Sergiev Posad
The city grew up around the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra Monastery, established around 1340 by St. Sergius of Radonezh . This monastery has been the single most important spiritual center in Russia for well over 600 years, and today is a working monastery, Seminary, Theological Academy and place of pilgrimage.
This picture I took with my clients on the last day of 2006 during the tour to the famous Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra, which was founded in 14th century by venerable St. Sergius of Radonezh, who till nowadays considered to be the patron saint of whole Russia. During centuries, from Medieval times till present time this monastery played important role in history of Russian Orthodox church and state.
Ar the end of the 17th century, when young Peter I several times found refuge within monastery from his enemies, numerous structures had been constructed there and one of them was Refectory Chambers with St. Sergius church built in 1686-1692 in the style of baroque.
Here you can see interior of the main Refectory Chamber, which is connected with another chamber from one side (on this pic.: the view on the entrance from the small chamber) and with Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh from opposite side. The huge construction of the Refectory, which used to be the largest hall in Russia, is 86 meters long and with the area of 510 square meters and it was intended for sumptuous ceremonies and receptions. Small chamber, for example, was used for everyday meals of the monks.
After Soviet revolution 1917 this monastery was closed and in 1920s they made museum on the grounds of this monastery. The building of the Refectory the Bolsheviks decided to use for a club and they eliminated all beautiful frescoes on its walls, whic were replaced with slogans, propaganda of new soviet state of workers and farmers... very sad... After WWII by Stalin order this monastery was opened and became center of Orthodox religion till during the soviet times and the residence of our Patriarch till 1991, starting democracy here. In 1950s the soviet architects and artists repainted in oil the Refectory chambers. On the threshold of the 1000th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Russia (1988) the Provincial Council of the Russian Orthodox Church was held. In 1988 inside this chamber were held the sessions of the Provincial Council of the Orthodox Church in honor of the 1000th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Russia.
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