MOSCOW CONCEPTION MONASTERY

Conception Monastery, 2010. Photo by Yuri Bulkin

Convent in honor of the Conception of Righteous Anna in the city of Moscow
, stauropegy of the Russian Orthodox Church within the boundaries of the Moscow diocese

Address: Russia, Moscow 119034, 2nd Zachatievsky lane, 2
Tel.: (495) 695-1694, 695-1692, 695-1691, 695-1690; fax: 695-1694
Official site:
Directions: metro station “Kropotkinskaya”, “Park Kultury”, trolley. 31, stop. "st. Dmitrievsky"
On the map: Yandex.Map, Google map

The oldest convent in Moscow, the monastery began in 1360, when Saint Alexy of Moscow built the wooden Church of the Conception of Righteous Anna and founded a monastery with it.
The first nuns were the saint's sisters, Abbess Juliania and nun Eupraxia. In 1547, the monastery was destroyed by fire and moved closer to the Kremlin.

A small monastic community remained in the old place, which again became a monastery in 1584 under the guardianship of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich. At the same time, the Church of the Conception of Righteous Anna with the chapel of the Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates and the Martyr Irina, as well as a refectory church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, were built in it.

The monastery was badly damaged during the Polish invasion in 1612, but was soon revived.

Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Moscow Conception Monastery

In 1696, at the expense of Andrei Rimsky-Korsakov, a nobleman of Peter I, the gate temple of the Savior of the Image Not Made by Hands was built.
In 1766, a temple was built in the name of the Burning Bush icon of the Mother of God over the graves of the founders of the monastery, Juliania and Eupraxia.

In 1804-1807, on the site of ancient churches, a grandiose Nativity Cathedral was erected with the chapels of the Conception of Righteous Anna, the Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates, St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, and the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The architect of the new cathedral was M. F. Kazakov.

Since ancient times, the monastery had an almshouse for elderly nuns and a handicraft workshop.

In 1844-1850, a special stone building was built for the almshouse according to the design of M. D. Bykovsky with the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

In the 19th centuries, many residential and utility buildings appeared on the territory of the monastery.

On March 16, 1925, 9 days before his death, St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia, served his last liturgy here.

Closure during the Soviet period

Church of the Savior of the Savior Not Made by Hands above the northern gate of the Moscow Conception Monastery, February 7, 2015

The monastery was closed in 1927.
Some icons of the monastery were transferred to the temple of the prophet Elijah. In the 1930s, the cathedral, bell tower and temple in the name of the Burning Bush icon of the Mother of God were completely destroyed and a standard school building was built in their place, the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit was rebuilt beyond recognition, the walls surrounding the monastery were partially destroyed.

In the 1960s, the external restoration of the gate temple, a striking example of the Moscow Baroque style, was carried out.

Recovery

In 1991, the sisterhood in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Merciful” began work to revive the monastery. In 1993, services were resumed there.

In 1995, by decree of the Holy Synod, the sisterhood was given the status of a stauropegial convent.

On November 25, 1999, during a solemn religious procession, the icon of the Mother of God “Merciful” and the staff of the last abbess were transferred to the Conception Monastery.

On May 16, 2001, the canonization of Juliania, the first abbess of the monastery, and the nun Eupraxia took place.

In the new refectory building, the Church of the Conception of Righteous Anna was built and consecrated; under the gate church, a chapel was built and consecrated in honor of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow. Repair and restoration work is underway in the monastery. In 2001, work began on the reconstruction of the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

In the monastery there is an almshouse for the elderly and sick nuns of the monastery and a shelter. There is a prosphora bakery, a bakery, a sewing workshop, a library and a publishing house.

Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Descent of the Holy Spirit (with the hospital building) of the Moscow Conception Monastery, February 7, 2015

Shrines

Icon of the Mother of God “Merciful”
cross-crucifix with particles of the Blood of Christ,
particles of the tree of the Holy Cross and the Holy Sepulcher,
martyr icon St. George the Victorious
martyr icon Panteleimon with a particle of relics
icon of the Conception of rights. Anna
reliquary with particles of the holy relics of the new martyrs and confessors of Russia.
burial place of the founders of the monastery, St. Juliana and Eupraxia.
the ark with the relics is right. Lazarus of the Four Days[1]

Church of the Conception of Anna in the refectory building of the Moscow Conception Monastery, September 3, 2013

Schedule of services at the Conception Monastery

Divine services in the monastery churches are held daily

Before the Divine Liturgy at 07:30, prayer services are performed with the reading of an akathist to the founders of the monastery, the Venerable Abbess Juliana and the nun Eupraxia.

Divine Liturgy in the morning at 08:00.

Divine Liturgy in the evening, vespers at 17:00 (on Saturday - 16:00), matins or all-night vigil.

On Sundays:

Divine Liturgy at 08:30.

At the end of the liturgy, water blessing prayers are performed with the reading of the akathist by St. Juliania and Eupraxia or sschmch. Cyprian and MC. Justina (one at a time).

Once or twice a month, an akathist is read to the righteous Joachim and Anna with a prayer for the gift of children.

On holidays:

Divine services on Sundays and holidays are held in the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

On the day of the patronal feast of the Gate Church of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, every year the Divine Liturgy is celebrated there by the bishop's rite. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, the services were performed in different years by Archbishops Arseny of Istra and Alexy of Orekhovo-Zuevsky, Bishops of Pavlovo-Posad and Dmitrovsky Alexander.

Mandatory solemn worship on the patronal feast of the Gate Church on August 16/29, also on Bright Week, on Christmastide and on especially memorable days of the Conception (Alekseevsky) Monastery.

Every Thursday:

On Thursdays (with the exception of the Twelve and Great Feasts), at the end of Vespers, the Paraklis is served - a prayer service with the singing of the canon and akathist before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Merciful”.

Shrines of the monastery in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

The main revered shrine of the ancient monastery is the icon of the Miraculous Image of the Mother of God “Merciful”.

Cancer of the revered founders, Saints Juliania and Eupraxia.

November 25 is a particularly revered feast of the “Merciful” Icon of the Mother of God.

The miraculous image of the Queen of Heaven is located in the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Conception Monastery.

The cathedral church also contains icons with particles of relics: John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Seraphim of Sarov, etc.

Shrines of the monastery in the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit:

Cross with a particle of the Blood of the Lord; Reliquary with particles of the relics of the Optina elders; Reliquary with particles of the relics of the venerable fathers of the Kiev-Pechersk; Icons with particles of relics: Ap. Andrew the Pristine; St. John of Shanghai; St. Basil the Great; St. John Chrysostom; Prmts. Elizabeth.

Story

This was the first nunnery in Moscow, founded with the blessing of St. Metropolitan Alexy

Moscow by his sisters Reverend Juliania and Eupraxia, who worked a lot for God.

They were known for their kindness, love for others, humility, mercy and piety.

Having gone to the Lord, the sisters became intercessors before the throne of the Most High for all those who came to them in prayer.

The reverend mothers performed many miracles to those calling on them for help. The Alekseevsky Monastery grew and over time became one of the most important monasteries in Moscow.

But in the middle of the 16th century, after a terrible fire completely destroyed it, at the behest of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, it was moved closer to the Kremlin.

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In the old place, within the burnt walls of the ancient monastery, nuns who did not want to leave this place formed a community. Her plight was corrected during the reign of Theodore Ioannovich, who visited the monastery with his wife to pray for the gift of children.

Thus began a new period in the life of the monastery. No longer Alekseevskaya, but Zachatievskaya, which received the name from the Church of the Conception of St. Righteous Anna.

By the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century, 5 churches operated in the monastery. In total there were 11 stone buildings and 18 wooden cells. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a monastery courtyard was also established in the village of Barvikha, Zvenigorod district.

The tragic revolutionary events that Moscow was then subjected to struck the monastery during its heyday. The monastery and the courtyard of the Conception Monastery were liquidated at this time. Some of the nuns were arrested or exiled, the rest were simply evicted.

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The premises of the Conception Monastery were occupied by various organizations and services. Cathedral Church of the Nativity

The Blessed Virgin Mary with the Church of the Burning Bush and the bell tower were blown up. A standard school building was built in their place.

In the early 90s, the widespread return of monastery lands and buildings to the ownership of the Russian Orthodox Church began.

On the territory of the Conception Monastery, all the surviving premises were in disrepair. At first there were not enough funds for restoration; the process of transferring property dragged on for 10 years.

When the school building was destroyed in order to build a new Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in its place, traces of monastery buildings from the 14th century were discovered underneath it.

It was decided to preserve the ancient ruins in the basement of the new cathedral as a museum space. Now the construction of the building is completely completed, other churches of the monastery have also been restored (Gateway Church, Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit).

The main shrines of the monastery

1. Gracious icon of the Mother of God.

The main miraculous shrine of the Conception Monastery. Her popular name is “The Hearer,” because in the icon the Mother of God’s ear is slightly open. She hears all the prayers and requests addressed to her.

Located in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. They pray to her for recovery, for the gift of children, for finding a family (marriage), peace in the family, getting a job, etc.

In Soviet times, the image of the Mother of God was transferred to the Church of the Prophet Elijah in Obydensky Lane, and only on November 25, 1999 it was returned to the Conception Monastery.

2. Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A special relic created by the hands of the sisters of the Conception Monastery and consecrated on the holy Mount Athos. The belt is kept in a carved ark in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and is available for use. People pray to this shrine for the gift of children and healing from illnesses.

Russian Orthodox Church

Story

The Conception Monastery is the oldest convent in Moscow. In 1360 St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, built the wooden Church of the Conception of Rights. Anna and founded a monastery with her, the first nuns of which were his sisters, Abbess Juliana and nun Eupraxia. In 1547, the monastery was destroyed by fire and moved closer to the Kremlin.

A small monastic community remained in the old place, which again became a monastery in 1584 under the guardianship of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich. At the same time, the temples of the Conception of Rights were built in it. Anna with the side-chapel of the Great Martyr. Theodore Stratilates and MC. Irina, refectory church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The monastery was badly damaged during the Polish invasion in 1612, but was soon revived.

In 1696, at the expense of Andrei Rimsky-Korsakov, a nobleman of Peter I, the gate temple of the Savior of the Image Not Made by Hands was built. In 1766, a temple was built in honor of the Mother of God “Burning Bush” over the graves of the founders of the monastery, Abbess Juliana and nun Eupraxia.

In 1885-1887 The temple became part of the monastery buildings, and a chapel of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was built in it. In 1804-1807 On the site of ancient temples, the Nativity Cathedral with the chapels of the Conception of Rights was erected. Anna, martyr. Theodore Stratilates, St. Alexia, Metropolitan Moscow, and the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (architect M.F. Kazakov).

Since ancient times, the monastery had an almshouse for elderly nuns and a handicraft workshop. In 1844-1850 A special stone building was built for the almshouse (architect M.D. Bykovsky) with the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

In the XIX-XX centuries. Many residential and utility buildings appeared on the territory of the monastery.

In 1927 the monastery was closed. Some icons of the monastery were transferred to the temple of the prophet. Elijah the Ordinary. On March 16, 1925, 9 days before his death, St. served his last Liturgy here. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

In the 1930s The cathedral, bell tower and temple of the Burning Bush icon of the Mother of God were completely destroyed, and a standard school building was built in their place. The Temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit was completely rebuilt; the walls surrounding the monastery were partially destroyed. In the 1960s External restoration of the gate temple, a striking example of the Moscow Baroque style, was carried out.

In 1991, the sisterhood in the name of the “Merciful” Icon of the Mother of God began work to revive the monastery. Worship services resumed in 1993.

In 1995, by decree of the Holy Synod, the sisterhood was given the status of a stauropegial convent. On November 25, 1999, in a solemn religious procession, the icon of the Mother of God “Merciful” and the staff of the last abbess were transferred to the Conception Monastery.

In November 2002, after the secondary school was moved to another building, the school building was dismantled.

On November 5, 2005, on the day of the celebration of the “Merciful” Icon of the Mother of God, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II performed the rite of consecration of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On November 25, 2008, Archbishop Arseny of Istra performed the rite of consecration of 11 bells of the cathedral belfry.

On November 25, 2009, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' consecrated eight crosses installed on the same day on the domes of the cathedral under construction.

On September 16, 2010, a minor consecration of the first of the chapels of the Nativity of the Mother of God Cathedral took place - in honor of the Burning Bush icon of the Mother of God. On September 17, the day of the patronal feast of the church, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated. The service was led by Archbishop Arseny of Istra. On November 4, 2010, the first Liturgy was celebrated in the Kazan chapel of the cathedral, which had been consecrated the day before with a small rite.

On November 25, 2010, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed the great consecration and the first Divine Liturgy in the restored Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Seven of the ten altars of the temple were consecrated: the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (main), St. right Godfather of Joachim and Anna, St. Alexis and St. Alexy, man of God, sschmch. Cyprian and MC. Justina, St. Juliana and Eupraxia of Moscow, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and the Burning Bush Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. (There are three more chapels in the cathedral - St. Grand Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, St. Grand Prince Juliana of Vyazemskaya and the chapel of All Reverend Fathers and Mothers).

On the eve of the holiday, during the all-night vigil, the miraculous image of the Mother of God “Merciful” was transferred from the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit to the cathedral, where a white stone carved icon case with a tented canopy was built for the icon.

The Church of the Conception of St. was built in the new refectory building. right Anna, a chapel was built under the gate church in honor of St. Alexia, Metropolitan Moscow.

On November 27, 2011, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill consecrated the monument to St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, installed at the holy gates of the monastery, and also blessed the reconstruction of the ascribed Church of the Resurrection of Christ on Ostozhenka.

In November 2013, the great consecration of the southern chapel in honor of the Hieromartyr Vladimir (Ambartsumov) of the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place. The chapel was built in 2004; this is the first altar in Moscow dedicated to the holy martyr Vladimir of Moscow.

By order of the territorial administration of the Federal Agency for State Property Management in Moscow dated March 14, 2021 No. 341, the Southern building of the cells of the Conception Monastery (located at the address: Moscow, 2nd Zachatievsky Lane, 2, bldg.) was transferred to the ownership of the Church 7).

At the Conception Monastery there is a metochion in the village. Barvikha, Moscow region. Revival of what existed at the beginning of the 20th century. The metochion of the Conception Convent in Barvikha, Moscow Region, began in 1996. The Intercession Church, built in 1996-2010, repeats the features of the former wooden church of the metochion, dismantled in 1930. On September 18, 2021, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed the rite of the great consecration of the Intercession Church.

Shrines

Icon of the Mother of God “Merciful”; cross-crucifix with particles of the Blood of Christ, the tree of the Cross and the Holy Sepulcher, icon of the Great Martyr. St. George the Victorious, martyr. Panteleimon with a particle of relics; icon of the Conception of St. right Anna, a reliquary with particles of the holy relics of the new martyrs and confessors of Russia. The burial place of the founders of the monastery, Abbess Juliania and nun Eupraxia, is especially revered.

Temples