Holy places of Russia: pilgrimage, trips, tours and excursions

Holy places in Russia ... Probably not so many people will meet who never would have heard of such corners. Pilgrimages here are committed by both Russians and guests from near and far abroad.

But have you ever thought about what is hidden behind the popular tourist destination called "Holy Places of Russia"? Why travelers pull there with such force and enviable constancy? Is there any mystery or mystery in this?

This article will tell not only about the holy places in Russia, the reader will get acquainted with the nuances and details of such travels, and also learn where to look first, visiting a huge country.

General information and relevance of the issue

Before you go on a trip to the holy places of Russia, it is still worth reading some information.

There are places on the Russian land, to which pilgrims from all corners of the planet are drawn. Usually such are considered various sacred sources, temples, monasteries, incorrupt relics of holy saints and burials of the righteous. Visiting such places, a person is cleansed spiritually, charged with positive energy, reveals something new for himself and reinterprets the essence of life on earth.

It turns out that those who come to the holy places of Russia are those who mentally stand on the verge of spiritual changes. Naturally, such a journey is prepared in advance.

Pilgrimage to the holy places of Russia

Features of this kind of tours are in specific directions. Specificity of pilgrims is determined by the peculiarity of the religious consciousness of believers.

The main motives for the pilgrimage are the following: the desire to pray, to find grace, to touch imperishable relics or a miraculous icon, to perform the sacrament of confession from a particular religious figure in a certain holy place, to fulfill a donation, to make a vow, etc.

How do people understand that they will be interested in a trip to the holy places of Russia? The decision on the pilgrimage can be made independently or with the blessing of the spiritual father.

As a rule, the intensity and nature of such travel depends on the political and economic situation of a country, the level of social and material condition of citizens. The peculiarities of the travels of religious pilgrims are influenced by the climate and geographical location of the destinations.

Duration of the pilgrimage tour

Geographically, holy places in Russia are very often located at some distance from populated areas.

All pilgrimage trips in duration are divided into multi-day, one-day or "weekend" tours.

Tours to holy places in Russia rarely last longer than 12 days. Most of the time it takes a pilgrimage to the most remote regions of Russia (Ekaterinburg, Tobolsk and Altai).

Any route of such a plan should be complete and logical. For example, when a pilgrim wants to see holy places near Tobolsk or Yekaterinburg, it is best for him to go on a comprehensive tour that covers all the main shrines in the Urals. Thus, he can visit all the shrines of the Central and Northern Urals for one trip, and also embrace the path of the Royal Martyrs of the Urals and Siberia.

Where do parishioners most often go?

If you look at tours to holy places of Russia on regional grounds, you can determine the directions of the most visited places in the country.

Most often pilgrims go to the center and to the north-west. Many travel on the Golden Ring, visit Kursk, Diveevo (Nizhny Novgorod region), Zadonsk (Lipetsk region).

In the North-West region of Russia, the Vologda and Arkhangelsk (Solovki) lands, Karelia (Kizhi and Valaam), Veliky Novgorod, Pskov are of interest. The latter is famous for Pechora and Pushkin Mountains, many pilgrims visit the Talapsky Islands.

The main important places for parishioners are monasteries and deserts of the Russian Orthodox Church. On the territory of the state there are 26 deserts and 313 monasteries. Excursions to the holy places of Russia are held regularly.

A lot of cities of the Golden Ring are very closely connected with the stories of the spread of Orthodoxy in Russia. There is a large number of shrines there, so almost all the temples and monasteries are the objects of pilgrimage. The cities that are most visited are Alexandrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yaroslavl, Rostov the Great, Uglich, Kostroma, Sergiev Posad, Tutayev, Vladimir and Suzdal.

Also recently, many monasteries were opened and restored in Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar and Arkhyz. Pilgrimages to Altai are interesting in connection with the study of local traditions.

How to choose a time for a trip?

It is difficult to distinguish and outstrip the most favorable period for pilgrimage. As a rule, in summer it is more convenient and more comfortable to make long trips (from 3 to 7-12 days) over long distances.

In spring and autumn, shorter programs (2-3 days) are usually chosen. Only big holidays are an exception, because These days it does not really matter if the day off on the usual calendar falls on that date or not.

Holy places of Russia: Valaam

One of the most popular tourist destinations is the well-known to the whole world Valaam Island. It is part of a fairly large archipelago, which is located in the north of Lake Ladoga. A total of several hundred people live on the island. The main population of the archipelago is made up of fishermen, foresters and monks. On the territory of the island is the Valaam Monastery, where pilgrims come from all over the world.

The time and history of the spread of Christianity on the island of Valaam are unknown, but there is evidence that the monastery already existed at the beginning of the 16th century.

In those days there lived such saints as Arseny Konevsky, the Reverend Avrahamy of Rostov, Savvatiy Solovetsky, Adrian Ondrusovsky and Alexander Svirsky. To this day, all hermitages operate here, and there are also several branches of the monastery (about ten).

There is also a weather station and a military unit on the territory of the islands. The glory of the high spiritual life of the monastery, the amazing nature of the island, the beauty and rigor of monastic worship attracts a lot of pilgrims to Valaam.

Solovki is a famous place of pilgrimage

The Solovetsky Monastery is a stauropegic monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is located in the White Sea on the Solovetsky Islands, deserts and monasteries - on the islands of the archipelago.

The monastery was founded by monks Zosim, Savvaty and Herman back in 1436. Many people know that in the 1920s there was a camp for political prisoners at the monastery.

Under the Soviet Union it was also called "Solovki", or "Russian Calvary." Until now, the relics of the founders have been preserved on the territory of the monastery. In it the monastery was inhabited by many righteous people who, after death, were ranked as saints.

Today the monastery is a major social and spiritual center. The pilgrimage here was always considered a feat, which few dared to make. Now Solovetsky monastery is visited not only by pilgrims, but also by researchers, historians, and scientists.

Ganina pit becomes popular

In Sverdlovsk region there is an abandoned Isetsky mine - Ganina pit. Pilgrims who come to the Urals always try to visit this holy place. It is also called the Temple of Blood. It was built on the site where once stood a house in the basement of which on the night of July 17, 1918 together with the servants were shot the Russian Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, children - Alexis, Tatiana, Olga, Anastasia and Maria.

Then the bodies were taken to Isetsky mine and thrown into a mine near Ganina pit, and clothes were burnt. On the second day of the unfortunate they were reburied in the distant mines. After 60 years this burial was found by a group of search engines. Since the 70-ies this place began to visit the pilgrims, to pay tribute to the holy land in which the royal martyrs were buried .

In 2000, the construction of the monastery and several temples began on the Ganina Pit. Now there are open 7 temples in which are kept the fragments of the relics of Spiridon of Trimifund and the relics of the holy monk-martyrs of nun Varvara and Grand Duchess Elizabeth.

Holy spring village of Talezh

Among the special places in Russia, marked by grace, there is a holy source of the Monk David in the village of Talezh, Chekhov district of the Moscow region. It is located near the Ascension David's Desert. This is a man's monastery, which is located in the village of New Byt.

Pilgrims in Talezh from ancient times attracted spring water, which has healing properties. This is a holy source, giving a person cheerfulness, health and joy of life. They say that by touching this clear water, the parishioner feels how it becomes easier on the soul.

Next to the source, pilgrims have the opportunity to wash themselves in a specially built for this well-maintained bath. It is believed that the sacred water has the power to purify and sanctify the soul and body.