated to the 305th anniversary of the birth of M.V. Lomonosov.
The seminar on November 13, 2018 was a logical continuation of these two events. Its work was attended by employees of the Heritage Institute, the Central Institute of Cultural Culture, the Foundation of Slavic Literature and Culture, Moscow scholars, members of the MKO, parish local history associations, local history societies near Moscow, residents of the Zaikonospassky Monastery, teachers - a total of 30 people. The program included 9 presentations (including 7 scientific reports).
The seminar was opened by the opening words of Vladimir Fotievich Kozlov (head of the Central Institute of Cultural Culture of the Heritage Institute, chairman of the MKO) and Hieromonk Ermogen (Korchukov), housekeeper of the Zaikonospassky Monastery (whose support and personal participation in the Lomonosov events in 2016 and 2018 played an important role in their organization).
The subsequent report by V.F. Kozlov presented the main stages in the development of the Zaikonospassky Monastery - one of the most outstanding monasteries in historical and cultural terms, and the educational institutions that existed with it (Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, Moscow Theological Seminary, Zaikonospassky Theological School) ; the speaker described the activities of the outstanding archimandrites of the monastery, teachers and graduates of the academy, and spoke about the degree of preservation of the monastery ensemble.
Alexandra Gennadievna Smirnova (leading researcher of the Central Institute of Culture and Culture, first deputy chairman of the Moscow Society of Culture) focused on the problem of preserving the memory of the most famous teachers and graduates of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy: first of all, about M.V. Lomonosov (about the memorialization of those associated with him places in the Russian North, about monuments and museums in his homeland and in Moscow), as well as about a whole galaxy of scientists, travelers, inventors, cultural figures, whose names should be reflected in the modern historical and cultural environment of Moscow.
Lyudmila Anatolyevna Timofeeva, head of the M.V. Lomonosov Museum, school No. 1530 “Lomonosov School”, shared her unique experience of educational, methodological and research work at the museum, spoke about the forms and methods of introducing students to the “Lomonosov” theme, to museum excursions and local history work .
About modern Orthodox educational, spiritual and educational work actively carried out by the Zaikonospassky Monastery in various forms and directions (Higher Znamensky Theological Courses, Spassky Orthodox Youth Center, Slavic-Korean Center, Sunday school, etc.), covering an audience of different ages, including and youth, said the monastery housekeeper, Hieromonk Ermogen. Among other things, the monastery is now faced with the task of creating a museum, the exhibition of which will combine the history of the monastery and the history of educational institutions attached to it.
A separate presentation was devoted to the excursion programs of the Zaikonospassky Monastery, as explained by Elena Vladimirovna Matyukhova, an employee of the excursion bureau. Excursion routes introduce you to the monastery itself, the shrines and streets of Kitai-Gorod, and other Moscow churches and monasteries in the historical center of Moscow.
Journalist and Moscow expert Vadim Sergeevich Dormidontov, who studied in the 1950s. at school No. 177 in the former Zaikonospassky Monastery and who lived on Nikolskaya Street, shared his memories of the school and the daily life of Nikolskaya.
Sergei Alekseevich Vetlin, local historian, journalist, head of the Mytishchi branch of the MKO, presented the book “The Gates of Learning” (Mytishchi, 2016. 208 p.), dedicated to the monastery and the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy.
The seminar participants noted the far from satisfactory situation with the monuments of the monastery ensemble; in addition, there is almost no memory of outstanding church and secular figures associated with the monastery and the academy (with rare exceptions) in toponymy, in the historical and memorial environment of Moscow. Meanwhile, both the monastery and the academy are one of the most important, brightest and most significant pages of national culture, science, and education. Wider popularization of this topic is needed, the efforts of the scientific and local history community are needed to develop a number of research subjects in the history of the monastery, as well as to develop jointly by secular scientists and the monastery community a program of activities of a historical and memorial nature.
A.G. Smirnova
Ph.D. ist. sciences, leading Researcher
Center for Historical and Cultural Local History and Moscow Studies of the Heritage Institute, first deputy. Chairman of the MKO
