Bright holiday on Valaam: unique icons on the "high land". Russian President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited Valaam St. Sergius and Herman

The founders of the Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Saints Sergius and Herman, according to church tradition, were Greek monks who came to the possessions of Veliky Novgorod along with the first Orthodox missionaries.

Historical information about them is scarce, the most important source of dating is missing - their ancient life. In the XII-XVII centuries, the monastery, located on the border of Sweden and Russia, was devastated more than once during endless wars, it was robbed by the Swedes who sailed on Lake Ladoga, monastic life was interrupted for many decades, church monuments, monastic shrines were destroyed, burned and the richest monastic library and repository of manuscripts were plundered. The lives of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam also disappeared.

Today, there are two options for dating the founding of the monastery: X-XI century (based on a number of chronicle references to the transfer of the relics of St. Sergius and Herman from Valaam to Novgorod in 1163) and XII-XIV century (based on the 16th-century manuscript "The Legend of the Valaam Monastery" ). Church and monastic tradition adheres to the first version.
But the meaning of the monastic and missionary exploits of the monks does not depend on dating.

Let there be no documentary evidence of their contemporaries left about them, but there remained Karelians converted to Orthodoxy, who, unlike their fellow tribesmen who ended up on Swedish lands and converted to Catholicism, and then Lutheranism, completely preserved not only their national identity, but also the ancient epic "Kalevala ". And there was also a monastery founded by them, which for many centuries became northern Athos not only for all of Russia, but for the entire Orthodox world.

The original place of the deeds of St. Sergius and Herman was probably the Holy Island: a Swedish atlas has been preserved, in which on the map of Valaam it is called Vanho Valamo - Old Valaam, and a cross is indicated on this island.

The monastery was burned to the ground several times, but each time it was reborn. At the turn of the XV-XVI centuries, the monastery was called the "Great Lavra". He became famous for many ascetics - the spiritual successors of St. Sergius and Herman. From here came the Monk Savvaty, who in 1429 laid the foundation for monastic life on the Solovetsky Island in the White Sea. Monk Gennady, later the holy archbishop of Novgorod, a famous fighter against heresy, the compiler of the first complete collection of Holy Scripture in the Slavic language (1499) was also a Valaam monk.

But at the beginning of the 17th century, the Valaam Monastery was completely destroyed, and its lands were ceded to Sweden for 100 years. Only at the end of the Great Northern War it revived again. It was then that the local glorification of its founders took place and the beginning of their church veneration in the Novgorod diocese was laid.

And in the 19th century, when the monastery reached its peak, the Holy Synod ordered the all-Russian veneration of the Valaam saints and determined the days of the church celebration of their memory.

Fast 17 Tamuz

There are days in the year when the entire Jewish people fasts in memory of the troubles that befell them in the past.

Tammuz 17 (the fourth month of the year, if, as Jewish tradition requires, counting from Nisan) is one of the four fasts established to commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

On Tevet 10, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Jerusalem, on Tamuz 17, his soldiers broke through the city wall, and three weeks later, on Av 9, the tragic denouement came - the Temple was set on fire.

In the history of the Jewish people, the 17th of Tammuz is generally a day of disaster. In the Talmud, in the tractate Taanit, as many as five troubles that happened on this day are listed.

In 2448 from the creation of the world, in the year of the Exodus from Egypt, just forty days after receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, the Jews made a golden calf, having committed the grave sin of idolatry. And on the 17th of Tammuz, Moses, who descended from Sinai with the tablets of the Covenant, seeing the cast statue of a calf and the Jews dancing around it, could not hold the tablets in his hands - they fell and broke. And although Moses still managed to beg forgiveness from God for the lost people, but this day remained an unhappy day, for sin was not fully atoned for.

Almost nine centuries later, the sons of Israel, who lived in the Promised Land, again deviated from the commandments, forgot the Torah: they worshiped idols, shed human blood. Both are a direct violation of the commandments. There were other, less obvious faults. And in 3336 Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonian army. And on the 17th of Tamuz, daily sacrifices in the Temple ceased - it was impossible to deliver sacrificial animals. It was a sign of impending disaster. In 3338 the First Temple was destroyed, land and freedom were lost.

The people learned their lesson, repented, regained their freedom and land, and rebuilt the Temple. But history repeated itself - people again began to forget God's laws, although their sins were less obvious. And in 3828, almost five hundred years after the destruction of the First Temple, Jerusalem was besieged, this time by the Romans. On the 17th of Tamuz, the Romans breached the walls and captured the city. Once again, the defeat was followed by the destruction of the Temple and exile.

On the same day in 165 BC, Apostomos, the governor of Antiochus, burned the Torah, realizing that the surest way to enslave the Jews was to strike at their spiritual heritage. The burning of the Torah was the beginning of the persecution of the Jews and one of the main causes of the Maccabean uprising.

And finally, on this day, an idol statue was erected in the Temple. According to one version, this happened in the era of the Second Temple and was also one of the acts of Apostomos; according to another (version of the Jerusalem Talmud), this was done by the king of Judea, Manasseh, who ruled in the era of the First Temple and became famous for "flooding Jerusalem with innocent blood" and was an idolater who surpassed all his predecessors.

According to legend, during the Flood, it was on the 17th of Tamuz that Noah sent a dove from the ark to the earth to check whether the waters had left. "And the dove found no resting place for its foot" (Genesis 8:9). Similarly, the people of Israel, who are likened to a dove in the Torah, cannot find refuge on this day.

Fasting begins at dawn with penitential prayers of slichot ("requests for forgiveness"), written specifically for this day, and lasts until the stars appear. All this time you can not drink and eat.

The days between 17 Tamuz and 9 Av (the day when the First and Second Jerusalem Temples were destroyed) are also considered mourning. These three weeks are called "between the gorges". On these days, it is forbidden to listen to music, arrange celebrations, cut hair, buy or wear new clothes for the first time, eat fruits of the new harvest. And during the last week you can not even wash with hot water, eat meat and drink wine.

9-12.07.2020 Feast of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam
travel and accommodation on comfortable boats " "

Every year from July 9 to 12 - on the day of memory of St. Sergius and Herman the Wonderworkers of Valaam, a festive voyage takes place on a comfortable cruise ship with a 2-day stay on the island of Valaam. The flight is accompanied by a priest. Before the ship leaves for a voyage, a prayer service is held on board for travelers. Upon arrival at Valaam, the ship moored in Bolshaya Nikonovskaya Bay. All pilgrims who wish to participate in the festive divine services are delivered to the Central Manor of the monastery and back on a motor ship of the OM type.

Accommodation and meals for pilgrims take place on board the ship. Three meals a day in the restaurant (in accordance with the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church). The program includes excursion service with a visit to the main, currently operating sketes of the Valaam Monastery: Resurrection, Konevsky and Gethsemane. On the voyage to the Transfiguration of the Lord (5d / 4n), the ship goes to Svirstroy, where the tourist is given a choice of bus tours to the Holy Trinity Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, to the Vvedeno-Oyatsky Convent or to the center of Veps culture and Tervenichesky Monastery, then to Valaam ( parking 1.5 days) and to the island of Konevets.

We also offer a program "Cruise+" in St. Petersburg on the eve of the cruise (2,700 rubles per person): "Orthodox shrines of St. Petersburg": meeting at 10:30 at the Moscow railway station in St. Petersburg (center of the hall, near the monument to Peter I). Sightseeing bus tour of the city with a visit to the Cathedral of the Savior on Blood, the Chapel of Xenia the Blessed, the Kazan Cathedral and a visit to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The end of the excursion program at the pier "Utkina Zavod" approximately at 17.00.

Please note that the order of visiting parking points along the route of the ship may change.

1 day. Check-in on board 3 hours before departure for the flight. Departure from St. Petersburg at 20.00.

Day 2 Arrival to the island of Valaam at 8.00. Walking tour with a visit to the hermitages of Valaam, Mount Eleon, internal lakes; tour of the Central Estate of the Valaam Monastery with a trip on the monastery ship along the picturesque coast of the Valaam archipelago with an external inspection of the island sketes. A trip to the all-night vigil (optional).

Day 3 Divine Liturgy in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Monastery. Festive lunch on the ship. Optional excursion to one of the sketes (for an additional fee). Departure from about. Valaam at 20.00.

Day 4 Arrival in St. Petersburg at 8.00.

The participants of the flight have the opportunity to take part in the celebrations on the island of Valaam, bow to the relics of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam wonderworkers, St. Antipas of Valaam.

Meals 3 times a day, on the first day - dinner. On the day of the feast there is no breakfast before the liturgy, on the last day - breakfast.

Cost per seat in rubles/person on the m/v "YURI ANDROPOV" by cabin category 07/09-12/2020 (4d/3d)

• 10% - at full with early booking
  
• 15% - children up to 14 years old inclusive
• group discounts from 25 people

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On July 11, 2016, on the day of remembrance of St. Sergius and Herman, the Wonderworkers of Valaam, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the upper church of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Stauropegial Monastery.

His Holiness was co-served by: Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, head of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan of Petrozavodsk and Karelian Konstantin; Bishop Pankraty of Trinity, hegumen of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery; Bishop Sergius of Solnechnogorsk, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop of Kostomuksha and Kemsky Ignatius; Archpriest Mikhail Gundyaev, representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches and international organizations in Geneva; Archpriest Dimitry Roshchin, Head of the Department for Work with Public Associations and Organizations of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media, Rector of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra on the Three Mountains of Moscow; priest Alexander Volkov, head of the Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, rector of the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Solntsevo, Moscow; the inhabitants of Valaam in holy orders.

The service was attended by the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. At the Divine Liturgy, Vladimir Putin took communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

The head of the Republic of Karelia A.P. was also present in the temple. Khudilainen, head of the administration of the Krasnodar Territory V.I. Kondratiev, adviser to the President of the Russian Federation S.Yu. Glazyev, Secretary of State, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation G.B. Karasin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation G.M. Gatilov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Serbia to Russia Slavenko Terzic, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called V.I. Yakunin and others.

Liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Valaam Monastery under the direction of A.A. Zhukov.

At the Little Entrance, by the Decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, for diligent service to the Holy Church, the clergy of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Stauropegial Monastery were awarded the following liturgical and hierarchical awards:

Hieromonk Varsava (Litovka), resident of the Caucasian Compound of the Valaam Monastery - the right to wear a pectoral cross;
Priest Viktor Chikun, cleric of the Church of the Intercession of the Priozersky Metochion of the Valaam Monastery in the village. Fruit of the Leningrad region - the right to wear a gaiter.

During the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill ordained Hierodeacon Sevastian (Kuznetsov), a resident of the Valaam Monastery, to the rank of hieromonk.

The sermon before communion was delivered by Hieromonk Savva (Savchenko), a resident of the Valaam Monastery. The service was broadcast live on the Soyuz TV channel.

Bishop Pankraty of Troitsk, on behalf of the brethren, addressed the President of Russia V.V. Putin and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and presented His Holiness with a list of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

The Primate of the Russian Church addressed the participants of the service with the First Hierarch's word. The Valaam Monastery - a witness of wars and attacks - has been destroyed more than once in seven centuries. In the 17th century it was ravaged by the Swedes. It was in complete disrepair for more than a hundred years and began to be restored by decree of Peter I. In 1939, during the Soviet-Finnish war, it ended up in a combat zone. In 1940, the Valaam archipelago was handed over to the Soviet troops, and a boatswain school was opened here. The monastery again remained in disrepair for many years. The holy relics of Sergius and Herman of Valaam survived only because the monks hid them deep underground.

Patriarch Kirill once became a witness of a terrible time for the monastery. He came to Valaam while still a student at the seminary and saw the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior in a dilapidated state.

“We took a tablet, held it in our hands, and Vladyka celebrated the Liturgy. We took communion of the holy mysteries of Christ. The weather was terrible: rain, cold, wind, low clouds. And at the moment of the Divine Liturgy, we suddenly saw how a bright ray of light fell at our church through the windows. They perceived it as a miracle. And then Vladyka Nikodim said the words that I still remember. He says: "I probably won't live, but you will live: Valaam will rise again," said His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

In connection with the diligent pastoral labors, in connection with the 25th anniversary of serving in the holy dignity and the 70th anniversary of his birth, His Holiness Vladyka awarded Hieromonk Avraamy (Knyazhentsev), head of the St. Krasnaya Gorka, Sortavalsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, III degree.

During the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill ordained Hierodeacon Sevastian (Kuznetsov), a resident of the Valaam Monastery, to the rank of hieromonk.
AXIOS!

Addressing the words of greeting to the head of state, His Holiness the Patriarch said:

“Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
We are very glad to see you, to pray with you. I want to say that all of us, all the Russian people, appreciate everything that you do for the country, for all of us.

With the forces that we have, we support you - of course, first of all, with our prayer before the Lord, everyday prayer. Every day the authorities and the army are commemorated in the temples, and at this moment many Orthodox people offer up a prayer for you.

Then the President of Russia and the Primate of the Russian Church, accompanied by bishops and clergy, descended to the lower church of the Transfiguration Cathedral, where the glorification was performed at the relics of St. Sergius and Herman.

The new history of the monastery began in our time. It is largely associated with the name of Alexy II. The local museum is also named in his honor, where most of the exposition is devoted to his life. The president also did a lot to restore the Valaam Monastery.

"I am sure that just as we are reviving Valaam, we will raise and strengthen the spiritual foundations and material well-being of our country. Not everything works out for us, but our efforts and sincere desire to improve the life of our Fatherland are the key to our success," he said. V. Putin.

In conclusion, V.V. Putin and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill took part in a fraternal meal in the Refectory of the monastery. According to the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Valaam to pray for the pilots who died in Syria.

“The President emphasized that we should not forget about those who work and fight, and, unfortunately, give their lives serving our Fatherland. In this regard, he also mentioned the Russian pilots who died heroically in Syria, who gave their lives to strengthen our security, the President said. And the President asked both His Holiness the Patriarch and other clergy not to forget those who gave their lives and to pray for their memory.”

Recall, on July 9, it became known about the death of the Russian crew of the Mi-25 combat helicopter during a flight in the Syrian Palmyra region. Military instructor pilots Ryafagat Khabibulin and Yevgeny Dolgin flew over the Syrian Mi-25 helicopter on July 8. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the helicopter was shot down from the ground by ISIS militants (a terrorist group banned in Russia).

The Russian operation in Syria against terrorists began at the end of September 2015. In mid-March, President Vladimir Putin ordered the bulk of the military to be withdrawn from the country.

According to the press secretary of the Russian President, V.V. Putin plans to spend the rest of the day on Valaam.

This major musical spiritual project was organized by the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Stauropegial Monastery with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for educational and missionary purposes. About 7,000 people are expected to attend concerts at the monastery's specially equipped Singing Field. This year the festival is broadcast on Odnoklassniki.ru, due to which there was a significant increase in the online audience: about 200,000 views were recorded in the first hours.

The festive program began with the ringing of bells by Alexei Pugachev (workshop "Bell City"). “Today is not just a celebration of singing, but also a competition of choirs,” said presenter Valery Ivchenko, People's Artist of Russia and Ukraine, “a hot day, both literally and figuratively.” The weather is really uncharacteristically warm for this northern island, and only gusts of cold wind from Ladoga save the audience from the sweltering heat. This year, for the first time, listeners can participate in the selection of the best performer - for this you need to vote for the team you like, three winners will be selected based on the voting results.

“The most wonderful thing that exists in our church culture is church singing,” Bishop Pankraty of Trinity, Bishop of Trinity, said in his welcoming speech at the opening ceremony of the festival. “And it is joyful that this sphere is already going beyond the church fence and becoming a common cultural property.” Vladyka recalled that the 20th century was especially difficult and tragic for our country. Millions of sons and daughters were arrested, although their "guilt" was only loyalty to the Orthodox Church. “The New Martyrs shared the cross with the Savior and were glorified by Him. Their feat is a great preaching of Orthodoxy, thanks to which many of our compatriots return to the faith of their fathers,” said Bishop Pankraty. This year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Royal Passion-Bearers, the festival is dedicated to the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church.

The concert program was opened by the choir of the Valaam Monastery, conducted by Alexander Bordak, with a stichera from the service to the holy Royal Passion-Bearers “Do Not Touch My Anointed Ones” and other hymns. Then the ensemble "Good News" performed - a family choir from Moscow, consisting of professional musicians, nine brothers and sisters of the family of Protodeacon Simeon and Ekaterina Avetisyan. Having performed the spiritual chants of various authors - both classics and contemporaries - the ensemble demonstrated a strict academic performance and excellent timbre unity.

The special guest of the festival, Archimandrite Nikodimos Kavarnos, is a vivid example of how a young professional musician, having applied his talent, knowledge and skills in the interests of the Church, was recognized as one of the most famous spiritual performers. On the first day of the festival, which was especially strict and consisted of sacred musical works, Archimandrite Nikodimos performed Byzantine church hymns. The flowing freedom and breadth of the Byzantine chant sounds in a special way in the vast expanses of our northern landscapes. Listening to this music, you feel: there is no time, no need to rush somewhere and try to catch something, here and now you can stop and rethink a lot. “Archimandrite Nikodimos Kavarnos is a very interesting performer, whom we were looking forward to meeting,” said Bishop Pankraty of Trinity. - He combines in his work both ancient singing traditions and modern presentation. This is immediately evident even from the recordings from his concerts. Archimandrite Nikodimos first came to the festival and to Russia in general.

Also, for the first time, a group from Finland will perform at the festival. The choir with a 120-year history "Vyborg Singing Brothers" (Viipurin Lauluveikot, Finland, Helsinki) will perform religious and secular compositions, including the "Honorary March of the Choir 1929", which was specially written for this group by the famous Finnish composer Jan Sibelius.

The concert was also attended by the ancient music ensemble Ex Libris conducted by Denis Sayapin, one of the first ensembles that not only made works of ancient Russian musical culture their concert repertoire, but also returned chants of Znamenny chant to liturgical practice. The famous Byzantine choir "Agios Ioannis Koukuzelis" (Greece, Thessaloniki), which tours a lot in Greece and other countries, but has not been to Russia before. Choir of Barnaul Theological Seminary, Academic Choir of Petrozavodsk State University, Salutaris Choir (Republic of Belarus, Minsk) and Choir of the Academy of Arts. G.Muzichesku (Republic of Moldova, Chisinau). The artistic director and director of the festival is Alexander Bordak.

The second day of the festival will begin on July 29 with the Divine Liturgy at the Transfiguration Cathedral, where the choir of the Valaam Monastery and the choir of the brethren of the Valaam Monastery will sing. The program, lasting from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm, will include church hymns, sacred music, as well as folk songs of the countries from which the groups arrived.

Valaam Island is located in Karelia, in the northern part of Lake Ladoga, the largest fresh water reservoir in Europe, and covers an area of ​​more than 28 sq. km. The Valaam Monastery was founded around the 14th century by St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam, the date of the beginning of the new revival of the Valaam Monastery is December 14, 1989. The Enlightener Festival was first held in 2015 to commemorate the millennium of the repose of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, Enlightener of the Russian Land. The organizers of the festival are the Valaam Monastery and the Light of Valaam charitable foundation, thanks to which attendance at all events is free for listeners.

Visited the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior. This was reported by the press service of the Kremlin. As noted, the visit to Valaam by the Russian head is timed to coincide with the day of memory of the founders of the monastery, St. Sergius and Herman, which is celebrated on July 11.

Vladimir Putin received the sacrament of communion at a solemn liturgy in the monastery, which he performed. He also talked to the parishioners and congratulated them on the holiday. After the service, the head of state, together with the Patriarch, walked around the territory of the monastery, the press service reports.

The statement also noted that the Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky stauropegial male monastery is one of the most revered in the country. More than 100,000 pilgrims and tourists visit the oldest monastery in northern Russia every year.

Earlier in the documentary "Valaam" during an interview, the president told the story of the monastery. “The patriarch said: when the Soviet troops were already ready to enter the archipelago, for some reason they remained on the shore, invited the clergy from the monastery. One of them went, and suddenly a Soviet officer said to him: "How much time do you need to pack everything and leave?" They asked for a few days, collected all the most precious things, all the sacred things. They left and took everything away,” Putin said.

According to him, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) united people even during the years of theomachism under communist rule. “And in this regard, I thought: of course, in the most difficult days of the civil war and the struggle against God later, when the seeds of a split in Russian society were laid, the seeds of unity always remained with us. First of all, just thanks. And the fact that the officers then allowed the monks to leave and take out the shrines is the best evidence that the seeds of unity never left us,” the president added.

He also noted that communist ideology is similar to Christianity in many ways.

“Communist ideology is very much akin to Christianity, in fact. Freedom, fraternity, equality, justice - it's all laid down in Holy Scripture, it's all there.

And the code of the builders of communism? This is sublimation, this is a primitive excerpt from the Bible, nothing new has been invented there,” Putin explained.

The president also compared the attitude towards the body of Vladimir Lenin in the mausoleum and the attitude of believers to the relics of saints: “Lenin was placed in the mausoleum - how does this differ from the relics of saints for the Orthodox, but just for Christians? They tell me: “No, there is no such tradition in the Christian world.” How not? Go to Athos, look, there are relics of the saints, and here, too, the holy relics of Sergius and Herman.

The head of state summed up that the Soviet authorities essentially did not come up with anything new, but "adapted to their ideology what mankind had long ago invented."

A documentary film about the Valaam Monastery, which also included two interviews with Putin, was released in January 2018. In one of the episodes, the President, speaking about the history of the monastery, noted the contribution of Finland to the preservation of the shrines of the Valaam Monastery. This common history should be something that unites the peoples of the two countries, he believes.

“If not for Finland, then the Valaam Monastery could cease to exist altogether, because we know how the Soviet authorities treated religious values. These shrines are dear to both Finns and us. The Finns keep them, provide free access to anyone who wants to get to these shrines. It seems to me that these shrines should be something that unites us, including in the spiritual sphere,” the President stressed.

He noted that for the preservation of values, "we must say thanks to the Finns and our compatriots," who helped save the shrines.

Among these valuables are utensils, icons, a library, an archive, and bells.

The Russian president regularly visits Valaam on the day of remembrance of St. Sergius and Herman. Putin also visited the monastery last year and met with the patriarch, with whom he discussed plans for the restoration and development of the monastery.

As the press secretary of the Russian president told reporters, Putin personally monitors the restoration of the monastery and its problems. “It helps both in terms of economic activity and in resolving other issues,” Peskov explained.