The Monk Sava lived in the city of Zvenigorod. For some time he asceticized in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, studied with Sergius of Radonezh. He was blessed with his wisdom and prayer. Through his prayers, many wonderful things happened, for which he was even called Sava.
A miracle worker.
The prince in Zvenigorod was the second son of Dmitry Ivanovich, known to us under the nickname Donskoy. Prince Yuri set fire to found a monastery in Zvenigorod. I asked Savva to help me. Saint Sava fasted, and then prayed and through prayer was shown his place. There he opened a cave and settled.
On the high mountain of the Watchman, in 1398 the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin was built. This is where the abode began. Prince Yuri patronized the monastery. It was money and land. In 1405 a stone Christmas Cathedral was built. There, at the entrance and buried the Reverend.
Savva.
During the Time of Troubles, the monastery suffered from the invasion of Lithuanians. Scarce, but not closed.
Already under the Romanovs began its new revival. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich issued a special decree on the expansion of the monastery. Then a fence was built, more like a fortification of the castle: 3 meters thick, 7-8 meters high. 7 towers of guards were built, with temples — Transfiguration and Life-giving Trinity. They built a refectory, a belfry, chambers for the king and queen.
A hospital was opened at the monastery. For this purpose, a hospital building was built, under which the temple of John the Ladder was opened. The number of inhabitants grew and a cell and brother corps were built for them.
There were no economic buildings – not counted. Ponds, mills, cattle yard. In the monastery they bred fish and made a special kvass.
Alexei Mikhailovich loved to drive around. When to pray and when to hunt. But always with gifts.
In 1652 the relics of St. Sava were revealed to the world. The king, in honor of this event, ordered the casting of the Holy Bell.
Under Alexei Mikhailovich, the monastery became the Lavra. It included 19 monasteries. When the Streltsy rebelled in Moscow, Princess Sophia and her brothers, Ivan and Peter, took refuge here.
But it was under Peter and his heirs that the monastery lost its significance, and with it privileges and lands. But within its walls in the 18th century opened a theological seminary.
During the war of 1812, the French occupied the monastery, but the defense of Saint Sava saved it from ruin.
After the war, the monastery began to flourish again. But there was a revolution. In 1918, all valuables were removed from the monastery. But most importantly, they took the relics of Saint Sava. In 1919 the monastery was closed.
The building was used as a sanatorium and museum.
The revival of the monastery began in 1995. In 1998, he managed to return part of the relics of St. Sava. There are currently 30 monks living in the monastery. They are working to rebuild the temples. Services are held daily. The monastery has a library, theological courses, a children’s shelter.
Charitable Foundation Holy Land
Temples and Monasteries of Russia
