IN. Verkolsky Artemiev monastery, 1st class, communal, Pinega district, 180 versts from the city of Pinega, on the river of the same name. Founded in 1645 at the site of the discovery of the relics of St. Artemy (June 23). In 1897, the newly built majestic cathedral in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God was consecrated. In the Church of St. Artemy, his relics rest in a silver shrine. Every year on June 23, a procession of the cross takes place with the carrying of holy relics around the monastery. There is a school for boys and girls at the monastery. The Svyatoozersky Nikolaevsky monastery is assigned to it, 60 versts from the White Sea, on the shore of the “Holy” lake, built in 1885; here is the revealed icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

From the book by S.V. Bulgakov “Russian monasteries in 1913”

The monastery was founded around 1635 on the site of the discovery of the relics of St. Artemia. The first ktitor and founder of the monastery is the governor of Kevrola and Mezen, Afanasy Pashkov, who founded the monastery in gratitude for the healing of his son, which took place at the relics of St. Artemia.

In 1649, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich assigned a salary to the monastery, and a year later his sister Irina Mikhailovna donated rich gifts to the monastery. The monastery was rich and prosperous until the middle of the 18th century. In 1764, by decree of Empress Catherine II, he was transferred out of state and deprived of all lands and lands.

In the 1840s, the monastery was threatened with closure due to poverty, and it was saved from closure only by the fact that it was among 340 monasteries, which, according to the will of Countess Anna Alekseevna Orlova-Chesmenskaya, were entitled to a capital of five thousand rubles.

Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt, whose homeland is the village. Sura (50 km from Verkola), venerated St. youth Artemy and often visited the monastery. With his money, the Assumption Cathedral was erected - the crown of the temples of the Verkolsky Monastery, which in its scale (capable of accommodating up to 1000 people) and grandeur could compete with many great churches of Russia.

TO end of the 19th century century, the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery was awarded the title of First-Class Monastery. According to descriptions of contemporaries, the monastery then flourished: “The Verkolsky monastery, even from afar, attracts attention with its solidity and amenities. Like a small city, it stands on the high bank of the Pinega, surrounded by a beautiful stone wall.” At that time, the brethren of the monastery numbered about 300 people.

But troubled times have come. After the revolution, an atheistic bacchanalia broke out in Pinega region. At the end of November 1918, a detachment of Red Army soldiers arrived at the Verkolsky Monastery. Some of the brethren had already left for other monasteries, and those who remained were shot on the banks of the Pinega. Local residents saw how from the place where the monks received martyrdom, the light rose to the sky. Icons and books were burned there, the walls of the monastery, towers and bell tower were dismantled into bricks. Since the 1930s, the monastery buildings housed the village commune, the district party committee, an orphanage, and food warehouses. Left without repair or maintenance, the temples suffered from bad weather and began to collapse over time.

The history of the monastery goes back four centuries. Even more years have passed since the birth of the boy Artemy, who became a saint and in whose honor the monastery was named. Artemy was born in 1532 from meek and pious parents Cosma and Appolinaria. At the age of 12, during a thunderstorm, the Lord took him to His heavenly abodes. After 33 years, his incorruptible relics were found, from which numerous healings began, and after another thirty years, the youth Artemy was canonized. Through prayers to the righteous youth, the mortally ill son of the Mezen and Kevrol governor Afanasy Pashkov, Jeremiah, also recovered. In gratitude for such a miracle, the governor erected a church and several cells at the site of the discovery of the relics of St. Artemy. So it began monastic life in the Verkolsky monastery. Rich donations were sent here by Sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich and his sister, Queen Irina. In general, thanks to the graces of the Russian sovereigns and the diligence of a significant number of people, the monastery was in a flourishing position in the 17th century.

At first, all the buildings in the monastery were wooden, so temples and cells burned more than once. However, by the grace of God, the relics of the holy youth were always saved from the fire. In 1583, Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod gave a charter for the construction of a temple in the monastery in the name of the holy youth Artemy. But only 130 years later such a church with a refectory was built and consecrated, but a few decades later it burned down.

In 1785, a new stone church was laid in the name of the righteous Artemy Verkolsky. It took three years to build two warm borders in the name of Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Great Martyr Artemy. Construction of the main temple was completed in 1806. On January 22, in front of a large crowd of people, the church was consecrated and a shrine containing the relics of the youth Artemy was transferred into it.

From the mid-18th century, everything in the monastery began to change for the worse. He was taken out of state. Many trials befell him. In the mid-19th century, terrible poverty and desolation reigned in the monastery; even the relics of the youth remained sealed for several years. The diocesan authorities were already thinking about closing the monastery. But, through the prayers of the righteous Artemy, God wanted the Verkolsky monastery not only not to be destroyed, but to flourish and beautify itself, both spiritually and materially. Countess Anna Alekseevna, monk Agnia, Orlova-Chesmenskaya sent 5 thousand rubles to the monastery. Daily services began, the monastery began to be restored, and the brotherhood increased.

In 1859, Hieromonk Jonah was appointed rector here. He did a lot for the revival of the Verkolsky monastery. And two years later the monastery was headed by Hieromonk Theodosius (Orekhov). For 25 years he carried obedience here. He was elevated to the rank of abbot, then archimandrite, and was awarded several awards. He introduced strict church regulations into the monastery. Many benefactors began to send large donations and rich contributions to the management of the wise and kind abbot of the Verkolsky monastery. And the monastery itself began to provide assistance to those in need. Under Archimandrite Theodosius, a monastery fence with towers and a very beautiful bell tower was erected, in which a temple was later consecrated in the name of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Their construction involved 1 million 200 thousand pieces of bricks made at the monastery factory. Bell ringing was heard 50 miles away. Under Archimandrite Theodosius, a two-story stone building, a water supply system and much more were also built. At the place of repose of the righteous youth Artemy, in the village of Ezhemen, instead of the old dilapidated chapel, a new one was founded with an altar, a refectory and a bell tower. She was later converted to the temple. Archimandrite Theodosius ended his earthly journey on May 5 (NS) 1885 and was buried near the Artemievsky Church.

Archimandrite Vitaly, who was abbot here for 12 years, also made a great contribution to the development of the monastery. Under him, a 2-story stone abbot building was erected. And also a grandiose cathedral, the construction of which began on September 17, 1891. Due to its rich architecture and grandeur, it was the main decoration of the monastery. The outside of the temple was decorated with icons painted on canvas. Around the entire cathedral there was a hanging gallery for religious processions, surrounded by bars. Inside there were gilded iconostases with icons painted in a strictly Byzantine style by the famous artist Sofonov. There are magnificent paintings on the walls. The windows have elegant wrought iron bars. The total cost of the entire two-story cathedral was determined at 100,000 rubles. The grandiose construction of the temple was completed in 1897.

On June 14, Archimandrite Vitaly, co-served by Kronstadt Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev, the monastery hieromonks and visiting rural priests, in front of an unusually large crowd of people, solemnly consecrated upper temple in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The next day, Father John, co-served by the clergy, consecrated the lower church in honor of the Nativity of Christ.

In 1890, the Verkolsky Monastery by decree Holy Synod was elevated to a first-class communal monastery, and became the only first-class monastery of the Arkhangelsk diocese, not counting Solovetsky.

From 1908 to 1917, the Verkol monastery was headed by Archmadrite Barsanuphius (Vikhvelin). On July 3, 1910, he was appointed Bishop of Kem, vicar of the Arkhangelsk diocese, leaving him as rector of the Verkolsky monastery.

In 1907, construction began on a 3-story refectory building with a church in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. It took just over two years to construct this magnificent building, decorated with columns and other reliefs.

In 1917, Bishop Pavel (Pavlovsky) became the last rector of the Verkolsky monastery before its closure. At that time, the brotherhood of the monastery numbered 185 people.

In November 1918, a detachment of Red Army soldiers arrived at the Verkolsky Monastery. Some of the monks went to other monasteries, and those who remained were shot on the banks of Pinega. Theomachists burned icons and liturgical books. Local residents managed to take some icons home, and after 70 years they returned them to the newly opened monastery. A month later, a special commission arrived to open the relics, but the monks hid them and the relics were not found.

IN different years the monastery buildings housed the district party committee, a hospital for Red Army soldiers, a village commune, an orphanage, and a boarding school for children with developmental disabilities. In the Abbot's building there was a secondary school, in the Artemievsky Church there was a gym, workshops, and at one time they even raised rabbits there.

In 1990, the monastery was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church, and on December 25, 1991, the Holy Synod decided to open the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery. The rector of the Verkolsk community became the priest John Vasilikiv, who two years later took monastic vows with the name Joasaph and was appointed abbot of the monastery. He arrived here on October 18, 1990 and saw desecrated and looted churches, buildings without glass, and huge piles of garbage all around. The monastery was restored by the whole world, and life in it began to gradually improve.

Artemievsky Temple

When the monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church, services began to be held in the Artemievsky Church. At first they made a limit in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and gradually began to equip main temple. In 1991, bells were brought and raised to the belfry. On the same day, the reliquary, which previously contained the relics of the youth Artemy, was transferred from the chapel on Jezhemie. In July, the clock was returned to the monastery from Karpogory. They were again installed above the entrance to the Artemievskaya Church. Now every quarter of an hour a melodic ringing is heard.

Cathedral

During the years of Soviet power, a tractor workshop was located in the lower church. In Uspensky, the iconostasis and paintings on the walls remained intact. The first inhabitants saw it without a dome, the iron from the roof was torn off, and trees grew on it. There is mold on the walls. The floors are broken. The iconostasis was completely looted. Under the governor, Father Joasaph (Vasilikiva), they closed the roof and installed glass in all the windows. The dome was installed with the help of a helicopter. Now the cathedral, unfortunately, continues to collapse. Bricks fall out, nothing remains of the hanging gallery, and the wall paintings disappear. To restore the cathedral, huge funds are needed.

Kazan Temple

Over the years of godlessness, the building fell into a terrible state. The first floor fell to the ground floor, not a single glass remained. The lower refectory was repaired, and people still cook and eat in it. The entire building is currently undergoing restoration. A very large amount of work has been completed. The roof has been completely replaced. The building is being transformed both inside and outside. Everyone hopes that prayer will soon sound again in the Kazan Church.

Elijah Temple

This church was built in 1697. Two centuries later, it was dismantled due to its disrepair, restored, and reassembled in a slightly different form. During the years of Soviet power, surrounding residents always came to the temple on the feast of Elijah the Prophet and prayed near it, because the entrance was closed. In 1993, the Elias Church was completely restored, the windows were glazed, a porch was made, and the roof was covered with new iron. Alexander Georgievich Zakatyrin repaired the large cross and made four new smaller crosses.

Church on Jezemieni

During the years of godlessness, there was a grain warehouse here. But people never forgot the way here. On the feast of the youth Artemy, July 6, Pinezh residents from all over the area came and came here.

On August 5, 1990, on the feast of the discovery of the relics of the youth Artemy, rector of the Arkhangelsk St. Elias cathedral, Archpriest Vladimir Kuziv served a prayer service to the holy saint of God near the church for the first time in many years. At that time, the church itself still had grain pits. On the same day, Father Vladimir consecrated the monument to Fyodor Aleksandrovich Abramov in Verkola and served a memorial service at the writer’s grave.

Over the past decades, the church has become very dilapidated. Fortunately, there were donors who provided funds for restoration. A team of carpenters under the leadership of Ivan Ignat re-covered it with boards, made and installed two new domes, replaced windows, shutters and doors, and installed floors.

There is an unusual 4-meter cross here, about which they say that several centuries ago it sailed on the Pinega River against the current and stopped in front of the church.

Chapel of the Holy Youth Artemy

The chapel in the name of the righteous youth Artemy stood in the monastery for four centuries. From 1639 to 1649, it housed the relics of the holy youth. During the years of godlessness, at the request of the residents of Letopola, the chapel was transferred to the village under people's house. And only in 2006, philanthropists gave the necessary amount for its restoration. A team of craftsmen under the leadership of Ivan Ignat built a new chapel in the same place in just a few months. All work was carried out using old technology. The roof is covered with roofing boards, and the dome is covered with aspen ploughshare.

http://www.verkola.ru/about/

In December 1991, the Holy Synod adopted a resolution on the opening of the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery. However, the history of the monastery goes back four centuries. Even more years have passed since the birth of the boy Artemy, who became a saint and in whose honor the monastery was named.

In ancient times, the territory east of the Northern Dvina was called Zavolochye, where tribes of the Finno-Ugric group called Chud lived. These lands, rich in animals and “other patterns,” became territory subject to Russian, mainly Novgorod, colonization. Christianity began to be implanted here in the 12th century, although in the 16th century “idolatry” continued to exist in remote corners, to which the local population of the “filthy” (that is, pagans - paganus translated into Russian idolater) was inclined. The colonialists sent special expeditions against them with the aim of converting to Christianity.

The names of rivers and settlements speak about the former inhabitants, either disappeared or Russified: Verkola, Pokshenga, Yavzor, ​​etc. In the 14th century, Novgorodians here began to encounter “grassroots colonization” from Muscovy - which went through Vologda along the Sukhona, Northern Dvina and Vychegde. The Novgorodians provided “stays and food” to the bands of grand dukes.

In 1471, all lands previously owned Mr. Veliky Novgorod, considered in the West as the easternmost Hanseatic city, came under the rule of the Moscow princes with their orientation to the East.

Zavolochye became a territory free from feudal oppression, as well as a place for those seeking “silence and spiritual salvation.”

Since 1614 it has been created here Kevrol Voivodeship .

Around 1635, donated by the Governor of Kevrol Afanasy Pashkov means, in gratitude to the Holy Righteous Youth Artemy Verkolsky For the healing of the son Jeremiah from a fatal shaking disease, in the forest, near the village of Verkola, on the site of the discovery in 1577 of the miraculous relics of St. Artemy of Verkola, a church was built in the name of the holy righteous youth Artemy.

The church was richly decorated and surrounded by a fence. For service at the church, cells were set up for the monks who were monks here at that time: Hieromonk Jonah and Hieromonk Raphael, who was appointed by the diocesan authorities at the request of Afanasy Pashkov as rector of the formed monastery.

The history of the Artemiyevo-Verkol monastery developed differently. Rich donations were sent here by Sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich and his sister, Queen Irina. In general, thanks to the graces of the Russian sovereigns and the diligence of a significant number of people, the monastery was in a flourishing position in the 17th century. The glory of the saint of God Artemy spread far across Rus'.

At first, all the buildings in the monastery were wooden, so temples and cells burned more than once. However, by the grace of God, the relics of the holy youth were always saved from the fire.

In 1583, Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod gave a charter for the construction of a temple in the monastery in the name of the holy youth Artemy. But only 130 years later such a church with a refectory was built and consecrated, but a few decades later it burned down.

In 1695, a fire that arose from an unknown cause and with strong winds quickly destroyed the church building and everything in it. Only 4 bells survived and it was miraculously preservedcancer with the relics of Saint Artemy, who found herself under the earth that had fallen from the ceiling, which saved her from the fire.

By decree of the Archbishop of Kholmogory and VazhskyAfanasia On June 7, 1695, the holy relics were transferred to the warm monastery church, and on the site of the burnt church, construction began on a new cold wooden church in the name of the holy righteous youth Artemy. On June 4, 1701, the relics were transferred to the newly built cold church, and on June 23 (July 6), 1713, on the day of memory of the youth, they were transferred from the cold church to a new warm church with a meal, built in the monastery fence. On December 9, 1789, this church burned down during a fire and the relics were transferred back to the cold one, where they rested until the construction of a stone church.

Archbishop of Arkhangelsk and KholmogoryBenjamin , having visited the monastery on January 1, 1778, gave a blessing for the construction of a stone church in the name of the righteous Artemy the Wonderworker Verkolsky with two aisles : in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the youth Artemy. On September 23, 1785, the foundation stone for the stone church was laid and by 1806 it was completely completed.

On January 22, 1806, with a large gathering of people and clergy, the relics of St. Artemy were transferred to the new stone church.

With publication Catherine II Manifesto on the secularization of monastic lands in 1764, many monasteries became impoverished. Having no support other than 300 rubles. in year banknotes from the “mercy of the king”, the Verkolsky monastery fell into decay. There was a shortage of church clothes, candles, and oil. Several lean years brought the monastery to a complete decline. During these years, the number of brethren was reduced to 4-5 people. Sometimes, due to the lack of clergy, there was no one to perform the service. The housing buildings were dilapidated and the monastics had nowhere to live. After a fire in 1842 devastated the monastery, it was classified as a monastery.Many trials befell him. In the mid-19th century, terrible poverty and desolation reigned in the monastery; even the relics of the youth remained sealed for several years. The diocesan authorities were already thinking about closing the monastery.

But, through the prayers of the righteous Artemy, God wanted the Verkolsky monastery not only not to be destroyed, but to flourish and beautify itself, both spiritually and materially. Countess Anna Alekseevna, monk Agnia, Orlova-Chesmenskaya sent 5 thousand rubles to the monastery.This saves the monastery from closure. Immediately, the most diligent daily service began. The monastery began to recover and increase in brotherhood.

In 1860, to renew the monastery, the diocesan authorities appointed the then rector of the Verkolsky Monastery as the organizerHoly Trinity Anthony-Siysky Monastery Hieromonk Jonah, who was a caretaker for a long time farmstead Solovetsky Monastery in Arkhangelsk . Father Jonah was well acquainted with many benefactors who responded to the request to help the impoverished monastery entrusted to him. Donations began to arrive at the monastery. A large two-story wooden building was laid on a stone foundation to house the abbot and brethren. Abbot Jonah paid great attention to the morality of the brethren who lived with him. Soon the number of inhabitants of the monastery increased to 15 people, including artisans, artists, readers and singers. For his labors, Jonah was awarded the dignity abbot . In 1861, by order of his spiritual superiors, he went to one of the monasteries in central Russia.

In July 1861, a monk fromKozheozersk desert Theodosius, elevated first to the rank of hieromonk and later abbot. Theodosius barely found 5 brethren in the monastery (the rest for some reason left with Elder Jonah). He, first of all, turned his attention to morality, which he considered “above all and even the soul of the entire brotherhood”, and he himself began to set an example for the brethren in everything. With the assistance of Bishop Nathanael of Archangel, more and more zealous and pious brethren began to converge on Theodosius.

In 1865, Abbot Theodosius introduced strict church rules in the monastery.dormitory charter according to the charter modelKonevskaya monastery . Hegumen Theodosius especially loved and received wanderers in the monastery and gave everyone in need what they needed: linen, shoes, clothes, and helped many with money. The fame of the Verkol monastery and its generous ascetic abbot spread quickly. Large donations began to pour in from philanthropists. This gave the abbot the opportunity to order for the most part funds for the construction needs of the monastery.

Under Archimandrite Theodosius, a monastery fence with towers and a very beautiful bell tower was erected, in which a temple was later consecrated in the name of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Their construction involved 1 million 200 thousand pieces of bricks made at the monastery factory. The ringing of the bells could be heard 50 miles away.

A wooden two-story building, begun by Abbot Jonah, was completed. In connection with the increase in the number of fraternities, another wooden fraternal building was built on a stone foundation with twomezzanines , hotel, bathhouse. In the stone church of St. Artemy, the main building, damaged by the fire of 1842, was restored iconostasis . In both limits of the church in 1866 and 1867. two new iconostasis were made with newly painted icons. The walls of the temple were decorated with paintings.

In 1867, in connection with the rapidly growing brethren, a large two-story wooden building for meals and cells with a church in the name ofHoly Mother of God of Kazan .

At the end of 1867, with the blessing of Bishop Nathanael of Arkhangelsk, a new wooden chapel was built at the place of repose of the holy youth Artemy, two miles from the monastery. Soon, with donated funds, it was converted into a temple with an altar, a meal and a bell tower.

Between 1869 and 1879, a wide stone wall was built around the monastery with a majestic 30-meter bell tower above the main gate. In 1876, a temple was built in the bell tower in honor ofIveron Mother of God .

In the period from 1878 to 1881, a 2-story stone building for monastic services was built inside the monastery.

To facilitate the delivery of water from the river in 1879, Hegumen Theodosius built a water supply system fromlarches , taking water from a swampy area 700 meters from the monastery.

For his labors and merits in restoring the almost destroyed monastery, Theodosius was elevated to the rank ofArchimandrite . Received honorary awards for his ascetic activities: 1869 - awarded pectoral cross from Holy Synod; 1872 - Order of St. Anna of the third degree; 1872 year - Order of Anna, second degree.

On the night of April 21-22, 1885, at the age of 56, Archimandrite Theodosius died. He was buried near the altar on the southern side of the stone temple of the Holy Righteous Artemy

In 1886-1887, under the rector Archimandrite Yuvenalia (rector from 1886-1888), bells weighing 258 poods 13 pounds (4200 kg) and two bells weighing 127 and 31 poods (2080 kg and 507 kg) were raised to the stone bell tower. In those same years, a tower clock was installed on the cathedral bell tower.

In 1887, the relics of St. Artemy were solemnly transferred from a wooden shrine to a silver shrine.

Archimandrite Vitaly also made a great contribution to the development of the monastery(rector from 1888-1900), who was rector here for 12 years.

In 1889-1891, a two-story stone abbot building with premises for the rector, chancellery and fraternal cells.

And also a grandiose cathedral, the construction of which began on September 17, 1891. Due to its rich architecture and grandeur, it was the main decoration of the monastery. The outside of the temple was decorated with icons painted on canvas. Around the entire cathedral there was a hanging gallery for religious processions, surrounded by bars. Inside there were gilded iconostases with icons painted in a strictly Byzantine style by the famous artist Sofonov. There are magnificent paintings on the walls. The windows have elegant wrought iron bars. The total cost of the entire two-story cathedral was determined at 100,000 rubles. The grandiose construction of the temple was completed in 1897.

As you know, 50 kilometers from Verkola, above the Pinega River, is the village of Sura - the birthplace of the righteous saint John of Kronstadt. John Sergiev, as a youth, often visited the Verkolsky monastery, when he went every year from home to Arkhangelsk Theological School. John of Kronstadt, already a respected saint, annually, when visiting his native Sura (usually by boat), stopped at the monastery for the night.

He contributed greatly to the decoration of the monastery, annually donating sums of money for this purpose, and often sent gifts of church utensils.

In 1892, at his expense, a gilded canopy and a newhearse

On June 14, Archimandrite Vitaly, co-served by Kronstadt Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev, hieromonks of the monastery and visiting rural priests, in front of an unusually large crowd of people, solemnly consecrated the upper church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The next day, Father John, co-served by the clergy, consecrated the lower church in honor of the Nativity of Christ.

In 1890, the Verkolsky Monastery, by decree of the Holy Synod, was elevated to a first-class cenobitic monastery, and became the only first-class monastery of the Arkhangelsk diocese, not counting Solovetsky.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery had 60 monks as part of the brethren, of which 22 were holy monks, one dressed in the Great Schema and 12 people, tonsured vryasophores and up to 100 workers. In total there are up to 200 brethren.

In 1907-1909, under the rector Archimandrite Anthony (rector from 1904-1907), a three-story refectory building with a church was erectedKazan Mother of God . It took just over two years to construct this magnificent building, decorated with columns and other reliefs.

From 1908 to 1917, the Verkol monastery was headed by Archimandrite Barsanuphius (Vikhvelin). On July 3, 1910, he was appointed Bishop of Kem, vicar of the Arkhangelsk diocese, leaving him as rector of the Verkolsky monastery.

The last abbot of the Verkolsky monastery before its closure was the bishop Pavel (Peter Andreevich Pavlovsky). In 1917, he was consecrated Bishop of Pinega, vicar of the Arkhangelsk diocese. In 1920, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed acting bishop of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory. Arrested that same year, he subsequently died in custody in 1937. The abbot of the Verkolsky monastery under Bishop Paul was Hieromonk Eugene.

The brotherhood of the monastery consisted of 185 people.

At the end of November 1918, a detachment of Red Army soldiers arrived at the monastery. Some of the brethren went to other monasteries. Those who remained were shot and their bodies were thrown into Pinega.

Theomachists burned icons and liturgical books. Local residents managed to take some icons home, and after 70 years they returned them to the newly opened monastery.

In December 1918, a special commission arrived at the monastery to open the relics. On December 20, 1918, when opening the chest with the relics, ordinary coal, burnt nails and small bricks were discovered. There were no signs of bonesno relics were found. There is a legend among local residents that people saw the youth Artemy in a white shirt leaving the monastery.

Over the years, the monastery buildings housed the district party committee, a hospital for Red Army soldiers, a village commune, an orphanage, and a boarding school for children with developmental disabilities. In the Abbot's building there was a secondary school, in the Artemievsky Church there was a gym, workshops, and at one time they even raised rabbits there.

But God could not leave this place to destruction, and in the 90s the restoration of the monastery began. A lot of work was put in to bring the monastery to its former splendor and improve spiritual life. Everyone worked. The monastery was greatly helped by Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova-Abramova, the wife of the writer Fyodor Abramov, who back in the 70s looked with pain at the crumbling monastery and said that this great monument must be revived.

At the end of the 80s of the last century, they wanted to turn the monastery into a tourist center. But Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova-Abramova, the widow of the famous Soviet writer Fyodor Aleksandrovich Abramov, a native of the village of Verkola, made great efforts to start monastic life here again. In 1990, the monastery was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church, and on December 25, 1991, the Holy Synod decided to open the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery.

October 18, 1990, with the blessing of the Bishop of Arkhangelsk and MurmanskPanteleimon The first priest arrived at the monastery Ioann Vasilikiv . After 2 years, he took monastic vows with the name Joasaph.

He arrived here on October 18, 1990 and saw desecrated and looted churches, buildings without glass, and huge piles of garbage all around. The monastery was restored by the whole world, and life in it began to gradually improve.

In 1997, the monastery was finally given the abbot's building, which housed the Verkol secondary school, in connection with the construction of a new school building in Verkol, at the request and efforts of the school director Stepanova Vera Vasilievna and Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova. All outbuildings (sheds, bathhouses, sheds) were moved outside the monastery territory.

As Hieromonk Raphael recalls: “When I arrived at the monastery in 1993, Father Joasaph and about 10 workers lived there. I expected to see something completely different. Books about the pre-revolutionary monastery talked about large quantities brethren, oh majestic temples... and here no monks are visible, the buildings are in a dilapidated state. But I liked the monastery, the place is good. God’s providence brought me here.”

Hieromonk Benedict, who first visited the monastery in 1996, notes its desolation: “...I saw the devastation, but I liked the place, the nature is picturesque. I went to the Artemievsky Church. The basketball markings shocked me. In Arkhangelsk I went to the Ilyinsky Cathedral and the Lavra, there were candles, icons, it was beautiful. And here is a plywood iconostasis, everything is simple, meager... For many people it is too harsh here: on one side there is a forest, on the other there is a river.”

IN better times behind last years the brethren numbered up to 30 people including workers.

Hieromonk Joasaph began to restore the monastery practically from ruins. During almost 7 years of his management of the monastery, the roofs were repaired and new domes and crosses were installed on the Artemievsky Church and the Assumption Cathedral, the wooden Ilyinsky Church was restored, restoration work in the Kazan Church, the refectory was repaired, a new painting was made on top of the old one that could not be restored, in the Church of Artemy the Righteous.Renovations began to be made in the buildings. Glass was installed in all buildings. The monastery had many helpers, some sent money from all over the country, others came and worked here. Vegetable gardens, cows, horses, hayfields, and machinery appeared.

Funds for restoration also came from the administration of the Arkhangelsk region. The residents of Verkola and other admirers of the youth Artemy helped in the restoration of the monastery. Workers and monks from all over Russia began to come to the monastery.

From 2000 to the present day, the rector of the monastery is Archimandrite Joseph (Volkov)

The abbot of the monastery, abbot Fr. Joseph

In 2006, the chapel of the righteous youth Artemy was restored with funds from benefactors. The roof of the Kazan Cathedral has been completely replaced, and the altar grille has been added. In the project, steam or electric heating temples.

The Assumption Cathedral is currently closed and is being destroyed internally and externally. It is bitter to look at this great monument to the glory of God, with its high, collapsing vault and empty altar. IN Soviet years, when there was a boarding school for children with developmental disabilities in the fraternal building, one of the “teachers” forced the students to scrape paint off the iconostasis, thinking that it was covered with gold. It is sad to listen to such stories of the barbaric plunder of shrines and the long-term delusion of the great Russian people, the people on whom the entire Orthodox World was supposed to rest.

In recent years, attempts have been made to restore the Cathedral several times, but to do this completely and thoroughly requires a lot of money. The state won’t give such people (it’s good when the monastery receives at least some crumbs from the authorities, but lately those times have passed), and you can’t find so many benefactors. After all, this is not the capital, but a distant wilderness that no one needs, and it is helped either by people who have roots in the place or who have fallen in love with it once and for all. There are not many of both. Both the brethren of the monastery and the pilgrims pray and believe that one day the Assumption Cathedral will once again shine in its former glory and open its doors to all worshipers.

God willing, everything will work out.

Unfortunately, now the ranks of the brethren have begun to thin again. There were only about 10 monks left with novices and a few laborers. Moreover, there are only three ordained priests. Again the same problem as in 1990 - there is no one to serve. But it seemed that such times had already passed... The abbot of the monastery, Father Joseph, had to supervise the renovation of the Kazan Church, organize the life of the monastery, and serve 3-4 times a week.

Some good news: the chapel on Jerzemen (on the spot where the youth was struck by lightning) has been almost completely rebuilt. The chapel is located 2-2.5 kilometers from the monastery. You walk along a picturesque path through the forest (last year a hurricane hit Novy Put and Verkol great amount trees in the forest, from which the forest acquired a fairy-tale and epic look), and suddenly you go out into an open field, where in the distance you can see a wooden chapel.

They serve there, however, only on holidays, since it is quite remote from housing and the main monastery buildings.

Of course, over the past two decades, a lot has changed in the appearance of the monastery. But the main thing is that here many were able to take the path of spiritual salvation.

Thousands of people received the sacrament of Baptism in the monastery. Residents of Pinega villages and settlements, workers who are working on the restoration of the refectory building, children from orphanages. Some pilgrims specially come from Arkhangelsk to the Verkolsk monastery to be baptized here. Sometimes whole families are baptized: husband, wife, children, and sometimes even grandmother with them. This sacrament is always performed by complete immersion in an 800-liter font.

Over the years, many people have passed through the monastery. And even though some of them stayed here for only a short time, a trace of grace remained in his soul. There are many who began to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and truly become churchgoers.

Brotherly prayer begins at 5-30 am

Since the fall of 2000, a Sunday school has appeared in Verkola under the auspices of the monastery, which exists to this day.

The inhabitants of the monastery conduct missionary activities in all the surrounding villages of the Pinega region.

I want to return to the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery again and again. Into serenity, which is so difficult to find in the real world. Into the silence that fills the soul with peace. This prayer that fills life with meaning.

Back in the 19th century, under Archimandrite Theodosius, the Verkolsky Monastery gained fame throughout Russia as a monastery of love. So today the same words are said about this monastery. Because everyone who comes here feels the care, attention and warm attitude of the monastic brethren.

After several decades of destruction, not a single icon remained in the monastery. The locals took something. Many were taken away by tourists, who wandered around the monastery in their hundreds every summer.

In the summer of 1991, Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova, as always, came to Verkola. From Father John I learned that there was no icon of the righteous Artemy in the monastery. And Fyodor Aleksandrovich Abramov always had an icon of the youth in his study, which he brought from his father’s house. Returning to St. Petersburg, Krutikova went to the rector of the Valaam metochion, Father Andronik, whom Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev introduced her to at one time. She needed advice on how to restore the icon of the youth, because it was in poor condition. He helped her. And then small icons were printed from this image in the printing house, which they began to sell in the monastery. Fyodor Abramov had two more ancient icons from Verkola - the Savior and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Printed copies were also made from them and sold to parishioners in the monastery.

Father John asked local residents to transfer icons to the monastery if they had not previously belonged to one or another family. Not only the people of Verkol, but also residents of other villages and towns began to bring them. Two nuns used to live in a house near the forest on a hill. After their death, ancient icons were found in the attic. One of them was huge, but for some reason sawed in half, it was also brought to the temple. The appearance of each icon made everyone so happy!

Now in the Artemievsky Church there are several ancient icons - Holy Mother of God"Georgian", the apostles Peter and Paul, the apostles James and Matthew, the prophet of God Hosea.

In December 2000, philanthropists from Moscow donated a copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice” to the Verkolsky Monastery. They wrote it in the Vysotsky Monastery, which is located in Serpukhov. Then the icon was attached to the original, consecrated and inserted into the icon case. On the reverse side there is an inscription: “To the Artemiev-Verkol Monastery from the abbots, brethren and benefactors of the Vysotsky Monastery and David’s Hermitage. This icon was copied in exact measure and likeness from the miraculous image of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice”.

Before this image they pray for healing from the diseases of drunkenness and drug addiction.

With the blessing of Bishop Tikhon, the brethren of the monastery serve weekly water-blessing prayers with the reading of an akathist before her, remembering all those suffering from such serious illnesses.

In the first month alone after this image appeared in the monastery, over two hundred letters arrived from Siberia, Murmansk, Moscow, Vologda, Arkhangelsk and other places in Russia. Over the past years, thousands of people from all over Russia and neighboring countries have turned here with a request to pray for those who suffer from drunkenness and drug addiction. And when they bring news to the monastery with gratitude that their prayers helped someone get rid of a terrible illness, then this is joy for all the brethren. The Icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice” was taken to all the villages and towns of the Pinega region. The hieromonks served water-blessing prayers with the reading of the akathist before her, and the residents venerated her and asked for help from the Most Holy Theotokos for their relatives and friends.

In the Artemievsky Church there is another miraculous icon of the Mother of God - “Sovereign”. This image is one of the most revered among Orthodox believers. The icon appeared on the day of Tsar Nicholas II’s abdication from the throne, March 2 (15), 1917. The Mother of God is depicted on the royal throne in red purple, with a scepter and orb in her hands. The Baby Jesus Christ sits on his knees. The face of the Mother of God is strict and powerful. All believers perceived the acquisition of this icon as the decision of the Most Holy Theotokos to preserve Orthodox Rus' herself.

In the year of the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ, with the blessing of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, an unusual Crusade was carried out. He “flew” across the borders of Russia on a plane that landed in various cities. Several icons also “took part” in this unusual procession. Among them was the one that is now located in the Verkolsky Monastery. It was painted by order of the Orthodox community of the Moscow church in honor of Sovereign icons Mother of God. The image is quite large in size: sixty meters high and ninety centimeters wide. It was placed next to the myrrh-streaming icon of the martyr Tsar Nicholas II. Subsequently, a miracle also happened to the icon of the Mother of God - it became myrrh-streamed.

Hieromonk Gury (Fedorov) also took part in the “aerial” procession. In those years, he served in the church in honor of the “Sovereign” Icon of the Mother of God. Then he was appointed rector of the church in the name of the healer Panteleimon at the MPS hospital. Gury's father has long-standing friendly relations with the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery, he often comes here. Therefore, in the spring of 2003, they and their parishioners transferred the image of the Mother of God “Sovereign” to the Verkolsk monastery.

On the shrine stands an icon of the youth Artemy with a piece of his relics. Icon St. Maximus The Greek with a particle of his relics is in the monastery itself and in his courtyard in Karpogory.

In the Artemievsky Church there is a reliquary with particles of the relics of the holy saints of God: Saints Philaret of Moscow (Drozdov), Innocent of Moscow, Gregory of Alexandria, Nicholas of Alma-Ata, Gabriel of Ryazan (locally venerated); Martyr Mamant of Caesarea; Reverends Roman Kirzhachsky, Ambrose of Optina, Isaac I of Optina, Anatoly of Optina (Zerkalov), Anthony of Optina, Nectarius of Optina, Moses of Optina, Leo of Optina, Macarius of Optina, Barsanuphius of Optina, Anatoly of Optina (Potapov), Illarion of Optina, Joseph of Optina, Theodore of Sanaksar, Theodore the warrior (Ushakov), Alexandra Diveevskaya, Martha Diveevskaya.

And also shrines: parts of the hair shirt of St. Longinus of Koryazhemsky, part of the vestments of Righteous John of Kronstadt and St. Spyridon, Bishop of Trimifuntsky, a piece of the coffin of the blessed Matrona of Moscow, a piece of the coffin and a piece of the relics of Righteous Alexy of Moscow (Mechev), a piece of the stone on which he prayed Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky, a piece of stone from the font of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, a piece of stone from the tomb of the Mother of God (Gethsemane).

Artemievsky Temple

When the monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church, services began to be held in the Artemievsky Church. At first they made a boundary in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and gradually began to equip the main temple.

In 1991, bells were brought and raised to the belfry.

On the same day, the reliquary, which previously contained the relics of the youth Artemy, was transferred from the chapel on Jezhemie.

In July, the clock was returned to the monastery from Karpogory. They were again installed above the entrance to the Artemievskaya Church. Now every quarter of an hour a melodic ringing is heard.

Assumption Cathedral

During the years of Soviet power, a tractor workshop was located in the lower church. In Uspensky, the iconostasis and paintings on the walls remained untouched. All this was preserved thanks to the teacher of the Verkolsk school, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Struchkova. But in the 70s she left, and the looting of the cathedral began.

The first inhabitants saw it without a dome, the iron from the roof was torn off, and trees grew on it. There is mold on the walls. The floors are broken. The iconostasis was completely looted. Under the governor, Father Joasaph (Vasilikiva), they closed the roof and installed glass in all the windows. The dome was installed with the help of a helicopter.

Now the cathedral, unfortunately, continues to collapse. Bricks fall out, nothing remains of the hanging gallery, and the wall paintings disappear. To restore the cathedral, huge funds are needed.

Kazan Temple

Over the years of godlessness, the building fell into a terrible state. The first floor fell to the ground floor, not a single glass remained. The lower refectory was repaired, and people still cook and eat in it.

The entire building is currently undergoing restoration. A very large amount of work has been completed. The roof has been completely replaced. The building is being transformed both inside and outside. Everyone hopes that prayer will soon sound again in the Kazan Church.

Elijah Temple

The St. Nicholas Chapel once housed the relics of the holy youth Artemy, and the Ilyinsky wooden church is opened for worship once a year - on the day of Elijah the Prophet

This church was built in 1697. Two centuries later, it was dismantled due to its disrepair, restored, and reassembled in a slightly different form. During the years of Soviet power, surrounding residents always came to the temple on the feast of Elijah the Prophet and prayed near it, because the entrance was closed. In 1993, the Elias Church was completely restored, the windows were glazed, a porch was made, and the roof was covered with new iron. Alexander Georgievich Zakatyrin repaired the large cross and made four new smaller crosses.

Church on Jezemieni

During the years of godlessness, there was a grain warehouse here. But people never forgot the way here. On the feast of the youth Artemy, July 6, Pinezh residents from all over the area came and came here.

On August 5, 1990, on the feast of the discovery of the relics of the youth Artemy, the rector of the Arkhangelsk St. Elias Cathedral, Archpriest Vladimir Kuziv, served a prayer service to the holy saint of God near the church for the first time in many years. At that time, the church itself still had grain pits. On the same day, Father Vladimir consecrated the monument to Fyodor Aleksandrovich Abramov in Verkola and served a memorial service at the writer’s grave.

Over the past decades, the church has become very dilapidated. Fortunately, there were donors who provided funds for restoration. A team of carpenters under the leadership of Ivan Ignat re-covered it with boards, made and installed two new domes, replaced windows, shutters and doors, and installed floors.

All pilgrims who come to the monastery, at any time of the year, try to come to the church, pray and read the akathist to the holy youth.

There is an unusual 4-meter cross here, about which they say that several centuries ago it sailed on the Pinega River against the current and stopped in front of the church.

And from the bell tower one can see the extraordinary beauty of the Pinega land, which delights everyone. From here you can clearly see the monastery, three kilometers away from the church.

Chapel of the Holy Youth Artemy

The chapel in the name of the righteous youth Artemy stood in the monastery for four centuries. From 1639 to 1649, it housed the relics of the holy youth. During the years of godlessness, at the request of the residents of Letopola, the chapel was transferred to the village as a people's house. And only in 2006, philanthropists gave the necessary amount for its restoration. A team of craftsmen under the leadership of Ivan Ignat built a new chapel in the same place in just a few months. All work was carried out using ancient technology. The roof was covered with roofing boards, and the dome with aspen ploughshare.

Liturgy is celebrated daily in the monastery

The first Divine Liturgy after the return of the monastery to the Orthodox Church was served on November 17, 1990 in the St. Nicholas chapel of the Artemievsky Church. Due to the fact that the abbot of the monastery, Father Joasaph - at that time the only priest in all of Pinezhye - had to travel a lot throughout the entire region, services in the monastery were not frequent. Only since 1998, under the new abbot, Abbot Varnava (Permyakov) and with the addition of brethren, did service in the monastery become daily. From that time on, the monastery's charter and order were formed. Every day a full circle of services began to be performed. This continues to this day.

Until they opened their own church in the village of Verkola in 2011, local residents on Sundays and holidays came to the service at the monastery. They were transported on a monastery boat.

Until 2013, there were three priests in the monastery. The burden on them was very heavy, because in addition to the monastery, they had to go to services throughout the Pinega region, and some villages and towns are a hundred kilometers away from the monastery.

This is how, for example, the priest got to Sura - the homeland of St. John of Kronstadt. First I moved by boat to Verkola. From here I drove 50 km along a dirt road by car to the village of Ostrov. Again I crossed Pinega by boat. And then by car to Sura. In addition, where the priests came, it was necessary not only to serve, but also to fulfill various requirements. Recently, their own clergy have appeared in the village. Sosnovka and village Sura.

In 2001, Galina Andreevna Papulova brought a lectern icon of the Venerable Mary of Egypt to the Arkhangelsk courtyard of the Verkolsky monastery, which was then located on Chumbarova-Luchinsky Street. Arkhangelsk town told an unusual story. Based on an advertisement in the newspaper, she bought several small icons inexpensively. At home she did not sleep a wink that night. First, her hands began to burn, as if they had been doused with boiling water, and then her whole body. This went on for a whole week. After which Galina Andreevna decided to donate the icons to some temple. So they ended up in the Verkolsky courtyard. Here they were received with joy and gratitude. The icon of Saint Mary of Egypt was placed on the lectern. At that moment, only her face and veil appeared on her. After a little time, everyone began to notice that the face began to brighten. Two months later, patterns, flowers, a halo around the head, and the words “Image of the Venerable Mary of Egypt” appeared on the icon. The wide stripe along the edges turned from dark to bright red. The face also changed, it seemed to come to life. Now this icon is in the church in the name of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky.

The parishioners of the metochion presented two analogue icons, printed in a printing house, which were kept in myrrh in their homes - the Most Holy Theotokos “Inexhaustible Chalice” and “Look at Humility.” In the church there is also an image of its Heavenly patron, the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky with a piece of his relics.

In 2001, at the monastery courtyard in Karpogory, in the Church of the Righteous Artemy Verkolsky, the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, donated by a Pinezhan woman, was renewed. The parishioners of the metochion prayed fervently before the image of the saint. Gradually the icon began to brighten. This went on for quite some time long time. And then it all began to shine - both the face of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the frame around it became gilded. Father even thought that someone had opened the icon case and cleaned everything. But no one touched the icon, and the icon case in which it was kept for decades was never opened. Bishop Tikhon blessed to serve a prayer service in front of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

In the same church in 2004, the Tolga Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos flowed. Hieromonk Rafail (Burmistrov) is from Yaroslavl. While visiting his native places, he stopped at the Tolga Monastery, acquired there an image of the Mother of God - the patroness of his monastery - and attached it to the miraculous icon. In the house church in Karpogory, they hung the Tolgskaya icon of the Most Holy Theotokos on the wall and began to pray in front of it. And after a little time they noticed that a wet, oily spot appeared on it.

Many pilgrims say that the services at the Verkolsky Monastery are special, blessed, spiritual, helping to forget about the bustle of the outside world and plunge into the spiritual world.

Feast of the Holy Youth Artemy

There are three patronal feasts in the monastery.

July 6 is the day of memory of Artemy Verkolsky. On this day, the Lord took the boy to His heavenly abodes.

November 2 is the day of remembrance of the heavenly patron of the holy youth, the Great Martyr Artemy.

Most people come to the monastery on July 6 from Moscow and St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk, Kyiv and Minsk and, of course, from surrounding villages and towns.

All day long, pilgrims decorate the Artemievsky Temple and the chapel on Ezhemenya. Huge wreaths of wildflowers are woven around the icons of the youth.

And, of course, there are flowers everywhere - at the crayfish, at the lecterns, on the windowsills. For the evening service in the church and chapel everything was washed and cleaned. Those who come to Artemievskaya Church for the first time on July 6 simply gasp with admiration.

And for the first time, the day of memory of the holy righteous youth Artemy, with the encircling of his relics around the monastery fence, with the permission of the Holy Synod, was solemnly celebrated in 1888. Bishop Nathanael of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory came to see it, procession of the cross Priests and Pinezhans came from all the nearby parishes, carrying with them miraculous icons, including the famous image of the Georgian Mother of God from the Krasnogorsk Monastery. That year, three thousand people took part in the celebration.

In 1891, on the day of remembrance of Righteous Artemy, the monastery was visited by Bishop Alexander and Kronstadt Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev.

Such celebrations on the day of memory of the righteous Artemy continued until the monastery was closed.

After the restoration of the monastery, the ruling bishops repeatedly came to the holiday - Bishop of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk Panteleimon, now Archbishop of Rostov and Novocherkassk, Bishop of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory Tikhon (+ 2010). In 2008, the monastery was visited by Archbishop Theophan of Berlin and Germany and 30 people from the Church of the Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt in Hamburg. Metropolitan Daniel, who was appointed to the Archangel See in 2010, also visited the Verkolsky Monastery several times.

On a holiday, the service begins with a prayer service with an akathist to the righteous youth Artemy. The Divine Liturgy on this day takes place in a special festive and solemn way. There are so many people who want to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ that they take communion from several cups at once.

Every year the holiday ends with a religious procession to the chapel on Jezemien. Despite the fact that the path is not close - three kilometers in one direction and the same distance back, both old and young, healthy and sick, try to walk it. Near the chapel, priests serve a prayer service with sprinkling of holy water. The procession to the chapel goes through a pine forest, and back through a flowering meadow; if the summer is warm, then it is covered with daisies, and if it is late, then with dandelions. After returning to the monastery, everyone is invited to the large refectory, where a very tasty lunch awaits.

Epiphany of the Lord

People come to Epiphany not only from Verkola, but even from Arkhangelsk. This was the case, for example, in 2009. On the morning of January 18, it was difficult to enter the small St. Nicholas chapel for service. The sun shone brightly through the windows and seemed to rejoice along with everyone. All day and evening the pilgrims looked at the thermometer to see what level the mercury would drop to.

It stopped at 22 degrees, and many breathed a sigh of relief, which means it will be possible to plunge into the Jordan. At the night service, everyone received the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and the procession headed towards Pinega, to the place where the Jordan is traditionally cut out in the form of a cross. Hegumen Joseph blessed the water in Pinega and sprinkled everyone with baptismal water. Everyone's soul was light and joyful. And then followed a delicious meal, either a late dinner or an early breakfast.

When dawn broke, the brethren were the first to go for a dip in the Jordan. Pilgrims followed them. And although it was necessary to walk 500 meters from Jordan to the cells, this did not bother anyone. All day long people walked and came for Epiphany water. And for the needs of the monastery, several cans of Epiphany water were brought on horseback so that it would last until the next holiday.

Trinity

Trinity is one of the most favorite holidays among northerners. At this time, nature comes to life, leaves are just beginning to bloom on the trees, and the first flowers appear. Therefore, after a long winter, the temple, decorated with birch trees and tulips, looks elegant and festive. For northerners, Trinity is a sign that the cold weather has ended and summer, albeit short, is ahead, with its delightful white nights.

Now about 40 monks permanently live in the Verkolsky Monastery. Since 2000, the monastery has been headed by Abbot Joseph (Volkov). The dean and confessor is Hieromonk Venedikt (Menshikov), in the monastery since 1996. Rukholny hieromonk Rafail (Burmistrov), in the monastery since 1993. Hierodeacon Lazar (Tashkhodzhdaev), in the monastery since 2000. Hierodeacon Matthew (Barkov), in the monastery since 2001. Monks: oh. Anthony (Shubin), Fr. Innocent (Korovin), Fr. Timofey (Tayursky), Fr. Sergiy (Boyko). The permanent number of workers is about 20 - 30 people. Some people live here for a very short time, some for several months, and there are others who have been here for more than one year. The rector of the metochion in Arkhangelsk is Abbot Feodosius (Nesterov), in the monastery since 2000. The rector of the metochion in Karpogory is Hieromonk Artemy (Kotov), ​​in the monastery since 1998. Almost all clergy have higher education and graduated from theological seminary.

Obediences in the monastery are very different. One of the most important is the transportation of people and cargo across the river. You can get here by car only in winter, when the river rises and the ice builds up. The rest of the time - from spring ice drift to autumn freeze-up - by boat.

The monastery bakes its own bread in a huge oven. 70 forms are placed there at a time. Sometimes this number of loaves is enough for a week, but sometimes you have to bake two or even three times. The bread is very tasty, and both brothers and guests eat it with pleasure.

The monastery also has its own milk. In the summer, the cows are grazed on lush grass, and hay is prepared for the winter. An indispensable assistant in the monastery is the horse. They use it to carry cargo from the river, firewood, hay, and go mushroom picking, and sometimes even give children rides in the cart. Everyone here loves and cares for the horse, because you can’t live without it.

Until recently, all buildings in the monastery were heated by stoves. In 2010, a steam heating system was installed in the refectory building with the Kazan Church, and in 2012, heating appeared in the fraternal building. We made a stoker that runs on wood, so you need a lot of wood, especially since the winters here are long and harsh. The heating system in the Artemievsky Church was updated. Six new large greenhouses have been installed, so residents will have even more of their own organic vegetables. In 2011, a new bathhouse with a laundry room was built.

In addition to these obediences, there are, of course, others. Several barrels of cabbage need to be pickled. In winter, remove snow from the paths. Process milk. Clean the temple and cells. Bring water. Chop wood. Forty meals every day, and much more in the summer larger number, man to prepare. Potatoes on whole year increase, in the garden and in greenhouses, vegetables and herbs. In general, it’s impossible to list all the obediences.

And in their free time, everyone has a favorite pastime - some go fishing, others like to read, and, probably, there is not a person in the monastery who would refuse to pick mushrooms, especially since there are a lot of white mushrooms here and collecting them is a great pleasure.

There are several cats living in the monastery, everyone’s favorites. Every day pigeons, sparrows and crows fly in to get their lunch. Among them, an almost tame raven appeared, which they named Karlusha, he takes the bread directly from their hands.

An amazingly gracious atmosphere reigns in the Verkolsky Monastery. Having been here once, people come again and again. They say that it is simply impossible not to love this monastery and its heavenly patron, the youth Artemy.

Once upon a time, the wall of the monastery in the name of the righteous youth Artemy rose above Pinega. Now it remains only in photographs and on icons of the holy youth, where he is still depicted against the backdrop of the monastery as it was before the Soviet destruction.

At the ends of the earth

Getting to the monastery is not so easy, so there are not very many pilgrims here (unlike the Solovetsky Monastery, for example), there are practically no tourists at all, and, in fact, there are no local residents who are not related to the monastery.

By train, and even then with a transfer in Arkhangelsk, you can only get to the city of Karpogory, and from there you will need to take a minibus or taxi. To cross Pinega, you need to agree in advance with the monastery - they will send a carrier from there.

The train arrives in Karpogory at the beginning of ten, you will reach Pinega at the beginning of twelve, swallowing dust along the way, rising in an impenetrable high plume on the dirt road behind each car. (It’s hard to love those who overtake you and make you blink and cough frequently from the dust in your eyes and mouth, but you can understand them: before overtaking, they made their way through the dust from your car). But having arrived...

The subtle itching of hordes of mosquitoes is drowned out by delighted oohs and aahs. Eat us, drink our blood, but we will do our best to take photographs, blessing the artist - the Creator of heaven and earth.

In winter, on the ice, and in summer by boat (sometimes a stray wave can overwhelm it even in the calmest weather, so it’s better not to put a bag with documents and gadgets on the bottom) you can get to the monastery, and in the fall and spring there is either freezing or drifting ice - connection with the world is severed. Not yet mobile communications and the Internet - there was a complete feeling of ancient hermitage. Now the isolation is no longer complete, but the brothers love quiet time without unexpected (and even expected) guests most of all.

We are not overloaded with pilgrims and tourists. We are glad to everyone who comes, and we are glad when no one comes, because Christ is the “Chief of silence,” and external silence helps to find internal silence, says the confessor of the monastery, Hieromonk Venedikt (Menshikov).

The hot monastery horse Irtysh awaits pilgrims - you can put your things in the cart and go to the monastery lightly

From the Navy to the Kitchen

Gennady has lived in the Verkolsky Monastery since 2003: he came for three days to look and stayed - first for three weeks for haymaking, then for good. There was no one to put on the boat, but he had been in the navy before; then they sent me to the kitchen. He goes to see his family and doctor for three weeks a year.

I have a Christian family, everything is fine: my son has matured, they understand that the main thing is the salvation of the soul. And the obedience is interesting: I myself didn’t know that I was a cook, I was shocked. I went and went in the navy, and then it turned out that I could work as a cook.

Between the hot ovens and the cutting table, Gennady has been a cook for eight years. On the brothers' table there are soups and cereals, fish, homemade cottage cheese and milk. In the 1990s there were times of famine, and several people had to share a can of canned food. Now fathers admit: the “norm” for home-baked bread remains (two slices for breakfast and three for lunch), but you can take as much of the first and second as you like.

During the time that Father Joseph has been abbot here, the monastery has developed its own unwritten traditions, and new ones who come begin to follow them. The basis of everything is Christianity and the rules of the monastery. Everyone undergoes obedience, everyone came for Christ. Take away obedience - any male community will fall apart. Everyone has to do something they don't want to do. Obedience to washing dishes, for example, does not please anyone, but everyone washes. Of course, in some ways all monasteries are similar: wherever you go, there is your own Father Benedict, your own Father Lazarus. But in some ways the people and traditions are different: we and the Siysky Monastery are completely different. We live here for years and don’t notice how we are changing, but when you go to the city, everything is foreign.

Human transformation

During the time that Gennady lives in the monastery, several monks have already taken monastic vows. He himself continues to wear wedding ring and does not think about rank:

Monk is serious. From the outside you can’t try this on yourself, or talk about it, or understand it. I have been tonsured twice, this is exactly a transformation, I say this without any pathos. For the first three years I thought something like that, and then I looked at myself - I’m not a monk,” says Gennady. - One of us lived as a novice for seven years, he didn’t get tonsured - now he has a wife and children. It happens that a person is broken in the world and is looking for peace, he comes here and thinks that he has found peace. Then he leaves for the world, nothing works out there, he returns... In the world there is the same cross as in the monastery, no less.

Temptations, including demonic ones, are a reality in the monastery that cannot be ignored. After the fraternal prayer service (starts at 5-30 am) before breakfast, many go to bed for a little more sleep (“maybe the rare chosen ones read the Holy Fathers or pray,” they say in the monastery), and at this time, as the monastery confessor Father Venedict (Menshikov) ), you can dream about anything. Demons love this time very much. And in general, behind the quiet appearance of monastic life, there are storms and battles, overcoming which, a person bears spiritual fruits.

Shrine in hiding

The relics of the righteous youth Artemy were hidden by the monks in 1918 so that they would not be violated by a Cheka detachment sent to the monastery specifically for this purpose. In 1941-1942, a special detachment of the NKVD searched for relics in the Verkolsky area, but never found them.

They were not found later either.

I think the shrine of the righteous Artemy is kept near the Kumbala River on the left side, there is a birch tree with cross-shaped branches, like on Anzer on Solovki. How long have I lived - I have never seen such birch bark, pure, pure! As a sign of God,” says local artist Dmitry Klopov, who participated in the restoration of the monastery in the 1990s. - Last year I went with an ax to get chaga, there once was a mill there, and now, if we find crayfish, we need to put a chapel there.

Hieromonk Venedikt (Menshikov), however, says that when the monks walked around Kumbala, they did not see anything similar to the description of Dmitry Klopov.

We tried to look for the relics, we even broke the steps in the Kazan Church, they shoved some mirrors there, we looked for walled-up rooms... Letters came that supposedly someone had seen that the relics were on the territory of the monastery. Our archivist Georgy was also “raving” about this idea, he had his own theory, he also searched in the Assumption Church. Someone was looking for underground passages from the monastery to Pinega - supposedly the relics were there, recalls Hieromonk Benedict, dean of the monastery and confessor of the brethren. - And then they left it all. When the Lord is pleased, he will reveal the relics. Previously, every morning at the end of the prayer service we read a special prayer for the discovery of relics. Now they have stopped: we need to ask for the salvation of the soul, for the correction of life, to ask for the Kingdom of Heaven, but we want power. So we calmed down.

The inhabitants of the monastery, together with the governor, are not sure that they are ready for the discovery of the relics - or rather, for the increase in the number of pilgrims that the appearance of the shrine will lead to. Although there are now many relics in Russia, they are no longer “unseen”, and the road to Verkola is difficult, there will be more people in the monastery.

How can we be sure that we will bear it? Will we overcome our passions and not seduce people? You have to be saints yourself in order to live near a shrine. But on the question of where the power is, no spiritual meaning, says Father Venedikt.

Children's Monastery

The rules of the monastery, as in former times, are strict: “Do not go to each other’s cells unless absolutely necessary, avoid unhelpful conversations at all costs: do not stop in the corridors for conversations; do not talk at all during meals; not to read loudly in cells, to be alone and always dressed, except at night: to honor each other, especially those older in years...” But this does not mean that the monks walk around gloomy and shun jokes.

One day a pilgrim came to us - he was looking for elders. He was also offended by us, he didn’t believe that there were no elders in the northern forests! - they recall humorous incidents from the life of the monastery, slips of the tongue from the readings at meals (like “Archhistratig” instead of Archangel Michael). The point is not that the brethren are simpletons: on the contrary, as they say in the monastery, a person with two higher education It can be more difficult to read in the choir, and even to remember the sequence of actions in the altar. Maybe your head is too densely packed with knowledge and new ones don’t fit?

Alexey, the son of a priest from Arkhangelsk, comes to help in the monastery in the summer

Maybe the monks should be more serious, but I chalk it up to the fact that we have a children’s monastery, so we can,” jokes the brethren’s confessor, Father Benedict.

After all, there is also the Gospel commandment to “be like children” in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rebuilding from the Ruins

The way the monastery looks now is a faceted chamber compared to the rubble and destruction it had fifteen years ago,” recalls Father Benedict. - Two years ago a warm toilet just appeared, otherwise there were all the delights of life, especially in 56 degrees below zero.

When Father Benedict arrived at the monastery, in the Artemievsky Church the basketball markings, inherited from a school for mentally retarded children, were still glowing through a layer of paint on the floor. Hardboard iconostases, bricks falling from the walls. In winter they served in mittens and pimas (high Nenets boots made of reindeer skins).

Before his tonsure, Father Benedict lived in the monastery for a year - in those years there was no tradition of a three-year apprenticeship. He was 21 years old, he wanted to live a little and go to seminary. Once I lived, I no longer wanted to go to the seminary, so I stayed.

We found a time when the Russian Church “turned on the hairdresser”: with the help of many tonsures they wanted to fill the monasteries. But it is impossible to fill the irreparable gap at one time; it is necessary to transfer experience, including the experience of repentance and obedience, not only from books. “And sometimes it happens that a young man is seduced by the robes and the external side of life in the monastery,” says Father Benedict.

The days of the “hair salon” are gone, as are the times when the basics were lacking. But the years of “hunger” are remembered as good:

It's easy not to eat when there is nothing to eat. It may be difficult not to grumble and not to get irritated, but not to eat is easy. But try to abstain when there is both this, that, and the third on the table - and that’s what is truly valuable,” says Hieromonk Venedikt.

The recovery is happening smoothly, comfort began to increase only in the last couple of years. The same pilgrims come from year to year - from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Severodvinsk, Kronstadt. They say that rarely does anyone come back once.

Pilgrims work in the monastery

There is an apiary at the monastery - and every blooming rowan tree in the area is buzzing so much that it’s scary to approach

The forest path to the holy spring above Pinega is called the “bishop’s path”

Drying Pinega fish

The St. Nicholas Chapel once housed the relics of the holy youth Artemy, and the Ilyinsky wooden church is opened for worship once a year - on the day of Elijah the Prophet

Pinezhsky district, Arkhangelsk region

Artemiev-Verkolsky Monastery- a male Orthodox monastery in the Pinezhsky district of the Arkhangelsk region.

Story

Background

In ancient times, the territory east of the Northern Dvina was called Zavolochye, where tribes of the Finno-Ugric group called Chud lived. These lands, rich in animals and “other patterns,” became territory subject to Russian, mainly Novgorod, colonization. Christianity began to be implanted here in the 12th century, although in the 16th century “idolatry” continued to exist in remote corners, to which the local population of the “filthy” (that is, pagans - paganus translated into Russian idolater) was inclined. The colonialists sent special expeditions against them with the aim of converting to Christianity.

The place names of rivers and settlements speak about the former inhabitants, either disappeared or Russified, such as: Verkola, Pokshenga, Yavzor, ​​etc. In the 14th century, Novgorodians here began to encounter “grassroots colonization” from Muscovy - which went through Vologda along the Sukhona, Northern Dvina and Vychegda. The Novgorodians provided “stays and food” to the bands of grand dukes.

At the end of 1867, with the blessing of Bishop Nathanael of Arkhangelsk, at the place of repose of St. the youth Artemy, two miles from the monastery, there is a new wooden chapel. Soon, with donated funds, it was converted into a temple with an altar, a meal and a bell tower.

Between 1869 and 1879, a wide stone wall was built around the monastery with a majestic 30-meter bell tower above the main gate. In 1876, a temple was built in the bell tower in honor of the Iveron Mother of God.

In the period from 1878 to 1881, a 2-story stone building for monastic services was built inside the monastery.

To facilitate the delivery of water from the river, in 1879, Hegumen Theodosius built a larch water supply system, taking water from a swampy area 700 meters from the monastery.

For his labors and merits in restoring the almost destroyed monastery, Theodosius was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite in 1882. He received honorary awards for his ascetic activities: 1869 - awarded the pectoral cross from the Holy Synod; 1872 - Order of St. 

Anna of the third degree; 1872 - Order of Anna, second degree.

On the night of April 21-22, 1885, at the age of 56, Archimandrite Theodosius died. He was buried near the altar on the south side of the stone church of St. righteous Artemy.

First class monastery

In 1886-1887, under the rector Archimandrite Yuvenalia (rector from 1886-1888), bells weighing 258 poods 13 pounds (4200 kg) and two bells weighing 127 and 31 poods (2080 kg and 507 kg) were raised to the stone bell tower. . In those same years, a tower clock was installed on the cathedral bell tower.

In 1887, the relics of St. Artemy were solemnly transferred from a wooden shrine to a silver shrine.

In 1889-1891, the abbot under Abbot Vitaly (rector from 1888-1900) erected a two-story stone building with premises for the abbot, chancellery and fraternal cells.

In 1890, the Verkolsky Monastery, as outstanding among the monasteries of the Arkhangelsk diocese and having the ability to support a large number of brethren, was converted into a First-class cenobitic monastery by decree of the Holy Synod.

In 1891-1897, the construction of a grandiose two-story stone Assumption Cathedral with a hanging gallery around the cathedral for the codes of the cross, magnificent interior decoration, a gilded iconostasis and icons in a strictly Byzantine style. The upper church is consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God, the lower one in honor of the Nativity of Christ.

In 1907-1909, under the rector Archimandrite Anthony (rector from 1904-1907), a three-story refectory building with the Church of the Kazan Mother of God was erected.

From 1908 to 1919, the monastery existed under the authority of bishops: Barsanuphius (1908-1917) and Paul (1917-1919)

By the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery had 60 monks as part of the brethren, of which 22 were sacred monks, one dressed in the great schema and 12 people tonsured into the ryassophore and up to 100 workers. In total there are up to 200 brethren.

As you know, 50 kilometers from Verkola up the Pinega River is the village of Sura - the birthplace of Saint Righteous John of Kronstadt. John Sergiev, as a youth, often visited the Verkolsky monastery, when he went every year from home to the Arkhangelsk Theological School. John of Kronstadt, already a respected saint, every year when visiting his native Sura (usually on a ship) stopped at the monastery for the night.

On June 15, Archpriest John of Kronstadt, serving with other clergy, consecrated the lower church of the Assumption Cathedral in honor of the Nativity of Christ. He contributed greatly to the decoration of the monastery, annually donating sums of money for this purpose, and often sent gifts of church utensils.

In 1892, at his expense, in the Church of St. of the righteous Artemy, a gilded canopy and a new hearse were built over the relics of the youth.

Monastery in the 20th century

The last rector of the Verkolsky monastery before its closure was Bishop Pavel (Peter Andreevich Pavlovsky). In 1917, he was consecrated Bishop of Pinega, vicar of the Arkhangelsk diocese. In 1920, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed acting bishop of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory. Arrested that same year, he subsequently died in custody in 1937. The abbot of the Verkolsky monastery under Bishop Paul was Hieromonk Eugene.

The brotherhood of the monastery consisted of 185 people.

At the end of November 1918, a detachment of Red Army soldiers arrived at the monastery. Some of the brethren went to other monasteries. Those who remained were shot and their bodies were thrown into Pinega. In December 1918, a special commission arrived at the monastery to open the relics. On December 20, 1918, when opening the chest with the relics, ordinary coal, burnt nails and small bricks were discovered. There were no signs of bones.

The bells from the bell tower were all removed and loaded onto rafts, but when they were transported to the other side, the rafts sank. The bells have not yet been found and probably lie at the bottom of Pinega.

The monastic archive and ancient manuscripts were taken by order of the central apparatus of the NKVD to the Provincial Archives of Arkhangelsk.

Church books and the icons were all taken out of the churches and burned on the river bank. Some of the icons were taken home by local residents; some of them have now been returned to the monastery.

At various times, the monastery buildings housed the district party committee, a hospital for Red Army soldiers, a village commune, an orphanage, a boarding school for children with developmental disabilities and a comprehensive school.

For 70 years the monastery was heavily plundered. Almost nothing remains of the iconostasis in the Assumption Cathedral. The wall was completely dismantled into bricks, the bell tower that towered above the gate was destroyed. Domes and crosses were destroyed.

Revival of the monastery

The monastery owes its revival primarily to Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova, the widow of the writer Fyodor Abramov, who was always concerned about the problem of the spiritual revival of Russia and the restoration of monasteries.

In 1989, Lyudmila Vladimirovna, on behalf of the Verkolsk Orthodox community, created by village activists, sent three letters: to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR Alexander Vladimirovich Vlasov, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Pimen and to the Council for Religious Affairs. Well-wishers helped ensure that the letters reached their recipients.

The Council for Religious Affairs of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, at a meeting on March 19, 1989, registered the religious community of the Russian Orthodox Church in the village of Verkola, Pinezhsky district, Arkhangelsk region, with the transfer of the building of the Church of St. Artemia the Righteous for prayer purposes.

In the spring of 1990, news arrived that the Verkolsky Monastery was being transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church.

On December 25, 1991, the Holy Synod decided to open the Artemiyevo-Verkolsky Monastery.

In April 1992, the monastery was registered by the regional assembly of deputies of the Arkhangelsk region as a legal entity.

On October 18, 1990, with the blessing of Bishop Panteleimon of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk, the first priest John Vasilikiv arrived at the monastery. After 2 years, he took monastic vows with the name Joasaph.

Hieromonk Joasaph began to restore the monastery practically from ruins. During almost 7 years of his management of the monastery, the roofs were repaired and new domes and crosses were installed on the Artemiyevsky Church and the Assumption Cathedral, the wooden Ilinsky Church was restored, restoration work began in the Kazan Church, the refectory was repaired, a new painting was made on top of the old one, which could not be restored, in the Temple of Artemy the Righteous . Funds for restoration came both from the administration of the Arkhangelsk region and the residents of Verkola and other admirers of the youth Artemy helped in the restoration of the monastery.

In 1994, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' flew around the Verkolsky Monastery three times in a helicopter and blessed it from the air. Then His Holiness landed in Sura in the homeland of John of Kronstadt.

In 1997, the monastery was finally given the abbot's building, which housed the Verkol secondary school, in connection with the construction of a new school building in Verkol, at the request and efforts of the school director Stepanova Vera Vasilievna and Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova. All outbuildings (sheds, bathhouses, sheds) were moved outside the monastery territory.

Workers and monks from all over Russia began to come to the monastery.

Monastery today

From 2000 to the present day, the rector of the monastery is Archimandrite Joseph (Volkov)

In 2006, the chapel of the righteous youth Artemy was restored with funds from benefactors. The roof of the Kazan Cathedral has been completely replaced, and the altar grille has been added. The project includes steam or electric heating of churches.

Attempts are being made to restore the Assumption Cathedral, but due to lack of funds the work is not progressing.

Now the brethren of the monastery number 30 inhabitants: 11 people in monastic vows (7 hieromonks, 2 hierodeacons, 2 monks). The rest of the inhabitants are workers and labourers. In summer, the number of brethren grows to 60 people.

The inhabitants of the monastery conduct missionary activities in all the surrounding villages of the Pinega region.

Since the fall of 2000, a Sunday school has appeared in Verkola under the auspices of the monastery, which exists to this day.

Patronal holidays

Most pilgrims from all over Russia come to honor the righteous Artemy in the summer on July 6 and August 5.

Temples of the monastery

• Temple in the name of the Holy Youth Artemy (built 1785-1806)- Temple with two chapels: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. righteous Artemy Verkolsky. Nowadays in the temple there is a shrine with a particle of the relics of the youth. Active.
• Chapel-temple of Artemy Verkolsky on Ezhemeni (built in 1867)- a wooden chapel one and a half kilometers from the monastery near the village of Ezhemen. Particularly revered by local residents. Placed at the place of death of the youth Artemy. Completely updated in 2007.
• Assumption Cathedral (built in 1891-1897 according to the design of the architect R. R. Marfeld)- the largest of the monastery buildings. Includes 2 churches: Upper - Assumption of the Mother of God; Nizhny - Nativity of Christ (consecrated by saint righteous John Kronstadt). Inactive, restoration work has been going on since 1991.
• Church in the name of the Kazan Mother of God (built 1907-1909)- built as part of a three-story building with refectory and fraternal cells. Inactive, restoration work has been going on since 1996.
• Elias Church (year of construction unknown)- wooden church. Restored in 1993-1995. Active, services are held in the summer.
• Chapel in the name of the righteous youth Artemy (built in 2006)- a wooden chapel, an exact copy of the chapel that stood on the territory of the monastery for four centuries, in which the relics of the saint were kept for some time.
• Temple in the name of the Mother of God of Iveron (built in 1869-1879; now destroyed to the ground)- a temple located in a high bell tower above the main gate in the wall of the monastery. Does not currently exist.

Viceroys

• Hieromonk Eugene (1917-1918)
• Hieromonk Joasaph (Vasilikiv) (1991-1995)
• Hieromonk Alexy (Teterin) (July 1995 - May 1996)
• Abbot Joasaph (Vasilikiv) (1996 - March 7, 1997)
• Hegumen Varnava (Permyakov) (January 1998-2000)
• Archimandrite Joseph (Volkov) (since August 2000)

• All materials used in the brick buildings are from the monastery. There was a brick factory at the monastery.
• It took 1 million 200 thousand bricks to build the wall around the monastery and the bell tower.
• The bells that rang from the high bell tower during the heyday of the monastery were heard 50 miles away by the residents of Sura and surrounding villages.
• Since the existence of the monastery (over 374 years of existence), it has been ruled by 53 abbots and governors. Since 2000, the abbot of the monastery has been Hegumen Joseph (Volkov)

How to get there

While still on the train, we decided that our travel schedule would change, since July 6th is the holiday of Artemy Verkolsky. Indeed, they tell us that he is going to Verkola today. We, still with our things, go to the station. At 18.20 our group leaves Arkhangelsk by train to Karpogory, seats in a seated carriage. Shortly before arrival, we see a rainbow through the window, at 23:20 we arrive at Karpogory station. It's white nights now, but it's raining, so it's pretty dark, no one is meeting us. Finally we find some kind of bus and crowd into it, there are few seats, some are standing, and things are lying around in the aisle. We drive for about 1.5 hours, the road is still the same - the asphalt soon ends, we start jumping on potholes. Already at night we reach the turn to Verkola - it’s 3 km away. However, our driver takes us around the village and continues on. He takes us to the river bank and says that we have arrived, come out. There is nothing but rain and the river, people are perplexed. Finally, the driver, realizing this, loads us up again and takes us back to Verkola. He brings us to a house with illuminated windows and now they are really waiting for us. We are invited into the house and assigned to rooms. We get places on the top floor - the attic. The room is quite large, with three small windows (here in the north, windows are generally small - for warmth, and they do not open). It’s already two o’clock, but we are called for dinner. We go out into the street small house there is a table with benches, we were fed and went to bed.
July 6, 2008
Verkola. We don't have breakfast in the morning because we need to festive service to the monastery, someone may be able to confess. It’s raining, we’re in raincoats, under umbrellas, wandering through the village, going down to the field, now we’ll trudge along it to the shore. Suddenly a white jeep stops in the middle of a field, in it a priest is hurrying to a holiday in a monastery, he picks up as many people as fit into his car. His name is Artemy, he takes us to the crossing. We go down the slippery wet bank to the Pinega River itself. Now we are waiting for a boat, for all the pilgrims there is one boat with a stalled engine, a maximum of 9 people can fit into it. We are standing on the shore already completely wet. Finally, we get into the boat, it, filled to capacity with people, sinks into the water, from the side of the boat to the water the distance is the width of a palm. Our engine did not stall and now we are already on the other side. We climb a little uphill from the shore and now we enter the territory of the St. Artemiev Verkolsky Monastery.

St. Artemiev Verkolsky Monastery
It is here, across the Pinega River, that a feeling arises - this is how a northern monastery should be. They say that on July 6, on the day of memory of Artemy, the sky becomes cloudy, and at mass there is a thunderstorm, after which the sky clears and the bright sun comes out. However, today the rain has not stopped.

The road along Verkola...
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Crossing the Pinega...
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We go into the Artemy Verkolsky Church, a service is already underway, we take off our wet raincoats, leave our umbrellas and walk closer to listen to the service. Today, on the day of the celebration of the memory of St. Artemy, the church is full of people - pilgrims have come from Sura, Karpogor, St. Petersburg and Moscow, even a group of pilgrims from Germany has arrived.
The monastery celebrates June 23/July 6, the day of the repose of the righteous Artemy Verkolsky, August 5, the discovery of the relics, November 30, the transfer of the relics and the founding of the monastery.
The holy righteous Artemy was born in Verkola, Dvina district in 1532. The son of pious parents Cosmas and Apollinaria. On June 23 (July 6), 1544, a thirteen-year-old boy and his father were caught in a field by a thunderstorm. During one of the thunderclaps, Artemy fell dead. People decided that this was a sign of God’s judgment, and therefore left the body in pine forest unburied, covered with brushwood and surrounded by a fence.

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In 1577, Agafonik, the deacon of the Verkolskaya St. Nicholas Church, while picking mushrooms in the forest, saw some kind of light among the trees. Approaching the place where it came from, he noticed that the light was coming from Artemy’s body, lying in a wooden frame in the middle of the forest. The sexton saw that it was “completely intact and unharmed,” then Agafonik hastened to tell his fellow villagers about what he had seen. The priest and parishioners went into the forest and carried the body to the porch of the St. Nicholas Church in Verkola, where it lay for another 6 years. Then the body was transferred to the chapel of the temple. In 1577, a general disease like fever was rampant, especially children suffered from it. The Verkol resident Kallinik's son fell ill, the peasant prayerfully turned to the youth Artemy. Having venerated his relics and removed part of the birch bark from the coffin (it served as a cover), he brought the birch bark home. The father placed a piece of birch bark on his son's chest, and he was healed. The peasants began to sing prayers and commemorate St. the youth Artemia, the fever also stopped.
In 1610, by decree of the Novgorod Metropolitan, the relics were examined and a service was compiled. After this, the body of the youth was transferred from the chapel to the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The previous tomb was converted into icon boards and images of the youth Artemy were painted on them. Saint Artemy is often depicted as Nicholas the Wonderworker, since the youth was a parishioner of the St. Nicholas Church, and subsequently his relics also rested in the St. Nicholas Church. In 1645, at the site where the relics of St. right A monastery was founded in Artemia in Verkola.
The Tsar sent governor Afanasy Pashkov to Kevrola and Mezen. While passing Verkola, the governor did not stop by to venerate the miraculous relics. Soon his son Jeremiah fell ill, the boy was almost dying, his sight and hearing were lost. The governor, remembering Artemy, made a vow to go with his son to the saint. Then Jeremiah himself stood up and, holding onto the window, asked: “Which way should we go to the wonderworker Artemy?” (From Kevrola to Verkola it is approximately 50 versts). Having fulfilled his vow and venerated the relics, Jeremiah was immediately cured. Then Afanasy Pashkov, where the relics were found, built a wooden temple in the name of the wonderworker Artemy. The governor built cells and a fence, and a monastic hermitage appeared. In 1647, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the relics were transferred to the monastery from the village church.

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Little is known about the early history of the monastery; apparently it was looked after by the Kevrol governors. In Moscow, in the Pyatnitskaya Church, a particle of the relics of Artemy and his icon, made from part of his tomb, were kept; it was considered miraculous.
The Temple of Artemy Verkolsky was founded on September 23, 1785. and was completed only by 1806, but the relics were transferred to one of the aisles back in 1791. It was this building that has survived to this day, but the interior burned down in 1842, and of course, after the closure of the monastery in Soviet times, everything was destroyed.
After the reforms of Catherine II and the fire of 1842, the monastery was in a difficult situation. They were about to close the monastery, but suddenly the brethren received about 5 thousand rubles by mail from Countess Anna Orlova-Chesmenskaya and the revival began.
In 1867 a new chapel was built in place of the dilapidated one in Jerzemen, where the youth died. In 1868 the new Kazan Church with a refectory was consecrated; later, in 1907-1909, it was built in stone. At the same time, new buildings, a fence and a bell tower are being built. In 1876 The temple of the Iveron Icon was consecrated in the bell tower Mother of God.

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The Verkolsky parish with the clergy was moved across the Pinega River to the village, and in 1869. a wooden church of St. Nicholas was built there, and two wooden churches of the Great Martyr. George and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who stood at the fence of the monastery, entered into the property of the monastery for the debts of the parish. In 1883 they were dismantled and the church of St. was built. Nicholas the Wonderworker, later consecrated in the name of the great martyr. George.
In 1865, a communal charter was introduced in the monastery, and in 1882 it began to be governed by an archimandrite. This was the heyday of the monastery, construction continued, and the number of brethren grew. In 1890 the monastery became a first-class dormitory. Twice a year on the memorable days of St. Artemy religious processions took place. They say that in all of history, not a single exile was brought here, to the youth Artemy, but undesirables were often exiled to the northern monasteries.

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In 1891, construction began on the majestic two-story Assumption Cathedral, funded by benefactors. In 1897, the Assumption Cathedral consecrated St. right John of Kronstadt - June 14 - the upper church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and the next day the lower church of the Nativity of Christ was consecrated. The holy father especially honored the youth Artemy all his life; his native village is Sura, which is located 50 kilometers from Verkola, and he often walked here. He donated a lot for the construction of the Assumption Cathedral and the decoration of the monastery.
Now they have tried to restore the Assumption Cathedral, but to do this they need a lot of money, which they don’t have. Once upon a time there were 54 icons outside on the walls of the temple. The paintings were crumbling, there were inscriptions everywhere, only the skeleton of the iconostasis remained. Partial paintings have been preserved in the cathedral - images of Alexander Nevsky, Princess Olga and Prince Vladimir, martyrs Boris and Gleb, Sergius of Radonezh and others. In 2001, for the first time on the patronal feast day of the cathedral, the brethren served the Divine Liturgy there.
Once upon a time, three silver crosses with particles of the relics of many saints of God were kept here in the monastery, but after the revolution the shrine was lost. Already at the end of November 1918, Red Army soldiers came to the Verkolsky Monastery. Some of the brethren had gone to other monasteries even earlier, and the rest were shot on the banks of the Pinega. Local residents saw light rising to the sky from the place where the monks suffered martyrdom. The bells were sunk in the river; according to legend, they were transported on a barge along the river, but the boat never arrived at its destination. The entire route was examined, but nothing was found.
Since the 1930s, the monastery buildings housed the village commune, the district party committee, an orphanage, and food warehouses. The temples began to collapse, and in the late 1930s. The walls, towers and bell tower of the monastery were completely destroyed, and destruction continued into the 1950s.

I decide to explore the territory of the monastery itself. It's still raining...
I walk along the wooden path to the Temple of Elijah the Prophet. The wooden temple of Elijah the Prophet was restored in 1993, next to it is the chapel of the Holy Youth Artemy. The monastery always had a chapel for the youth Artemy, but in Soviet times it was given over to the folk club of the village of Letopala, 7 km from the monastery. In 2006 a chapel was re-erected on the same site.

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At the relics of the righteous youth Artemy Verkolsky...

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From here you can clearly see the shore of Pinega and the Verkolsky distance.
After the service, we are invited to a concert in the Assumption Cathedral, a singer has arrived, she sings wonderful songs with spiritual verses. The concert takes place inside the temple, we climb the stairs, the wind is blowing, the windows are not glazed, and then we enter the huge interior of the temple. Before we begin, we can take a good look at the remains of the paintings. Some are still well preserved, but right in front of us are the empty eye sockets of the iconostasis, there are no icons... It’s so sad to look at the ruined temple.

Destroyed Assumption Cathedral. Concert in honor of the holiday....
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We are waiting for the crossing again...

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The way back...
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March 19, 1989 The religious community of Verkola was registered with the transfer of the Church of Artemy Verkolsky to it. In 1990 At the request of the Verkola community, created by Lyudmila Vladimirovna Krutikova, the widow of the writer Fyodor Abramov, the monastery territory was transferred to the community (except for the abbot's building, where there was a school). Soon the monastery was reopened. Monks come here from different places Russia, but not everyone here can withstand harsh conditions.

Recovery is difficult, December 23, 1990. The Nikolsky chapel of the Church of Artemy Verkolsky was consecrated. The reliquary, which previously contained the relics of the youth Artemy, was transferred from the chapel on Ezhemen to the temple. August 5, 1991 The temple of Artemy Verkolsky was consecrated. Now on the shrine of the youth Artemy there is an icon with a particle of his relics. When a commission to open the relics came to the monastery in December 1918, the brethren hid the relics from desecration. Now they hope that they are hidden on the territory of the monastery; according to legend, local residents saw how the youth Artemy in a white shirt left the monastery. The monks pray for the second discovery of the relics to take place. One of the cases of prayer assistance occurred in the village of Kevrola, where once the governor Pashkov made his vow. The village was plagued by fires, and then the residents turned to the reviving monastery asking for help, after prayers the fires stopped.

Now in the temple there are several ancient icons - the Most Holy Theotokos of Georgia, the apostles Peter and Paul, the apostles Matthew and James, the prophet Hosea. There is also a reliquary with particles of the relics of many saints. A piece of the hair shirt of Longin of Koryazhemsky and a piece of the relics of St. Petersburg are also kept here. Maxim the Greek.

Today, on the patronal feast day, there is supposed to be a religious procession to the chapel on Jerzemen, but after the end of the service it turns out that it was canceled due to the weather. The chapel is located 2–2.5 kilometers from the monastery, so they serve there only on holidays.
It's drizzling and sometimes it gets heavier. The boatman is still on duty at the pier; after waiting for our turn, we load into the boat and cross Pinega in the rain. But this is only the beginning of the journey, you need to cross a field, and the road is entirely clay and puddles.

We arrive at the house completely wet, but it turns out the stove in the house has already been lit, so we can dry off and drink tea.
You will fall in love with these harsh and at the same time beautiful places forever. I would like to go back there again. Here you feel detachment and silence, which emanates peace. The northern nature here is fabulous and wonderful.

Two kilometers from the monastery, upstream, there is the village of Ezhemen with one house (but this house is residential, and it seems that the owner there is strong: there is a tractor nearby). Not far away, on the field, there is a wooden chapel-temple: here the incorruptible relics of the youth Artemy were found. After the festive liturgy, everyone went to this chapel in a procession of the cross. The chapel is single-domed, with an altar and a bell tower, it looks like a small church. It was built in 1876, on the site of the old one, and then consecrated as a temple. Inside, near the northern wall, there is a huge, 5 and a half meter long, carved wooden cross. According to residents, he sailed along the river and stopped at this place.